The Perfect Ad: Yogi and the Duck

What are your favorite current ads? A lot of my young students answered that
question with the Chic-fil-A “Eat More Chikin” campaign. (Others chose products
and ads that I’m not familiar with. I guess those advertisers know who their target
is not.)

I had to suggest my choice, and here it is, and why. In case you are one of the few
who hadn’t seen it---
Yogi Berra is in the chair and admonishes the barber not to
cut it too close---“Do you think I got that insurance?”
The barber asks, “What insurance is that, Yogi?” A
dialogue ensues between Yogi and the Aflac duck, that
includes the memorable lines “The one that you need when
you don’t need it,” and “And it gives you cash, which is as
good as money.”

The duck leaves the shop, with a trail of mystified
customers.

I think this is a classic, because:
• It uses a recognizable and likeable celebrity. (It’s risky to use famous
people, because they sometimes they fall from fame, some consumer
groups don’t like them, or the connection with the product is vague.)
• The central point is the benefit of the product.
• The conversation is low key and short.
• It is funny. Why do I think it’s funny? Because I’ve seen people laugh.
• It lasts. This is at the least its third year.

Back to the “Eat More Chiken” ads. It has legs---it lends itself to other related
materials. It is centered on the benefit of eating chicken. It has a memorable charm.
Again, what are your favorite ads? What makes them click, what makes them
timeless in your mind?

Oh, before we forget. The Aflac/Yogi and the “More Chikin” ads have the most
important attribute: they (at least apparently) have sold a lot of insurance and
chicken sandwiches.