White Teeth, Black Eye?

Any chance we could go ahead and quit while we're behind on this?
                                 .... pretty silly idea, girlfriend.


CU marketeers are still having a field day (just check the blogs!) with the marketing ill-logic of this $2 million+ expenditure.
  
Here are a couple of their points:

• Me Too! - Ms. Orman teamed with the FDIC for an identical campaign in 2008.  Nothing angers a marketeer more than the absence of originality;  they also tend to prefer fresh over stale!
• Mixed Message! - The "Just like FDIC" theme is a fundamental mistake, an admission of "brand weakness".  Never heard the "Pepsi just like Coke", "Ford just like Chevy", "Bud just like Miller" ads have you?  Never will.  Implication is that NCUA is just a cheap, "knock-off" of FDIC.
• Messenger - When the messenger creates more discussion than the message you've missed the mark.  And, there are always unknown risks with aligning (especially a Federal government agency) with any celebrity.... think Tiger Woods.  Or maybe Charlie Sheen.... or a pre-paid card insured by the FDIC!
•  Monopoly Marketing - Highly unclear why a monopoly federal deposit insurer spends scarce dollars to self-promote. What's the other choice?

For sure Ms. Orman is missing her greatest opportunity as a potential spokesperson for the American Dental Association!  It takes a lot of "finance" to get a smile like that!  And, those teeth are a whole lot more impressive than that jacket....


Let's hope those bright whites don't continue to give us a red face and black eye for much longer.....