Friday Fun - FreeCreditReport.com Makes Me Laugh
For those of you who don’t know, FreeCreditReport.com has launched some new commercials on TV and the radio. These are soooooo much better that the doofus sitting on the stool talking about his 720 credit score. Every times these come on I find myself singing along. I thought I was just a dork, but apparently these are gaining some traction based on these youtube comments and these. When was the last time one of your campaigns got this kind of reaction? So, if you are thinking about incorporating youtube or television or radio commercials into your marketing efforts, you might want to take a look at these for inspiration. Or you can just geek-out with me and hum the songs while you drive home today. Just click “More” to watch the videos.
I hope you enjoy these. Have a great weekend!
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Comments
A lot better. Reminds me of the same kind of branding-overhaul that Ditech.com got. Big improvements for both companies.
Although you have to ask: Would these guys have done as well if they STARTED with slick campaigns? Or is “hokey” part of what gives new brands initial credibility/velocity? (Think “HeadOn.”)
I think the honesty of the lyrics and the actor gives it credibility. Of course he is a paid actor, but he (and the guy in the back seat) seem to be playing up how ridiculous the song is. Plus I love the “mugging” the singer oes with the head bobbing at the end of the car commercial - that hooks it.
It is this body language and context of the ad that makes it hit. Plus these guys look like the slackers that I used to hang out with when I worked at Officemax. The pirate one reminds me of the crazy things we used to do in the store “After Hours”.
And don’t forget the catchy song. Before this they used a equally catchy sing-song of the words Freeeeeeeeeee credit report doooot coooooooommmmmm. I would find myself singing along with that (I think I fall into a trance while driving and absorb this stuff). But this one is more fun to sing and less likely to get you arrested for public drunkenness than mumbling “apply it directly to your forehead…. Headon…. appply…”
These crack me up - especially the one with the blue hatchback car! I love imagining in my head the meeting between the ad agency that came up with the campaign and the executives that eventually pulled the trigger. “OK, so here’s the idea - we have this guy who looks like a classic under-acheiver. We’re going to have him sing corny songs about freecreditreport.com. In one, he’ll dress like a pirate as an employee of a seafood restaurant in a vacation area and sing about getting his identity stolen. Cool, eh?”
For those who want to know how well the commercials are working…
Since posting this, we get 20 to 40 hits a day just from searches relating to Freecreditreport commercial or singer or lyrics or song.
And that is just what we get, the youtube videos are getting hits all over the place.
See, clever ads DO work.
Well I was shopping for a new car, which one’s me.
A kewl convertible or an SUV.
Too bad I didnt know my credit was whack,
Cuz now I’m driving off my lot in a in a used suv compact.
F.R.E.E. That spells free. Credit report dot com Baby.
Saw their ads on My TV, though about going but was too lazy.
Now instead of looking fly, I’m rolling fat,
My legs are sticking to the Vinyl and my posse’s getting laughed at.
F.R.E.E. That spells free. Credit report dot com Baby.
if you play all of them at the same time…IT’S SOOO FUNNY!
Anywho,I LOVE THE CAR AND PIRATE song!I REMEMBERED ALL OF THEM!
The guys remind me of every neighborhood’s garage band that didn’t make it…only these guys made it in advertising. It really works. Who are they, anyway? So, now Alleve decides to get a teen girl to sing about her pain and it’s just awful. Makes me want to change stations…
I think all 3 of the ads are really funny. And they sure stick with you…which is exactly why I google’d them on a lyrics search (i had “F-R-E-E that spells free…” going thru my head all morning!”). And they’re enjoyable no matter how often you see them…exactly the opposite of that annoying schmuck with his “i’m thiiiinking of a number…”. I haven’t laughed this much about a series of commercials since those For Eyes ones with the snotty, lisp-y clerk (…but they’re not the same…these glasses speak French), (…spank me - SPANK ME!)
Corrections needed:
Well I was shopping for a new car,
which one’s me?
A kewl convertible
or an SUV?
Too bad I didnt know
my credit was whack,
Cuz now I’m driving off the lot
in a in a used sub-compact.
F.R.E.E. That spells Free
Credit report dot com Baby.
Saw their ads on My TV,
thought about callin’
but was too lazy.
Now instead of looking fly
and rollin’ fat,
My legs are sticking to the vinyl
and my posse’s getting laughed at.
F.R.E.E. That spells Free
Credit report dot com Baby.
I’ve actually woken up in the morning with these freakin’ lyrics
running thru my head constantly….almost as bad as ‘this is the
sooong that never ends - yes it goes on and on my friend..’ ACK!
But I still love it! Especially when the back up guy goes ‘yee-ha!” and the old lady actually stops what she’s doing just to glare at him….hilarious!
I was always wondering the price of the crabs on the menu. his guitar is kindda hiding it. All I see is something $..,99″
Give me the price cuz I wanna go dine there.
Well I was shopping for a new car, which one’s me.
A kewl convertible or an SUV.
Too bad I didnt know my credit was whack,
Cuz now I’m driving off my lot in a in a used suv compact.
F.R.E.E. That spells free. Credit report dot com Baby.
Saw their ads on My TV, though about going but was too lazy.
Now instead of looking fly, I’m rolling fat,
My legs are sticking to the Vinyl and my posse’s getting laughed at.
F.R.E.E. That spells free. Credit report dot com Baby.
lol omg i love the comercials expecially this one and the pirate one…thx to who ever wrote them…?
The singer in the freecreditreport.com commercials, who plays the guitar, is a French-Canadian actor/singer named Eric Violette. It’s not Sean Storm, or Mark Swenson. He has a website, unfortunately it’s in French. Great pix, tho.
Uhhmm I keep seeing the lyrics wrong a lot of places, its:
Now instead of looking fly, and rolling “phat”
Phat = Pretty hot and tempting.
(^_^)
When I’m at school I sing all of the songs all day and all of my friends get really mad.It’s pretty funny.
OMG these comments are hill-arious!!!!!!!!!!!! My ELA teacher gets mad cuz my friends and i sing them everyday.
I’m just curious, is there a reason they stopped airing the “I married my dream girl” song? That was my favorite! I won’t ever use their services, but I love the commercials and am looking forward to more 
@Lynda
I think they killed that one because it was pretty “Guy Oriented”.
He was talking about how much of a credit loser his girlfriend was and if he had known he wouldnt have married her and he would be a lot happier.
That is a lot of negatives pointing at a woman and in the marketing world, that is a no-no when women control 75% of the consuming dollar in this country.
Now if it were a woman talking about her slacker husband - it would have been A-OK
I kind of figured that was why they stopped showing the “I Married My Dream Girl” commercial…I, too, irritate my family by turning up the TV and singing along to these clever ditties. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
These are probably the best and most addicting commercials out there. I have a crush on the drummer/pianist. He definitely makes the commercials more appealing. I wish I knew who he was.
I know that he lip syncs to all his commercials, & the pirate suit is in all the commercials, but is it true that the old lady is in all the commercials as well?
HA! That’s awesome! Sure beats the pants off … “I’m theeeeeeennnnnking of a number …”