So dumb that it works

I stopped by my bank today to do a little business. While standing at the teller’s window, the head teller walked down the line and placed a cold can of 7-UP at every teller station. It wasn’t a gift to the tellers...it was...well...for public viewing. My teller and I looked at the can and at each other. She said to me, quietly, “Why’s there a can of soda sitting at my window?” I shrugged and said, “Product placement?”

A few seconds later the head teller saw us looking at the can of soda and said, “Well, aren’t you gonna ask what it’s for?”

My teller and I both said, “Yeah, we were just wondering.”

The head teller launched into her advertising mode and informed us that the bank now has an improved product. If anyone has a home equity line of credit with an interest rate higher than 7% (7-Up...get it??), they can come to this bank and get it refinanced at a much lower rate.

“Oh,” we said. I also added, “I don’t have a home equity line of credit.”

“Oh,” the head teller said. “Well, if you know anyone who does, please let them know.”

Huh. A can of 7-Up soda. I can’t help thinking that’s a pretty dumb advertising campaign. But, it’s effective, I think. At least, I’m not going to forget it any time soon. I also wonder if 7-Up is paying the bank for product placement. But that’s a whole other bag of beans. But really. A can of 7-Up? I think I’d have enjoyed being a fly on the wall during the meeting where that campaign was hatched. It had to have been an in-house brainstorm. They couldn’t possibly have paid an advertising agency for that idea. Could they?