Synopsis
“If only all fraud was this easy to spot…”
In this prank show style advert for Barclaycard’s new fraud fighter tool, zoo visitors are surprised to see the gorillas display some shockingly human behaviours.
Review
Everyone involved in this advert seems to be having a great time. On-screen laughs don’t always convert into laughs for the viewer, but thankfully this ad delivers the family-friendly comedy goods.
The prank is nicely orchestrated. It’s packed with physicality and visual gags, and we love the inclusion of props — in particular the cricket set.
The addition of dialogue is unexpected, and immediately removes any remaining doubt from the visitors’ minds — the spell is broken as soon as these animals speak. However, this provided opportunities for some solid jokes, while emphasising the ad’s message by making the ‘fraud’ even more blatant. We particularly enjoyed the tag — ‘I auditioned to be an otter. I didn’t get it.’ — which demonstrates the creative team’s understanding of the importance of a strong final punchline in sketch comedy.
We would’ve liked to see some more extreme reactions from the zoo visitors (perhaps a simple jump scare could’ve elicited a hysterical scream or two to use in the final edit) but in terms of the gorillas’ performances, the comedy escalates effectively throughout the advert.
All in all, it’s a solid funny advert that does a great job of conveying the brand message clearly. A strong addition to Barclaycard’s pantheon of funny adverts.
Entry Submitted By
White Label Comedy
