Have you guys seen the new advertisements by TM on the telly these few days? There’s at least two in the series, the earlier one shows Maya Karin (I think it’s her) in a cabaret/Broadway kind of video singing about broadband/communication/telephony or something like that. The second ad features an even more annoying spectacled guy (with suspenders) serenading this dispatch guy.
Well, even if you haven’t seen them, work with me here. You just have to take my word for it: it’s bloody annoying and ludicrous.
Let me just ask the almighty powers that be and their brilliant marketing/advertising executives these following questions:
- What is the whole point or message of these ads? That you guys like low-budget American broadway productions? Or you just like showgirls? Or seeing Maya Karin in a bathtub?
- The second ad says something about broadband and “it’s no longer the stone ageâ€. Is that the whole thrust of your marketing campaign? Comparing it to the “stone ageâ€?! Look, a torch light is fantastic compared to the stone age. A mechanical pencil would be a miracle if you gave it to the stone age caveman. I know I’m not a business major with an MBA, but there is a fundamental flaw somewhere in this marketing plan.
- Against the backdrop of the recent problems with TM landlines and ‘Screamyx’ (sic), is this really the best time to be putting out these kind of ads?
The cabaret/broadway/showgirls theme is really annoying. Most people I know feel the same way too. I think they were going for the ‘camp’ factor, but hello TM, you’re not selling chocolate candies or toilet bowl cleaners.
This may be asking too much from the brilliant TM marketing execs, but they may want to watch another set of ads making rounds on our telly – the Volvo ‘Life On Board’ ads featuring couples in mid-conversation. There’s at least 3 different ones, but my favourite one is where a Chinese bloke is explaining a Mandarin term to a Russian model while in an S80. I’m not a big fan of Volvo cars, but imho that’s one of the best TV ads I’ve ever seen in my life.
This is proof you don’t need a million ringgit budget to produce good, insightful ads that sends your intended message and increases public perception about your company. Or may I just don’t ‘get’ dancing showgirls singing something about ‘broadband’.
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14 Comments
Mack
Well said Simon. Extremely well said.
Kimberlycun
good one. there are many lousy ads running on both tv and radio nowadays. personally i can’t stand kfc’s and some ice cream brand’s. it baffles me how these ad execs think that by potraying consumers as hedonistic, brainless and irrational creatures it would help to generate sales of the products.
Silencers
That’s why I’d rather watch TV shows on DVD. Or just download anime.
5xmom
And stupid ads which teach the wrong moral value. Can’t recall them but when I think of them, I join in blogging about them.
Momo Jojo
I beg to differ
The TM ads on TV have got to be the better of the lot by far. The first few were good. The songs were well composed and the art direction was superb. Personally I feel the creative mind behind this whole concept is a genius, to relive broadway.
It’s catchy, it’s got substance and it’s tasteful. Most importantly …. we all paid for that campaign 😛
Didn’t mean to rebel … i just liked the ads…
Haven’t you heard of multitasking
sms, surf the net bla bla bla
it’s the broadband ageeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
it’s not the stone age
Jason
Hmm, havent seen that ad for quite some time. But recently, the TM new ad (the one whom the people holding card boards with numbers), that is nice. 🙂
thefirstChristmas
I think the fact that the ads managed to stay in your mind and annoy you until you even blogged about it and gave it lotsa extra mileage – is more than what the ad planned to achieve. Can you say that it wasnt an effective ad now? 😛
Simon
momo jojo – you memorized the song?
jason – that one’s nice. but not the other two…
the1stxmas – yes its effective. in all the wrong ways. just like laxatives are effective.
i just find it annoying and ludicrous, and paying it with our money.
keng å‘
there is no ads culture here.. anyway, ppl cant wait to switch the channel when ads is on, so why will they produce something better?
But i have to say, most festival ads are great and meaningful.
consuela
this comment has nothing to do with your most recent post, but i just wanted to say thank you for coming by to my page, and I hope you don’t mind me linking to your page 🙂
aloha!
Simon
miszbabykiss – sure. its an honour…
Simon
keng – yeah, i like that tnb one for chinese new year, about the kung fu family.
cyber-red
I thought it was colourful. Yea, only one reason to support it. http://aireenwhite.blogspot.com has been casted in the new TM ad. Wonder how would it turn out to be?
Andreas
Ahhh – here I am . Yea, I didn’t read your entry about the TM ads but well, I love to write about ads anyway. Great write-up and great comments. Wonderful!!!!