Orchids and onions: Jeep ad cheapens R1m-plus car by using Photoshopped images

The American Association of National Advertisers recently estimated that online ad fraud totals a staggering $120 billion (about R1.9 trillion) annually.

A few years ago, it said the industry was winning the war against digital fraud… so no surprises that someone realised that its latest estimates of fraud were embarrassing… so it disappeared from cyberspace, although not before more than a few people took screen shots of the original newsletter.

Some advertisers are charged for ads which do not appear at all, including on streaming services where consumers’ TVs are not even turned on, while others get charged by clicks generated by bots and click farms. All that means a significant portion of money spent online goes to waste.

Yet, the medium – and especially social media – can be effective, if used correctly. And the old, “traditional” ad business watchwords of creativity and humour are just as effective on new communication platforms. Most times I scroll past social media ads, but occasionally a well-scripted, clever ad will give me cause to pause.

Two recently show the value of using creative executions in a time, news-related way, on social media. The first was for one of my favourite brands – favourite because it is quirky, genuine and good quality – Nomu. It bills itself on its Twitter account (@NOMUChirps) as “a uniquely South African food and lifestyle brand”… and it proved that with it fast, clever reaction to the ongoing state capture saga (which really has only just begun, notwithstanding that the Zondo commission has finished its work).

Pegged to the news of the possible extradition of some of the Guptas from Dubai, it coined the clever phrase “steak capture” to punt its meat seasoning. It added: “For those who like our extradition well done.”

It’s clever, its topical and the design of the ad made it stand out. An Orchid to Nomu. In many ways, Nomu was taking on the brand which founded the cheeky one-liner, Nando’s.

ALSO READ: Wait almost over: Jeep Gladiator debuting on 21 June

This week, before we lurched downward into stage 4 blackouts, its social media team posted one plugging its “two free sides” offer. Asking: “Stage 2 got you reaching for amacandlela?”, it suggested rather reaching for a phone to order two free sides from Nando’s app.

Also clever – and also worthy of an Orchid… but at the same time, a warning that even when you are clever, your humour can fall flat. That might well have been the case when people’s smiles turned to rage over the move to stage 4.

Finally, if you’re going to punt something expensive and eye-catching – as Jeep did on Facebook for its new go-anywhere Gladiator 4×4, don’t cheapen the experience by using faked, Photoshopped images.

Jeep’s vehicle was posed in front of the Drakensberg… clearly manipulated in an amateur way. If you’re going to all the trouble of launching a R1 million-plus vehicle, then at least shoot images of it in real offroad conditions.

Because if you don’t, some might wonder if you have to fake the pics, do you also have to fake the capability? Onion for Jeep… the advertising, not the vehicle.