Thoughts

From a marketing standpoint I know that companies like spokespersons/icons/slogans that will make you automatically think of their product (in a positive light). Sometimes the ideas backfire. One such example was years ago when Duracell batteries introduced their "Duracell People" to compete with the Energizer bunny. Up until that point, statistics showed that the public actually thought of Duracell when they saw the little pink bunny. Giving a face to Duracell batteries was a mistake. While I have no numbers to back the following story, I need to vent.

One spokesperson over the last few years has become more of an annoyance than anything else. He is none other than Subway's Jared. The man lost a significant amount of weight on a diet that consisted largely of items on Subway's menu (allegedly). He and/or his story must have been a huge success with the public because he began to appear in every Subway commercial. He has been the worst spokesman in recent memory.

(The second worst has been a man who looks like he could actually be a member of Jared's family. The "Can you hear me now?" guy from Verizon Wireless has popped up in more places than I can stand, though he is less annoying overall.)

Maybe Jared's 15 minutes have ended. We can only hope. Subway's newest ad campaign features a new spokesperson. This should make me happy. It can only get better, right? Well, actually I am actually having difficulty deciding who I like less, Jared or the new face of Subway.

Jon Lovitz has a new series of commercials with Subway trying to give a spin on some new hot sandwiches. In these spots he, clad in his nicest smoking jacket, attempts to recreate the feeling of a character he played on Saturday Night Live where he was a "Masterpiece Theater"-esque host. He is overly enthusiastic and the commercials are horrible.

Was Mr. Lovitz ever a big enough "star" where someday we can see his E! True Hollywood Story? Will we see an interview where he will tell us that he was at the end of his rope, short on cash, offering sexual favors to strangers in the subway station to make ends meet when he got a call about a job making commercials...ironically for Subway.

One company. Two horrible spokesmen. I hate to think I might even want them to bring Jared back. He was much easier to ignore.