“And sometimes…it’s all about the gold.”
Overstock.com is a Utah-based online retailer. They believe in not paying an ad agency to come up with their ads, but rather soliciting ideas from employees. Here are the results:
http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=staticpage&page_id=2440
:: Update :: The specific commercial I refer to in this post has been removed from the page I link to above. Maybe it’s out there somewhere, but I don’t really have the motivation to find it if it is.
My personal opinion is that they should probably pay an ad agency to help them out. But I don’t think they’re going to, and here’s why–these ads are successful. Don’t believe it? It’s true. Word on the street is Overstock.com’s revenues were up 14% the month they ran these ads. Not a bad return for employee-produced advertising. That alone gives them all the justification they need to never hire an agency ever again, and it might just give pause to other companies spending money with expensive agencies as well.
But if you stop there, I think you miss some things. The first has to do with business and money, the second has to do with…mmm, shall we say, style?
Unfortunately, Overstock.com may be practicing self-deception by assuming that hiring an agency can’t do them any good. Just because you run an ad and it works doesn’t mean somebody else can’t make a better ad that would get better results. The fact of the matter is that just about any advertising, no matter how poorly produced, will get results over no advertising. The mistake comes in assuming that an ad agency could not return better results, perhaps 30% instead of 14%. When you’re talking about millions in revenue, a 1 percent difference in sales can easily cover the expense of hiring an agency and produce a postitive ROI.
On the other hand, there are agencies out there that charge plenty of money, have a good client list, but might end up producing even worse advertising, so it pays to be careful.
Now on to the question of style, which I believe ultimately does have real business consequences. In my opinion, these ads are bad advertising. But why, you ask? Let’s divide the reasons into two categories, strategy and execution.
Bad Strategy?
1. “It’s all about the O”. Ok, so they’re trying to create a brand around the “O.” Great, but why? Maybe I’m missing something, but why brand the “O” rather than branding “Overstock.com”? Maybe if I knew their reasoning it would change everything, but I can’t fathom a guess because there seem to be multiple problems with it. Namely…
a. Loss of previous brand. The company is called Overstock.com. People already know the company under that name. If it ain’t broke, why fix it? Why change the brand and lost the equity that has been built up? It can and should be done under certain circumstances, but I don’t see why it should be done in this case. Overstock means something. It elicits thoughts of “Oh, they’ve got a bunch of overstocked items, maybe I can get something good for cheap…” The “O” doesn’t do that. Why give that up?
b. Conflict with other brands. The first time I heard “It’s all about the O” was “What is Oprah thinking…?” Oprah has a popular magazine called O which you see at the checkout aisle of every supermarket, so even somebody like me who has never watched Oprah nor read O Magazine recognizes the brand. When I realized the advertising touting “It’s all about the O” was for Overstock and not Oprah’s magazine it felt like a ripoff.
2. Who’s the target? Are these commercials targeting men, women, or both? My only evidence is anecdotal but neither sex seems to like these commercials.
Bad Execution?
1. Poor talent. I don’t have any clue who this lady featured in their commercials is, but she’s either lacking talent, lacking a good director, or Overstock didn’t hire a good video editor. The commercials seem to have their timing off a bit on transitions, and it lacks the professional touch that should be standard for a company this large.
2. It feels like a feminine hygiene commercial. When you use a white environment and have a somewhat attractive woman in a TV commercial the instant assumption is “Tampax commercial.” The omnipresent red O doesn’t help things.
3. Cheap stuff. If they’re trying to sell a “luxurious lifestyle” as they claim in radio ads they should present it. Everything in their advertising looks cheap, including the hilarious gold O at the end of the ad. It’s good for laughs, but do I really trust their jewelry selection after seeing that?
Bad Taste?
1. Sexual overtones. They use this woman speaking in seductive tones, and in one shot she actually appears to be nude. Anyone can use sex to sell something. It’s a short-lived, cheap way to get advertising results, and in the long run may turn people off rather than lead to long-term viability. I purposely try not to buy from companies that use sex to sell (i.e. Carl’s Jr., GoDaddy…whoo, that’s a tough one though because I really think they are the best registrar) partly out of a conscious decision, partly because I see those companies as cheap and tacky, and buying or using their products tends to make me feel cheap and tacky.
Is employee-produced advertising always bad? No, take a look at Totally Awesome Computer’s advertising. Yes, it’s bad in that it’s annoying, but it’s brilliant in that it’s so bad it produces great results, probably better than your typical ad campaign. The trouble with Overstock’s ads is that they are annoying and cheesy, but if that’s what they’re going for they’re not going far enough. They need to be more cheesy, more over the top, otherwise people wonder if they’re really a joke or if they’re trying to be sophisticated and it’s just coming off as cheesy without that intent.
Josh,
I COULDN’T AGREE MORE. One of my biggest pet peeves (right behind marching bands and those little ketchup packets) is bad advertising. Really bad advertising. And this is among the worst.
p.s. Good advertising? How about your white “We make websites” ad in Connect. Brilliant.
I couldn’t agree with you more!! My boyfriend and I both find that commercial ridiculous and extremely irritating! I’m glad someone else agrees with us!
Overstock has fooled themselves into thinking they are some knid of high-end retailer. They should stick with the image that has brought them this far. I noticed that they redid their site design again recently. I’m not crazy about the color scheme, but it’s probably a move in the right direction from their previous design. The silver and red design they had for a while was probably confusing to customers who thought they were on the wrong site. It looked fine, but didn’t really say “overstock” it said something like “wish we were nordstrom.” And that logo? It’s terrible. I like their old logo better. It portrayed more of what they’re really all about. This new one has no character, I could have come up with better and I’m not even a designer!
OK, so the employees created the ads. That explains alot.
I’m in advertising and I still didn’t get those ads for a long time. Everytime they would run, my wife and I would turn to each other and go, “What? Why?” I thought they were attempting a weak sexual undertone as well with the woman’s smirk into the camera and the hint that the the O was about the big “O” and while women we know enjoy shopping, I doubt it has ever caused them to want a cigarette afterwards. It’s a classic case of not hiring an expert to do what they do best and the belief that “anyone can do this”. The line that has always put the fear in me during an initial client meeting goes something like this: “And I’ll have you know that I have a degree in advertising and marketing.” That my friends, is usually the creative kiss of death.
P.S.Sorry this comment is so late but I just stumbled onto the site.
The woman in the Overstock commercial is ten times annoying that anyone in an Old Navy ad. This woman tries to play a character that is seductive, beautiful and sophisticated, but she comes off as self-absorbed and pathetically cheesy. What does this woman’s image have to do with Overstocks’ supposedly cheap prices? What idots created and approved this ad??
That commercial is so stupid. She is trying to seduce men watching t.v.
She has terrible acting, as though she was reading her lines off a moniter!
And their slogan is stupid.
When she says, “its all about the o” it sounds like shes saying “its all about b.o.(body oder)”!!
And on the other commercial where she says, “We promise…99% of the time…” She keeps saying that 99% thing!! What the hell is up with that?!
I agree with all that you said except Totally Awesome’s ads. Those ads are so annoying to me that, not only would I never buy a system from them, I would probably hit the owner if I saw him on the street.
Regardless of the negative opinions expressed here, the commericial works. The actress, Sabine Ehrenfeld, is beautiful so it is understandable why envious women lacking her charisma would criticize her and the commercial. Say what you will, but from the time the commercial begins until it ends, NO healthy, straight MALE can take his eyes off Sabine and yes, we ARE listening. Sabine is represents the lady every man wants to be with.
So, for the ‘ad’ genius who started this thread and the few envious groupies attracted by the negativity expressed, sorry, you lose. The ad works and is working, yep, 99% of the time and you whiners represent the .0001% of the earth’s population; meaning your opinion counts as much as a grain of sand. Oh, by the way, next time this commericial airs, do your husband a big favor and LEAVE the room so he can appreciate Sabine and not be distracted by you and your mouth!
Those ads are the worst I’ve ever seen! And I’ve researched the company and they are crooked as they come. They inflate prices, they don’t allow negative reviews (they screen them and then reply saying this violates their terms, yet no cursing or offensive language is used, after numerous tries, i gave up) and their return policy is just plain DECEPTIVE ..the reviews on this company’s bad business practices are all over the web. Just go to Google and search for overstock.com complaints..it’s staggering the amount of consumers this company has ripped off!
HOPE THIS REVIEW HELPS..BE CAREFUL!
> I would probably hit the owner if I saw him on the street
Get a life, loser.
The fact is, no matter what anyon thinks, sex sells. If this woman were selling used baby diapers using the same type of approach and clothing or lack there of, she would still hold the attention of men and aeven a few woman, for the length of the commercial.
Is it bad acting, is it bad advertising, who knows. This commercial is no different than desaparat housewives or ads for levitra/cialis. Sex is a natural part of being human. People are using that natural urge. Get over it!
I have never purchased anything from overstock.com, and don’t plan to, but every time that commercial is on, I find myself watching. If enough people watch, fantasize, play with themselves or whateve, some of them will eventually become customers.
I personally think the actress in the commercial is hot beyond belief…and from what I’ve read in this overly-critical column is simply a ton of people who’re upset because of the old adage “sex sells”.
That ad was enough for me to go to their site and check out some of their deals…just to find more about her…that’s what I call advertisement.
I know of many other advertisements that are much more crude, lude, and shoddily put together than the “O” commercials. I firmly agree with Bob up there. You people have too much time on your hands.
The ads you pros put out? Why God invented fast-forward.
When the Overstock ads run, it’s real time all the way- before I rewind for another look
If sex sells then they should have used a better looking woman. Trust me, I’ve seen closer shots of her and they could have done better.
I too have watched the ad multiple times because I can’t believe how cheesy it is. Maybe that was their strategy all along…
I personally can’t stand the commercials and she’s not hard on the eyes at all. They’ve done well in branding the site - but I’d never consider buying anything from them.
So sales are up, it must be bad advertising. Yea, that’s typical of today’s spin masters. If that is an example of employee created commercial, I say fire all these professional advertisers. Because the Overstock commercial, makes me stop, watch and listen. All those other so called professional made commercials? I mute and run to the toilet.
If you think she’s pretty or ugly, talented or not, is a matter of opinion. I think the commercial is one of the best on TV. BTW, she’s not slutty at all, but classy and sexy. Sad so many have an issue’s…
Dude, that girl from the commercial is so hot.
Dude she is sooo hot and sexy, but still maintains class. When those commercial come on, I can’t leave the room or change the channel, I have to watch her. She could come knockin’ on MY door ANYDAY!!!
I finally found out her name today, Sabine Ehrenfeld that is, and she made me look forward to commercials, and I understand they’re using her again in the fall campaign. Way to go Overstock.com.
If you think these ads are bad advertising, you’re either a jealous woman or a homo.
Wow. Looks like Sabine Ehrenfeld got her whole family to write in.
This had has been extremely successful for the company, and good for them. Anything she’s selling, I’m buying. The ONLY criteria for success for an ad is whether or not it sells. Nothing else matters. So your opinion is kinda useless, wouldn’t you say?
Anything she’s selling he’s buying? The perfect patsy.
Oh and by the way, it appears that Overstock.com has recently changed their ad campaign and gone in a completely different direction. How’s that for working?
Bad advertising? You’ve put this up as a joke, right?
Overstock.com’s ad looks like they spent about 37 cents on it. Contrast this with the typical Coke ad which they probably spent over a million dollars on. At the end of the Overstock ad, I know they sell stuff that other people bought too much of. At the end of the Pepsi..oops I mean Coke (from the ads they’re interchangeable) ad, I know they sell cola. In other words, Overstock got exactly the same impact while spending almost a million dollars less.
Of course there are other messages in the Coke ad. It also includes the message that the artsy-fartsy who put the ad together didn’t thing the basic product was good enough to sell without trying to distract the consumer with all sorts of irrelevant visual and audible enhancements that may win awards, but contribute nothing to the message. These ads are the reason many people outside the advertising industry would rate the fast forward button as one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century.
I just wish my other posts got this much attention. All my other postings have 1-2 comments, and then this one…bam! I’m going to have to find some other controversial things to write about…
Dear Donloper:
Good idea. I think it’s become all about the “O” as in, “Oh, No… won’t this discussion ever end?.”
Feel free to change the subject. Here’s one: TV auto ads. Local vs. National. Branding vs. hard sell. Big budget vs. $700….or less. And what about radio for the auto industry? Why are the screamer agencies still in the biz? Who’s responding to these ads and what makes them respond? I know they’re not aimed at me because the minute I hear one I can’t punch the button fast enough.
But who in their right mind (or left) hears that speed reader whispering the legal at the top of the spot and says, “I gotta turn that up! I love these ads!” As the booming VO continues to scream, “Only $149.95 a month and you OWN IT during our RED TAG SALE!” Studies show that consumers today are a lot savvier than they were years ago yet for some reason, this old as the hills approach continues to be a choice for many dealers. Some may argue that it’s all they, the dealers have ever used to advertising themselves. It’s what worked before and doggone it, it will work again. Others point out that it’s aimed at the lower income, credit challenged but just because your earnings are at the bottom of the scale and your credit isn’t so good, why is a screamer ad better than say an ad that appeals to that segment in a clever non-insulting way?
I worked in advertising and marketing and for every really creative insightful genius there are ten other guys who claim to be geniuses too and have the flow charts to prove it,
Fact is, I previously found Overstocks ads annoying without knowing anything about the company. The Sabine ad though did indeed get my attention.
Tawdry or not, I have watched the commercial now.
Sabine baby, yes I’ll buy what she’s selling. Yum yum, you should be criticizing every company that DOESN’T user her in their commercials. You hags complaining, yeah you know that your significant others would sell you into slavery for an hour with her.
The original post and the vast majority of follow ups are all wrong. This ad has enormous, enormous buzz and the country is enamoured of the brand and the model. Just do a Web search.
I’m not sure you read the original post. I didn’t say the ad didn’t generate buzz, or that people didn’t like it, or that it wasn’t successful. I said it was “bad advertising” and then I went on to explain what I mean by the term and how it applies to this ad. In my world, good advertising is more than just successful advertising, it’s also smart advertising. This ad is successful, but not smart. It’s amateurish, cheap, and while it would be hard to prove, I believe it’s not as successful as it could be because of what it lacks.
what I can’t take my eyes off of is the HORRENDOUSLY choppy editing! didn’t ANYone catch this before approving the ad??? i watch it everytime it airs, to see if i can catch any OTHER mistakes!
Folks, folks. Somebody up there said it right - after watching what ‘ad pros’ think is good, these commercials are a welcome change. Thank G nobody is screaming at me about how I HAVE GOT TO HAVE their cruddy little product, all with some nasty a** Rap song or Rock song in the background. No thanks - Sabine comes across as sultry, relaxed, friendly & intoxicating. She is gorgeous for 40+ years old. Yes, she is not ‘perfect’, but I’m willing to bet she’s not full of plastic or botox. She’s got piercing eyes and a confident delivery - oh, and, love the accent. Great acting? probably not - BUT HAVE YOU WATCHED TV LATELY? You people gotta be kidding me - she’s no worse than the dumbed-down moron skateboard riding Burger King Eating Reality TV watching BS type actors in other ads or in the shows themselves. PEOPLE! Relax, enjoy the “O” & let this nice lady’s sultry tones along with the vision of her genuine, simple beauty. This woman speaks 3 more languages than I do. Right there, she’s probably smarter than 98% of us here on this board. Give the girl - and the company - a break & stop trying to fix something that’s not broke. You wanna pi** on somebody’s ad campaign? Go for ANY beer company or ANY auto maker. There. Enough said. Soak Sabine in!
Oh, by the way - for those of you out here who had 2 college credit hours disguised as “film” or “television,” stop trying to justify that by questioning the editing, lighting & background color choices. An untamed monkey could pass those classes & my guess is that both he & you would be busier flinging your feces @ the front blackboard than actually paying attention! Give it a rest. You are not experts - you are delivery truck drivers, janitors, jiffy lube oil changers or register jockeys who think you have some insight on, oh, I don’t know… anything?! IT … IS … A … T… V… COMMERCIAL. Sorry it doesn’t appeal to your more cultural side by featuring the likes of Jenny McCarthy or some convicted felon athlete or rock star with MTV style cuts. You all sound … well, pretty angry and sad at your station in life & are offended by anything your spouse tells you to be offended by. Remember, it only lasts 30 seconds - kinda like you do. Enjoy your 30 seconds.
Wait a minute. How is this bad advertising? It worked fantastically! Doesn’t that make it good advertising? If it was low budget, then that’s even better. Even if you think it’s stupid or wasn’t done the best way, it still worked great. It took Overstock from not being known by anyone to the complete opposite. It was great advertising and you know it. You just can’t accept it because you don’t like the concept.
^ More evidence that many people only read the title and 1-2 sentences of a blog, rather than the whole post.
There is some thing called good, smart advertising? that’s a laugh. most ad copy is written at a 5th grade level. these ads actually have some clever copy writing. BTW the 99% refers to birth control. even though it is low cost, it is smart, or about as smart as advertising gets.
“Armchair Quarterbacks” have always made the world an interesting if not amusing place. Judging by the posts on this website you do have to admit that the ad did accomplish one thing; prompted strong opinion! Negative or Positive aside, it has obviously captured a large contingent. That’s all ANY ad will EVER DO at any production cost and regardless of the talent involved.
All any ad can do is appeal to the masses. Low intellect, high intellect, low income, high income, whatever your hot button may be.. there is plenty of all of those things to go around. Funny thing that seems to be repetitive here is that for all of you who didn’t like it, you continue to watch it over and over. Isn’t the definition of insanity “doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result”?
Overstock dot com name recognition before this ad: 14 per cent
Overstock name recognition today: 41 per cent
The ad was not just a succes. It was a HUGE success by anyone’s method of measuring, despite what the experts in the field say about it.
Don’t know if you have already heard this or thought of it, but the “big O” usually refers to orgasm - which makes the seemingly naked, seductive-sounding woman, seem to be more in context. I am surprised this was not obvious, but for many Utahns (read: mormons - yes, I know not ALL Utahns are LDS, but many are) that stay out of the loop on the colloquial used in the large culture outside the church, they would be clueless. Go ahead - you can find “The Big O” in their advertising, now go Google that phrase and see what you get - Overstock is trying to associate itself with sex in more ways than you know.
Well, I am about a year late and a dollar short. I am doing research for a college paper on controversial advertising. I think that the point in the article is right on the money. The point is, not that the ad was a bomb but that the ad could have been more successful if people who are in the advertising field had been involved.
I for one, have never quite caught fhe vision for these ads. The girl in the ad is not un attractive, but the whole thing just makes me raise an eyebrow when I watch it.
Oh and before the ‘Go whats her face fan club’ points out that I DID in fact watch it, I also watched a movie called Johnny Sako and Mr Robot Voyage into Space…. That doesnt mean I liked it.
Ah one last thing… I think the whole shortening down the name to ‘The O’ was to try to make it easier to remember and more catchy. I mean its a lot easier to say ‘Its all about the O’ than to say ‘Its all about Overstock.com’ hmmm ok maybe not..
Not an advertising guy, I am an IT guy so what do I know.
The commercial may have increased name recognition BUT that does not mean SALES.
I rememeber it being annoying and thought it was for feminine products
I would buy from a place that sold discounted items or closeouts… but i’ve never assumed that what they’re about
Are you really this dumb? Are you unable to absorb the entire double entrendre that this ad is shoving down your throat?
I AM a female, and the “O” thing never for one fleeting second led me to think of Oprah’s magazine. Ever. I don’t know what hormone replacement therapy you’re on, but I think the other 99.999% of the population got EXACTLY what “It’s all about the O” was about. Too bad you didn’t get the memo.
Given the fact that you devoted an entire blog post to this advertising campaign proves how wrong you are. It’s an example of bad advertising? Really? You know what’s an example of bad advertising? Something that you forget within a minute of viewing it, something that doesn’t stir up debate or conversation, and moreover something that doesn’t motivate you to ever buy the product, or at the very least investigate it enough.
But that’s just me. I’m no Mr. Madison Avenue like you seem to be.
And for the rest of you out there who think Advertising’s SOLE purpose is to increase sales, think again. The very fact that brand recognition increased 5 fold because of this campaign means that at the very least, the company will experience a 25-50% increase in consumer traffic. Now, I’m no Harvard MBA here or anything, but I’m pretty positive that more people visiting your site means a potential for more sales. Just an idea I had…
On that note, I’m done. And as for the lead “actress” in the commercial (if you could call her that)…I hope that gold O necklace chokes her.
Wow!….No matter what a person’s feelings are about the commercial, you got to admit Sabine got your attention! That was what the commercial was created for, and what it succeeded in doing. So……it worked! I’ve been wondering for ten long years what this absolutely beautiful lady’s name was, so I logged on to the O’s website just to see if I could find out…I wouldn’t doubt that I’m probably one of 10 million men all over the world who did the same thing…Sabine can drop by my house anytime she wants to!………Sonny…. in Palm Springs! (yes it is)
Wow, Kara, you had me for a minute there. That was some really insightful commentary. One can only hope that that last little jab at the actress in the commercials was nothing more than a tongue-in-cheek parting shot designed to throw the reader a curve after having just read what any intelligent individual would have said, had they taken the time to comment. That mouth-breathing, no life moron, Donloper, is about as close to an absolute waste of otherwise perfectly good carbon as I have had the displeasure of encountering in all of my life thus far. “Dude, get a life” indeed. Why are we even giving this issue this kind of time? It’s a freakin’ TV commercial!