3 ms·

Larry David "fans" make up a minority of viewers. The majority of viewers just see him as a recognizable, funny face. And, to this majority, his character in

Larry David "fans" make up a minority of viewers. The majority of viewers just see him as a recognizable, funny face. And, to this majority, his character in the commercial was a great fit. A quick glance at Youtube view counts shows FTX commercial ahead of BMW's Zeus/Hera commercial which was supposedly ranked #1 by a number of online publications -- make of that what you will, but calling it a "big mistake" seems highly subjective, unless you've actually obtained viewer engagement metrics.

listenallyall 5y ago
Larry David and his persona are more widely known that you think. Curb memes are all over social media, he did a bunch of SNLs very recently, lots of people know he's the Seinfeld guy, and he's been on HBO since 2001 -- even if you aren't a current subscriber there's a good chance you once were. But it doesn't matter. In the FTX commercial, he's the likable one. Maybe he's saying dumb things but he's the one the viewer bonds with. There's a long history of lovable, well, "losers" is the wrong word, but perhaps "serial mistake-makers." Ralph Kramden, Archie Bunker, George Jefferson, Jack Tripper, Tim Allen on Tool Time, Homer Simpson, Michael Scott. Having any of these guys, even Michael Scott, saying "naaaah" to your product would be an absolute disaster for a commercial. You can't just put a tag line at the end and say "Don't Be Like _______." The human brain doesn't work that way. I have no doubt that FTX's commercial has a lot of views and that people rate it highly. It is a funny commercial. It's interesting and compelling to watch. But it still ends in a very successful Larry David, in his big office, behind a big desk, surrounded by tons of accomplishments, saying "naaaah" to a guy who, frankly, does not have a compelling pitch, is not particularly likable or relatable, and who just about anyone would want to throw out of their office ASAP. And although lots of people may be watching the ad and praising it, I feel very confident in stating that few of them are compelled to sign up for FTX. epilogue - Technical note #1, I just checked the extended version, FTX guy is on-screen for 3 whole seconds -- not a great way to make a strong, memorable impression. Technical note #2, the call to action "Don't Miss Out" is also on-screen for 3 whole seconds, no URL, even FTX is in tiny letters, and is followed by an epilogue with Larry. So the commercial isn't even over and people have become distracted and already forgotten who the commercial was for.

listenallyall 5y ago

Larry David and his persona are more widely known that you think. Curb memes are all over social media, he did a bunch of SNLs very recently, lots of people know he's the Seinfeld guy, and he's been on HBO since 2001 -- even if you aren't a current subscriber there's a good chance you once were. But it doesn't matter. In the FTX commercial, he's the likable one. Maybe he's saying dumb things but he's the one the viewer bonds with. There's a long history of lovable, well, "losers" is the wrong word, but perhaps "serial mistake-makers." Ralph Kramden, Archie Bunker, George Jefferson, Jack Tripper, Tim Allen on Tool Time, Homer Simpson, Michael Scott. Having any of these guys, even Michael Scott, saying "naaaah" to your product would be an absolute disaster for a commercial. You can't just put a tag line at the end and say "Don't Be Like _______." The human brain doesn't work that way. I have no doubt that FTX's commercial has a lot of views and that people rate it highly. It is a funny commercial. It's interesting and compelling to watch. But it still ends in a very successful Larry David, in his big office, behind a big desk, surrounded by tons of accomplishments, saying "naaaah" to a guy who, frankly, does not have a compelling pitch, is not particularly likable or relatable, and who just about anyone would want to throw out of their office ASAP. And although lots of people may be watching the ad and praising it, I feel very confident in stating that few of them are compelled to sign up for FTX. epilogue - Technical note #1, I just checked the extended version, FTX guy is on-screen for 3 whole seconds -- not a great way to make a strong, memorable impression. Technical note #2, the call to action "Don't Miss Out" is also on-screen for 3 whole seconds, no URL, even FTX is in tiny letters, and is followed by an epilogue with Larry. So the commercial isn't even over and people have become distracted and already forgotten who the commercial was for.