GLOBAL, AUGUST 8, 2010 – It’s advertising imitating TV imitating advertising. The TV series "Mad Men", now on its fourth season, never became a magnet for advertisers. However, the show’s dedicated followers are fiercely loyal, expecting anything about admen in 1960s Madison Avenue to be just as smart. When Unilever and Mindshare found inspiration in the show, the concept of "Mad Men"-style spots proved to be an uphill battle against fan reactions.
Unilever rolled out a Dove commercial patterned after the show’s main characters last week which, as AdAge.com reports, quickly drew the ire of the viewers who vented their their disappointment online. While the Dove ad could piggyback on the show’s popularity, it may look too much like the real program to register as the real deal. A key weakness pointed out by commenters is that the commercial veers away from the brand’s already solid strategy, a valid concern by any measure.
The consumer goods giant also has vignettes for Vaseline, Hellman’s, Klondike, Breyers and Suave planned throughout the current season. Clearly, Unilever needs more than good production design for the spots to fly.
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