AT&T doesn’t know how it’s own U-verse service works

Published December 12th, 2009 | 7 Comments

So let me get this out nice and early so you don’t think I’m just being a dick about this radio spot from AT&T U-Verse… this is a damn funny spot.

ATT-U-Verse-Radio-Spot-Lucky-Couch

Seriously, I love the way the guy shuts his wife down because he wants to sit on his “lucky couch” during the big game. I love the sound of frustration in the woman’s voice when she herds the kids down to the basement. It’s funny as hell and I’m happy to listen to this little gem each and every time it comes on the radio. Hell, I know a few people who now sing the “game’s starting now… duh duh, duh duh… have fun in the basement!” lyrics when the NFL music comes on after each commercial break.

I get it…

Now here’s the problem… AT&T obviously doesn’t get what their product is actually good for in the first place. You see, the commercial starts with the wife asking our hero if the kids can watch TV in the living room and then the husband says he can’t because the game is coming on and he has to sit on his lucky couch or the team might lose.

Again, funny premise…

However, where it all goes wrong is when the wife, in an impromptu (and completely unnatural) description of the AT&T U-Verse product, explains that with that wonder of product, they can record up to four programs at once and watch them on any TV in the house.

The problem is, that has nothing to do with the friggin’ issue at hand! He’s watching live TV, right fucking now! What good is the fact that you can watch a recorded program on any TV in the house if he’s watching football right then and there? And why drag the innocent kids into the mix? It’s not like what they’re watching is appointment television… in fact, it’s probably just them watching The Lion King, or whatever kids are watching these days, for the 1,067th time this year. Why the fuck does she need to come up there, all high and mighty, and try and push the king of the castle down to the dungeon? I’m not a giant football fan, but I think if this chick tried this one me, I would send her to the basement with the kids out of principle and make her stay there until she learns a little something about modern DVR services.

But yes, very funny ad… clever even… cheers all around. This may, in fact, be the first entry into a category I like to call “a joke looking for an ad.” This is when a particularly clever copywriter has been sitting on a joke for some time and, in an act of desperation, illogically attaches it to a commercial. Perhaps.

Then again, it could just be a regular ole’ fuck up. You see below in one of their TV spots, they actually do know how it works:

By the way, I blame AT&T here and not the agency because, while the agency created this goofy error, the CLIENT APPROVED THE DAMN THING! How many people did this thing pass through before it hit the air and not one person raised their hand to say, “um, hey… cute ad, but it really doesn’t work that way.”

You guys are lucky this came out funny…

PS – I know I led with a few links to other sites and a summary of the Tiger Woods crap, but these types of reviews of dead tree advertisers are the real heart of this publication… we just had to figure out the technical stuff with the ads and I had to punt… just sayin’…

Written by Jeff Ferguson
Jeff Ferguson is an internet marketer, entrepreneur, inventor, writer, public speaker and is usually only this angry when talking about poorly made advertising or people who think gum is a food group.

Jason

Maybe its you who needs to think a little harder, or perhaps run your posts by a few people before you put them up. The ad makes perfect sense:

The kids had their favorite cartoons recorded earlier in the afternoon on the DVR in the living room. They finished their homework like good kids and now want to watch their shows, except monday night football is now on and dad is watching in the living room on his lucky couch. Thanks to AT&T uverse, no problem, they can go to the basement and watch shows that were recorded on the DVR in the living room.

Was that so difficult?
http://www.deadtreemedia.com Dead Tree Media

Yeah, probably is, that scenario wasn't presented here… You can clearly hear the wife say, “we can record GAMES and play them back on any TV”.

Now, if the situation was that both the kids and our hero had recorded programs, like cartoons or the game, then I can see where U-Verse would come in handy.

But that's not what happened here. The bitchy wife just wanted the big TV all to herself and to send her poor, probably abused husband, down the basement, to keep him from what little joy his has left in his life… watching the game on his lucky couch.

Now, I understand, you're probably a fan of marital abuse, but we just can't tolerate that kind of thing here at Dead Tree Media.

Good day, sir.

I SAID GOOD DAY!
http://www.deadtreemedia.com Jeff @ Dead Tree Media

Yeah, problem is, that scenario wasn’t presented here… You can clearly hear the wife say, “we can record GAMES and play them back on any TV”.

Now, if the situation was that both the kids and our hero had recorded programs, like cartoons or the game, then I can see where U-Verse would come in handy.

But that’s not what happened here. The bitchy wife just wanted the big TV all to herself and to send her poor, probably abused husband, down the basement, to keep him from what little joy his has left in his life… watching the game on his lucky couch.

Now, I understand, you’re probably a fan of marital abuse, but we just can’t tolerate that kind of thing here at Dead Tree Media.

Good day, sir.

I SAID GOOD DAY!
Arthur

“Well if you're gonna be like that, ten we'll just call the whole thing off!…. Well THANK YOU!”
robert1621

That was my exact reaction the first time I saw it too! What good is recording it and watching it later, his lucky couch doesn't work retroactively…..or does it? duhn duhn duhn!
Arthur

“Well if you’re gonna be like that, ten we’ll just call the whole thing off!…. Well THANK YOU!”
Anonymous

That was my exact reaction the first time I saw it too! What good is recording it and watching it later, his lucky couch doesn’t work retroactively…..or does it? duhn duhn duhn!

AT&T doesn’t know how it’s own U-verse service works

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