Eye Spy: Police & Nurses
The CBWA Blog’s look at localwork that is notable for whatever reason – good, bad, brand new,long-running, campaigns or one-offs.
I’m still trying to figure out how seriously I’m supposed to take this new Police & Nurses commercial about the so-called big banks taking money out of the state.
(Yes, I’m aware of the delicious irony here but I’ll stick to the ad and leave the wider issue for another time.)
It plays upon Western Australians almost pathological suspicion ofeastern states companies, or any organization for that matter e.g. AFL.It also taps into the more general hatred of ‘big banks’.
So we have our heroine, a middle-aged, tender but tough woman standingup to the big bald man in his black, planet-crushing Hummer. It’s assubtle as a Masterchef product placement.
Strategically, it’s okay but only for a short time. Simply beingWestern Australian isn’t a viable strategy for the long term. It wasn’tenough to stop Challenge Bank being swallowed up by Westpac, Town &Country by ANZ, Bankwest by the Commonwealth via HBOS, and HomeBuilding Society by Bank of Queensland.
I understand though, that this is just a first step towards something more sophisticated and unique for Police & Nurses, so it will be worth keeping an Eye (ooh – terrible pun) on how it develops.
Executionally it’s well made but like so many TVCs suffers from a lack of ‘repeat watchability’.
It’s intriguing on a first viewing: What’s going on here? Where is thatwoman walking to? Who are those guys in the Hummers? However once youknow the answers to those questions there’s nothing particularlycompelling in the vision to make us want to watch it again.
There are lots of clever angles and cuts – I bet the DOP and Editorloved doing this spot – but they don’t actually give us anythinginteresting to watch out for each time. There’s no drama or technicalcleverness or nuanced performance that brings me back for more.
At the end of the ‘action’, such as it is, the nice woman and nasty manstand in the middle of the road staring at each other. Hardlycompelling television.
In contrast, consider ANZ’s ‘Barbara’ campaign. I know what they’re allabout by now but Barbara’s wonderful performance makes me watchevery time: “How many houses are you buying Superman?!” Great stuff.
Execution: 3/5. I think it’s meant to be tongue-in-cheek.
Strategy: 2.5/5. It’s a truism but a crude one that’s been used a thousand timesbefore. Looking forward to something more compelling and sustainable.
Martin Trevaskis
33 Comments
What’s with the American dudes in the Hummers?
What? I don’t get it….
“I’m aware of the delicious irony here”
Nice reference to Meerkats media buying arrangement Martin!
As you mentioned Martin, it ends on a rather strange note. I kept waiting for a ‘to be continued’ super to fade up. I wonder if this is the first installment of a lengthy campaign? As a one-off spot, it’s odd on a number of levels.
Oh dear. More flaws than Lindsay Lohan’s defence strategy. And the mountains of mindless cliches are just incredible. Don’t take it seriously Martin it’s just plain appaling. Oh and by the way, looks like a piss ant WA credit union, walks like one, is one.
7.16 You’re a genius! Thanks for pointing out the bleeding obvious!
7.16 Everybody got the inference. Took an IDIOT to spell it out. Trying to sway a little public opinion me thinks. I would put my house on you working for one of the ‘bigger’ shops around town?
7.16 may be happy to know that Initiative in Perth undertakes the Meerkats media buying on the Police & Nurses business.
Sheesh, that was worse than I thought it was gonna be. A half-baked pun with no resolution, confusing editing, too many inconsequential random shots and absolutely terrible, embarrassing music.
It’s certainly no Cannes-winner.
I’m always surprised by how many big agencies still present puns to their major clients. Honestly, the general public are a little more intelligent than you think. Probably just a little though…
Every ad that is done there is a major bitch session on here. You all complain when they are done by eastern states companies and there is no positive feed back. No I am no part of this advertising company, I am an actor. How come nearly every ad is shit by everyone on here?
9.32 wether it was produced here by a local production company or over east by one of the big guns,a bad ad is a bad ad and bad ads get the comments they deserve.
TV ads are meant to speak to a large audience – and this ad does it. At the end of the day, numbers will talk about the success of this campaign. Let’s wait and see.
That’s good you’re an actor 9.32, but you know what to do…now get to business….
It’s not about sex 9.32, it’s about trust.
check out the WA number plates on the Hummers
It’s when that terrible music kicks in at 25″ that this whole sorry edifice begins to crumble.
If this had been created at Brand it would have featured a red-eyed tree frog speaking to a hunchback Pamela Anderson and we would have panned it.
If this had been created at 303 it would have been a series of loose vignettes, set to a rehash of a late 90’s hit, shot over east by Perry and we would have panned it
If this had been created by Marketforce it would look like the one from 303 because Perry shot it as well and we would have panned it.
If this had been created anywhere else in town we would all express amazement. And then pan it.
Money leaving WA…… WOW now that’s a bit much
Director
1st assistant
Voice over………..
What a crock!
And who directed this piece of WA chest thumping?
12.46 Bang on. Boring, over has been, over has done.
Just watched it. My god it is awful. So forced.
I agree. One watch and you have got it. That’s it. I really hope there is more to come, because if this is it, there are problems. So absolutely self indulgent and irresponsible. It’s like a late 80’s Perth ad.
Seriously WA, just become your own damned country and be done with it. The anti-East sentiment is getting very old.
Its not that bad.
Nicely shot.
The voice over kills it, kind of waiting for the beer glass spilling over at the end to finish the commercial.
Geez there is a lot worst out there at the moment.
Lets run a top three worst commercials out there poll.
Reminds me of a late 80’s Home Building Society spot!
Harsh crowd, here.
It has a single-minded proposition based on a unique selling proposition in a category cluttered with parity. It’s fiercely parochial because it’s going to air in the most parochial State.
It is nicely shot, nicely cut, and nicely acted. Even by Murray Edwards.
The music might not be the latest B-side from Edward Sugar Army & The Temper Magnets, but it cuts through on air and it strikes a chord with the mortgage belt dwellers.
So ease up Mr Anonymous Whiner July 21 to Mr Anonymous Eastern-Stater July 23.
If those trucks were going the other way from the east they would be full of Mal’s Crispy Cremes.
let’s see-it was directed by an out of towner, the dop was an out of towner, the majority of the crew were from out of town and the media is booked out of town-um where’s the money going?
2.57
If Mal finds out who you are, you’ll be requiring the services of the police & nurses yourself.
6.04pm Where’s the money going?
Clearly over East, in the evil Eastern State’s Hummers bearing WA number plates.
This ad bugs me every time I see it – the woman is filling up the hummers with fuel, only to allow them to leave the state. Without them, she’d probably be out of business. I’d wish they’d throw her in the back of the hummer and take her out of the state with them.
ANON,
The Camera Operator, and the owner of the camera are West Australians.
I think this is a great commercial, It simply points out the fact that this credit union is local. No different to dairy farmers in every state campaigning for consumers to buy their locally made products.
Lets..see.the.latest.p.and.n.comercial.with.the.walking.fingers.
Here jackk : http://www.campaignbrief.com/wa/2017/09/pn-bank-gives-first-homeowners.html