(2-6-13)
Unfortunately, I missed its debut during the Super Bowl. (Must’ve been upstairs indulging in cheese dip.) Days later I discovered Colorado agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky's Best Buy spot "Asking Amy (Extended Version)," featuring the hilarious Amy Poehler, while revisiting the ads on Adweek. (Taco Bell’s "Viva Young," Dorito’s "Fashionista Dad," and Volkswagen Beetle’s "Get Happy" are some of my other funny-favorites.)
The reason I like "Asking Amy" is because it’s not only humorous, it solves a problem. It doesn’t just sell product, it sells expertise — in an entertaining way.
I imagine many of the technology questions written into the script were inspired by real customers (minus the added bits of humor). I never knew what a dongle was until I began working at a place that used them. (Fun fact: My co-workers and I find it humorous to work the word into any conversation because, well, it's awkward.)
Amy’s character allows us to make fun of ourselves and the dumb questions we’ve asked (or were afraid to ask). It’s not that I've felt intimidated by the Blue Shirts. More than anything it’s my own pride that might hold me back from asking a question. Well, those days are over. Now I feel liberated to ask whatever dumb questions I want. They freaking encourage it! Maybe they’ll even think I’m funny if I try to do an Amy Poehler impression, screaming at the top of my lungs, “Are these noise-cancelling?!”
If Best Buy is targeting Mom, they’ve got this commercial spot on. You know darn well her kids know more about technology than she does and they’re probably her biggest influence. They “need” whatever technology spits out that week and poor mom is trying to keep up and make informed decisions, probably throwing out buzzwords she’s heard like “cloud” and “megapixels.”
An article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune says some say Best Buy might’ve missed the mark, not focusing enough on the Blue Shirts and their expertise. I completely disagree. Sometimes people are intimidated by know-it-alls. And that kind of commercial sounds boring. By embracing the clueless customer, rather, a caricature of a clueless customer, I feel like no question I ask will ever be as dumb as, “Is this screen touchy feely?”
In reference to the hashtag promoted in the commercial #InfiniteAnswers, one critic questioned, “There were infinite questions but where were the infinite answers?” I think it’s implied that you’ll get answers to anything you ask. It’s just a matter of walking in there. And isn’t that their ultimate goal, to get more people in? Thanks to this commercial, one of those persons will be me.