The newest TV spots for Pace Picante Sauce have a great, polished style which has really caught my eye. The lighting is different than their usual look, along with several other artistic differences, however subtle they may be.
The first time I saw the new TV spot, I hit the rewind button on my DirecTV DVR remote and watched it twice more. Their voice over’s resonance and cadence is different. It’s dramatic, engaging and has a familiar, comfortable style. And that’s how I noticed it.
Pace's newest spot looks an awful lot like the long-running and well-received spots from Whataburger. The southern drawl and friendly sound from the voice over combined with a distinct art and photography direction is plainly evident. They've replaced their campsite, cowboy, cattle-drive setting with a rural, small, simple home with a tiny kitchen. They've replaced their loud-mouthed characters who yell, "New York City?...That really chaps my hide" with a meek and mild woman who says nothing at all, but rather stirs her measly chicken dinner with a wooden spoon and quelled frustration.
The close up of the product (jar) with the proud, deep voice over is so close to Whataburger's signature shot, they had to notice. Right? Instead of a kitchen table top, Whataburger uses the restaurant table top. There's nothing wrong there. I assume that the question arose in editing or storyboarding, "Hey, isn't this just like Whataburger's?" But perhaps it was so close that they decided to go full tilt because anything short would look incomplete.
It's a common challenge in any art direction of TV or radio spots. There are so many details that have been done and been successful, it's hard not to see some duplication of technique. Some would say that it's all been done before, rock-n-roll is dead, and that the Tonight Show will never be the same. C'est La-Vie, no?
The similarities lead me to several questions.
Accident? Surely not.
Is the same group working on both projects? Possibly. (McGarrah-Jesse I assume..??) A little research can answer this one.
Did Pace like Whataburger’s spots and aim to replicate it? Hmmmm….
Either way, it’s a nice move for Pace Salsa. Not necessarily a complete departure from what I’ve seen them do in the past, but nevertheless, it is a definitive move. Being a fan of both companies’ TV work, I wish there would be a little more distinction between the two. Whataburger has succeeded for so long with this style. It is theirs and they do a fantastic job of owning it and offering it up as a superb alternative to the common fast food commercials, particularly burger joints.
- Lance LaRue, Advertising & Creative Manager at Americom Marketing Ad Agency 2010
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