Barclays - Slippery Slope?

This article is submitted on behalf of Ceri:

Although the banks have dominated the news over the past few months my posting is nothing to do with the bailout of the banks, mortgages or interest rate cuts.

Having bought my house less than 2 years ago, when house prices were at their peak, I try and avoid the majority of the depressing news items on the current economic climate in fear of finding out that my house is now worth significantly less than I paid for it. Instead, I decide to spend my evenings watching people like Esther Ranzen being locked in a box and eating eyeballs.

It was during one of the commercial breaks for ‘I’m a Celebrity get me out of here’ that I first saw the new Barclaycard commercial – the one with the man going down the waterslide. I’m sure that the majority of you have seen it by now, but for those who have not here is a little bit about it:

It begins with a geeky office worker stripping to his pants and leaving the office for home through a store cupboard. Once in the store cupboard he then jumps on this huge waterslide that travels around the city (Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro – I think). It goes via a grocery store and a library until finally arriving at his house. I forgot to mention that he picks up a banana on the way and gets stuck in the library. If your thinking random, very random then your right.

The first few times I saw this commercial I had no idea what the advert was trying to tell me about Barclaycard. Having just started an MBA module as part of my MBA I watched the advert with my MBA hat on and thought – who is the advert trying to target? What is the advert trying to tell me? Does it make me want to run out and get a Barclaycard? The answers to these questions at the time were ‘don’t know’, ‘don’t know’ and ‘no’.

However, having now seen the advert a few times, there is undoubtedly something about it that makes me want to stop and watch. It is humorous, intriguing and the Bellamy Brothers theme tune will have you dancing about your living room like John Sargent.

The commercial is in fact advertising the new Barclaycard contactless technology http://www.barclaycard.co.uk/personal-home/easy/ - however this is insignificant. The commercials real merit is in the impact it will have had on the awareness of the Barclaycard brand. You Tube have labelled it the best commercial of 2008. I am interested to see what you think.

Put your volume on max, enjoy and let your love flow!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JUKjR-5UzI

Ceri