The Best Local Ad Campaign of 2007: No Badgers

In June I posted an entry about Johnson Automotive's "No Badgers" TV ad campaign.

In a comment on that post, a person who indicated that he has produced car dealer ads offered his view on why he thought the campaign was destined to fail. His take: "Again, you don't see the cars Johnson Lexus is selling, instead a rodent is blabbering most of the time. When the Johnson Lexus ad campaign ends it will not have increased car sales that much. Most people will vaguely remember some badgering rodent and then press the mute button."

I disagreed then, and I disagree now. I believe the badger ads are the best -- and most brilliant -- local ads the Triangle has seen in 2007. By far.

Over the past month I have been at 8 or 10 different events -- social events, not business events -- at which the badger ads have come up in conversation. People know the ads, they like them, and they know who the ads are intended to promote. One of the guys actually goes out of his way to watch them on YouTube!

One key point: the ads are not just selling cars -- they are selling an experience. The experience is one in which the would-be car buyer can shop in peace, without being "badgered" by the stereotypical car salesmen that we all seem to loathe. The badger's antics tend to trigger an emotional response among would-be car buyers who have experienced that kind of... well, badgering... in real life. The campaign is funny, memorable, and it makes its point. That's why it is working.