Advertising Watch

As a marketer, I watch with much critique at advertising...print, television, radio, online...whatever the medium. So, as part of my blog, periodically I'll highlight campaigns that deserve the Boo Award - my own "emmy-grammy-tony" for great advertising.

Chase has recently acquired Bank One. After that acquisition, they launched a television ad campaign that has been one of the most memorable in a while. Advertising is all about appealing to emotion, but the winner of a Boo Award needs to do that in a classy, clever, and non-offending way. Chase, with the tagline "Your Choice, Your Chase" has done a great job at tugging at the heartstrings. In two of the commercial spots, popular music is the background for a family's life experiences. Wind Beneath My Wings accompanies a father and daughter as she prepares for her wedding, while the narrator closes with "Be prepared for all of life's moments." My other favorite is set to the music, 100 Years, by Five For Fighting, while we follow a couple's life from graduation to retirement.

Granted, to some of you this campaign may be too sappy, but for the romantic in me, I thoroughly enjoyed the message communicated, and the style in which they conveyed their message. Sure, it brought a tear to my eye, but more importantly, I remember the product -- Chase. And, the beauty of this campaign? No sex was used to sell financial services....thank goodness! Kudos to Chase for winning the first Boo Award.