Humor begins in the stomach
The American takeout chain Boston Market pokes fun at real TV commercials
The American takeout chain Boston Market makes fun of real-life TV commercialsBy Thérèse Balduzzi For years, U.S. TV viewers could enjoy the Calvin Klein commercials for the perfume Obsession - or not: The silly commercial provoked satire, and Boston Market, a restaurant and takeout chain that offers U.S. home cooking, quickly launched a parody. Since then, spot satires have been a trademark of the restaurant chain.
Like that one in black and white, the Boston Market parody of the Calvin Klein spot began with a skinny model lamenting a vague sense of emptiness in a dreamy, unreal voice. But what seemed like another detached Calvin Klein spot was soon brought down to earth. In the middle of it, sportscaster Keith Olberman appeared in color and declared, "This feeling of emptiness is called hunger. Eat something!" which was followed by ads for Boston Market sandwiches.
Raising profile through spot satires in the fast food chain market
Founded in the early 1990s, the Boston Market chain operates 850 stores in 33 states and has a particularly strong presence in America's Northeast, Florida and California. It offers wholesome American fare that is either consumed in restaurants or taken home, which accounts for 50 percent of sales. The down-to-earth humor of its advertising suits the chain's offerings and is a clever way to raise its profile amid the plethora of advertising for fast-food chains and ready-to-eat meals.
While the sandwiches spot was aimed at a young, male audience who can relate to a sportscaster, the "Dinner? It's done!" spots appeal to working moms. These also spoof familiar commercial genres. Several are variations on the familiar cleaning supplies spot, in which an (Ajax) whirlwind sweeps the dirty kitchen clean. Only this time, the secret behind the clean kitchen isn't a cleaning product, but Boston Market's ready-to-eat meals.
Another commercial parodies the ubiquitous headache medication commercials on US television: A female doctor tells how she used to suffer from headaches. To illustrate this, she is shown in a black-and-white flashback with a distorted facial expression. Here, too, the spot works with the surprise effect. Instead of a medicine package, a Boston Market shopping bag enters the picture: the solution to headaches that can arise from daily worries about supper.
Wrinkle-free thanks to Boston Market Food
The parody of the advertisement for L'Oréal anti-wrinkle products follows the same pattern. To dance music, a model praises the miracle cure for worry lines. Against all expectations, the Boston Market logo appears.
The campaigns were created by the Suissa Miller agency in Los Angeles. The parodies creatively convey the message that Boston Market offers a solution to the daily probing question, "What's for dinner tonight?" "The humor also serves to connect with consumers, to make them feel understood," says Trey Hall, vice president of marketing at Boston Market.
Like that one in black and white, the Boston Market parody of the Calvin Klein spot began with a skinny model lamenting a vague sense of emptiness in a dreamy, unreal voice. But what seemed like another detached Calvin Klein spot was soon brought down to earth. In the middle of it, sportscaster Keith Olberman appeared in color and declared, "This feeling of emptiness is called hunger. Eat something!" which was followed by ads for Boston Market sandwiches.
Raising profile through spot satires in the fast food chain market
Founded in the early 1990s, the Boston Market chain operates 850 stores in 33 states and has a particularly strong presence in America's Northeast, Florida and California. It offers wholesome American fare that is either consumed in restaurants or taken home, which accounts for 50 percent of sales. The down-to-earth humor of its advertising suits the chain's offerings and is a clever way to raise its profile amid the plethora of advertising for fast-food chains and ready-to-eat meals.
While the sandwiches spot was aimed at a young, male audience who can relate to a sportscaster, the "Dinner? It's done!" spots appeal to working moms. These also spoof familiar commercial genres. Several are variations on the familiar cleaning supplies spot, in which an (Ajax) whirlwind sweeps the dirty kitchen clean. Only this time, the secret behind the clean kitchen isn't a cleaning product, but Boston Market's ready-to-eat meals.
Another commercial parodies the ubiquitous headache medication commercials on US television: A female doctor tells how she used to suffer from headaches. To illustrate this, she is shown in a black-and-white flashback with a distorted facial expression. Here, too, the spot works with the surprise effect. Instead of a medicine package, a Boston Market shopping bag enters the picture: the solution to headaches that can arise from daily worries about supper.
Wrinkle-free thanks to Boston Market Food
The parody of the advertisement for L'Oréal anti-wrinkle products follows the same pattern. To dance music, a model praises the miracle cure for worry lines. Against all expectations, the Boston Market logo appears.
The campaigns were created by the Suissa Miller agency in Los Angeles. The parodies creatively convey the message that Boston Market offers a solution to the daily probing question, "What's for dinner tonight?" "The humor also serves to connect with consumers, to make them feel understood," says Trey Hall, vice president of marketing at Boston Market.
