My agency worked on the Zappos pitch when they were looking for a new agency. Yes, that pitch.
We didn't have the terrible experience that most other agencies were complaining about. We weren't asked to be in the pitch, but we went for it anyway. We submitted our RFP and were asked to move forward. We made it through the first round of pitches. But then we were left behind. And Zappos chose Mullen as their agency. Which made me happy for both Mullen and Zappos because it seemed like a great partnership. I have a lot of respect for both and couldn't wait for the creative to hit the airwaves or wherever it would eventually drop.
This week it dropped. And I love it. You can watch the first spot here.
I love it because I know the brief. Zappos wanted to showcase their customer service and they wanted to push more than just shoes. And yes, it's Crank Yankers, but I don't mind. Crank Yankers is funny. It's distinct. And now this campaign is too. But even more, this campaign is the Zappos brand. Real, honest, fun.
Just playing audio from their excellent customer service reps would've probably gone unnoticed. But Mullen found a way to take those calls and make them eye-catching.
I look forward to seeing more from Mullen and Zappos in the future.
Ok, so for the past two days I've agreed with you. But now I don't. Here's why:
ReplyDeleteEverything you said, is indeed true. The spot hit on the strategy. But was it the right strategy to begin with?
1. First off, yes the puppets add visual interest. Crank Yankers is funny. These spots are not funny, though. And using puppets immediately makes me think that the calls are fake too (which we are pretty sure a lot of them are anyways). Fake people = fake calls. And it doesn't feel real to me at all. If you were a normal person and not an ad person who worked on this pitch and you know nothing about zappos, would you draw the same conclusion about them after watching these spots? I'm not so sure.
2. We all thought their customer service was a great angle to take. You're right, that's one of the unique things about them. But as an online shopper the last thing you want to do is have to talk to someone. That's the reason you're shopping online in the first place. Sure, if a problem comes up, then yes it's great that they have such great people waiting to help you. But I don't want there to be any problems. That means I have to take more time out of my day to do something that was supposed to be easy.
3. It's forgettable. The reason the Dominos stuff was so great was because you noticed it. It was big. It was bold. And it said a lot about them as a brand. I don't think this does that for Zappos at all. I think there were ideas with more stopping power out there. We as advertising people see this spot and pay attention. Probably even more so because we worked on the pitch. But a regular person isn't going to remember this. (In my opinion).
4. It's not cool. And it doesn't make zappos cool. Crank Yankers was funny. Got it. But these spots aren't. And they don't do anything to make Zappos cool. Which probably goes back to my last argument about them not being big or bold. They are fun to look at, but nothing about them makes me walk away thinking, "Wow, Zappos is awesome." And I know that was another thing they wanted to be. Virgin made itself cool. That's what I think Zappos should be going for.
That all being said, I do think this work is miles above what they used to do, so props. Just missed the real mark in my opinion. This work won't elevate the brand. It's nice, but doesn't work for me.
I agree with you on most of these points. And no, I probably wouldn't love the spot quite as much if I hadn't worked on the pitch and if I didn't know the brief.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, the spots do scream customer service. And whether its an online company or not, you want good customer service. Yes, having to call someone about an online purchase is not something a customer would like to do. But if you do have to call about an order or return or whatever, it's good to know that you'll have a good experience.
Is the spot forgettable? Maybe. Maybe not. However, without a doubt, it would be more forgettable if it was customer service calls that weren't showcased with puppets.
But again, you make valid points. I still like that spot though. It says what Zappos wants to say. And it does it through (in some instances) real customer service calls.
I am a consumer not involved with advertising at all. I saw the latest Zappos ad. My impression: what is Zappos. Not enough info to even make me want to explore. Forgettable? Yes.
ReplyDelete