An ad Morethan it’s worth?

The rumours of a new Morethan advert started circulating toward the end of 2010. Some said it would recapture the imagination and sparkle of the original ‘Lucky / that’s Morethan Lucky‘ adverts which launched the brand (I missed the news that the original dog died a few years back). Others suggested it would recreate the less memorable and more divisive Easy peasy Lionel Squeezy ads.

The result?

Morethan Freeman. A spoof Morgan Freeman-style narration advert, which reminds me in tone at least of the old Donald Sutherland Barclays’ ads.

It has certainly ticked the talkability factor of ‘Lucky’ and the divisiveness of ‘Squeezy’ boxes.

But, the ads are designed to appeal to the QI loving ‘intelligent humour’ seekers of insurance products. Time will tell if they actually cut through to this audience.

But surely of more concern for Morethan will be Morgan Freeman’s reaction – given his recent problems with Republicans in the USA impersonating him in attack ads.

And what will the Advertising Standards Authority make of the, presumably obvious, breach of the BCAP code (section 6, Privacy, for the geeks), which states:

… living persons must not be featured, caricatured or referred to in advertisements without their permission.

So, is the disclaimer clear enough (not in the TV ads I’d say)? And will the ASA investigate?

Probably not.