As a self-confessed animation obsessor, my reaction to this graphic was one of shock and pain – who on earth could find this amusing? But playing the objective blogger (and yes, I noted the irony), this is quite a clever concept. It’s simple, grabs attention and for those who view my bellowed Jerry as the potentially infested rodent that he may be, delivers the point.

It does, however, make one wonder whether the agency had a good think about their target markets. Last time I checked, adolescents were not responsible for purchasing the pesticide in the family. And as far as I can tell, the humour would be lost on the average adult in the family. After all, Tom & Jerry has only been around for – ok, my mistake, 68 years or so. Nevertheless, the parent of the family is probably not up to speed on the Tom and Jerry logo, and if they are, it’s from the incessant nagging of their children to buy them a Tom & Jerry lunchbox. In which case, they probably never want to see the rodent again – wait, did I pierce the veil?

The ad is definitely smart, but I think the intelligence wouldn’t make it past the five year old psyche (or perhaps, it would upset them as much as it did me!) and in the same breath, would be lost on the average 50 year old. Nice work, advertisers! (Can you tell I’m still hurting from the brutality of maiming Jerry?)

Either way, I’m not sure the agency grasped the core of the show. There’s a reason we play ‘cat and mouse’ in real life. A distinct overlap exists between love and hate, and arch nemeses are as inextricably linked as star-crossed lovers. Both dynamic duos live for one another. And so, the ad fails – because truly, without Jerry, there is no Tom.

Advertising Agency: Freelo, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Creative Director / Copywriter: Alvaro Valdez
Art Director: Favio Encinas
Published: February 2008

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