Adverts with no punch-line

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Mon, 2003-11-17 18:24

Have you noticed a trend in some TV adverts? They give us a comic premise and set us up for a side-splitting laugh only to deliver absolutely nothing. The latest example of this is the Direct Line advert featuring a man and a woman in a car talking about all the money he has saved by using Direct Line. The way it runs you feel sure a killer punch-line is coming, but instead we get a really flat, trite, silly ending. Why do they do this? Is the scriptwriter a kid on work experience who doesn't know any better or did the scriptwriter come up with a killer line only to have it wiped out by some ignorant marketing exec in Direct Line? Any other examples?

Tue, 2003-11-18 12:28

Tony Cook

What the hell is that car advert with wobbly jellies driving around all over the place going on abut? Is it meant to be funny?

Tue, 2003-11-18 19:20

jayarebee

I think the jellies are meant to represent cars made by other manufacturers, the jelly implying that its somehow less sturdy than their own, same goes for the washing machine in the same ad, suggesting that the car being advertised is a lot quieter than others on the road. or maybe the car comes with a free supply of magic mushrooms or acid to enhance your driving experience.

Mon, 2003-11-17 18:27

Vicky

It all psycologically devised to get us to notice it.... patently worked too or you wouldn't have mentioned it

Mon, 2003-11-17 18:32

Roper30

That must be it then. However, since I'm already with Direct Line and it's really irritated me, I'm now looking to move to another company.

Mon, 2003-11-17 22:27

pais

i cant believe you change your company because of a TV ad. All the other insurance companies will be rubbing their hands together in glee at this news...

Mon, 2003-11-17 23:15

Roper19

pais I may have spoken too hastily about this. My insurance does not run out till May 2004, by then I may have calmed down. Sometimes I over-react. Will you listen to me, I am talking about a TV ad as though it is an issue of grave geopolitical concern. It is a trivial thing. It doesn't matter if it ends with a big joke or a duff line. There are more important things in life. I've just reread my opening post. I sound like I'm really angry, lashing out at everyone, like a madman. How crazy is that. We all need to get a proper sense of perspective and focus on what genuinely matters. Thank you pais, you have - probably unintentionally but nevertheless invaluably - served as the prism that has defracted my misdirected lightbeam.

Tue, 2003-11-18 00:47

Duncan Disorderly

are you a jedi roper?

Tue, 2003-11-18 09:03

Roper30

I don't think so Duncan.

Tue, 2003-11-18 09:36

#10

Buddha

I think the classic of the genre was an American pizza company's (Pizza Hut's?) advert, which chronicles the early days of the firm, set up by two brothers, and one of them is telling the other (whilst driving a truck) about a supposed problem. His pre-argument is to ramble endlessly about the various successes the company has been having, punctuated by the other brother's yeah?s and?s so what?s until - after this huge, intense, wait-for-it build-up, he finally reveals: "We're gonna need a bigger truck!" What? That's it? It's not even a joke! At least those Direct Line ads have twee jokes: the man trying to fob off the cleaning of the car as his own; the "hilarious" misunderstanding about eating at a posh cafe or a greasy spoon. I mean, "We're gonna need a bigger truck!" ??? Please. [%sig%]

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