It’s time for that feel-good Home Shopping Network-like experience in which a warm, loving TV hostess touts an amazing product, fields phone calls from satisfied customers and then closes the deal as evidenced by an ever-increasing number of "items sold."
However, this sales session takes a detour in "Talking Trevor," a :30 for the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Race Track in San Diego. The spot starts out harmlessly enough, with our fast-talking hostess praising the cute Talking Trevor doll, a toy replica of loquacious horse-racing announcer Trevor Denman. The familiar home-shopping side and top borders frame the TV picture, with the doll’s price listed as having been discounted to only $19.95.
As she extols the virtues of Talking Trevor, the hostess pulls the doll’s string. Suddenly, true to product claims, Trevor starts talking. But the talk is incessant and a bit grating. Unfazed, the TV hostess continues her spiel and takes the first phone call. But with Trevor talking, we cannot hear what the caller is saying. The hostess tries to lend an ear to what undoubtedly is the caller’s product testimonial, but to no avail.
Frustrated over her caller being drowned out by Talking Trevor, the hostess finally blows a gasket. "Can someone shut this damn doll up?" she asks. The spot then cuts to horse-racing footage at Del Mar.
San Diego agency Phillips-Ramsey conceptualized "Talking Trevor." The ad shop contingent included creative director Tony Durket, copywriter Joe Lazo and art director Scott Mayeda.
Scott Young directed via the Santa Monica-based Dakota Group. David Ziegler produced, with Cindy Erdman serving as DP.
Young and Alice Lemon of Dakota Group were offline editor and online editor, respectively. Colorist was Mark Wilkins of R!OT, Santa Monica. Audio mixer was Bill Coe of Digitrax, San Diego.