You know what was good about these PaddyPower adverts (that’s the last time I’ve ever write that phrase)? The celebrities. They’re unlikely; they’ve been out of the public eye for quite a while and they’ve somewhat gone to seed.
You know what else is good? They play up how strange – how disturbing, even – the unexpected appearances of Bruce Grobbelaar, Carlton Palmer and Des Walker are. They communicate odd messages about gambling, but there’s another aspect to it as well; something unsettling about it all. They hapless punters on the receiving end of this unwanted attention look freaked out; frightened even.
You know what’s good about these Santander adverts featuring Jenson Button, Jessica Ennis and Rory McIlroy popping up in unlikely situations to communicate odd messages about banking? None of the things I mentioned above. All of the same ingredients; none of the wit.
Here’s how this could have been better: McIlroy talks to the bloke while he’s on the bog. Ennis reaches around and helps the guy tug himself off over a basin. Button comes out of the wardrobe while the couple are having a blazing row about his infertility. In fact, that last one would be epic.
Having said all that, they still wouldn’t be as good as the PaddyPower ads.