A little background on this spot. The guy with the cigar in this spot(yep - there's an anchor smoking a stogie in this promo) is Dale Hansen. Dale has been WFAA's main sports anchor for years and promoted as a real firecracker personality. He's known for that in Dallas -- where a cocky, cigar smoking anchor is actually accepted.
This spot is for their new morning anchor, Ron Corning.
Does it work? Part of me loves the different approach... part of me isn't sure... part of me wants to smoke a cigar now.
5 comments:
I think it works. Is it the best acting? No, but better than average for anchors/non-actors.
I think it would have been better if Corning had played it a little more wide-eyed and meek...without the back and forth posturing. That's the only moment that doesn't work for me. It would have made the punchline more out of character for him and funnier, in my opinion.
Nice job though.
Well I would have to guess an agency did this? Never the less I LOVE it! Fresh and it makes me like the new guy.
The fact that a TV station is still investing this much in promoting its talent and in promotions in general makes me say THIS IS GREAT!
I'm not a fan of this...but...I'll give them credit for trying something different. However, if I walked into my GM's office and said 'okay, here's the concept....we put our two anchor guys in a smokey/creepy cigar bar then we finish with one of them getting chased by the cops', I'd be working in Yuma right now...no offense Yuma folks. I guess the good folks at WFAA are above all that kind of scrutiny...I guess.
To me - this spotlights the difference between news promotion and news advertising.
This spot is advertising. It goes about conveying its message in a way similar to national brands. Nike doesn't tell you how great their shoes are. They evoke an emotion with their spots.
News promotion is full of cliches and "Aren't we great?" verbiage.
In addition, this station knows their market. This spot may not work in others... but in Dallas - I think they get it.
Unfortunately, most television stations do not have the staff capable of pulling off this type of spot. Of course, WFAA had help(probably Hothaus) to make this spot work.
I hope more stations take chances and work to create promos that are more advertising-based.
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