Getting Hired by GE Impresses Absolutely No One in Company’s Amusing New Ads

You just got hired by GE. Why isn't anybody happy for you?

That's the perplexing question facing a college graduate in BBDO New York's amusing new campaign, breaking Tuesday on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. The problem, it turns out, is that the graduate, Owen, has been hired as a programmer—but everyone from his classmates to his parents thinks GE is still only a manufacturing company.

This makes for some comically awkward ads, in which Owen tries to explain why people should be impressed by his new job—not giving him condolences or baffled stares.

The admirably self-deprecating campaign, bluntly titled "What's the Matter With Owen?", is designed to reinforce GE's position as a digital industrial company—and recruit young people to join the company as industrial Internet developers. (The YouTube ads include links to GE's jobs section.)

The ads will run on network and cable throughout the fall, and Owen will take over GE's social channels later this month to talk about his underappreciated but surely overwhelmingly satisfying new job.

CREDITS

Client: GE

Agency: BBDO New York

Chief Creative Officer, Worldwide: David Lubars

Chief Creative Officer, New York: Greg Hahn

Executive Creative Director: Michael Aimette

Creative Director, Copywriter: Judd Counsell

Creative Director, Art Director: Anne Lac

Executive Producer: George Sholley

Producer: Theresa Reyes

Global Director: Brandon Fowler

Account Director: Lindsey Cash

Account Executive: Will Langenberg

Associate Director of Interactive Production: Joe Croson

Interactive Producer: Mo Twine

Designers: Jason Merenda, Jessica Andrew, Jorge Brake

Production Company: Anonymous Content

Executive Producer: Rick Jarjoura

Line Producer: Betsy Oliver

Director: Tim Godsall

Editing: Arcade Edit

Editor: Greg Scruton

Assistant Editor: Laurel Smoliar

Executive Producer: Sila Soyer

Producer: Joanna Hall

Sound Mix: Sonic Union