Better to be polarizing than boring

Quick, what do you think of the Geico “Piggy” ads? 

Chances are you either love them or hate them. Which is great. It means the ads are getting noticed. Which is more than I can say for most. 

It’s rare that an ad is universally liked. Sure, you have the occasional home-run like “The Force” from VW or the Budweiser “Frogs” campaign from back in the day. But those are rare. 

Most advertising is either hated, ignored or somewhere in between.

And that “in between” space is not a bad place to live. If your work is despised, then all you’ve done is create more haters for your brand. Not good. And if you’re ignored, you’ve just wasted half a million dollars on a bathroom break. 

But in between? That’s okay. You’re getting talked about. You’re creating a debate. And whether they’ll admit it or not, most people love an excuse for a good argument. 

The recent Target holiday work, AT&T’s “Spider” spot and Progressive’s “Flo” character are all good examples of polarizing advertising. Even reading this right now probably got your blood boiling about at least one of them.

You’re welcome.

I for one, can’t stand the Target work. I love the “Spider” spot and find “Flo” oddly endearing. I’m sure you disagree. Excellent. Tell me why I’m wrong.

Like you, I’m always up for a good argument.