Clever Creative: Sticking It to You with the Silent Treatment
Posted Thursday May 31st, 2018 by Gia Manalio-Bonaventura in Creativity + Art.A spokesperson (according to Dictionary.com) is “a person who speaks for another or for a group.” But is a person still a spokesperson when they don’t actually speak? The new J-B Weld campaign by TBWA\Chiat\Day New York featuring Nick Offerman seems to think so. What do you think?:
The Strong, Silent Type
It is often said that actions speak louder than words and in this case, we think that's true. The message of these ads comes through pretty clearly; in fact, it’s right in the campaign name: “Don't Toss It, J-B Weld it.” But why is Offerman’s silence so effective?
The answer to that question is: subtext. Offerman not only brings his physical presence to the campaign, he also brings his other characters’ personalities, particularly that of the ever-sarcastic, deadpan-expressioned Ron Swanson. While even those unfamiliar with Offerman will surely pick up on the judgemental vibe through his actions, we think it’s even more fun when you consider the subtext.
Sticking to Authenticity
As GEMites, we’ve said it over and over: Brand authenticity is essential. Readers, how many of you remember that Krazy Glue commercial in which a man hangs from a construction helmet he’s glued to a wooden beam? Now, how many of you remember questioning the authenticity of the message: whether the product actually did what the commercial claimed it did?
In “Don't Toss It, J-B Weld It,” do we think that the people behind the brand are genuinely looking down upon people who do throw away perfectly good things that can be fixed with this amazing product? Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing we do know, according to our sources, is that all of the items were actually broken and then fixed with J-B Weld. If only that information was somewhere in the spot.
What do you think of this campaign and what Nick Offerman brings to it?
If you’re looking for some clever creative of your own, feel free to contact us, and be on the lookout for next week’s instalment of Clever Creative!
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