Once again Virgin Media have splashed out on a celebrity-driven campaign for their digital TV product, this time featuring Samuel L Jackson.
The advert clearly makes a significant visual impact, and helps to position Virgin Media TV as a business that is innovating and helping to redefine television, however, stylistically the creative is no more advanced than any contemporary pop video that you might find on MTV or similar channels.
The animation, despite being distinctive, fails to support Jackson's dialogue which is already confusing and fragmented. The animation and particularly the text which is presented on screen is asynchronous with the dialogue and only serves to distract the viewer further, rather than helping to reinforce some of the core messages around VOD which are quite important and could be far more powerful if presented differently.
'You say what's on', 'TV starts when you say', 'The pick of the week's TV', 'There is never nothing on' etc.
Indeed, we feel the title of this campaign and the concept of 'mix-up' is more suited to a younger, broadband-enabled demographic who are unlikely to embrace pay television and the contractual commitments it requires, such groups are more likely to gravitate to low-cost broadband, free VOD services, P2P content sharing and user-generated content sites.
Other companies like BT and Rogers may be far more 'on-the-money' when they focus in their campaigns on the family and show VOD as a way of providing immediate entertainment for the kids at a time when parents need a break. With this campaign, we imagine that Virgin are aiming for the 'couch commander'. Unfortunately these groups are saving up for Sky HD and a new Plasma TV. We think there is more mileage in Virgin aiming at families which are short on time and patience and looking for cost savings and empty nesters who are looking to upgrade their TV experience, go online and also manage their costs.
Following their use of Uma Thurman in 2007, we wonder why Virgin remain so obsessed about using Hollywood celebrities. If it is to reinforce themselves as an entertainment brand, then we are not convinced as the value of Pay TV and VOD is not soley based on blockbuster movies from the US. Free on-demand access to domestically produced TV programming is even more important to UK viewers than US movies and Virgin should recognise this. In our view, the 'guest appearance' of an actor in a TV campaign doesn't hold the same currency as a carefully chosen clip from a highly desirable programme. If Virgin are looking for these celebrities to 'endorse' their product offering, then Ms Thurman and Mr Jackson (who not only live outside of Virgin's franchise area, but outside the UK) are not the right people either!
Whilst it is important for the company to raise awareness, build an identity and claim some exclusive territory in the TV landscape, we think Virgin Media are trying to run before they can walk. Yes Virgin need to reinvigorate the old NTL / Telewest products with Virgin identity, Virgin brand values, however they still have some basic education to do before they can use VOD as the banner to drive their business forward.
We think that many viewers in the UK, (particularly those that are yet to convert to digital), are still struggling to understand VOD. Virgin need to clearly establish what the value proposition of their VOD offer is, particularly at a time when PC-based services such as the BBC's iPlayer and Channel 4's 4oD service are causing confusion amongst consumers about what VOD actually is, and at the same time undermining the technology leadership that UK cable briefly owned in the VOD space.
If Virgin want to engage audiences on the subject of VOD, they need to start at the very beginning and clarify the offer and this clearly needs a more gentle approach than we see in this campaign.
Whilst Virgin Media have been able to hold on to the coat tails of BSkyB when it comes to generating awareness about pay television, PVR's and HDTV, for VOD, Virgin are on their own and are trying to lead with a product which isn't yet widely understood.
www.mixituptv.com
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Charlotte Church Virgin Media Advertby emmajane35883,012 views
NO. It just means bend over. Right Samuel?
MrCritic52 1 year ago
right on
TheRevolutionIsLive 3 years ago
lol your even more sad then i first thought
raindancerob 3 years ago
no his not sad coz this advert and the info helped me to do my courswork.
yazooq 3 years ago
net nutrality for alll!!! boycott virgin media
cilstr 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
VM is shit & your sad for posting this
raindancerob 3 years ago