Unpopular admission - I still watch free to air TV. I think a lot of people do, but if you ask, most people deny it. I know it's not cool, and the ads are disruptive, but I like to have a show on while I scroll my phone.
And it's not all terrible! Sure, there's heaps of rubbish shows, and I still like to binge the latest series or movie but "I don't watch TV" isn't something I can say honestly.
Back to the ads. TVCs are considered a bit old hat now, but people don't hate them as much as they say they do. There's LOADS of content from ads that have entered our vernacular over the years (like "not happy Jan", "Work hard, be good to your mother" for example) phone numbers we still know from jingles (Lubemobile/Pizza Hut) and mascots we love or love to hate like Louie the Fly.
Anyway onto the TVCs.
Cheer Through The Bleed - Bonds
This is an interesting one. Bonds' Cheer Bleeders are an evolution of the same things sanitary product ads have been doing for years - showing attractive women being active on their period. Seemingly because of the wonder of the sanitary product brand giving them hormonal superpowers to not sit on the couch with a hot water bottle.
The thing this TVC does that's different is (loudly) refers to bleeding. For as long as I can remember, menstrual blood in TVCs has been demonstrated by blue liquid and bleeding is never referred to in any way.
So I have mixed feelings about this one. It's got a fairly diverse cast, and sends a period-positive message about Bonds period product (Bonds Bloody Comfy Period Undies), but can we not just take a break sometimes?
Got my attention, made me write about it...I guess it did it's job.
Season Three Trailer - The Masked Singer Australia
What the actual!? I LOVE this ad, because I had no idea what it was for, the purple made me think of Cadbury (demonstrating the power of a bold brand palette) but turns out this was for The Masked Singer.
The track is mid 2000's banger That's Not My Name, by the Ting Tings. It's very silly, bright and fun - which I assume suits the show itself (which although I admitted to watching free to air TV I have not seen this show) and would appeal to the audience.
Again - definitely got my attention.
Made In Australia Behind The Mac - Apple
Clayton is going to flip out when he sees I've included his cult leaders in this piece as I'm not a fan of the biblical fruit, and in general their ads I find well shot but incredibly annoying.
This one is probably one of the cheapest ads they've ever put together. It's a mix of still photography and video clips of famous people using Macs to be creative. It's got Jimmy Barnes, G Flip, The Kid Laroi and Troy Sivan to name a few. The track is "Wow" by Kwame, a Sydney MC and it TOTALLY makes this TVC, coz the execution could have looked like a crappy montage and it doesn't.
"Sydney city, I'mma local, you can hear it through my vocal
Hater buy a t-shirt, I'mma charge 'em extra postal"
Indeed.
I'm fairly certain there isn't a new Mac, it's just Apple advertising that Mac is for creatives in Australia - look at the cool people who use it to create cool stuff!
I'm not rushing out to buy one, but I do notice a new artist each time, so I am watching it actively and that's what it's all about, right?
So, what do you think? Do you watch TV? Are there TVCs filtering into your brain that you want to talk about? Get in touch on hey@themarketer.news or come chat in person at our Grill The Marketer event on Thursday!