One of the most hilarious things we’ve seen on TV recently is a series of ads from NetZero that nearly recreate similar ads from AOL. The original AOL ads show AOL members showing up at AOL’s corporate offices and bringing up their demands for better service. The spoof NetZero ads use the same sets, the same actors, and, in fact, the same advertising agency. The difference is that the AOL members who show up in this ad are letting AOL know that they are about to switch to NetZero. ***Adrants|http://www.adrants.com/2004/11/netzero-launches-spoof-of-aol-members.php*** shares a link to a page the advertising agency supplied to ***compare the two ads|http://creative.wlv.untd.com/nz_spots_new/376258/final_rev/new/main_new.html***. I suppose if NetZero didn’t ask AOL for permission to use their trademarked logo, then there might be something illegal. Or if the ad agency signed an exclusivity agreement with AOL.
We’ll see how long this lasts. 🙂
As an aside, I’ve been using Mediaone/AT&T Broadband/Comcast high-speed internet for three years now, so there’s no way you could get me to downgrade to either AOL or NetZero.
I’m doing my part to up the comments tally.
I’m not so sure Netzero’s ad will work. To be honest until I read your blog, I thought it was another AOL ad…I never actually listened to it. It is actually funny but I think it’ll be lost on a lot of people who hear AOL as white noise.