Ignorance is bliss. And this infomercial-style spot touts a product that can help us attain that coveted state—both total obliviousness and the peace of mind that goes with it.
Brilliant Industries-our pseudo Ronco-type innovator—presents its newest invention: a headphone with two fingers to plug up one’s ears. This :60, entitled "La La La Fingers," opens on a wife screaming at her hubby. "I thought you paid these bills," she says.
A friendly, understanding pitchman’s voiceover rhetorically asks, "Are your credit card bills getting you down?
"Well give debt the finger—or more precisely, two," continues the voiceover. "With Brilliant Industries’ La La La I’m Not Listening Musical Fingers."
The wonder product is quite simply a walkman-like device that allows you not to listen to the talk, man. Oh, the power of phalanges.
Immediately, the husband finds relief. He no longer can hear his wife who’s on a rant. A supered caption offers an excerpt from a thumbs-up review: "Brilliant"—Inventors Weekly.
Next, our La La La guy is resting in a hammock, sipping some iced tea. How great to be able to tune out the world around you. Our professional voiceover encapsulates the moment with a plug for Brilliant Industries, which he bills as being "your lighthouse in a fog of ideas."
The spot then dramatically shifts to being a commercial for a financial institution, replete with dull figures and copy strewn across the TV screen. A female voiceover intervenes, "Or even more brilliant, with an Egg [Bank] card, you can get no percent interest on all balance transfers." She goes on to highlight the card’s other benefits, including zero percent on new purchases, no annual fee and cash back on all purchases.
We then return to our blissful man, now seated at the kitchen table containing different food. "I’m leaving you," says the wife. Unable to hear her, he responds, "Delicious."
Relieved that he doesn’t seem to care, she walks off. A parting supered pitch reminds us to apply for the bank credit/cash card on egg.com.
"La La La Fingers" is one of five spots in an Egg campaign directed by Bryan Buckley of bicoastal/international hungry man for agency Mother London. Hungry man executive producers were Stephen Orent and Dan Duffy, with Kevin Byrne producing. The DP was Russell Carpenter.
The Mother team included creative director/copywriter Yan Elliott, creative director/art director Luke Williamson, art director Sam Walker, copywriter Jo Desouza, strategist Andy Bellas and producer Zoe Bell.
All the spots in the Egg campaign offer offbeat inventions as a way of dealing with—or in some cases—avoiding life’s little crises. For example, "Identity" promotes a kit, which enables users to assume a new identity. The kit contains such indispensable items as a latex facemask, a fake passport and an official looking letter to inform loved ones that you’ve passed away. Unfortunately, there are some drawbacks. The now masked man tries to dash out the backdoor of his house to elude some creditors—but his dog doesn’t recognize him, starts growling and assumes an attack posture. The man tries to convince the dog that he’s his longtime best friend, but to no avail.
Editor was Andrea MacArthur of Peepshow, London. (She is repped stateside by Final Cut, New York, on the East Coast, and bicoastal Cosmo Street on the West Coast). Audio mixer was James Saunders of Jungle, London.
