Fed-Ex's 'Don't Judge': Good Message, Bad Ad

I expected good things from Fed-Ex during the Super Bowl. They have in the past provided some very interesting ads. Don't Judge' was a bit of a disappointment.

Fed-Ex is trying to promote their ground shipment and let customers know that the speed they associate with Fed-Ex isn't limited to their air service.

To do this, they show an office meeting. A woman announces that they have decided to go with Fed-Ex ground for their shipping needs. Her colleague responds that "ground" doesn't sound very fast to him.

The woman's response is that you can't judge something by its name. That's a true enough sentiment that it could have been used to make a decent, effective commercial. It didn't.

Fed-Ex chose to reinforce this message by displaying exactly the opposite. The woman then polls the rest of the staff, all of whom have names (Joy, Bob, Harry) that are clearly accurate representations of either their appearance or their behavior.

This ad was mildly humorous, but by no means a standout, even in this year's less-than-stellar lineup. It also wasn't visually appealing. The color scheme was very bland and washed-out.

This ad's strength is the clarity of its message. It was obvious from the start that it was for Fed-Ex, and for Fed-Ex Ground, specifically. They managed to through in enough references to that to keep the viewers aware.

The ad was also relevant. It showed a setting where Fed-Ex Ground would be mentioned. I have no doubt that it triggered a few people to consider what method of shipping they use, and whether they should look into Fed-Ex.

The problem, though, that the ad was only borderline interesting. It might have been good enough to watch, but it wasn't good enough to stay with the viewer. The odds are slim that anyone would remember that they had seen it by the time they get to their next business meeting.

Fed-Ex could have kept the name placement and relevance while adding a little more punch. The first step would have been color. A better color scheme or a more modern looking office could have made this commercial a lot better. As it was done, the office came across as behind-the-times and out-dated. Who wants to go with the same shipper that the out-dated company uses?