Prodigy Ads Mock the Wave of Internet Hype

Advertiser: Prodigy Internet Services

Agency: TBWA Chiat/Day, New York

Challenge: Distinguish Prodigy from other Internet services, such as America Online, by stressing usefulness over entertainment value.

The Ads: Three TV spots take aim at the hype about the Internet. One commercial contrasts a surfer (the kind that uses a board) with a so-called Net surfer (a person who sits in a chair). “You’re not cybersurfing the Internet,” says the voice-over. “You’re sitting in a chair.” According to the ad, Prodigy helps people find information so they can spend time doing other things--like surfing (with a board). Another spot puts the joys of surfing the Web on a par with reading TV listings. In the third commercial, a man complains that instead of being logged on all weekend, he was stuck playing ball and having a barbecue with friends.

Comment: It’s refreshing to see someone lampoon the hype about the Internet, even if the point of commercials is to convince people to log on. Responding to research that shows 47% of users find the Web difficult to navigate, the ads tout Prodigy as a tool that makes it easier to use the Internet. The ads make an argument for Internet users to choose Prodigy. They don’t offer a reason for the uninitiated to begin using the Internet. $$

*

Ads are rated from $ to $$$$, based on tastefulness and probable effectiveness, with $$$$ being best.