The Microsoft Office 365 'Gmail Man' Ad is Vicious and Direct
Jordan Sowunmi — July 30, 2011 — Marketing
The new Microsoft Office 365 'Gmail Man' commercial is an unrelentingly attack on Google's perceived propensity for privacy invasion.
The Office 365 'Gmail Man' ad features a man dressed as a mailman, participating in the real-life actualization of Google's email snooping and direct marketing. We see the 'Gmail Man' as he sticks his nose inside mail and starts picking out key words, as well as offer solutions to 'problems' or conflicts discussed in the email. In a particularly comic moment, he is confronted by a child who seems to know that what the 'Gmail Man' is doing is wrong, but he brushes her off with ease.
While most users, myself included, don't seem to find Gmail's email content based, direct marketing egregious enough to warrant an account switch, the Office 365 'Gmail Man' ad showcases a captivating reason for why we should.
The Office 365 'Gmail Man' ad features a man dressed as a mailman, participating in the real-life actualization of Google's email snooping and direct marketing. We see the 'Gmail Man' as he sticks his nose inside mail and starts picking out key words, as well as offer solutions to 'problems' or conflicts discussed in the email. In a particularly comic moment, he is confronted by a child who seems to know that what the 'Gmail Man' is doing is wrong, but he brushes her off with ease.
While most users, myself included, don't seem to find Gmail's email content based, direct marketing egregious enough to warrant an account switch, the Office 365 'Gmail Man' ad showcases a captivating reason for why we should.
Trend Themes
1. Privacy-invasive Ad Campaigns - Companies are using aggressive advertising tactics to call out their competitors' privacy practices, creating an opportunity for disruptive innovation in privacy-focused technologies.
2. Personification of Competitors - Brands are personifying their competitors in advertising to create memorable and relatable characters, offering an opportunity to develop unique marketing campaigns.
3. Entertaining Attack Ads - Companies are creating entertaining attack ads to attract attention and differentiate themselves from their competitors, presenting a potential opportunity for disruptive innovation in creative marketing strategies.
Industry Implications
1. Technology - The technology industry can capitalize on privacy-focused innovations and unique advertising campaigns to stand out in a crowded market.
2. Marketing - Innovative marketing agencies can create captivating campaigns that personify brands and entertain audiences to successfully differentiate clients from their competitors.
3. Advertising - Agencies that specialize in creating bold and entertaining ad campaigns can respond to this trend by developing more creative ad concepts that capture viewers' attention.
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