Carpet Dookie

It actually pains me to post this advert on my blog but it has raised an issue that I would like to talk (rant) about. Go, Compare! (like a lot of companies in the financial/insurance sector) have resorted to pure, rampant irritation in an attempt to grab my attention. Shame on you! Shame!!! Make me think, make me cry, scare me, make me laugh (all it takes is a monkey and a top hat for God's sake). Don't annoy me. I have the power of Sky Plus. I'll fast forward your oversized, opera face out of existence.

Mwah ha aha ha ha!!!

I do wonder how such things enter my digital space. Along the way of going from creative idea to finished product did no-one think "that's a terrible idea". Yes, they did. But here's the secret: Annoying is good, for sales anyway. Annoying makes it memorable so when people need insurance or whatever Go, Compare! springs to their mind. However, these sales tend to be temporary and more importantly, brands are not just about recall.

Here is where I tell you an elaborate little story nicely bringing to wise words like it's a well written american drama. When I was about 12 years old I was around my friend Ian's house playing mariokart on his brand new N64 (wow, so many years ago). We were cruising around one of the various circuits when Ian's little brother, Andrew, came tottering into the room. He sat behind us for a while but soon got bored and wandered out of the room. Halfway through our next race, in amongst the brightly coloured anarchy, me and Ian sensed something and synchronized a look of surprise and confusion.

"What the...?"

Innocent little Andrew had left a steamy turd, right in the middle of the floor.

"......................"

Gross. And hilarious, but mostly gross. Ian's poor mum had to come in and clean up all of Andrew's hard work. To this day I remember that experience which brings me to my point. I remember Andrew from this experience and probably always will but he will always the guy that took a crap on the carpet. No matter what happens. Thats how I will always think of him. Is that how a company wants to be perceived? Irritation is all I will ever feel in the first seconds of Go, Compare! before I skip it and continue watching House.

Annoying as it is I have found a silver lining in my personal life. I have a new found appreciation for good creative, for all the work that has brought a smile to my face and inspired me to use my imagination while there's not some sales incentive or jerk in a neck-tie and buttoned up shirt instructing me to ignore it.