Mysterious Xerox Commercials

[MiddleAgesMan]

There are several Xerox commercials running on the tube these days and I cannot decipher any of them. There's two guys in cubicles trying to out-do each other, and there's the guy on the airplane looking for the restroom, one with the Michelin man throwing tires around plus a couple I can't recall at the moment.

What is going on in these commercials? I think they are supposed to be funny but they all require a level of astute-ness that I lack, apparently--they're just goofy but not in a funny way.

What am I missing besides the brain to understand them?

[Nicholas Scheuer]

A new generation of ad writers who are easily understood by thier peers?

[MiddleAgesMan]

That might explain why their meaning escapes me (you, too?) but it's no help figuring out the ads. Maybe someone from that new generation will be along to explain.

[Soundbounder]

Just a thought.....posting the ad in question might be helpful to the readers.

Is this it?

[MiddleAgesMan]

Yeah, that's one of them. I'll see if I can find some of the others.

Here's another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYwEc...feature=relmfu

Another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZDZV...feature=relmfu

One more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5eem...feature=relmfu

[Soundbounder]

and this one?

[MiddleAgesMan]

Yep. Not only do the commercials sail right over my head I can't figure out how to embed a video!

Links? I got that covered.

[Soundbounder]

I'll stay out of the argument of whether it is an effective ad or not, but the message seems to be fairly straightforward.

For the sake of efficiency, let your employees handle what they do best, and we will take care of the other stuff. It's an exaggeration, (which TV and radio advertising relies heavily on for humor) showing stewardesses and bellhops being responsible for manning phone centers, websites, monthly sales reports which is distracting them from what they should be doing.

[MiddleAgesMan]

The only part that seems remotely humorous is where the two Marriott guys try to out-do one another with kindness. For the rest, it's just WTF?

[tigerregis]

Soundbounder is as close as one can get in determining this strategy. Basically it is Bauhaus, where less is more. No jack-of-all-trades, but master of one. etc.

[Mrleft8]

It's the same idea as Mobil gas stations selling Dunkin'donuts.... You get twice as much airtime for half as much money if you team up with someone else. IE: Virgin America pays for half the air time, and half the production cost of one ad which has both Xerox, and Virgin America...... It's quite simple, and pretty much proven not to work for one of the 2 companies. I think Xerox bit the big one with these ads.

[BrianY]

any ad that has to be thought about so much by the viewer in order for him to begin to fathom its meaning is not going to be an effective ad.

[tigerregis]

Ever heard of "cognitive dissonance"?