bayantel tv spot that showed it did not move - a brand character that is not moving at all

in the previous topic on the Six Flags tv spot, we talked about how a strong brand character can be powerful that it will move you to prefer a brand. this bayantel (landline telephone service provider) tv spot has a strong brand character but i think it is one that moves you in the wrong direction - one in leaving a bad smell that you would rather not have.

just like the Six Flags tv spot, this bayantel tv spot also uses humor, i think, but it is one which very few, extremely few people will appreciate. it can put a smile among this very few but i don't it will be enduring, one that will most likely go up in smoke. you know how it is with hot air - it disappears very quickly.

ok, enough of the analogies on farts and defecation.

everyone appreciates humor in advertising and also creativity, specially the unexpected. these are the ingredients for a great ad. but that needs to be tempered with the question -- are these kinds of humor and creativity building a desirable brand image? one of the things we want advertising to do is to build desirability and likability - an affinity to the brand. is there a member of the target audience who will appreciate being associated with a brand that reminds them of farts and defecation?

the most simple way to describe what brand character means is this -- "if your brand is a person, what kind of person will it be? describe your brand as if it is a person with personality, attitude, looks, etc."

that is usually how the section on "brand character" (or "brand personality") is stated in many advertising brief and advertising strategy forms used by many ad agencies.

looking at this ad and deconstructing the brand character statement in bayantel's ad strategy, it will probably read something like this : "bayantel is a male who wants to defecate but can only fart and now wants his money back. he is a very practical person."

brand character statements are in fact those that usually end as "this brand is someone you want to be your friend" -- anyone want a friend who likes to fart and defecate?

clearly a WAWAM!