Monday, November 24, 2008

Advertising I Just Don't Understand

So on my way to the last CCG meeting, I took advantage of my Metro ride to read The Washington Post. And I noticed what was, to me at least, a very odd ad on the back page of the Montgomery Extra section. I'm hoping someone here can explain it to me.

The ad was for a local bank. The big verbiage at the top of the ad was: "MORE BANK. MORE FOR YOU." At the bottom of the ad was information about the bank... things like "open 7 days" and "legendary service" and "hassle-free banking" along with a listing of the current and new locations. All very normal. Except between the big verbiage at the top and the small information at the bottom was a picture of Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa.

I don't get it. How does the picture connect to the text? Am I missing something? Or is this just gratuitous use of celebrity images? How does this image further the ad campaign and the bank's message? And for the record, while yes, I remember the ad, I couldn't tell you (without looking at the ad again) what bank was being advertised.

So please, someone out there, help me understand this ad. Make it make sense!

-- Robin

1 comment:

Capital Communicators Group said...

ADDENDUM: I just heard from a fellow Tweeter that there is a little bit of an explanation for the ad. Apparently Regis and Kelly have been spokespersons for Commerce Bank for some years now. Commerce recently merged with TD to make TD Bank. So that's why TD is using R&K. But I still say the ad seems odd. There's no logical connection between the text and the images. And how many people know about the Commerce and TD merger?