Every once in a while, I see a commercial that resonates perfectly with the older audience, in spite of the fact is has no older actors, and makes no mention of concerns particular to mature consumers. That’s the case with this YouTube pre-roll ad, conceived by The Martin Agency and produced by Park Pictures.
The spot perfectly channels 1950's suburbia in a way that’s simultaneously ironic (a nod to ad-fatigued Millennials, 95% of whom click “Skip Ad” the moment it appears) and which brings back fond memories of TV nuclear families from the days when Americans had a choice of a handful of networks, not a handful of devices on which to watch video content.
Young baby boomers might remember the ‘false freeze frame’ trope from the short-lived ‘Police Squad!’ TV show, which used the device in the closing credits. But whether you’re seeing the gag again or for the first time, the humor comes from watching the actors closely as they strive to remain frozen in place while they fight the urge to break into laughter.
If Geico or Martin had come to me to say, “Help us ensure that our spot will also work on older consumers,” I’d’ve said, “Don’t change a thing.” This is a perfect example of an all-ages gag, so the spot gets a grade of ‘Eh!’ (Hey, I am Canadian.)