Many of Full Tilt Poker's television ads share a theme that leaves me scratching my head in puzzlement at the basic concept. For example, there's one with Howard Lederer, in which he says, "I see you. Your eyes. Your hands. Your chips. Everything. So I don't need to see your cards." This is accompanied by highly cinematic shots of the tells his opponents are giving off, which Lederer's all-seeing eyes notice.
How does this make any sense for an advertisement about online poker, in which one is unable to observe the other players?
Further, how many people were involved in the making of this stupid commercial without any of them noticing that the ad copy has no connection with the service being sold?
Friday, May 08, 2009
Incongruity
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8 comments:
They made a shift in their commercials back when the UIGEA passed, to start to portray poker as a game of skill, so that's their primary focus.
Maybe they assume that people know what the product is, and they're just trying to sell poker in general.
I miss their old, straight up funny commercials, but I guess if they think they're achieving a higher purpose, so be it.
"We play at Full Tilt Poker.net"
"Learn from the Pros"
They are selling themselves really, the service is secondary to the fact that so many top pros make FullTilt their online home... or so they seem to think.
It's comparable to making a commercial and putting a bunch of scantily clad women in it. It has nothing to do with the product, but it draws attention from the target demographic. Like TAG body spray or something, "Buy this and you can get these hot women!" instead it's "Play here and you can play with these pros or become a cool millionaire poker pro yourself!"
I think the content of the ads is more trying to highlight the "Play With The Pros" aspect of FT's brand which is what they're using to try and make themselves stand out in the marketplace. So, if you play on FT, you'll be able to play and chat with the pros and get to the point where "you don't need to see" your opponents cards. I get what you're saying about that particular ad, but I think it fits in nicely with the rest of their campaign and their overall theme.
I noticed this as well, and I find it intriguing. It's SO blatantly a mismatch that it has to be deliberate.
My guess is trying to reassure people that online poker is like their home game, the face-to-face experience that they're familiar with. (Whereas, of course, it's actually quite a different animal altogether.)
In a parallel universe Ultimate Bet puts out that ad with Russ Hamilton narrating.
Obviously Howard Lederer has h7ck3d your web cam and can see you.
The Gus Hanson commercial when he's Doyle and Phil Ivey, etc. is rpetty good. Not sure who it's advertising, though.
I've seen the commrcial, but never realized or saw how dumb it really is. It makes no sense. My favorite was Matasau vs. Cunningham.
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