Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Consistency May Look Closer than It Appears?

Chris Brogan, a leading voice in social media has this advice for brands: "Be Helpful, Be Consistent, Be Everywhere". Good advice, and of the three consistency may be the most difficult to achieve. Many great brands have become distracted by the latest shiny idea. In fact, it is often said that brand managers tire of an idea faster than consumers.

This article by from a blog by brand agency, Storm, chides LG for straying from its core brand message:

At the end of a long hard day have you ever sat back and dreamt of escaping the constraints of modern life? I know I have. It’s what makes all the sea change programs and stories so appealing. So when recently I found myself watching a TV ad that set out to appeal to exactly that sentiment, I was intrigued. It was long at 60 seconds, but was well produced with stunning imagery.

The ad began by showing a baby swimming, this is the freedom we are all born with.

Then the images became grey and hum drum. This is the reality of our lives. The baby is soon behind the bars of a cot, a man is just one of dozens sitting in identical work stations in an open office, miserable commuters are standing on a packed train etc. You get the picture.


But wait, there is hope. The mood of the ad lifted. Imagine a world without borders, a world where you can cycle off to the horizon down a sunny country lane, flowers bloom, a girl laughs as she is soaked by a hose, a man dives into an azure blue ocean… I get ready for the punchline, it’s got to be Queensland, or New Zealand or at the very least a brand who will offer me the secret to a wonderful, rich and carefree life.

Roll end frame and the big reveal – it’s LG and it’s an ad for a TV.

Sure it’s a really nice TV, from a really good company. In fact it’s a borderless TV, the latest innovation from a company renowned for it. The ad signs off with ‘Life’s Good’ so there is a connection to the LG brand there. But for me this is a case of an advertiser getting carried away by a big budget, feel-good ad concept and loosing sight of their strategically-driven brand strategy in all the excitement.

But the thing is LG has spent many years and many millions of dollars building equity around ‘Life’s Good’ by showing they’re innovative in everything they do and that the technology they deliver enhances the quality of the life you lead today. Their ads heavily feature LG technology in the home, busy improving the quality of life and demonstrating that ‘Life’s Good’ is more than just a punchline. The creation of their brand image has been consistent and I love LG and their products, I’ve been a great admirer of their ads, but for me this ad misses the mark. From the perspective of a brand building professional, there are few things more frustrating than seeing a brand that’s invested so much in building a unique market proposition and a strong brand image, distracted from their path by the glittering prize of a flash ad.


It is unquestionably a beautiful ad, is it the right move for LG? Take a look at the ad and tell me what you think.

34 comments:

Shormila Sarkar said...
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Rob Lisenko said...

In a way this is similar to the description of theme of the general Super Bowl ads in the Hyundai article, which was critical of Coke and Pepsi for being too happy in a downturn, while this criticism is coming at LG as being too trite about the seriousness of negativity for suggesting their "Life's Good" tag line is being misused by humorously suggesting a TV can make people hopeful in such hopeless situations.

I am not seeing a contradiction or confusion for the consumer from this ad of what "Life's Good" has meant. First the ad still demos a major TV innovation, but its also a feature that will help increase the escapism experience. Big screen HD TVs aren't to fill the need of visually impaired consumers, people buy them because they really help to transport the viewer into the video in a way TVs before never could. For that reason, this ad speaks to the targeted buyer's need by making a joke exaggerating the doldrums of the life, but on a deeper level, its not entirely a joke, and it appears LG understands that, and a way to connect with the segment they're targeting.

I looked up LG's YouTube channel and most of their HD TV commercials had humor, I'm unconvinced this ad's tone is a distraction for the Brand's identity.

Jonathan said...

I think the ad is very consistent, and achieves in finding a unique, creative, and most importantly *visual* way of imparting the benefits of LG's new television line without being bogged down with jargon. They could have very easily taken the Olevia or Samsung route and talked about the technology behind the innovation, but televisions are all about visual pleasure, and LG's media presence has always been about image first, technology second.

That being said, I can't help but think how much the first part of the ad reminds me of mutual fund or insurance company ad, though I guess that may be part of the point - while most of those ads are mired in vague connections to better living without really having anything to drive the message home in terms of the actual product, this ad clearly saved the best for last and delivered on the promise to dramatically change your everyday life with this remarkable piece of technology.

Brian Sweet said...

I disagree with the view that this commercial deviates from LG's core brand message. It's almost humorous to me because when I read the statement that "LG has spent [a ton] building equity around ‘Life’s Good’ by showing they’re innovative in everything they do and that the technology they deliver enhances the quality of the life you lead today." I had to read it again, and then again one more time just to make sure the statement was not meant to describe the commercial the blog intended to criticize.

In other words, I believe this new commercial aligns quite well with the central message of LG's previous commercials, as described by its critic. Perhaps the fact that much of this commercial does not take place in a home is the perceived issue. To that, I simply say linking LG with in-home experiences may be a smart move, but insisting that all commercials reinforce that one link is likely to negate other, more important messages.

LG's core message is "Life's Good", communicating that their products add value by making life better. Not everyone wants to sit inside all day. More importantly, though, this commercial is all about DIFFERENTIATION...this is the first TV of its kind...a borderless TV...this ad does an excellent job of communicating that message in a moving, memorable way that stays consistent with the "Life's Good" mantra.

anonymous said...

While I do think this ad is consistent with LG's overall strategy, it does seem that their creative team has gone a bit overboard in belaboring the confines of this world a bit too much. I actually found the beginning part of the ad quite depressing, and the grand finale didn't quite do enough to cheer me up. I guess the biggest problem with the ad is that by the time they mention the product, the ad has gone on long enough to set a rather serious tone. Other ads that they've put out for the same product have a similar theme (hence the consistency), but they get to the point much quicker, and are hence (in my opinion) much more effective. e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IiOYXmc1jU

Sarah Werner said...

In looking at other LG electronic adds for washers: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u53p17j8Clg&feature=channel) and their Xenon phones: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZjUhXAX0FY&NR=1) I see the author's point that in this add for the borderless TV, LG strays from the practical, life improvement theme of some of their other products.

However, I completely agree with Robert when he mentioned that the practical experience of a television is in fact to allow us to escape from our daily lives. The functionally of a television (especially the latest and greatest technology) is not the same as a phone or a washer and LG plays up the emotional aspect of TV viewing through their stunning images. Perhaps most importantly, the new technology they are trying to sell (TV without borders) can be communicated visually which somewhat eliminates the need to list product features.

The method may be slightly different but I think this ad still reflects LG's brand.

Unknown said...

I think LG does a great job of appealing to consumers’ emotions in this ad. In the beginning of the ad, a sense of freedom and wonder instilled in the viewer, followed by a more gloomy, restricted mood, and finally, the scenery, music, colors and narration bring the viewer back up into a place where life is, and can, indeed be good. A borderless life, which is compared to their new borderless flat screen television.

I do think this is a right move for LG – the message in the ad stays consistent with the company’s “Life’s Good” slogan, which although is not displayed throughout the whole ad, is emphasized at the end, bringing a positive feel to consumers.

Unknown said...

The message seems to be consistent with LG’s brand image. They’ve conveyed that they’re innovative and differentiated themselves, but I do agree that the message would be more powerful if the ad were a bit shorter.

Unlike the car adds that drive you through a beautiful field or something that you may probably never actually experience with the car (maybe feel, but not see), LG shows you what you’ll not only see but be able to feel – an endless escape into anything that you choose to watch on your TV. How are they making life good? By making your experience with their product seamless, endless, limitless…the most innovative way to experience that in your own home whenever you want. When I come home from work/school, turning on the TV for a bit is my little time for myself to decompress and get away from the stresses of life.

I also think LG also does a really good job targeting both males and females in this commercial.

Add some surround sound, and life will seem really good.

Mathew said...

From a consumer point of view, I liked the message conveyed within the ad. The narrative suggests that LG products alleviate some of the monotony of the modern day to allow someone who experiences an LG product to simply enjoy life at the most basic level.

It's a challenge to come up with an ad that is broadly appealing to everyone, but this ad contains positive imagery associated with LG. More importantly, I like that it has a self-contained narrative that is non-obtrusive. It draws the viewer in with positive imagery and ends with the simple things that everyone can appreciate. I don't know how appealing it will for the specific product advertised, but I think LG will be successful in aligning its brand to a positive place within customers' minds.

Chris Orenchuk said...

Call me an ignorant consumer, but I felt the ad aligned well with LG's "Life is Good" tag line. After watching the commercial the first time, I was a little skeptical of it's impact. However, after watching a second and third time I felt a connection with the gloom or everyday life, especially as I look out and see the gray South Bend sky. Then comes the other images. I wanted to be part of that and if they say a TV can deliver that for me then life must be good.

As Sarah suggested, I took a look at the LG ads for Washers and eve their xenon Phones. Those are products that seem to target a female demographic.

This ad seems to be shot from a third person point of view showing men going to work and then moves to a first person point of view. After watching it again, I firmly believe that this is skewed towards the male demo.

To wrap up, this does stay consistent with their brand, I feel that their differentiation in target consumer is why the ad varies from what we typically see from LG.

Sarah Louise said...

By itself, the ad is very good. It grabs the viewer from the beginning, and flips a switch at the end. The imagery is amazing and follows the voiceover quite well. Yet, I agree with the critic. If LG spent millions telling people that life is good, this ad deviates from that message. The ad essentially says life is bad. Life is caged. Perhaps if the tag line was 'life's good again' it would be more consistent with LG's other promotions.
True, television allows viewers to escape to another world for 30 minutes, but does a boarderless TV really create a boarderless world? The ad seems overdramatic for the product. I think something more practical could have resinated more with viewers. During 2008-2009, people were worried about keeping their jobs and homes. Millions sought that hum-drum cubicle job and the four walls. Though beautifully done, the ad was not right for the company or for the time.

Kate said...

I agree with several of my classmates about the ad being about how the television makes you *feel* versus the functionality of it. Everyone knows what a TV does and what it looks like in a home. By now it also seems pretty standard that the latest models are equipped with HD/LCD/Plasma, having beautiful colors and amazing surround sound. It does seem like LG is trying to differentiate themselves from their competitors and retailers now by moving away from promoting strictly function and focusing on its compliment to the brand's form and feeling. The 'Life is Good' is about the escapism of the viewing experience paralleled to the literal lack of borders on the product. The 'right mood' for LG is one that continues to show the stunning design visuals of their products while incorporating the importance of the differentiating functions, which I believe they do in this ad.

Kathryn Eisele said...

This ad was stunning enough that I watched it a few times before comparing it to other LG television ads. I agree with Robert in that just because other LG commercials feature humor, it does not indicate a distraction from the brand’s identity. My first thought was that with a marketing campaign, the deviation from the message is an issue, not a deviation from a particular ad style, approach or campaign. Therefore, LG would have issues only if it deviates from the “Life’s Good” message, but not if they find new ways to convey this message. But as I looked at old LG ads and then additional ads for other brands, I considered how integral these components are for establishing a consistent brand identity.

What are the issues involved with changing a successful advertising campaign but still maintaining the brand identity? How does Aflac change when the decision is made to deviate from its duck campaign? Aflac’s newest campaign, “You Don’t Know Quack,” (www.youdontknowquack.com) seeks to inform customers of the type of insurance that Aflac provides. But how successful will the campaign be if consumers don’t see the iconic duck that has been so integral to its brand awareness?

In my opinion, it’s not the wrong move for LG, but it might not be the right one either. It seems to have a successful campaign with its humorous spots, and although the ad is striking, it may not be the best course of action.

Kristin Hughes Photography said...

I agree this is a beautiful ad and it gets the message across about the product. It develops a connection for viewer/potential consumer to the product. It is certainly an ad that differentiates its product and demonstrates what the consumer would want out of the product.

As far as the "Life is good" theme that LG is going for here, I was not able to make that connection. For me personally, I do not identify "Life is good" as being in a TV. The ad was a bit of a downer from that perspective because it reminded us that after birth we are no longer free and did not really portray to me why life would be good if I had this borderless TV.

Rob L'Heureux said...

I'm with Sarah Louise and Kristin. There was a real disconnect between the imagery, tone, and message. They are overstating the importance of a relatively minor benefit (at least from this consumer's perspective). The literal darkness of the ad stood out to me too. While it is more difficult from a technical perspective to achieve really dark blacks (and I doubt that had any impact on why they chose to use the imagery anyways), that's not what grabs people about HD TVs - it's the colors. That's what I expect to see in a commercial for TVs, especially one touting how technology enhances if not enriches our everyday life. Granted, it may not be a point of differentiation, but if they are using an emotional message, it's still the most powerful and relevant one to me. A commercial like this doesn't make me want to buy a TV as much as it makes me want to start looking for a warm trip for spring break.

Anonymous said...

I thought there was a bit of a disconnect in the way LG painted their bleak picture of a bordered life. I see it as a cause for action to go outside and do something...the last thing I want to do is sit and watch TV.

Unknown said...

I think this is a case of a brand and its message a little too seriously. Although they have spent a lot of money building their brand image the commercial makes it seem like their new borderless TV is going to break the general public free of the humdrum of normal life. Although I’m sure it’s a great piece of technology its still a TV and a product that is supposed to help people relax and be entertained with implications of watching home movies at its most sentimental. A campaign like this is better suited for a product that has a greater impact on health or overall life quality since the seriousness of the campaign can be at least somewhat justified by the product.

In this campaign, LG focuses too much on the “life” part of the commercial and trades “good” for “epic” or possibly “changing”. A brand’s image and values are extremely important and need to be taken seriously when developing an ad campaign, but consumers aren’t completely blind. If an ad makes something seem terribly dramatic and important there needs to be something tangible behind it.

Unknown said...
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Yingda Jiang said...

after viewing some other LG commercials in the youtube, I found these Ads did try to tell how advanced tech is and how it can change your life better. They are quite different from the "freedom" one. I agree this one is not consistent with previous ones. but it doesnt totally deviate LG's slogan. Viewers can understand easily the borderless Tvs can make life better by setting you free.

I think the problem in the Ad is that it is very hard to understand why the borderless Tvs are able to set us free. Is it just because of it is called "Borderless"?

Another problem is why LG dare to call it borderless? The following comments from a viewer is quite classic. " What does it mean by borderless? There's still the fuzzy black border there! If what they mean borderless is just that the glass stretched to the edge, c'mon, why should I buy it? "

Rebecca Camus said...

I think LG is inline with their overall them of "Life is Good." In my past work experience, I had days when I felt trapped in my cube, and I all I wanted was to go home and mindlessly sit in front of my TV. Because of this I could see where they were going in their ad. However, I do believe that LG was slightly melodramatic. I have to agree with several of my classmates who said that LG did focus too much on the "gloominess" of the ad. I think it would have been much more effective if they would have limited the amount of negative airtime and focused more on how much better their product will make your life.

Matt Collins said...

There are two sides to every coin...
I do think LG does a good job of building up a ton of emotion with interesting images and passionate music to sell their new product...a borderless tv. In fact - it's the 'world's first borderless TV'...so 'life must be good, right?'

But let's be honest...it's just that...a borderless tv. On one hand you could argue that this commercial is really great and will drive huge sales for this great new tv. On the other hand, through the add they use phrases like 'free of walls, free of ceilings, no more road blocks' etc etc to describe a feature of LG's new product that, quite frankly, isn't that big of a deal. If I saw that commercial again, and cut out the last 10 seconds of it, I would've expected LG to be selling me the clearest resolution, biggest tv, with HD, 3-D features. I just don't think that what they're getting across in this commercial is consistent with their 'Life's Good' slogan.

Joe in Manhattan said...

What a beautiful ad! I enjoyed watching this as it reminded me that life can be so much more than assignments, deadlines, and being "boxed in"… that there might be an escape from the daily humdrum so many of us accept without question. Perhaps, though, it aligns more with the image "life could be good for some people." When I considered the ad a bit more deeply I realized that the only real opportunity to escape the mundane life it criticizes and actually feel good about life is to watch the ad, not spend two thousand bucks on the television. The discontented, trapped 9-5ers who find the ad appealing are not the wealthy, trendy individuals willing to pay a premium for a sleek, sexy living room status symbol.

Furthermore, the ad leads one to believe that the experiences depicted within it are somehow associated with the product it promotes, which is clearly not true (last I checked, even a new, state-of-the-art “borderless” TV does little more than link one’s senses with a television broadcast or DVD player). Perhaps if LG sold mutual funds, vacation packages, or even sneakers one could appreciate a meaningful connection. But a television? This has nothing to do with life being good.

Was the ad entertaining? Of course. But I think LG focused too much on creating a great ad and not on favorably portraying a cool product to the target sector. If winning ad competitions was the goal, I think LG did a great job with this one. Unfortunately, though, I don’t know if their approach will effectively translate to increased sales - you know, the reason it invests in its brand image in the first place.

Katie Idzik said...

I agree with many of the prior posts and fail to see how this ad deviates from LG's core brand message. Even though this ad may not portray the practicality of the product, it plays to the product itself: the borderless TV, and the ideal of a life without borders. I thought it was very well done in that not only did the images hit home, but also that it cleverly and effectively communicated what the product was. Perhaps the crisp images were meant to signal what to expect, performance-wise, from the borderless TV?

I think someone else mentioned this, but the other ads showed products that might be used in different ways from other brands, whereas a TV is pretty much self-explanatory and usual in its operation. LG needs to differentiate this product in another way, and I think this ad does just that.

Last thing, Sarah Louise's comment about maybe changing the tag line to "life's good again" makes total sense: buy this TV and your life will be without borders and therefore "good" again is sort of the message they're trying to get across, and a matching tag line, in my opinion, definitely would have worked.

Vasudha said...

In my opinion the product, Borderless TV fits perfectly with LG’s core values of innovation. Nevertheless communication is as important as the product itself.

The fact that some of our classmates were either saddened and/or confused by what the advertisement would lead to should be considered seriously by LG in designing its message. If an ad consistently conjures up sad feelings over a period of time, customers may begin to subconsciously have negative associations with that brand.

I feel that this ad falls short of fulfilling the expectations that it raises in the beginning of its message. An average viewer would probably expect a greater and more beautiful solution to the varied problems that the message posed. An average viewer would probably not consider TV to be the solution (not even a borderless TV)

I maintain that either the set of problems should be minimized or the solutions must be presented as larger than life solutions in order to accentuate the positive. Thus the product seems great but the communication needs work.

Unknown said...

The ad was indeed visually stunning. And I agree that it doesn't stray from the Life's Good tagline. The ad did an excellent job of conveying the message that watching TV allows one to (temporarily) break free from the life's constraints/borders.

With that said, however, I personally found the ad to be corny, for lack of a better term. Visually appealing, yes. But corny nonetheless. Life with no borders = a tv with no borders. Really, LG?? Maybe it's personal preference, but I would have liked something a bit more subtle and witty. Oh, like Forrest said, it's not even really "borderless". But that's another discussion altogether.

Shormila Sarkar said...

I agree with the majority that the LG commercial's visual appeal gives us something to remember and that the commercial does nothing to detract from the company's central "Life's Good" theme.

Yes, the commercial is very "froufrou," but I would argue that the very goal of the commercial is to dramatize the borderless television so that we, as viewers, remember the images and quickly attribute the images to the LG borderless television. Upon perusal of the LG product website, it can be seen that all of the products, borderless television included, are presented in an objective and technical manner. The "Life's Good" message can be seen on the website but not felt. The commercial allows potential buyers to go the extra distance and FEEL exactly what the "Life's Good" message attempts to capture.

By sensationalizing its product LG is not detracting from its branding but is instead allowing the borderless television to stand out in our minds and "give us something to talk about."

Kevin Thurman said...

I think that this is a great commercial, at least in terms of production and imagery. However, does the message really highlight the benefits of the product? While watching the ad, I was expecting it to be for an instant messaging or social media network of some sort. I’m not sure though how a borderless LCD can really help bring people together or relieve the sense of isolation from working all day in a cube farm.

I think the ad definitely works in capturing the sentiment of many young professionals working in the corporate world. This is clearly LG’s target market for this product—people with disposable incomes who desire the latest in technology. I think this ad campaign has potential, but would resonate more with consumers if it had more to do with the product LG is actually selling. An alternative approach might be to highlight (or at least touch upon) LG’s history in innovation and/ or quality, and how their new LCD is the latest in a long line of innovations. I think this would be more in harmony with the overall “Life is good” message. Instead, this ad focuses on some negative aspects of life which are only superficially related to the product the product's key benefits (entertainment, aesthetics).

Unknown said...

To echo many of my classmates' comments, I agree that LG has definitely achieved a sense of continuity with their brand, their 'Life's Good' theme, and advertising their new borderless tv. As a potential consumer, I was immediately attracted by the add because of its message and appealing aesthetics.

I understand that people might think that LG has taken the 'Life is good' theme a little too far in using it to sell high-end, flat screen televisions but, let's be honest, you have to differentiate yourself one way or the other in this economy and the over saturated market. You can choose between 50 different televisions that all look the same (at least to me they do) but I am now more inclined to purchase a LG tv because emotionally I feel good about the brand. As an electronics company, LG has get creative in their advertisement campaigns to attract consumers and I think they did a great job.

Unknown said...

I agree with Rob in that the ad is still in line with LG's main message. I actually found the ad quite inspirational in respect to a very broad view of life. In those rare instances that an ad completely captures my attention I feel myself being sucked into the product whether or not I need it. The inspirational way the ad was able to convey a fresh free perception of life really caught my attention and about half way into the spot, I found myself subconsciously being willing to possibly buy whatever they would throw at me at the end. In summary, I believe LG has done a great job with this new advertisement.

Dan said...

As many people have mentioned, I too enjoyed this ad and I do not think LG is straying from their "Life is Good" brand image and message. I think the advertising team put together an extremely creative and visually appealing commercial, and I do not think it was overdone. I do not think people will actually watch the commercial and think that a tv will help them to break free, that is not what the advertisement team is aiming to do. Instead they want to capture the audience's attention, which i believe it does very effectively.

Lindsay said...

While I agree with many of you on the point that the ad does not conflict with the company’s “Life’s good” tag line, this ad does not resonate well with me. The foundation is well-laid. The commercial’s premise aptly mortars with the company’s vision that the lives of consumers are improved by their products. The methodology used to convey this premise—brilliant colors and imagery that elicit nostalgia and desire, sadness and hope, frustration and freedom—enticingly paints the commercial’s façade. However, a closer look at the commercial’s bearings reveals, to me, that it misses the mark. In building upon the central “Life’s good” theme, this ad focuses too heavily on life’s extremities. The strictures presented are too saddening, too confining. The freedoms too idealistic. While I understand that the commercial is attempting to strike an emotional response, I find it hyperbolic. What gives a television company the right to highlight the dreary confines of my daily life and then instruct me to buy their TV so that my life might be incredible. I feel that a better approach would have been to first highlight the good in life, and then to demonstrate how a borderless life would be even better.

Laura said...

I completely agree with Brian on this one. I also had to go back and re-read the author's critique of how this ad deviates from LG's consistent brand message of innovation and improving the quality of life. I think the commercial was very well done in that it engages the viewer's curiosity and provides a reality that we can all relate to in some way. It then offers how we can in essence escape that reality, even if it is just temporarily, through the borderless feature of the new LG TV. Once again, LG is delivering a product which is consistent with its brand message of improving the quality of life and innovation. Furthermore, LG found a creative way to associate freedom, something we all desire, with their product in the minds' of its potential customers. I believe this commercial is definitely consistent with the LG brand.

Carl said...
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Carl said...

In this commercial, life is not good, even with the addition of LG technology; it just doesn't suck as much as normal. In this sense, the ad is a significant departure from the previous LG campaign in which LG technology catapults people's fun lives into a state of ecstasy, bringing them "up a level" by enabling heightened joy and pleasure. As a departure from this notion that “LG technology takes you over the top,” this ad suggests that the purchase of an LG television might temporarily stave off, say, slitting one's wrists or going postal with an AK47 in a cubical farm setting.

Yeah, that’ll pull ‘em into the retail channels to sell TV’s.

What a disaster.

It's hard to look at the LG campaign without comparing it to the yardstick of the genre: the incredibly creative, effective and upbeat 1998-2000 Philips "Getting Better" campaign. The Philips campaign as a whole was far superior to even the best of the stilted LG offerings, which are landlocked by the rational logic of voiceover ("this benefit is being conferred by our new product" booms a voice from above).

Note to the creative team: you can only get away with this as a power ‘deal sealer’ at the end. A good commercial (like a good film) shouldn't tell its viewer how great life is with a product; it should SHOW it. It shouldn't intone or lecture via one-dimensional argument; it should build up a rich emotional picture with many facets that support multiple readings. The only reading I get from this LG ad is the one force-fed by the "in a world" style voiceover. And, quite frankly, I find offensive the idea that my life is horrible without LG edgeless TV technology.

To many viewers, myself included, the response to this ad may well be: “they have a lot of nerve.”

How to make the ad better? Clearly, restructure the story told so as to stand alone without the confining scaffolding of voiceover. Figure out a way to show how the benefits conferred by edgeless viewing technology enable heightened and unbounded creative expression.

How?

Show a preschool kid with Crayolas going off the edge of the page and onto the desk; an engineer making a CAD drawing of a cool-looking machine that extends beyond the screen of the computer; an architect whose avant-garde design reaches out beyond the standard rectilinear paradigm; a photographer looking through a camera viewfinder and expanding his vision by lifting his eyes up to view the magnificent mountain vista beneath him. Then show that vista connecting to that shown on an edgeless LG screen and a viewer basking in its grandeur. Then you can intone and close the deal with James Earle Jones: “Edgeless vision from LG. Life’s Good.”