Dell support commercial mentions tsunamis

[nickel]

i was kinda surprised to see Dell still airing their commercial about how great their support is (which is mostly in India, right?), and it shows this guy in bed calling a Dell tech and asking when he can call for support. he keeps naming holidays, weather conditions, days of the week, to which the tech guy always assures him they will be there for him. the guy in bed even asks if tech support will be there during tsunamis. i dunno, i think that's a little off color with what has happened, or do you think i am being too sensitive?

[BrewMaster]

i don't think it's off color, but i haven't seen the commercial that mentions that. many people who own Dells are probably wondering that. since only coastal areas were affected it's kind of silly to think like the whole country has been eliminated, but at least this way they covered their bases.

[Sesshomaru]

I could have sworn that commercial had been running WAY before the tragedy happened. In fact, I'm 85% sure.

[BrewMaster]

i know it was running before the tsunamis, but did it always reference tsunamis or is that a new addition to the commercial? :shrug:

[YanksFanRy]

Been running for a while and always mentioned tsunamis

[psycho-]

it always did refer to tsunamis

[nickel]

i know it was running before the tsunamis, but did it always reference tsunamis or is that a new addition to the commercial? :shrug:
yes, the commercial was running before the tsunamis hit, and of course, "the word" didn't catch my ear then. i just think the fact that their support is in India and that is an area where people have been killed as a result of the tsunamis, that maybe it's a bit insensitive to continue to air the commercial as such.

[BrewMaster]

timely and conincidental. but i would not call it insensitive IMHO. i wonder if they've had complaints. they will probably pull it for obvious reasons though.

[Gothic Girl]

timely and conincidental. but i would not call it insensitive IMHO. i wonder if they've had complaints. they will probably pull it for obvious reasons though.
:stupid: I don't think it's horribly insensitive either, but I do think maybe they should pull it.

[Hypnotist]

:stupid: I don't think it's horribly insensitive either, but I do think maybe they should pull it.
:stupid:Agreed

[Butch]

I can pretty much guarantee it will get pulled. However, there is a lag time between when the request by Dell is made to pull the spot and when it can actually be pulled by networks. Networks are still pretty low tech when it comes to the way they cue commercials to air. Unfortunately, they cannot just press a button and delete the Dell commercials from their rotation.

The ad will probably be off of Network & Cable TV by Monday or the 9th (slower to get crap like this done during the Holidays), but will still probably be seen in local market programming for a couple weeks given that Spot TV has the longest lag time for such requests.

[eSDee]

I can pretty much guarantee it will get pulled. However, there is a lag time between when the request by Dell is made to pull the spot and when it can actually be pulled by networks. Networks are still pretty low tech when it comes to the way they cue commercials to air. Unfortunately, they cannot just press a button and delete the Dell commercials from their rotation.

The ad will probably be off of Network & Cable TV by Monday or the 9th (slower to get crap like this done during the Holidays), but will still probably be seen in local market programming for a couple weeks given that Spot TV has the longest lag time for such requests.


Good call Butch. Probably it has been expedited to be pulled from the rotation. They'll definitely pull it.

[Butch]

Looks like the ads were pulled . . .

http://www.adweek.com/aw/national/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000747812

Sponsors Pull Ads After Disaster
January 06, 2005
By Jack Feuer


LOS ANGELES Major advertisers have moved quickly to pull TV ads that could be considered insensitive following the deadly tsunami tragedy in Southern Asia

American Express has stopped running a spot from WPP Group's Ogilvy & Mather in New York. That commercial features champion surfer Laird Hamilton riding a giant wave.


Dell, running a series of service-and-support spots created by Omnicom Group's DDB in Chicago, has yanked an execution in which a customer asks if the computer company's 24-hour telephone service can assist him during a tsunami.

A Dell representative said the client was working with its agency to get the ad in question out of rotation "as soon as we heard the news."

Pulling spots has become automatic in the years following the Sept. 11 attacks, as marketers strive to avoid being viewed as insensitive or offensive.