The economy is back! Well, not quite but that seems to be the new outlook of various big-name brands like GE, Bank of America and Levi’s, who are letting optimism (and patriotism) prevail in their latest campaigns according to the New York Times. GE’s “American Renewal” ads like the one above, which were created by BBDO New York, are showing how the brand is “helping to drive and build the U.S. economy” as GE’s global executive director of advertising and branding Judy Hu tells the NYT.
But are these advertisers jumping the gun with their shiny happy ads? While economists claim that the US economy rebounded strongly in Q3, folks like Miami University marketing professor Timothy B. Heath think that these ads can be “insensitive” to some. “I was looking at the G.E. one, and my first reaction was, everyone in there is smiling and happy, and it’s a very bright scene,” he tells the Times. “It seemed almost too cheery, given where a lot of people are right now.”
After spending the last year trying to rebuild consumer trust in their advertising efforts, is it still too soon for brands to take the “America, Fuck Yeah!” approach?