Okay, so when I last visited the Culver’s campaign, “Welcome to Delicious,” I admitted that my mind was open—the campaign managed to capture a certain polished unprofessionalism, if you will (I just made that term up, but I think it’s exactly what I’m trying to say). In the ads I sensed the ineffable je ne sais quoi I get from visiting the store.
I didn’t hate them. I just wanted them to be a little more fun. Or less not-fun.
So I’ve thought about it, and I need to ask politely now: stop making these ads.
(sigh) Look, I don’t want to be merely snarky all the time on my blog (something I understand is a danger in the blogosphere).
But the ads are SO BORING AND SQUARE AND DULL …and I can see what they’re trying to do.
They’re trying to out-Wendy’s Wendy.
Take this latest one. Here we are chatting casually about Culver’s presumably beloved Flavor of the Day.
They’re all about ingredients! The founder is a real person! He’s a little awkward like Dave Thomas was! He’s even shaped like Dave Thomas!
But he’s not coming off like Dave.
These ads feel like they were made by someone who’s kind of afraid of pissing Mr. Culver off. The fun of Dave Thomas was he seemed beset by his role, and not entirely in control. There was tension. There was backstory and character development and implications beyond the main message. (Also, they were pretty rough; your memory has improved them.) Mr. C. doesn’t come off that way. He is comfortably in charge of these ads, without managing to be much of a character.
I’m afraid that’’s where I come down: these ads are boring.
As a Culver’s fan, I can no longer sit silent.
I am compelled to blog.
