Stephen Fry is fast acquiring National Treasure status, alongside John Lydon and the Queen Mum; Paul Merton approaches comedy genius on a regular basis; and M&C Saatchi is a fine ad agency. There can be very few people in the UK who don't recognise the Direct Line phone icon and accomp-anying jingle, which makes it one of the most valuable advertising properties in the UK. So, put them together, and what do you get?
Pants. Otherwise known as the TV ad I have had the unenviable task of watching several times this week on behalf of Adwatch readers. It's the one where cuddly Stephen (the phone) and chippy Paul (the mouse) run around a white set shouting lame puns ('It's a snip!' as the phone turns into a blunter version of Edward Scissorhands) and lines that went out with vaudeville ('Would you kindly leave the stage'). Bet you're glad you're not reviewing it.
Examined more closely than is entirely kind, the ad reveals Direct Line's concern with things called 'price-comparison sites', shown on some open laptops (non-speaking parts, sadly - the laptops urgently need to talk to the phone's agent).
Assuming that viewers know, or care, what that refers to, Stephen and Paul tell us that because Direct Line doesn't appear on comparison sites it doesn't pay commission to them, and so can offer its customers 12 months' insurance for the price of 10 - shown by some (again non-speaking) bushes that the phone with the scissor hands trims into the relevant numbers, accompanied by the aforementioned pun. Still with me?
If so, you may be feeling there must be a better approach. The basic argument (about price-comparison sites) may seem a tricky one to get across in a TV ad, but surely distracting the viewer with daft puns, annoying jingles and confusing visuals might not be the only way to do this.
I've nothing against reviving old-school advertising properties as long as they're made relevant - like Hovis and the Ready Brek glow. And, of course, annoying works - Direct Line's unprompted awareness is 52%, which it must be happy with.
Still, the higher ranking of another insurance company ad in the table this week suggests that there is a better way. Come on, Direct Line.