Vodafone – Decisive Moments with Lewis Hamilton

15 September 2008 by Ian Smith

Note From Silky

Here’s the first post from one of TV’s Worst Adverts new writers – Ian Smith. So go on, have a read and make him feel nice and at home here on TWA.

Decisive Moments

I’m really worried about the guys at Vodafone. Not content with being an worldwide mobile phone giant, they seem to always play cupid.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love a happy ending (that’s why I’m hoping the next BT ad will end with that smug bloke from that cheap as chips sitcom jumps off a cliff because he “oh look I’m dating an older woman, how very post modern” marriage is up the spout).

But when it comes to adverts striving for a happy ending, whenever you talk about it, the conversation always seem to goes like this:

“Oh you seen that ad where etc etc etc?”
“Yeah, what’s it for?”
“Dunno.”

Which kinds of defies the point of an advert. Adverts are just adverts, they’re not remaking Shakespeare – which is my main problem with this ad.

This advert is mostly shown in F1 ad breaks, so apart from being really annoying to the viewers hoping to see a ten car pile up but instead are watching animal hybrids’ sexy dancing, it’s pretty easy to advertise to them.

All they wanna see is cars, cars, cars. That’s why there watching.

After all, these are people who will pay hundreds of pounds to see something they could probably see at Tesco’s car parks for free at 3 o’clock in the morning.

So they got the first part right by placing Lewis in his very fast, very expensive car but it all goes wrong from there.

But then they shoehorn this “we only get one chance” storyline in which Lewis seems to have taken on a part time job as taxi driver delivering forlorn softies to there loved ones for one last kiss.

It’s kinda like the Renault “Nicole” adverts but with a bit more than just Va Va Voom.

Either that or Lewis found the wife of the Steward who docked him the points recently and decides to show the bad side of Lewis by ploughing into her at 180 mph.

Ever since their “Time Thief” advert it seems like Vodafone are hell bent on saving the notion of love.

And where will it end? Next week, don’t be too surprised if you see Lewis Hamilton using his very fast car to end world hunger.

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Just How Bad is this Ad?

(11 votes, average: 3.82 out of 5)

8Responses:

SImon Breadbin

Said on the 15 September 2008

This ad is no worse than the review.

Pshaw! Where’s the venom?!
Alex

Said on the 15 September 2008

Good effort, but Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar is poor. See me.

Or get an editor/use spellchecker.
HandShandy

Said on the 15 September 2008

Hey…hey…hey, lets not start throwing rotten fruit at the new writers on here. Think you could do a better job of it? Why didn’t you become a writer yourself?

I thought it was a good review. It outlined the adverts crapness very well. Actually I haven’t seen this advert on the TV but I can imagine it being quite patronising to those trying to enjoy the F1. Do you recon Lewis Hamilton could find more minutes for £30 this way?
Marsten

Said on the 16 September 2008

Yeah, I think Ian did a good job on this one. Great one mate
snooks

Said on the 21 September 2008

There’s a film called “C’était un Rendevous” which:
a) is dead good
b) this advert has ripped off outrageously

. . . just FYI . . .
Pauliwalli

Said on the 28 October 2008

Sorry I like this advert, dont understand the issue here Im afraid…
Daniel Newton

Said on the 23 November 2009

While on the subject of Vodashite adverts….

Vodaphone 360 – apparently the only way to stay connected to FaceBook, Twitter, Myspace and what ever other monotonous ‘social network’ site you need to ‘stay in touch’ with.

Words fail me when attempting to describe the detestation I have for this advert….
Ad Hater 2.0

Said on the 19 February 2010

Not related to the Vodafone ads but the one I’m commenting/ranting about has Lewis Hamilton in it. The ad I’m talking about is Santander with the massive bridge made out of Lego bricks.
“Hello, we are Santander” – Yes, we know who you fucking are already! You don’t need to keep telling us all the time! Your ZERO account is nothing but BULLSHIT! Sure, they charge you no fees but you have to pay in £1,000 every month. ZERO MY ARSE!
Also, this ad goes on way too fucking long!