As I was watching TV (commercials) the other day, I saw one of the AT&T Rollover Minutes campaign spots. The first thing I thought was: "These ads used to be so funny, exciting...interesting! What happened?" Then it hit me like a nagging mom pointing out the obvious: who wants to watch a family getting nagged and nagged and nagged on TV when it happens in real life every day? Don't get me wrong, I love my mom- she's my best friend and she has and will always be there for me. However, she has her moments as much as the next mom. I've lived away from home for almost three and a half years now and she still reminds me to do my homework and about the studying I need to do for tests. She's a typical mom and that is one of the reasons the campaign has worked for as long as it has. I have to admit that some of the campaigns hit close to home and are really funny, like the Sibling Rivalry spot:
Others, however, are getting hard to watch, like this recent Car spot:
Geneva Carr, the actress who plays the mom within the ads, does so believably and with good intentions. She accurately depicts a mother trying to teach her family not to be wasteful- a realistic hurdle during today's economy. Aesthetically, BBDO mastered the art of casting and situation within the campaign; the family of actors is credible and the situation of wastefulness is relatable. However, many viewers are rejecting the campaign due to its annoying reality.
One blogger on Simulated Humor.net posted a series of articles about commericals- the first one entitled: "Commercials That Need to Die #1- AT&T Rollover Minutes." The title makes the author's opinion clear and the article continues with the animosity. It is written that there is "a series of commercials that have been plaguing us for months," and that they "all have the same basic script," which can be agreed upon that they do. It is that fact that gets the correct message of the commercial across to its audience. In any case, the blog advises "against watching any more" as she continues with her rant. I counted 12 comments on this blog, most agreeing with the message. The post is actually really funny, if you want to check it out.
Then I came across another blog with the same general outline. The first sentence of this blog states: "There is a television commercial I hate more than any other." It too continues to bash the AT&T Rollover Minutes campaign. Conversely, this writer holds more animosity towards the portrayal of the kids in the campaign than to the way the message itself is portrayed. Still, the attention this blog gives the spot heightens its success, in my opinion. The effect of the ad was so great, an entire passage was written on it, and bashing it is still giving it attention. Also, writing about it further conveys the message to others. Hype is hype whether it's positive or negative. This blog was more painful to read, but relevant all the same.
On the other hand, I did find critiques that praised the ads. A blog entitled Marketing Wisdom written April 19, says that " wise marketers win customers with wit, humor and entertainment" and then uses the Rollover Minutes campaign as an example of this. Further, it calls the campaign "stellar" and proclaims "the Rollover Minutes campaign features excellent writing, fine acting and a wonderful choice of characters – especially the casting of the mom and the oldest son."
In fact, most sites I found praised Geneva Carr, the actress who plays the role of the mom. A Raven Wood Creative article exclaims that "according to AT&T, her role on “FamilyTalk with Rollover Minutes” commercials was supposed to be a one-time deal, but the humor of the spots soon caught on and AT&T found that the spine-chilling stare and finger-wagging we all have experienced as a child was a winner." It also credits her with the reason the AT&T commercials are so realistic.
One WikiAnswers question inquires only about where else she has seen Geneva Carr, but the answer she is given is filled with praise for the actress. It simply states, "That mom is hilarious. Her name is Geneva Carr." One can say the ad's entire hype is centered around the mom.
BBDO executives agree, though I'm not sure they view the commercials from all angles. In a USAToday article, Susan Credle, the executive creative director at BBDO suggests that "you have to like her even though she has to deliver the motherly message." (Of course, as stated earlier, this isn't entirely true as many people full-heartedly dislike the character.) And, in another comment about the character she says, "she's charming and likable and that allows her to be a little tougher and have more frustration in the spot without being annoying." I disagree, as do many, many others it seems.
However, the campaign seems to be working for AT&T, as the article also states that "FamilyTalk accounts for about 60% of AT&T's contracted customers." Also, AT&T vice president of marketing Daryl Evans announced that the campaign has been working "gangbusters" for the past two years.
So, we haven't seen the last of the nagging mom trying to teach us the importance of not wasting unused minutes. But I'm here to say, I think it's time for a change.
Till next time,
The New Ad Grad
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