When I first saw the John McEnroe’s ‘You Cannot Be Serious!!’ National Car Rental commercial I had deja vu. It recalled a very similar 2003 BIC Shavers commercial which used the same hook—McEnroe arguing vehemently with the judges in a parody of his horrible on-court behavior. ‘Close Shave’
At first blush, that memory dulled the National Car Rental commercial, but after a few exposures I really started liking the execution. John had become a lot more natural in front of the camera, and when he is told that, yeah, he can choose ‘any car in the aisle’ his outraged — “Any car… ??? You cannot be serious!” is delivered with a perfect balance of emotion and parody. Then he turns to the camera and charms the pants off everybody with that devilish McEnroe smile. “Ok.”
I learned to love it. It worked. To say nothing of the other McEnroe spot where he beans some guy in the parking lot with a tennis ball who might be choosing the car he wants. Funny!!
Enter squeaky, clean and insipid Joe Buck—Troy Aikmen’s cohort on FOX’s coverage of the NFL. It was surreal. Like they had shot the exact same commercial the next day with the same crew and cameras only this time it was with an almost nobody. I had to google his job to find out his name. Is this National Car Rental’s case history on how to create a great celebrity endorsement ad and then recreate it as one that totally fails. Am I missing the point? When Joe Buck delivers his final line “Choosing your own car? Now that’s a good call” (See he pretty much knows a good call from a bad one ‘cos he’s a sports commentator on TV. Get it?) It falls flatter than a Tony Romo fumble.
So why did they do it? What would make National Car Rental switch out the likable, recognizable McEnroe commercials that I could have watched another thousand times with the drippy, Joe (what’s in a name) Buck commercial??
Here are my three guesses:
1) Economics: John McEnroe’s deal with National Car Rental is a lot more than Joe Bucks. Every time you see the commercial John gets $2.00 but Joe only gets a nickel. Multiply that by thousands of views.
2) I’m wrong: The car renting public disagrees with me. They prefer the lukewarm delivery of Joe Buck while they find John McEnroe intimidating or impolite or vague. When they track the ads they find a spike after the Joe Buck version is flighted.
3) Corporate Politics: Somebody at National either hated the agency that did the commercial or hated John McEnroe so they got him booted possibly with a focus group where the first question was something like: “Do you think John McEnroe’s on-court behavior was good role model behavior for your children?” Yeah, that could be the beginning of the end.
But did I stop there dear readers? No. I called the marketing department of National Car Rental and spoke to Kyle in media. He told me that it was just a rotation and that I’d be getting my McEnroe fix again soon. Thanks Kyle. And he said that, believe it or not, some people prefer Joe Buck to John McEnroe. What..??!! You cannot be serious!!!!
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I find the Joe Buck adds awful. So bad that I had to google who the hell he is and see if anybody else in the world find it as bad as I do.
the last 1000 times I have been forced to hear the commercial with McEnroe shouting I have run to the TV for the mute button. I even wrote National and complained. I guess you guys like it though. To me, it is worse than waterboarding.
Yeah after 1000 times anything would grate but do you like the Joe Buck version?
So, who is the young guy with John McEnroe in the “You Can’t Be Serious” Nat. Car rental ad? Does anyone know?
You all fell for the oldest trick in the book.
“I had to google his job to find out his name.”
Exactly what they wanted to happen. You perpetuated the ad through this blog and probably through other conversations.
National played all of you like a fiddle.
If that was their intention all along – to contrast the two personalities in order to create a buzz – that is brilliant. As a member of the advertising community I am proud to have fallen for and perpetuated this ruse.
Joe Buck’s didn’t do a thing for me. Just seemed too plain and boring. On the other hand I loved the John McEnroe ones. I always get a giggle from the “You Cannot Be Serious” one. It’s like ‘that shut him up’.
Me too!! I have to watch it every time.
I don’t care how many times I see this commercial, I have to stop what I’m doing and watch….I am LOLOL….. “Any car!….You CANNOT be SERIOUS!!” and the beaming smile he gets from the young man. It looks to me like he had to look away from that happy face to keep from bursting out laughing! I only wonder who that other guy is…he sure looks like John McEnroe! Is it his son?
Yes, that must be John McEnroe’s son in the National Car Rental commercial or at least a clone. It’s uncanny how much that young fellow looks like John. This is when you wish that they would have credits after every commercial. sic.
I don’t mind so much listening to McEnroe; he’s not that pretty and he knows it, he’s entertaining and he just acts himself. I think the commercial he’s in is not bad.
This guy, Joe, though, is a real whip to me. With his half-cocked eyebrow he exudes such arrogance when he talks I wish John would serve up a 50 mph tennis ball to his forehead to bring him back down to where everybody else is.
The young man in the McEnroe “You can not be serious” is Adam Mayfield, an actor who plays the role of Scott Chandler on ABC’s Daytime Drama, “All My Children.” He is not McEnroe’s son.
Thanks for clearing that up marilyn.
I hate the Buck commercial – it’s obvious that he can’t act. Very fake, very annoying. Reminds me of the Dean scream that ended his presidential campaign. This commercial is so annoying that I won’t rent from National and I rent at least once a month.
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