Visa Ads Offer New Take on Life: AD HAWK: Our Look at Television Commercials and Print Advertisements – the Good, the Bad and the Manipulative

By Sam McManis, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.

Feb. 23–The ad: “Life Takes Visa,” which made its television debut during the Olympics and which can be seen on the Web at www.lifetakesvisa.com.

The pitch: Using scenes from everyday life and framed by the phrase “Life takes (ambition, practice, joy, luck, wonder, talent, etc.),” the credit card company tries to convince you that Visa is what you need most in life.

The good: In the 60-second ad that launched the campaign, Visa wisely mixes in humor. In one segment, a man munches on a hamburger the size of a curling stone, then leans back, looking slightly pained; “Life takes determination” flashes on the screen. In another ad, a man sniffs a carton of milk, shrugs and then pours. The graphic reads, “Life takes risk.”

The bad: The shorter, 15-second ads are chock-full of overwrought strings and images of speed skaters and cross-country skiers in slow motion that remind us of the worst “Up Close and Personal” profiles.

The manipulative: There are empowered female athletes. Clueless men. Dignified older adults. Cute babies. Plus, there’s the ad’s kicker: “So go on, live life. And remember, no matter what it takes, life takes Visa.”

The result: These ads work for us because the pathos is leavened by the humor. But they’re playing so often during the Olympics that they’re also starting to annoy. Especially the hamburger-chomping guy.

– Sam McManis Reach him at smcmanis@sacbee.com

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