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February 5, 2007
A Cute Pink Slip?
Posted by Patrick Cliff at 4:35 PM
Which Super Bowl ad was most memorable? I vote for the General Motors “Robot” ad.
The ad serves up an unintended (I’m assuming, here) reminder of the Big Three’s struggles of late. While working the assembly line, a yellow robot drops a bolt, a fumble that brings the humming line to an uncomfortable silence. The robot gets canned. The robot – supposedly cute and sad – wanders the streets, looking for work. It even tries to sell real estate, but that’s obviously not a job anyone would want these days. GM cars race past, a reminder of that bolt. More menial jobs follow. Near the end – the commercial’s and possibly the robot’s – we see it standing on the rail of a bridge. More GM models drive past and, in its sorrow, the robot tumbles to…oh wait, it was just a dream! The robot wakes from its slumber safe and sound in a GM factory. Apparently, the spot was meant to convey GM’s commitment to quality, according to The Detroit News. Drop one thing, and you’re out.
But considering that in November 2005 GM announced plans to layoff 30,000 hourly workers, the ad feels a lot more grim than cute. As much as anything, the spot appeared to be the sad story of a former GM employee dreaming of jumping from a bridge. Did GM really do that? Did it serve up a reminder of shrinking market share and unemployed workers? (Watch for yourself here.)
The Detroit News also pointed out that the robot is going to be part of a major branding effort by GM. Do you think the robot will survive its ignominious launch?
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Suicide isn't funny, even if it's only a robot.
I missed that ad the first time around. I'm not sure the Times' link to the war was correct, but the ads were weirdly violent/unhappy this year. I've often thought that almost all business advertising makes business seem awful: it's always five unhappy people in a conference room, and some poor workers hiding from their cruel, imperious boss (sometimes portrayed by a chimp). I suppose ad agency people are unhappy, so everyone else has to be unhappy too. There's never any joy of accomplishment or thrill at success or helping people. Why is that?
The GM spot was weak. It did not convince consumers that they have high quality standards; rather it was morose and evoked negative feelings about GM layoffs. Budweiser and Coke 'won' the Ad Bowl, with entertaining, persuasive, on-strategy campaigns.
How could everyone, at the agency, in GM's Marketing offices, in CBS's offices, and in the accounting offices not say, "This is a STUPID STUPID, idea?"
There is nothing redeeming about showing a layed-off anything attempting suicide during the superbowl.
It's clear that everyone involved with spending the millions of dollars (literally) it took to make that despicable commercial, are the ones needing to get pink slips.
Chris K.
The GM ad was horrible marketing. Do you ever want to instill sadness, fear and anxiety into the viewers? This ad made me want to look away or even turn off the TV. It was not funny and the whole thing was as negative as the recent market share of the 'Big" 3.
Best ad for me was Dorito ads. Funny, light hearted and focused on the different new brands. How could you not get the message and remember. All were done very well in my opinion.
Boy, no wonder GM is in trouble, even their robots want to kill themselves! Horrible marketing. If you want to instill a sense of pride and achievement, show people and robots working TOGETHER to improve a poor situation, and ACHIEVING a goal.
GM is just following what all of the networks do, focus on the bad and the sad in our society. That is what people want to see, or at least that's what the news media thinks. Maybe GM was trying to say robots make mistakes and we are working on that. I don't know. The way things are going and the rumors about the mergers, maybe that ad was directed at the GM employees. Poor stategy in my opinion.
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