Taco Bell: Shameless Advertising?

by Riley Stauffer  (@rileystauffer)
Whatever happened to the comical chihuahua? Taco Bell's latest commercial, which can be watched below, is shameless advertising at it's finest. It's no secret that every company and advertising agency aims each advertisement at a target audience. Lately, that target audience is almost always young adults. As young adults, we are the main consumers of many brands, and by attracting us now, while we are still young, brands are ensuring years and years of loyalty. Most advertisers find a clever way to attract their target audience, whether it be by using famous athletes or celebrities, but Taco Bell cuts right to the chase. The commercial starts by straight-up asking "Are you a young person on the brink of responsibility?" to get your attention. Instead of using a clever, catchy line, Taco Bell has thrown creativity out the window. The commercial goes on to mention how cheap the Crunch Wrap Supreme is as many times as possible in 30 seconds, as a young office employee unsuccessfully tries to make fun of his situation in the background. Is this a sign of what is to come in advertising? Have companies begun to focus on targeting their intended audience so much that all creativity, humor, and uniqueness is thrown out the window? Will commercials become even harder to sit through because they're all boring, cheap, and unoriginal? Maybe I'm overreacting, but I think the least companies can do is at least attempt to put on an intriguing and unique advertisement, rather than blatantly and shamelessly begging for profit.