Merrill Lynch’s Message All Too Familiar

Advertiser: Merrill Lynch & Co.

Agency: J. Walter Thompson, New York

Challenge: Develop an image for Merrill Lynch that reflects optimism, confidence and belief in the human spirit.

The Ads: Three TV spots use a montage of images to express determination, heroism and invention with the aim of linking those qualities to Merrill Lynch. One surreal spot shows a young girl witnessing the fall of the Berlin Wall, free elections in South Africa and the transfer of Hong Kong to China from Britain. “The world is 10 years old,” a voice-over says. “Go get ‘em, kid.” Another spot shows a man giving up his taxi during a downpour so that a woman and small child can have it. “They say there aren’t heroes anymore,” a voice-over says. “But they’re there.” Each ad ends with the Merrill Lynch logo and the legend, “human achievement.”

Comment: Great brand campaigns work because they tap into what consumers think of a brand--not what the company wants consumers to think. It’s doubtful consumers link any of these events--from toppling the Berlin Wall to hailing a cab--with Merrill Lynch. In fact, the messages are so generic that the logo of almost any company could be inserted in place of Merrill Lynch and its familiar bull. $+