The new marmite ad: you either love it or hate it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHjssdNNzP0
My knowledge of this started with a flurry of positive Facebook and Twitter updates. ‘Oh,’ I thought, ‘a new Marmite ad that’s up there with the classics‘.
Then info came in of the 278 complaints the ad has received. Apparently people are offended that it seems a bit like a series of real situations where people bust bastards for neglecting children and/or animals.
I wrote quite recently about the nature of offence, so as far as I’m concerned those people can go and fuck themselves up the chuff pipe, but at least a couple of amusing things can be found woven into the fabric of these complaints:
First, one of the problems cited was that the ad was in ‘poor taste’. How wonderfully appropriate.
Then the RSPCA said it understood that “animal lovers are concerned on our behalf. We plan to talk to the makers of Marmite about how we can work together on animal welfare.”
That I cannot wait to see. The only situation I’ve ever heard of that links animals to Marmite involved an unsavoury rumour about a bloke at my school who used to put Marmite on his bollocks and let his dog… You get the idea.
For my part I’m going to have to go against my headline and say that I neither love it nor hate it. I think it’s quite nice.
But never mind what I think. My brain is still addled by the fact that I’m sitting on a tropical island in the Indian Ocean. What do you, the poor, downtrodden wage slaves of the advertising world, think of this ad and its attendant issues?
I like it. It’s good to see something a bit different, even maybe daring, coming from an FMCG product category filled with cack and utter drivel. Only thing that kills it for me is that fucking Unilver flag at the end; Can I put a complaint in?
I know that my fellow ad industry peons are going to moan about the relegation of “love it/hate it” idea… But I love this. I love each and every one of the 278 twats that have complained. I love that I can see the planner’s proposition a mile away. I love the acting, direction and editing. I love that it’s based on a product truth (I have not one, but two 80% empty jars of Marmite in my kitchen cupboard right now). I love that they portray Marmite as a precious member of the family, like a pet. I love that every frame feels like the whole crew – creatives, CD, ECD, account people, client, gaffer, DOP, director, editor – really wanted to make this great.
I don’t think it’s great, but it is clever. That’s saying a lot these days. BTW, Ben, Seychelles or Maldives?
IF I’d care about the ad world (and I stopped doing that), I’d say something like “yep, definitely hate it.”
I think it’s depressingly blah. Regardless of whether you think jokes about animal/child abuse are funny, what we can surely agree on is that an ad that’s just a bullet-point from a Mintel Report (“PEOPLE ARE BUYING MARMITE, THEN NOT EATING IT QUICKLY ENOUGH”) made to last 90 seconds is a bit of a waste of a great brand, a great heritage, and, you know, a pretty fucking good agency. No?
Rob: La Réunion. It’s utterly wonderful.
And Sam, the funny thing about this is it never occurred to me as ‘daring’ in any way. Then the complaints came in and I realised how happily out of touch I am with certain people.
Having Rolf Harris rearrested to coincide with the campaign launch was a real coup. Proper 360 thinking. Wonder who’ll be presenting next seasons animal hospital?
I loved the kids face at the end. The rest was fine.
I neither love nor hate the people who did write in.
Had a glory wipe recently. Loved that!
It’s borrowed interest, which makes it a little tiresome.
It’s borrowed interest from good causes, which makes it a little more tiresome, as that’s been done so many times (knorr, etc.)
But there are two things fundamentally wrong here:
1 – I don’t want to associate food, with dog hair and mange. Which this commercial makes me do. Subliminally the ad encourages a connection with marmite and scabby animals. It doesn’t make me hungry.
2 – This is another brand abandoning one of the great positionings. If people neglect Marmite, it means they liked it enough to buy it, but not enough to eat it. If I hate it – I AM going to neglect it. If I love it, i am NOT going to neglect it.
It feels like the client has said ‘yes, yes, but what about the people who don’t love or hate marmite, how can we maximise value there?’ And then Marmite joined The Economist and all the other brands in undoing the hard work of brilliant people.
Sorry. It’s a headshake of disappointment from me.
Times like this the industry threatens to be its own worst enemy. An ad that prompts people who don’t work in our insular little world to respond, both positively and negatively, is a win. Stop trying to pull it to pieces by talk of brand proposition, research data, consumer behaviour blah blah blah. Subliminal association? Come on, does Guinness make you go surfing?
I’m not saying don’t have an opinion, just remember that what we collectively produce is usually pretty shit and very forgettable. I reckon this marginally threatens to be neither. And they pixelated a dog’s face. Good on ’em.
This is great. Saw it on telly last night. It’s opened up the brief too – it was getting a bit boring frankly. The fact that people actually went out of their way to complain about this demonstrates why euthanasia of Daily Mail readers is such sound thinking. Even in the balmy warmth of the Indian Ocean, you can surely see the wisdom of this policy, Ben.
It makes me smile. This is clearly good work, yet the usual naysayers shit all over it. They must be making some really great work right now.
Personally I think Marmite is ok. But that would make a pretty shit proposition.
Small historical point: Andy McLeod & Rich Flintham came up with that proposition. Though many people from the then planning department have subsequently laid claim to it. You know who you are…
I love it. I wish i’d been sent the script. It made me laugh and carried on tickling my fancy with beautiful crafted touches. The end shot of the boy is brave in todays world of bland shite. Well done.
You know, after watching it again, I rather like it. It is pretty damn funny. A lot of nice little nuances that make it worth watching. And to the complainers: get a life!
I’m with Anonymouse. It’s off strategy for me. Unless the brief has changed to “You love it, then go off it a bit later on once you’re bored and fancy some Nutella for a change after a few weeks.”
What HB said.
Does everything have to be pulled apart before we work out if it’s good or not?
It feels like nothing’s taken at face value anymore. I’m not saying people who do this are cunts, because I’m guilty of it myself. And I’m not a cunt.
I just think sometimes people need to remember the regular punter doesn’t know/give a shit about stuff like that. Again, probably something I’m guilty of. What a cunt.
It’s good. It’s well-made. It’s pretty funny.
The dog’s pixellated face is excellent.
I think it’s a peculiar time in UK advertising. it’s soooooo bland, humourless and defeatist. At least this has got a bit of blood in its winkie.
Sadly we have to compare ads like this to the competition and whilst not an era-defining classic, it’s great compared to 99% of the tripe on telly.
If you’re a London-based creative under 35 who wouldn’t put this in your book, pop your link on a reply and you’ll no doubt be contacted forthwith with the job of a lifetime…
HB – does Guiness make me want to go surfing?
No. Because that’s not what subliminal means.
Does it make me thirsty? All that black and white liquid splashing about? Certainly.
Listen to the noise made at 0.37 specifically.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rusi1iaePbs