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Ditech–Bad Story to Good Story

By Brad Shorr | February 7, 2007

One more thing on stories and advertising.

Everybody’s familiar with those obnoxious Ditech TV ads featuring the “Ditech guy” who always whines, “Lost another loan to Ditech!” More annoying than funny, the ads milked the sleazy insurance salesman stereotype for all it was worth. Negative advertising is off-putting to begin with; and these ads never explained what made Ditech any better than the sleazeball, except maybe that Ditech was cheaper. Not a good story.

A few days ago I saw a very realistic TV ad featuring two middle-age women drinking coffee at the kitchen table. They were having a heart-to-heart about some serious insurance issues. It was a Ditech ad. One woman said something to the effect that Ditech cares, where would I have been without Ditech. (I wish I’d been paying more attention!) The ad was real, powerful. And even though I didn’t catch the details, I remember feeling that Ditech is a company that really cares.

The complete opposite of Ditech’s other (previous?) ads. A cynic might say that such an extreme shift is nothing more than marketing manipulation. Could be. But I found this press release from InterMedia Advertising announcing new blood, Tracy Lehmann, on the Ditech account. Whatever the reason for the shift, I hope Ditech continues the new campaign. It might actually work.

Related:

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  • Where Are Your Stories?
  • Another Story about Falling Down Mountains
  • What Warren Zevon Can Teach Us about Storytelling
  • Real Life Sales Stories - Googles of Giggles

    • 2 Responses to “Ditech–Bad Story to Good Story”

    1. Says:
      March 22nd, 2007 at 10:54 pm

      Brad, great contrast here. Like you I think folks are getting sick of slick and want something that has a little more heart.

      Whether audiences can go with this shift and believe the new in light of the old is another matter…Time will tell I think

    2. Says:
      March 23rd, 2007 at 12:48 pm

      Robyn, you can never count on anything in advertising, but in this case, I haven’t seen too many of the new ads. It will take a lot of repetition for the new message to sink in.

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