OFA can't be serious

[B2G]

Will this bring the Millennials in by the droves? Why can't they get decent marketing people engaged??

[FatBuddy]

1. wow

they can't really believe young people are that stupid.

[JaneyVee]

10. Stupid how?

[FatBuddy]

11. to fall for pandering?

[JaneyVee]

13. That can be said about any demographic in any ad around the world.

[FatBuddy]

14. but we aren't discussing any demographic in any ad around the world

we are discussing the specific ad the OP posted.

[JaneyVee]

19. I'm talking about "pandering", that's ALL ads are. Someone is always getting

Pandered to.

[B2G]

20. Well they need to pander a lot better

'Cause this isn't cutting it.

[JaneyVee]

24. Really. Seems like the entire Internet is talking about it.

[cherokeeprogressive]

112. They're talking about the AD, not ACA. Apparently you're missing the point.

[FatBuddy]

21. some of the "pandering" can be very clever and artful

that's the difference between good advertising and bad advertising.

the advert in the OP is an example of bad advertising.

[JaneyVee]

27. Are you talking about the ad? Then it's working.

[FatBuddy]

44. working in terms of what?

being an example of bad advertising?

if that is what you are saying, then I concur.

[JaneyVee]

84. There are plenty of bad ads, it's all in the eye of the beholder.

[madmom]

68. When I took marketing in school, that's exactly what they taught!

[LanternWaste]

62. The only relevant difference in advertising between good and bad is seen simply via the mechanism...

The only relevant difference in advertising between good and bad is seen simply via the mechanism of profit and revenue.

What one may think of any particular ad on a personal and individual level is wholly irrelevant to the collective perception.

[FatBuddy]

63. your definition is too restrictive

if profit and revenue were the sole indicators of advertising quality, they wouldn't have industry awards like the Clio, etc.

there is a certain amount of creativity into making an effective ad artful, clever, or award winning.

[CreekDog]

54. telling them it's important to have health insurance is pandering? enjoy your stay.

i went w/o health insurance, and lacked good insurance for a period of time.

if someone told me a way to get insurance or get better insurance and their advice was sound, i would have listened and been grateful.

that was in my 20s!

[FatBuddy]

60. when I was in my 20s

the company I worked for provided insurance, they took like $20 bucks per pay period from check to pay for it.

i think you missed my point entirely.

Plus, it isn't very noble to deduce anything about my low post count except that I haven't posted a lot here.

I think it's bad form on your part.

rather than assume what you think I am saying, ask me what I am saying.

I wasn't speaking to the substance of the advert, merely its poor quality.

[CreekDog]

70. it's not your low post count --it's the content of your post.

i didn't *miss* your point. i thought it was stupid.

don't badmouth encouraging people to sign up for health insurance, for many, health insurance that is heavily subsidized and lecture me on bad form.

the bad form is on your part.

and you've been here ONE MONTH (or has it been longer) are you really going to lecture people on how one is supposed to behave here?

[FatBuddy]

73. you aren't being honest

i didn't badmouth anyone for signing up for health insurance. this is something you conjured up on your own.

i spoke merely to the poor quality of the advertisement.

your bullying is very bad form.

[CreekDog]

74. your dishonesty continues --i represented your remark fairly --you lied about my remark

I said: don't badmouth encouraging people to sign up for health insurance


Reading is fundamental. Try it.

[FatBuddy]

76. you are a bully and possibly dishonest

this is what I said: "they can't really believe young people are that stupid."


your words and accusations betray what some might consider a lack of character.

please note that i didn't say you lack character, it's possible you do have character, but your words raise the question.

[CreekDog]

78. Oh please. You start this saying that young people are stupid if they listen to their parents...

...on this.

that doesn't make young people stupid.

remember the ad is directed at parents and older relatives of young people -NOT YOUNG PEOPLE THEMSELVES.

Genius, not.

[FatBuddy]

82. I will just have to take you at face value, like everyone else

sometimes it's too easy to make snap judgments: I realized I don't even know who you are.

I will just use the bit of advice my 6 year old niece blurted out at Thanksgiving: "It's just easier to love people!"

I did have to add your moniker to my excel spreadsheet, however.

(joking).

Happy Holidays!

[madinmaryland]

108. Pandering NO. Condescending YES. Makes all 20 something's look like lazy bums sipping latte's

while living at home with their parents.

REALLY FUCKING BAD image.

[CreekDog]

111. no it doesn't.

it's supposed to look like a kid home from college or home from being away and visiting and having hot chocolate while visiting the family.

remember the ad is aimed at the parents and older relatives --not the young people themselves!

sheesh.

[cherokeeprogressive]

117. LOL! Did you even see the SHADOW of that 747, much less hear it when it went over your head?

"Wear pajamas." Geek in a onesie (I wonder if it has a button-up flap in the back?).

"Drink hot chocolate." Geek with cup of hot chocolate.

I don't see any parents or older relatives in that ad, do you? Any parents in pajamas? Any parents with hot chocolate?

Not sheesh... WHOOSH.

[CreekDog]

128. what is my conservadem going on about?

[WorseBeforeBetter]

132. To me, Pajama Boy looks educated and gainfully employed, with substantial disposable income.

Maybe it's the nerd glasses. Or the watch. Perhaps Hugo Boss for a cool $235.00? The lights casually strung up in the background look more "apartment" than Mom and Dad's. It *ain't* Swiss Miss he's drinking, either, but a little something he picked up at Dean & Deluca. All while sitting on what looks like a very expensive leather sofa. Nothing about that guy screams "needs health insurance." He comes across as someone who might be employed by a Google, with GENEROUS benefits available to him.

Either way, dumb choice for an image. Yes, people are talking, but not about the benefits of the ACA...

[Luminous Animal]

125. I drink hot chocolate and wear onsies! OMG! I MEWD INSURANCE!

[Pretzel_Warrior]

138. you are so transparent

[Jesus Malverde]

38. welcome to DU!

[FatBuddy]

43. thank you!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. That's pretty lame.

I don't know what a good angle would be, but I don't think that's it.

[B2G]

3. He's in a ONESIE!

My conservative mother is having a field day with this pic. Arg!

[JaneyVee]

9. What's wrong with wearing one piece pajamas in your own home?

Conservatives wore tea bags on their heads in public.

[polichick]

16. Yeah, cooler jammies would've been better...

Seriously. Maybe bottoms with a t-shirt.

I know some millennials who love to hang out in their jammies after work and on weekends.

[Jesus Malverde]

65. Pretty sure it's the crazy wax job to his eyebrows thats freaking everyone out subconsciously.

The onesie and cocoa just push it over the top.

Missing 1 teddy bear!

[FatBuddy]

75. haven't you heard?

24 is the new 8

[Luminous Animal]

119. Precisely!

Infantalizing and normalizing that infantalisation of adults

[Luminous Animal]

126. And a nipple.

[ProSense]

4. Maybe it's because

"Why can't they get decent marketing people engaged?? "

...if they did, instead of complaining about this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024192646

...people would be complaining about the amount of money being spent on "decent marketing people." Oh noes, Obama spending premiums on "marketing."

[Raine1967]

122. NAILED IT. eom.

[JaneyVee]

5. I like it. Looks like Christmas Day.

[politichew]

6. This is only being criticized by the right.

Because the man in the ad doesn't fit their view of masculinity.

I'll add this thread to my long list of 'Thing that make me go hmmm.'

[B2G]

8. You 'hmmmm' all you like

My kids are 20 & 23 and they laughed themselves silly.

This is not the image we need. Add all of those ridiculous Colorado ads in and it's embarassing.

[B2G]

15. I'll pass that along to my very liberal kids

[Jesus Malverde]

81. This is not about masculinity, it's about adultness.

A grown woman, dressed like a little girl, would not go over well either.

There is nothing un-masculine about the picture. The onsie and cocoa are societal totems for children.

[politichew]

85. It's more about people being petty than anything. nt

[Jesus Malverde]

87. There is that, agreed...nt

[Luminous Animal]

120. I think it is stupid and I am a democratic socialist.

Hmmm on that

[we can do it]

7. Looks like a combo of Erkle and Harry Potter

[madrchsod]

12. the right wing is having a field day with this and....

it`s not pretty. who thought this was going to fly without being shot at?

[Jesus Malverde]

17. Someone got paid to make that....

Man child... we need you to pay for the boomers health care....

[Pretzel_Warrior]

18. Young generation feeds off of irony and sarcasm

This is perfect.

[B2G]

23. How old are you?

My kids, the demographic they're targeting, think it's ridiculous.

It's anything but perfect.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

31. My daughter laughed her ass off and thought they are genius

Kind of like many other "it's so bad it is good" marketing campaigns being used on young people these days.

[JaneyVee]

32. Exactly. Next they check the website on the bottom. Next they get info.

Next they are interested.

[frazzled]

51. My kids are that demographic, too

I can't totally speak for them, but I think they'd think it's sort of hipster-sardonic cool. Winky wink.

PS: My son (soon to be 29) just got a policy on the ACA website, and is very happy to have it. He found himself in the odd position of having just completed his Ph.D. and not yet secured the job he wants. I'm not sure he would even have been able to buy a decent private policy before the ACA, because even though young and relatively healthy, he too probably would have been considered to have a pre-existing condition. He also said it was easy to do (but acknowledged it was probably because he decided not to go for the subsidy; he had saved up enough money over the past four years to be able to afford it, at least for a while, and didn't want to have to pay back the subsidy; said if he's still underemployed at the end of the year, he can get the subsidy retroactively on his taxes.)

[LanternWaste]

64. Accurate description of the half the Clio award winners of the past 35 years...

It's anything but perfect..."

Accurate description of the half the Clio award winners of the past 35 years...

[JaneyVee]

22. Hash tag GET TALKING. Seems to be working, everyone s talking about it.

[B2G]

25. Not in a good way. nt

[JaneyVee]

28. Change the channel.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

30. But the point is raise visibility in consumer consciousness

Just another round of reminding young people about it. By the way, many young people get tax refunds each year so they are in the biggest position to have penalty taken out of their taxes.

[JoePhilly]

47. Miley Cyrus made a zillion dollars after her recent "bad" publicity.

#Get Talking

[yurbud]

61. this one has to go further in some direction to be bad. Right now it's just kind of bland

[Jesus Malverde]

90. And how has she made a zillion dollars??

Link? Everything I heard was it was signs of a dying career.

[JoePhilly]

92. Sales oh her new album jumped after

Her last stunt.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

26. A visual for you

This advertisement for Obamacare

^
|
|
|

Fellow DU'er heads

[Jesus Malverde]

29. OMG you have to see the page at the link... Featuring this gem...

[Pretzel_Warrior]

33. And this video proves my point

Booyah!

[yurbud]

48. that's very well done and will convince no one to buy health insurance

[JaneyVee]

89. The video is reminding parents to get talking with their kids.

[octoberlib]

34. Young people usually aren't wearing long pajamas and drinking hot chocolate when they

get together. I guess they can't really say have a beer or smoke a blunt and talk about health insurance.

[Skidmore]

67. How may of them just might be doing just this during the

holidays while visiting parents who just may be adding them to a policy or helping out with costs. Sometimes DU is just a little too cool and snarky. Perhaps there should be a little twerking added to make this more palatable for some. It is an ad from the President's political organization. I wouldn't be expecting a Super Bowl type ad.

[whatchamacallit]

135. Haha true. n/t

[JoePhilly]

35. Got you talking about it ... #GetTalking

[yurbud]

37. well done

[politichew]

40. Thread win.

[yurbud]

36. why not do a campaign that includes health issues young people DO have: sports injuries, STDs...

PREGNANCY...it aint rocket science.

[yurbud]

39. show a snowboarder with three casts and a neck brace & caption: he didn't think he needed insurance

[yurbud]

42. Or a skateboarder: "he didn't think he needed insurance until he tore chestnuts open on a

fire hydrant."

and so on.

[yurbud]

49. Remember that girl you had sex with at the frat party whose name you can't remember?

that's why you need health insurance.

[KoKo]

50. Agree...about all three of your suggestions.

But, maybe the only ones we've seen are ones posted here on DU that seem so off the message.

Anyway...Good Points about ads that would seem to work better if young people are the target.

[yurbud]

83. thanks.

[JoePhilly]

45. Show him right before the run saying ...

To the camera (friend's iphone camera)... "Insurance, I'm so awesome that I don't need no insurance" ...

Show him head down the slope ... fade out .... then fade back in to him in the hospital.

Snowboarder: "Did I win?"

Doctor: "Yea, you won this bill for $25,000"

Hands the guy the invoice and walks out.

Friend shows him the video on the phone both guys cringe ... repeatedly.

[yurbud]

56. I thought you were going to go FINAL DESTINATION with that: after the "..."

he steps on the curb and gets hit by a bus (but lives).

[JoePhilly]

58. lol

[yurbud]

59. FINAL DESTINATION would be a great meme for this: kids who saw it as teens are just now aging out

of their parents insurance.

[yurbud]

66. you could even use clips from the movie then after the person is seemingly killed...

cut in someone looking down, and saying, "Nope, he's still alive. I hope he's got health insurance."

[ecstatic]

80. great ideas! nt

[FatBuddy]

88. or

"The small town I'm from doesn't have much opportunity, that's why enlisted. But I never expected a roadside IED would take away both my legs. The VA doesn't give me the support I need, that's why I need insurance!"

[winter is coming]

93. I'd simply show him at the top of the run... "The time to get health insurance is NOW" n/t

[Mnpaul]

105. Tried that in Mn.

and it is beyond stupid. What a wasted opportunity. The person in charge (a former United Health lackey)resigned today.

[yurbud]

131. they were trying too hard to be cutesy and state specific

[Luminous Animal]

123. Hot chocolate is dangerous and he might poop his onside

before he can get the flap down and develop a rash.

[KoKo]

41. The ACA Ads I've seen posted on DU have seemed

negative stereotypes of those who should be signing up. I think the one above is really bizarre.

Granted I've only seen the ones posted here on DU that I thought were stereotypical..but, I would think more diversity would be a better way to advertise ACA.

[dmr]

46. I just showed this to my 24 year old son,

his wife & a couple of their friends.

Their reaction was: "So?"

I pointed out the jammies.

"So. He looks comfortable & warm."

Son says someone somewhere always has something to complain about.

It's probably one of a series of ads. No big deal.

[yurbud]

53. according to this thread, if the ad was well done, they would have laughed or been offended or had

some reaction that showed the ad struck a nerve and stuck with them.

Just being inoffensive is not exactly a sign of effectiveness.

[Luminous Animal]

121. I showed it to my 23 year old daughter and she said

that momma's boy needs to get out of the basement.

[CreekDog]

52. lots of time during the holidays to catch up with family members

and yes, if they don't have health insurance, to remind them that this is an opportunity.

everyone knows the holidays are an opportunity for nagging, why not on this topic?

[seveneyes]

55. They are using too much energy in Winter if they can sit around in PJs

They would have to keep the heat above 60F to keep from shivering in pajamas.

[CreekDog]

57. By the way, Maybe you should take Gabby Giffords' photo off your profile

I'm sure she disagrees that talking to one's younger relatives about health insurance is an unserious idea.

[RandiFan1290]

69. Dumb thread is dumb

[Jesus Malverde]

71. His parents should keep them on their plan until he is 26...nt

[Drunken Irishman]

72. Well you're talking about it - and so is the internet. So, it seems to be working.

[ecstatic]

77. I don't think we can tell whether it's effective or not unless part of the group

Last edited Wed Dec 18, 2013, 03:25 PM - Edit history (1)

that's being targeted. Frankly,I don't get a lot of the humor and behavior of the so called millennials. Maybe I'll get my brother's opinion, but he just turned 27 and he took the initiative to get an individual policy years ago, long before I did (of course, back then it was a lot cheaper for young men).

update: I texted the pic to my brother and I was stunned by his response, and not in a good way. Basically, he doesn't like the ad and said that the guy in the ad looks gay. I wonder if homophobia is what's behind the negative response some people are having. The thought never crossed my mind, but perhaps there's also a gender difference in the way it's being received.

[quinnox]

79. lol. Is that guy an "emo"?

I never even figured out what "emo" is though.

[FatBuddy]

86. he's "quirky"

[grahamhgreen]

102. No, he's totally "scene"..... not

[winter is coming]

91. Are we sure that our side thought up this ad?

'Cause the message I'm getting is, "health insurance is for nerdy losers".

[quinnox]

94. lol, I think we have a winner!

[1000words]

95. They need to hire the Pope's flacks

Am I right?

[DevonRex]

96. I think it's kind of spoofy. The RW & MSM had shit fits over

Colorado's pretty funny, and spoofy, depiction of college kids' behavior in their health care ads. So OFA is going the totally opposite way. DUH.

[yurbud]

97. do you have a link to that Colorado ad?

[DevonRex]

98. Here you go!

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/10/brosurance-colorado-obamacare-ad

There were several. This is just the first that popped up.

[Enrique]

99. this must be deliberate

they picked the guy and the outfit specifically to get the reaction they got from the right wing. There is no one, especially an ad person, to whom that reaction would be 100% predictable.

[CJCRANE]

100. How did you get my picture?!

Can't you people leave me alone! I was just trying to relax in my DU downtime.

[Demo_Chris]

101. He needs a Pacifier to complete the cool image. nt

[winter is coming]

103. Maybe this was a package deal with the website development?? n/t

[tularetom]

104. Absolutely not! This is what they should have used

[Throd]

106. Yep, that's what I wanted at that age, to feel infantilized.

[NYC Liberal]

107. I see nothing wrong with it. Apparently the right-wing nuts do though.

What specifically, I have no idea.

[Ikonoklast]

137. No guns in the picture.

Keep everything the same but put a .308 semi-automatic rifle in that kid's hands, and they'd all be saying. "That there's a Real Red-Blooded Murican'."

[madinmaryland]

109. Wow! This can't be serious. They are trying to sell something and they

show a picture of a kid in pajamas hanging out drinking lattes while living at home with his parents. It just is not a good image.

[Llewlladdwr]

110. Epic fail.

A successful ad gets you talking about the subject of the ad, in this case health insurance.

An unsuccessful ad gets you talking about the ad, not its subject. This ad does that.

[LittleBlue]

113. LOL @ that guy in the picture

That expression on his face

[NYC_SKP]

114. This is not the only ad, OFA will launch several different ones for different audiences.

Some will be funny!

[cherokeeprogressive]

115. "doyougotinsurance.com" At least they're realistic and playing to current levels of intelligence.

The THREE WHITE GUYS in the ad? Why, they're probably a semester away from their Poli-Sci degrees at Harvard, Yale, or some other Ivy League institute of higher partying, and on their way to being our next generation of leaders... sons of Congresscritters and Senators no doubt, who can continue partying right up until they decide to run for that first office...

Is this an ad for Health Insurance, or an ad for Toby Keith, or both? DON'T TAP INTO YOUR BEER MONEY FOR INSURANCE! WE GOT IT COVERED! Plenty of money for beer and red Solo Cups! Party on Biff! Party on Beau! Party on Kevin!

Now red solo cup is the best receptacle
From barbecues, tailgates, fairs and festivals
And you sir do not have a pair of testicles
If you prefer drinkin' from glass

Hey red solo cup is cheap and disposable
In fourteen years they are decomposable
And unlike my home they are not foreclosable
Freddie Mac can kiss my ass, woo!

Red solo cup, I fill you up
Let's have a party, let's have a party
I love you red solo cup, I lift you up,
Proceed to party, proceed to party

Now I really love how you're easy to stack
But I really hate how you're easy to crack
Cause when beer runs down, in front of my back
Well, that, my friends, is quite yucky

But I have to admit that the ladies get smitten
Admirin' at how sharply my first name is written
On you with a Sharpie when I get to hittin'
On them, to help me get lucky

Red solo cup, I fill you up
Let's have a party, let's have a party
I love you red solo cup, I lift you up,
Proceed to party, proceed to party

Now I've seen you in blue and I've seen you in yellow
But only you red will do for this fellow
Cause you are the Abbott into my Costello
And you are the Fruit to my Loom

Red solo cup, you're more than just plastic
More than amazing, you're more than fantastic
And believe me that I'm not the least bit sarcastic
When I look at you and say:
"Red solo cup, you're not just a cup (No, no, God no)
You're my friend, yea (Lifelong)
Thank you for being my friend"

Red solo cup, I fill you up
Let's have a party, let's have a party
I love you red solo cup, I lift you up,
Proceed to party, proceed to party

[NYC_SKP]

116. Not as much diversity as I'd like to see on the ads, but here's the link:

http://doyougotinsurance.com/

[cherokeeprogressive]

118. Been there... and kind of shocked that my government would use such phraseology.

I had to see if it was a real url, and was saddened to find out it was. Just another indication of how far we've sunk as a society. Imagine how our leaders will be talking 50 years from now... if this is how their own government talks to our young people today.

Glad I won't be around to see it.

[KoKo]

129. I agree...

That ad is as bad as the guy in his pj's, and the couple getting ready to "get it on" glad that the girl has birth control coverage.

Very much stereotypes of middle class or wealthy kids. And, yet the wealthy kids can stay on parents insurance until 26 years old. These adds (that I've seen posted on DU) are young adults who look middle class or wealthy. Where are the poor and desparate. Why are they all white kids with hip names?

[KoKo]

130. Thanks for the link...I hadn't seen all the ads in context.

It didn't improve my opinion, though of the lack of diversity and the emphasis on what look like middle or upper class kids. Only one black family? Where are the people who live in mobile homes or in rural areas who don't look so cool as these people do. And the pregnant woman captioned "about to pop" reminded me of HuffPost and Yahoo side stories blaring "Kim Kardashian Ready to POP."

But, then I sound like a curmudgeon wagging my finger and not able to get "Hip Humor." Perhaps its a "generation" thingy.

[Skip Intro]

127. Two things:

First, these ads, as with all ads from the Obama sphere, are meticulously calibrated to target specific audiences, and race is one important factor in those calibrations. That one ad features young white men is no accident. The ad in the OP is not an accident. There are clear target demographics here. And some pretty bad ads all around, imho.

Not even to mention how unsavory it is to try to inject politics into the biggest holiday season of the year. Can't we take a break? Can't we just be done with politics for a couple of weeks and focus on our families? Does everything have to be about Obama?

The other thing is, Red Solo Cup is a hell of a good party song!

[Zorra]

124. Smoke a pipe, and always be cautious and sensible!

(Sorry, I couldn't help myself)

[TeeYiYi]

133. Reminds me of the guys on Big Bang Theory...

It's a pretty popular show and a legitimate demographic target. I don't see the problem.



TYY

[B2G]

134. I've seen Leonard in his pajamas

and they aren't flannel onsies with a zipper.

Lol.

[TeeYiYi]

139. What you perceive as a Onesie...

... I see as cozy flannel pajamas in the wintertime.

My grandma made flannel pajamas for me, every Christmas, almost until the year she died at 93. She made them for all of her grandkids and they wore them. Some of them had feet in them. (I can't tell if the PJs in the ad have feet or not.)

The kid in the ad doesn't look like he's getting cheeto dust on his parent's old Dell computer keyboard in the basement. Rather, he looks like he's on winter break from college; fashion conscious with contemporary hairstyle and glasses, relaxing on a leather couch.

Different frame of reference, I guess.

TYY

[RedCappedBandit]

136. Love that show. I don't see it.

Ad seems to be infantilizing 20 something American males. Pretty annoying, as a 20 something American male. A very nerdy one, at that.