Have you seen the new ad from Tesco featuring Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe in an apparent race to finish their shopping first? By all accounts it’s designed to showcase their one in front policy whereby additional till points will be opened if they see more than one person in a queue waiting to pay. Well I’ve never seen that happen to be honest in a Tesco store but it seems a remarkably extravagant way to promote this never-seen service. It’s nicely shot and executed and unhurried. I wouldn’t say the lads are natural actors – Borg is as wooden as his rackets – though they’re clearly having fun. But my main thought is what must this have cost to produce and is it worth it? It’s just so over-the-top don’t you think? Just 4 out of 10 guys.
Have you noticed the tendency to use celebs in supermarket advertising. Morrisons have been using the queen of chavs Denise van Outen in a bizarre ad to show how fresh their products can be and how picky Denise is over her shopping. With Shine from Take That playing in the background and a nice Jim Broadbent voiceover we first see Essex’s own wheeling her trolley through a field of wheat, then in her wellies and still with trolley on a trawler in the cruel sea and finally sat on a stone wall watching some cattle (trolley’s parked up beneath her) as she selects, respectively, her bread, fish and meat. I know what they’re trying to do but it just looks like Denise is recovering all their abandoned trollies to me. She also looks like she’s had a bit of botox recently in some of the close up shots. Is a right old Essex girl the most appropriate new image for dour Northern-based Morrison’s? Think she’s had you fellahs. Just too contrived 3 out of 10.
Final example of the celeb-store ad from hell was that series from Asda featuring Sharon Osborne. Apparently the thinking was that hard rock wife and music expert Sharon, based in her LA mansion would make the perfect mum in a million face for the store, especially in promoting their healthy eating range. Of course Sharon is your typical Asda shopper and let’s face it, she knows all about healthy intake having been married to Chemical Ozzie for all those years. I read that Sharon was paid £7m for that deal and they abandoned it after a year. Weird thinking, crap execution 1 out of 10.
Know any other celeb ads that drive you bonkers? Don’t mention Linda Barker – leave that for me!
pp
Pasta Paulie 