New Harvey Ad : Hit or Miss?

Harvey may have been busy since he first appeared in the winter 2010 ad for Thinkbox.  Since the ‘Dog Shelter’ he has been on chat shows in major motion pictures and British TV series Midsummer murder.

His real name is Sykes and now in 2012 he is back again for another Thinkbox production.

The idea was to create an ad with an emotional connection, making us think about how TV advertising has the power to sell.

This time we see Harvey with his stuff toy friend ‘Rabbit’ and just as Rabbits time is about to come to an end – the TV pops on with an emotional story of how important Rabbit is to Harvey.

The advert made by The Red Brick Road Agency is trying to carry on Harvey’s story suggests the Marketing Director of Thinkbox, Andrew MacGillivay.

“in this ad we discover what Harvey had in his suitcase when he left the dogs home to join his adopted family.”

I’ll admit, although I was as happy as a school child to see the new Harvey Ad the experience is not the same as before.

Harvey’s first performance was imaginative, creative, unique and fun. This time, it seems stretched and perhaps even forced as if we are suddenly supposed to feel the same as we did before for this lovely pooch.

And as much as I try I can’t find the charm that was once found for the actively helpful dog as he turns into the dog that has a smelly, gooey dripping toy.

Perhaps it is because Harvey is now portrayed as the same as our every day dogs rather then the super dog from his 2010 appearance.

A nicely made advert with an newly made soundtrack called ‘Friends’ composition by Nick Webb and written and performer by Adam Buxton.

The advert will run for approximately 6 weeks and undoubtedly live online forever. But not with nearly as much following as “Every Home Needs a Harvey”

 

Final thoughts: While I love Sykes, I don’t think Harvey will win another ad award this year.