GOGH NO

I think this one can really be summed up as “good idea, bad execution.” I say this because I’ve come across several iterations of this banner campaign and I think it has potential. Unfortunately though, it’s not going to be realized. Not based on what I’ve seen at least.

Here’s what I would’ve done:

1) Put the concept front and center. There’s a certain whimsy to this campaign that I like. But it’s all setup and no payoff, as you can’t see the visuals very well. Way in the back there’s a carton of yogurt with Van Gogh’s face and, I can only imagine, some witty product name. Without being able to see that though, the ad really doesn’t make sense conceptually. And that’s a shame, because I think this could be a campaign with legs. So the no-brainer here would be to redesign the ad so you actually get the gimmick. To be honest, I’m not sure why the agency didn’t do this themselves.

2) Made it Flash-ier. When I’ve seen these ads, they’ve all been static. And I’m not a big fan of static ads, unless you’re going to keep your message super simple. By designing these ads in Flash, however, there’d suddenly room for everything. You could have the content in the starburst appear big and bold, then nest itself up into a corner. Next, a tight shot of the yogurt could appear before it takes it place in the background. Then, finally, the logo and other elements could animate in. That way, all the key points could be properly emphasized in turn. Plus, with the addition of movement, the ad has a better shot of standing out on the page. 

3) Simplified the design. Like in most creative executions, you really don’t need the starburst. It’s so 1987. I would’ve reallocated its copy to serve as a true headline, giving the logo less competition. And speaking of logos, does this tiny ad need four of them? While I understand this is an ad bought and paid for by government programs, there’s no reason all these logos have to be featured. That’s what the program’s site is for, which brings me to my last point.

4) Driven the point home. Probably the biggest failure of this campaign is the site the ads drive to, which is a total disconnect from the established creative. On my fifth or so site visit, I noticed there sometimes is a module in the lower nav that offers up the 10 promised tips, but it’s not a consistent experience. As such, I would’ve created a landing page that echoed—and expanded upon—the conceptual aspect of the ads. Instead though, you have to keep hitting refresh until the right info comes up. Sometimes it takes three refreshes, other times eight. Let’s face it, if parents wanted their patience tried, they’d go do something with their kids. So I think it’s ill-advised to irritate the target audience while trying to suggest said activities.