This poster is on the side of a bus stop in the middle of Praça Panamericana, a heavily-traveled area in Pinheiros. I literally stopped in my tracks when I saw it. It reads "FIFA World Cup. It's where everyone wants to be." And it shows the four animals from the Madagascar movie. I loved the Madagascar movie--I want to move it, move it springs to mind numerous times in São Paulo traffic.
But I'll say it here: this is the worst World Cup ad I have yet seen. Why do I think this?
1. Madagascar is not on our continent.
2. The four animals are looking terrified. Do they look as if they are wanting to be there? I assume that Visa was trying to make them look anxious about a goal being scored (on a beach? maybe not). Mostly they look like they're worried about a bus strike.
3. Not really sure what four zoo animals have to do with a payment card. It's not a feel-good ad. It's not a branding ad. I don't get it.
Back to business school, marketing geniuses. This is not good.
#1: Isn't that the point? The animals in Madagascar would like to be in Brazil at this point because of the World Cup.
ReplyDelete#3: What do credit cards have to do with football anyway? Do players need them to make purchases mid-match? Problem is once you start asking those sort of questions you get most sports sponsors in trouble. Official photo-copier? Official beer? Let's face it: it's a spectator event, not a sporting one.
#2: Ermmm.. well, I got nothing. Is that the way they always look? I only remember watching the first movie.
As always, I appreciate your opinions. And am going to put my perspective:
Delete1. Lots of people don't know where Brazil is exactly and putting Madagascar into play is not helping. I'm guessing many folks don't know where Madagascar is either. I wish they had grabbed the animals from Rio the movie so we would at least not confuse the continent.
2. Sticking with my story of making them look terrified not helping encourage tourism here.
3. Well, the stadiums only take Visa or cash. But not animals. I'm sorry I just don't get the point here. You have cartoon figures, terrified, from another continent, not even showing the credit card. I'd rather see a photo of Falcão and Donovan and Robinho even looking sad because this is where they want to be.
I'm sticking to my story...worst ad...but no worries, the Cup is not over so there could be other contenders.
"Lots of people don't know where Brazil is exactly and putting Madagascar into play is not helping."
DeleteSad but true.
"I'd rather see a photo of Falcão and Donovan and Robinho even looking sad because this is where they want to be."
I'd love to see that but I'm guessing it would never happen for legal reasons. Maybe one of them could be a good sport and do it in a self-deprecating way. That would be fun.