The phone goof thing can go either way. Unfortunately, in real life, phone calls like this actually do happen so it’s not surprising Hoboken New Jersey agency Hammerhead Advertising (nope, we’ve never heard of them either) used the goof scenario for its new video campaign. In each of the three videos, Hammerhead new business guy Mark Rowe is pummeled by idiotic new business prospects who make fun of his last name, the last four digits of the agency’s phone number (1313), the agecy’s name (it’s “macho”), ask him to undergo a strip search, repeat the phone number ad naseum and accuse him of selling laxative chocolate.
Having, ourselves, suffered a stint in new business for an ad agency, we can personally identify with Mark’s frustration as he deals with these VP’s of Idiocy on the phone. Our favorite video is Chocolate Man in which Mark is verbally sparred with by a gay sounding man as only a gay sounding man can.
According to Hammerhead, the spots were audio-only and later adapted for video. Hammerhead has since talked with Dunkin’ Donuts, Westinghouse and Trane, and has sealed the business of Honeywell.
Total campaign investment: Less than $5K. (Take that, UGC!)
