Mariah Cooper
Sep 28, 2021

Brands lean into nostalgia with late-night infomercial ads

Jollibee, Alpha Foods and Hers bring back the 90s channel surfing vibes.

Brands lean into nostalgia with late-night infomercial ads

The latest nostalgia trend out of adland in the US? Recreating low-budget infomercials and shouty attorney ads typical of late night cable TV in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Brands have been embracing nostalgia through the uncertainty of the pandemic, from Burger King’s retro rebrand to Strawberry Shortcake’s digital reincarnation

While infomercials might not seem as top quality, they evoke feelings of security and comfort for a time period gone by. 

The ‘90-style ads will especially resonate with millennials, who have become known as one of the most nostalgic generations.  

Campaign rounded up a few favorites.

Jollibee’s “Justice is Best Served Crispy”

Late night TV is filled with infomercials touting household innovations (Slap Chop anyone?), but peppered in between are cheesy ads starring slick-talking attorneys. 

Fast food chain Jollibee entered the chicken wars with its own late night lawyer, Charles P. Poultry. The fictional attorney stars in the ad, “Justice is Best Served Crispy,” created by David & Goliath. The spot purposely channels the poor production quality reminiscent of late night lawyer ads as Poultry vows to get his clients “chicken sandwich justice.”

The campaign also includes out of home advertising on benches and billboards, which direct consumers to chickensandwichlawyer.com, where people can receive a free Jollibee’s chicken sandwich.

Alpha Foods’ “Join the Class Action Lawsuit Against Alpha Foods”

Alpha Foods also evoked a low-budget law firm ad with its spot, “Join the Class Action Lawsuit Against Alpha Foods,” created by Mischief @ No Fixed Address. A lawyer informs viewers that if they tried Alpha’s products and were unaware they were eating plant-based meat, they qualify for a class action lawsuit.

The spot features fast food mascots, who are blurred to protect their identities, delivering testimonials. 

“After I started eating Chik’n Nuggets from Alpha Foods I couldn’t help myself,” says one character who resembles KFC’s Colonel Sanders. “Dad gummit, if they didn’t turn this old man into some kind of hippie vegan.”

Another character resembling Ronald McDonald says, “I got duped into becoming vegan and it makes me sad. It’s my job to be happy. So, I’m suing for lost wages.”

The spot directs people to alphafoodclassaction.com or to call 1-833-NO-PLANTS. 

Hers’ “Just Me”

Remember those star-studded infomercials for acne treatment Proactiv? Prescription skincare company Hers is bringing back that same nostalgia in a campaign starring Miley Cyrus called  “Just Me.” In the spot, Cyrus lounges in a bubble bath wearing socks and shoes. 

“Hi, I’m Miley Cyrus,” she says. “I’m in a bubble bath playing a guitar, wearing socks and shoes and I don’t know why. I also don’t know why I’ve been using a one-size-fits-all skincare my whole life.” 

Cyrus encourages viewers to start with a free skincare consultation in a similar fashion to late-night infomercials.

Source:
Campaign US

Related Articles

Just Published

4 hours ago

‘Digital twins are not the enemy’—H&M's AI ...

Following the news that fashion retailer H&M will use AI to create digital 'twins' of 30 models, we explore if it's a good idea, and what it might mean for creative campaigns.

4 hours ago

Elon Musk’s xAI acquires X for $33 billion

The acquisition marks a further alignment of the two companies, holding a combined value of $113 billion.

5 hours ago

WPP removes references to DEI in latest annual report

The advertising giant has replaced all references to 'diversity, equity and inclusion' with 'people and culture' in the compensation section.

12 hours ago

Women to Watch 2024: Lulu Raghavan, Landor

With a firm grip on operations, leadership, and client management, Raghavan has risen through the ranks from junior manager to president of Landor APAC—the first female and first person of Indian origin to achieve this.