Blockbuster Animation Should Grab Teens’ Eye

Advertiser: Blockbuster Inc.

Agency: Doner; Southfield, Mich.

Challenge: Pitch the video chain’s gift card in a style that appeals to young videophiles.

The Ad: In a television spot that uses Japanese-style animation, a Zeus-like Santa aboard a souped-up sleigh tosses Blockbuster gift cards down chimneys as lightning bolts flash. In one home, the gift card drifts down the chimney and out the fireplace into the hands of a bored youngster, who immediately perks up. “You know, since the Blockbuster gift card came along, Santa is a little bit cooler than he used to be,” the youngster says.

Comment: Japanese-style animation, or anime, has an avid following among older teens and college students. So using the technique is a clever way for Blockbuster to grab the attention of a group that tends to watch a lot of movies and buy lower-priced gifts. Blockbuster expects strong holiday sales of the card, which is essentially an electronic gift certificate. $$+