New AMEX print ad featuring adult comic book owners - Pro or Con?

[llll-migration]

I received the latest issue of The Economist, (July 12th-18th, 2008) in the mail and opened it to find this double-page ad for American Express:

 

(Click to enlarge.)

 

At first I thought it was giving comic book owners/collectors some respect and was pleasantly surprised.

 

Then, as I re-read it just prior to scanning, I realized I was wrong.

 

I actually agree with it in that I wouldn't broadcast the fact that I collect comics by choosing the comic superhero credit cards or cheques. There still seems to be a stigma attached to being an adult collector of comics.

 

[Comicdey]

it all spends the same.

[DrWatson]

It has been my experience that if I am the one picking up the check then the recipient doesn't give a rat's azz what is on my credit card as long as it's not declined.

 

The print ad is a take off the commercial currently running on TV. However, the commercial focuses more on the purchasers implied lack of business experience on the part of the cardholder. He was not dressed for a business situation either. The credit card could just as well had pictures of puppies on it and made the same point. I like to think that whoever created the ad campaign is a comics fan at heart.

[llll-migration]

I haven't seen the TV commercial.

Is the cardholder a typical comic book fanboy?

Or an all-purpose loser?

[DrWatson]

No, I wouldn't say that.

[Comicdey]

just a normal joe without a clue that he's being dissed.

[seank]

It has been my experience that if I am the one picking up the check then the recipient doesn't give a rat's azz what is on my credit card as long as it's not declined.

 

The print ad is a take off the commercial currently running on TV. However, the commercial focuses more on the purchasers implied lack of business experience on the part of the cardholder. He was not dressed for a business situation either. The credit card could just as well had pictures of puppies on it and made the same point. I like to think that whoever created the ad campaign is a comics fan at heart.

 

Plus, the German business people in the TV ad are a bunch of *spoons*. The first time I saw it, I only caught the superhero=immature thing. Everytime after that, I thought, "What a bunch of jerks for walking out on this guy like that."

 

I wouldn't want to do business with those people no matter how I was paying.

[Wally's Comics]

The way I see it is that there are less and less the amount of people that

are willing to take any stab or geer because of the PC slaves that we've become.

 

A jab at comic collectors and nerdy white men (if they're not one in the same)

is about all that they have left to make fun of without causing an uproar of inane lawsuits.

 

 

I say the hell with them. I didn't get into this hobby because it was the "cool" thing to do.

And just because it's not perceived as the adult thing to do - I really don't give a craap.

 

 

 

 

 

[joe_collector]

[mister_not_so_nice]

I think the whole ad campaign is a jab at the other credit card service (visa or mastercard) that allows you to upload your own image for your card.

 

Their is another commercial showing a guy handing over his credit card with pictures of kittens on it. He is subsequentely taken into custody by airpaort security.

[jordanscott]

I think the whole ad campaign is a jab at the other credit card service (visa or mastercard) that allows you to upload your own image for your card.

 

I thought the same thing.

 

The Capital One commercial with the evil genius and kittens.

 

a couple other that are less memorable.

 

I took it more to mean for 'real' business it's AMEX, for anything else it doesn't matter.

[DrWatson]

I think the whole ad campaign is a jab at the other credit card service (visa or mastercard) that allows you to upload your own image for your card.

 

I thought the same thing.

 

The Capital One commercial with the evil genius and kittens.

 

a couple other that are less memorable.

 

I took it more to mean for 'real' business it's AMEX, for anything else it doesn't matter.

Exactly.

[joe_collector]

I took it more to mean for 'real' business it's AMEX, for anything else it doesn't matter.

 

You guys are wearing blinders.

 

The first page says "I'm a Doofus!"

 

The second page says "I'm a Real Man!"

[seank]

I took it more to mean for 'real' business it's AMEX, for anything else it doesn't matter.

 

You guys are wearing blinders.

 

The first page says "I'm a Doofus!"

 

The second page says "I'm a Real Man!"

 

Yup.

 

Which is ultimately the problem with the AmEx ad. If Bill Gates wants to do business with you, do you care if he has kittens or a superhero on his credit card? It's style over substance.

[WiseGuyX]

I just switched over to AMEX

 

The last C/C I had actually restricted access of my money towards my other hobby. Now I have a new card that pokes fun of this hobby...what gives?

 

I saw the TV ad yesterday and thought what a crock. Anyone see their TSA ad as well? The guy hands the airline clerk a C/C that displays a Kat or kitten and states he is on business. She double checks the guy and then pops up the TSA agents with rubber gloves. The next guy shows up and presents a Business AMEX card.