Anyone see the new Polaroid ad? It's a few minutes before midnight, Jan 1, 2000 in Times Square, and this guy runs frantically to an ATM. He inserts his card, brings up his balance info. Whips out his Polaroid, and takes a shot of the ATM screen.

Guy wiggles his eyebrows with a knowing smirk, thinking that he has everything covered. Narrative pops in at the end, power goes out, end of commercial.

I was at a friends house with a bunch of folks talking while the TV was blaring in the background, so I didn't get the narrative too well.

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), June 16, 1999

Answers

Darn. It came out blurry.

-- Shutterbug (shutterbug@hotmail.com), June 16, 1999.

I have seen the ad once; you have described most of what is in it. The guy wants a photo of his bank balance before midnight; he has a few hundred dollars in his account. The ATM screen goes blank after he has his photo. Then it briefly comes on again, and the balance now indicates he has many millions of dollars.

-- Paul DiMaria (p_dimaria@hotmail.com), June 16, 1999.

I like it!

Anyone know if polaroid film is fast enough for this to work? Methinks you'd need at least 1600ASA and flash disabled . It would be ironic indeed if this advert resulted in Polaroid being sued by consumers with a perfect "you said it would work in the ad" claim?!

-- Nigel Arnot (nra@maxwell.ph.kcl.ac.uk), June 16, 1999.

I hope the ATMs can accommodate the multi-tasking that will be required when 265 million Americans check their account balances between 11 pm and midnight at the rollover.

Heard a radio ad this weekend for a mattress company - It recomended buying a second mattress so you would have room to store all your cash in preparation for Y2K.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), June 16, 1999.

He should have asked for a printout.

Wait a few hours - this one will get "pulled".

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), June 16, 1999.

wow...in the spot I saw the power didn't come back on, the commercial just ended...interesting!

I'd say either they are "testing" a few different spots, there are versions by region or it got edited for content for some reason. I laughed though. Maybe banks didn't.

Mike ===================================================================

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), June 16, 1999.

lol Brooks! I haven't seen that one.

Robert, missed your post...I think you're right : )

It's funny that the commercials and ads for corporate America may be doing more to raise awareness than the powers that be!

Mike ====================================================================

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), June 16, 1999.

Saw the commercial the other night could not believe what I was seeing. I honestly had the thought, "what's wrong with me", how can what may be the most cataclysmic event in our life time be used as a commercial. unreal. Then I recalled the term, Cognitive dissonance.

Whatever it means, its the only way I can rationally explain the commercial

D.B.

-- David Butts (dciinc@aol.com), June 16, 1999.

One of the largest banks in Seattle (the one with Seattle in the name) recently had it's ATM's go PFFT for about a week while doing Y2K testing. Coincidentally, they also released a "don't worry, be happy" Y2K statement to all of their account holders. Oops. But, hey...they're pretty confident that they will make the Fed's June 30th deadline.

-- "Jonathan Smith" (anon@reluctant.com), June 16, 1999.

Yeah.......i tend to think that Robert is right.....this one will get pulled QUICKLY.........

Let's face it, those that think there will be severe problems will have their money out well before December.......however even if JQP decide to do something as basic as checking their balances at the ATM on Dec. 31st, the line-ups themselves will scare everyone into taking out as much as they can.........Then the public build-up of anxiety will have masses waiting at their banks' doors so they can be sure they get some money out on the first banking day of 2000

It seems realistic that the govt. don't have a lot of choice but to 'discourage' any ads that could add fuel to an already unstable situation.

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), June 17, 1999.

Oh, but Craig, the government refuses to think there is going to be a problem anyway. In their minds there is no reason to think the power is even going to go out. MONEY seems to be their only concern. "OH MY GOD, WE DON'T WANT EVERYONE WITHDRAWING THEIR ALL THEIR MONEY!" Well, dammit, that money happens to be OURS, so if we wanna withdraw some/most/or all of it, WE WILL!

By the way, I saw the commercial too. It's much better than the sarcastic comedian guy with the family stocking up on breath spray.

-- Julie (Flyer@primenet.com), June 19, 1999.