Today the Curmudgeon presents its periodic "Looser" award--for an advertiser that portrays men as losers, misspelled "looser" as only a loser would--to sports giant ESPN for an ad promoting the "ESPN Phone."
The ESPN phone itself looks to be a losing proposition. Trumpeted last fall by ESPN executives as one of the company's big new initiatives, the phone, introduced right after the Superbowl, has been panned. Sales reportedly are poor.
In an effort to get things going, ESPN recently has used a loser promo on its broadcasts. The ad features a tall white dude, blonde hair, bad haircut, in an off-white sports jacket. He's holding a goofy microphone (with a red fuzzy top) as well as the ESPN phone. "This is ESPN," he shouts, pointing to the building. (He's supposed to remind you of Will Ferrell, but he isn't funny.) "This is mobile ESPN," he says, waving the phone and touting its features.
Then loony guy spots Sports Center anchorman Neil Everett getting out of his car in the parking lot and begins shouting at him, asking if there are any openings for an anchorman. "Put in a good word for your buddy," he yells. As Everett walks away, looking embarassed, loony guy says "Cool, just call me."
Embarassed Everett should be! Is this any way to market what is supposed to be cool phone for sports fanatics? It simply reinforces the notion of sports junkies as losers--the kind who still live with their parents at age 30, etc. Worst of all, this is supposed to be a Father's Day promotion! Gee, ESPN, thanks for the plug for us dads!
Frankly, the Curmudgeon is surprised that ESPN can't come up with something better. (Indeed, ESPN has--it had a great ad for the phone, called "Sports Heaven" during and after the Super Bowl. Most people probably thought it was a Nike ad.)
The problem, of course, is that no ad is likely help sales of ESPN mobile--it's overpriced, something few people really need, and probably an embarassment to pull out anywhere outside a sports bar.
ESPN: we men count on you. No more Loser ads!
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