As someone who works in advertising....
...you've kind of hit the nail on the head. It doesn't really need to make sense or be any good in order to sell stuff.

The Smirnoff one will make it seem more premium and upmarket just because it does feature a bunch of braying twats. That will get more students drinking it and will make more chavs think Smirnoff is a classy drink.

As for Admiral, it's because nobody really gets excited about the brand of their insurance - their criteria is that it's cheap and they've heard of you. The advertising is terrible but it is memorable, so awareness of Admiral is higher, and therefore they will be on more people's shortlists to call for a quote, and more acceptable to people who go through price-comparison websites. I have had dealings with insurers in the past about their marketing and believe me, they know it's terrible.

So unfortunately, yes, the truth is 'because it sells'. You're right in that it's the public to blame for letting it work....
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Wed 21 Oct 2009, 14:25, 1 reply)

fucking public
it's always their fault.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Oct 2009, 14:28, closed)

Ah well...
At least I now have an answer unlike may others on this board of the damned.
(Feeb is a smooth operator, operating correctly, Wed 21 Oct 2009, 14:33, closed)

It really is...
You try showing adverts to a focus group. They will methodically reject anything clever or intelligent in favour of something simple and straightforward with a recognisable character and a jingle. Every time.

Old advertising trick: if you really want to be sure of getting an advert a good response from a focus group, put a puppy in it.
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Wed 21 Oct 2009, 14:35, closed)

There's a video on YouTube somewhere
of a focus group watching an animatic (i.e. cartoon version made before money's spent filming it) of the iconic Apple Mac "1984" ad. They hated it for being depressing, dark and not having any monkeys in it, or something. It's fucking hysterical.
( FishNChimps Achtung! Spitfeuer!, Wed 21 Oct 2009, 14:47, closed)

Ha!
Might have a look for that...
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Wed 21 Oct 2009, 14:49, closed)

Here 'tis
www.youtube.com/watch?v=624FxhJlVM0
( FishNChimps Achtung! Spitfeuer!, Wed 21 Oct 2009, 14:50, closed)

A thing of beauty

( mrlogic is copying your beard, Wed 21 Oct 2009, 14:54, closed)

Wonderful
'I'm a big fan of anything with a chimpanzee in it...'
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Wed 21 Oct 2009, 15:34, closed)