Coyness, coquettishness, not showing everything you’ve got–plunging necklines and skin-tight jeans (stuffing optional) notwithstanding–are all part of the seduction game. Which is what I believe extraordinary advertising is basically all about, too: Charming, artful seduction.
So I’m all for playing hide ‘n go seek with the sponsor’s name. Heck, some of the best art directors to ever practice this craft were so good at it the only place a client could reliably find the company’s logo was on his business card.
But what Bertolli is doing here–and has been doing for an interminable period of time–is the advertising equivalent of a Brazilian bikini wax. I mean anyone who can’t find what these chefs are supposedly so desperate to hide must think the fully Monty is a kind of card game.
Truth is, there’s a reason why The Dance of the Seven Veils specified seven veils and not one size 7 veil. For this game to be fun, not to mention remotely charming or seductive, something must be left to the imagination. Otherwise, the viewer is left with the distinct impression the sponsor considers him or her to be a complete dolt.
Which is how these ads leave me feeling. And I like the product. Not as much as Barilla maybe, but enough that I’ll probably keep buying it. Even if I do think its advertising is an embarrassing peek-a-boo-boo.
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