#Orchids&Onions: Metropolitan brings the drama, Subaru bores
Family, funerals and a formidable Gogo
That’s why I was pleasantly surprised – and entertained – by the latest campaign for Metropolitan, which comes straight out of the soap opera playbook, perhaps something along the lines of the “Real Families of Joburg”…
This family is headed by the formidable matriarch, Gogo Vivian, who has clearly been giving the orders for years and is used to being obeyed by her long-suffering — and eyebrow-raising — family.
She summons them all for a family conference – everyone, including the “dof” uncle, who seems to be more interested in getting some nyama on the braai than anything else.
Vivian assembles the Fam to make sure they’re absolutely clear about her last wishes and funeral arrangements, which have, fortuitously, been done through Metropolitan. As she holds court, she is backed by a choir – if not heavenly, then the next best thing, if one wants to chorally emphasise one’s point, that is…
Vivian is especially exercised about the transport which will take her back to where she wants to be buried with her ancestors. “I don’t want to be buried in Joburg,” she tells them.
“Over my dead body” (nice gag, which made me smile)…
She wants nothing less than a top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz Viano, as depicted behind her, while an assistant makes notes. That’s the opportunity for one of the daughters to explain that body repatriation is included in the Metropolitan policy, so she’ll be fine.
It’s all a rather light-hearted way of dealing with a serious issue – that of bereavement and funerals – but in such a way that it doesn’t overstep the boundaries of taste. At the same time, it is a small piece of entertainment – and well executed by Spitfire Films, incidentally.
It also manages to showcase the Metropolitan funeral products, followed by a call-to-action message at the end.
It’s entertaining and efficient and gets Metropolitan and its agency, Lobengula Advertising – along with Spitfire Films – my Orchids for this week. I look forward to seeing more of this.
A risky route for Subaru
As a petrolhead and motoring writer, when the fancy takes me, I have often been called a Subaru “fanboy”. To which I can only say: Guilty as charged. We have two Subarus in our family – testament to the brand’s hold on me (and, naturally, its positive attributes, which would take more space than I have to list).
But, dear oh dear, oh dear, Subaru SA. I am forced to give you an Onion for one of your latest campaign executions. Sorry, but I simply cannot turn away and ignore this.
Why anyone would think it is clever to use the slogan “We Choose Boring” to sell their product to a market which thrives on excitement is beyond me.
OK, as a Scoobie owner and fan, I understand what you’re getting at: Subaru’s underlying attributes of strength, safety and reliability can seem “boring” when set against the gadgets and toys which others plug to sell their cars.
Sadly, the SA market these days has huge choice and an almost unquenchable thirst for gadgets and toys. And by putting this image out there, you’re saying: Look somewhere else.
To be fair, the rest of the executions in the campaign, which pop up all over social media, are really good and sum up the quirky nature of the brand well.
But how on earth did this get through the approval process? Did no one ask whether this might well be taken at face value by the 15-second-attention-span social media user who would not go further?
The lesson here is: You can be self-deprecating, but not so much that it raises the danger of backfiring on you.
