Venables Bell & Partners

Venables Bell for HBO.

I'm conflicted and have been since baby Bush came into office and onto the air on SNL because I like Bush, but I love Will Ferrell...and I really love when Will Ferrell tries to play ultimate Frisbee with Condi Rice during an interview that gets cut short because of the Cowboys game! But in advertising related news, Venables Bell has done a pretty hefty amount of work for HBO, but most of it is either TV or print and promotes a specific HBO show. This is the only ad they created for HBO that was so politically charged. I understand that HBO is the network airing Will Ferrell's stand up routine about Bush, but the advertising still appears to take a certain political stance, which is always risky for a brand. We have seen brands do this before, most notably Pepsi's recent print work that had the obvious intention of promoting Obama's election campaign, with copy like "Hope" and "Yes You Can" and a new, Obama-esque logo. The problem with a brand taking and communicating its political stance is not the expression of a controversial or sensitive opinion, but the fact that the opinion expressed, whatever it may be, will undoubtedly lose connection with a large percentage of one's consumer base. It's not uncommon for consumers to boycott products because actions of the company or brand don't agree with one's personal beliefs, so why would a brand risk losing so many potential users by throwing out a statement as bold as a political one. By projecting a liberal view, and even blatant support of a specific presidential nominee, you are immediately isolating your brand from the other half of consumers that are conservative. I think it is always best for a brand to act as an impartial entity in consumer culture, unless you are promoting a certain behavior or perspective that is obviously morally and ethically sound, like anti-violence advertisements. With the HBO ad, the judgment is more difficult to make because it is just advertising a show on their network, but the advertising image and copy shown don't capture the humor of Will Ferrell's act (and it is damn funny), but rather, it seems to poke more fun at a former President. Now that Bush is out of office, the jokes should go too. This ad would be so much more appealing to consumers of all political backgrounds if it focused more on Will Ferrell's acting and bits and no so much on the actual Bush...the show is meant to highlight how funny Will is, not rag on Bush anymore. They could have taken a bit more of the political singe out of this ad; it could have been more intelligent instead of taking the easy way out, but then again, it is San Fransisco...