I have to disagree. This is actually a VERY good commercial and seems the most sophisticated Dish has ever aired and I would bet a VERY successful and expensive ad agency designed it. This commercial is the first shot in a whole CAMPAIGN. I have to add, it is quite funny, as well. This ad is about creating awareness of the "Hopper" product: a single word that sums up a complex whole home DVR, and it is BETTER than naming it Whole Home DVR. At first, I thought ol' Clayton really picked a stinker with the "Hopper" name, but now I see the genius of his bringing in better marketing people using more successful and expensive ad agencies, like the same ones DirecTV or other deep pocketed competitors use. People will call Dish and say, "I want the Hopper" or "Tell me about the Hopper?" The word "Hopper" won't escape their minds with that or similar commercials. Indeed, just as with the big cowboy hat commercial, it seems everybody I talk to was able to say, "Yeah, I saw that commercial. It's funny," and "you can't miss it." It will be the same with the commercial because prior to these commercials, people would tell me, I don't notice Dish advertising on TV, and they have absolutely NO MEMORY of those PLAIN, BORING, "traditional" ad Dish runs touting about the lower price that goes on for like a full minute or a full 2 minutes.
You can't cram all the info in a 30 second spot about a company that has had virtually NO ADVERTISING (budget) compared to its competitors. Dish has to almost start from the beginning. After we've drilled the word "Hopper" into people's heads, the next part of the campaign with commercials including some of the features and advantages of the "Hopper." No doubt, several versions have already been recorded but will be launched with discipline according to the campaign, something Dish advertising have NEVER included: a campaign.
This ad is in the right direction, but often the most successful commercials with most successful campaigns have NOTHING to do with what the product is, how it compares to others nor any info abut its attributes and those really successful ones are often contrary to what we laymen THINK is good advertising. The Lowe's campaign has great commercials, and yet not a word about prices, service, selection, quality, etc. It's all about the EMOTION. Think Coca Cola and the massive "I'd like to teach the world to sing . . . " People bought Coke, not because of the taste, but, even unconsciously, they bought Coke because of the EMOTIONAL connection they had with the ad and, hence, product. Same thing for Pepsi ads that were much more about "cool, young, popular people drink Pepsi, not OLD Coca-Cola!" ads with Michael Jackson's hair on fire. Kingsford charcoal lighter, anyone. Even DirecTV ads are much more about what is "cool" and "hip" and humorous and spend about the last 3 seconds mentioning price or what the product is, but DirecTV has over a decade of expensive, ubiquitous advertising and marketing behind it. It is the household name.
Now, the folks on this forum may be too smart for such tactics, but NOT the MASSES, and when one is running a company and you want the most successful commercials on the air, not the ones that appeal to your sensibility, but that get the attention of the rabble, you WILL trust the agency with the winning track record and the "bizarre" concepts, because the data shows THEY WORK! Is there any one who would really say, "No, I want an ad that lists all the attributes of the product with a narrator and simple cards on the screen and Bobby Sue saying, 'Yeah, I saved so much money with Dish' [as if we really believe her] and stuff it with all sorts of information because that is MY idea of a successful commercial and ad campaign. Then get ready to go out of business or slide fast as Dish was with just the very types of commercials that have been championed on this thread so far. Does the Doritos ads tell you anything about the competition, as in"ours taste better and are made with the best ingredients and at the best value for your money"? Carona beer was crap. Absolute vodka was absolutely NOT the best vodka, yet their sales went up incredibly due to ads that never mentioned any attribute of the product, just long shots of secluded beach with your point of view. People ordered the stuff because they had made an emotional connection to the product.
There will be more commercials and more of the information posters have said they want to see in Dish ads, but first we gotta get people's attention, and then but 'Hopper" in their heads, then say what the Hopper is and so that warm family emotional connection with watching HD in every room and enjoying PTAT, but it won't happen in a day or a week.
