|
Is that an ad, or is it a TV show?
Recent ad campaigns from several different brands are trying to be a little bit of both. Denny’s and Skittles borrowed the feel of sitcoms, JCPenney riffed on a docu-drama/reality show, and Johnston & Murphy parodied SportsCenter.
As advertisers look to entertain audiences more than interrupt them, some are taking inspiration from more traditional forms of entertainment to do it. For some, the inspiration comes down to the look and feel. For others, it might also include the release schedule and episode structure: Skittles, for example, rolled out a sitcom series, “Ghost Roommate,” in six-second increments on TikTok around Halloween.
For Denny’s, the appeal of creating its sitcom-like ad campaign, “Welcome to Denny’s,” was borne out of the nostalgia associated with the long-standing TV format—and for potential diners to feel at home in the “third place” that a classic diner provides, Meredith Thornton, VP of brand strategy and communications at Denny’s, told Marketing Brew.
The resulting spots, by BarkleyOKRP, feature a horn soundtrack and a laugh track, as well as warm visual tones and a slight gauzy blur that add to the feel of a ’90s sitcom. One spot seems almost like the title sequence to a show where meal deals are the true stars—although there are still various characters featuring in the mock sitcom, including the “booth,” “night owls,” and influencer guest stars the McFarland family, who have 1.8 million followers…
|
