Looking Back, Home Savings Ads Just Miss

It’s hard not to turn weepy-eyed watching commercials for Home Savings of America from TBWA Chiat/Day-Venice. The big thrift has abandoned its 1950s retro campaign after a two-year run in favor of the sentimentality that marked previous efforts. The ads are a walk through the ups and downs of life--vacations, new cars, weddings, funerals, layoffs--mixed with deep thoughts: “Life can only be understood backwards, but must be lived forwards.” The unstated message is that Home Savings has been around for several lifetimes. But when the spot is over, you sort of pinch yourself and ask: What does a savings and loan have to do with all this? Home Savings ends its commercials by saying it is in the business of helping people live better lives. But exactly how remains a mystery. $$