Chuck's Richer than Sin, But He Won't Treat You Like a Dog
I spent most of the weekend catching up on Desperate Housewives and Lost on ABC.com. As a result, I got really chummy with Charles Schwab's "Talk to Chuck" campaign.
"Talk to Chuck" brings interpolated rotoscoping -- the process of animating over live action -- to a fresh audience. (Think Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly. All the effects without the substance abuse!)
In the spots, ordinary people address broker grievances in a casual documentary-style setting. The interesting visuals compel you to listen.
I like the effort. It feels authentic and down-to-earth, which I think is hard to do when you're a major brokerage. Read more about "Talk to Chuck" at the Charles Schwab Foundation website. Conceived in 2005 by Euro RSCG Worldwide-New York, it won the Grand Ogilvy Award in April of last year.
Comments
there's really no reason why rotoscoping is used in these ads, other than to polish a turd. An interesting executional technique is not a substitute for a concept, especially when the technique is completely unrelated to the concept.
I find these ads terrible. All of the customers are whiny, with grating voices. The rotoscoping somehow enhances their inane comments, making them more important. A terrible campaign.
Agreed. The whole campaign has sucked bad since 2005.
I suspect the reason they're doing this campaign is because the client wants straightforward testimonials and the agency is trying to dress it up a bit while still being obedient.
The thing is, testimonial campaigns can be great. For example, the Geico "celebrity spokesperson" spots.