PacBell Goes Medieval to Push Caller ID

Advertiser: Pacific Bell

Agency: D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, St. Louis

Challenge: Convince privacy-conscious Californians that caller ID has advantages.

The Ads: PacBell uses humor in four television commercials for caller ID, a service that displays a caller’s phone number (and the identity of the person assigned the number) on a special screen when the phone rings. Three of the ads revolve around a medieval knight who opens the castle door without checking to see who’s knocking. In one spot, he opens the door to a fire-breathing dragon. When he answers a knock in another spot, he is greeted by flaming arrows. “See who’s there before you answer,” a narrator advises. In one ad about missed opportunity, the knight fails to answer a knock and Lady Guinevere rides away. Print ads use the same medieval imagery.

Comment: Because 53% of Californians have chosen a service that prevents their numbers from showing up on caller ID displays (call blocking), PacBell has a tough task ahead. The spots are amusing but stop short of making a case for caller ID. Many people use their answering machines to screen calls. The commercial doesn’t suggest why caller ID is better. Beyond that, the commercial overstates the capabilities of caller ID. It recognizes numbers, not people. For example, if a repairman calls you from a customer’s home, the caller ID screen will display the number and name of the customer--not the repairman. $$