Slipstreaming Marketing
A friend recently sent me this cheeky ad that slipstreams Fathers' day 2004 (which as far as I can tell is won a 2003 Clio award). I must confess that I had not seen it earlier. I thus cannot tell you whether it was released in the media at all or for that matter whether such an ad was ever created by Durex, a brand of condoms. Yet, the ad has been designed professionally enough for me to believe that this is a genuine one. It has no visuals, a lot of empty space and very little but very incisive copy. The blank space draws your attention and then the words take over. The copy simply says: To all those who use our competitors' products, Happy Father's Day!
The copy is remarkably vicious and brilliantly civil. And quite intelligently makes the point about safety and reliability of Durex. For competing brands of condom, obviously this is a very powerful hit.
This reminded me of an equally striking competitive communication that I had come across in a shop in Darjeeling, India. This was a shop that sold expensive Tibetan artifacts. It displayed a message prominently on the glass shelf: "If you find prices in our competitors shop lower, do not be surprised... They know what their goods are worth!"
Anywayzzz... this kind of advertisement in marketing science called "serial slipstreaming", but the question is, is there any real marketing benefit? The answer would obviously depend on how the consumers respond to the squabbles. It is possibly beyond debate that consumers prefer it to inane canvassing, and It is perhaps like watching a cockfight. You could not care less who won. Could you?... :)
Comments