I Wish I Were an American Express Superstar
I love the American Express advertisements. You know, the ones that make you want to be BFF with Kate Winslet, play cards at the breakfast table with Ellen Degeneres and her dog, admire the beauty of Ken Watanabe (come on, I'm not alone..admit it). The photos are striking and the questions make you feel like you are getting a little peek into the real person; the one you don't see on the red carpet. Anyway, since American Express hasn't asked yet (I just checked...my phone isn't broken), I thought I'd blog how I would answer the questions with the hopes that I am a fraction as interesting as Kate Winslet (ew, that kind of reads like "please love me", but it's just for fun not a need to be voted homecoming queen of the blogosphere). And because you are interesting too, you should do the same...
My name: Heather Hamilton
childhood ambition: to be a lawyer because arguing is fun (and your parents think it's cute when you have an opinion on everything at 5 years old)
fondest memory: late 70s/ Southern California/ New roller skates
soundtrack: Garden State
retreat: it's what happens when you already had a treat and you want another one. Ah, seriously, it's all about the call screening (at home).
wildest dream: this is my work blog so I, uh, don't remember. Seriously, I have that one where I am falling all the time and also the one where I missed my last final exam in college and won't graduate and my life is ruined (don't bother analyzing...I already got it)
proudest moment: 100% financially independent, 1991...I can still taste the PB&J
biggest challenge: remembering to take my vitamins every day
alarm clock: the thing that lets my dog know it's time to nudge me with a cold nose
perfect day: one sandy beach, 85 degrees, good books, a cold cocktail
first job: video store back when Beta was cool
indulgence: champagne, seafood, Mexican food, Thai food, hand bags
last purchase: lumber (I built a bed platform yesterday...really!)
favorite movie: The Last Emperor, The Usual Suspects, This is Spinal Tap
inspiration: the better me I imagine
My life: could change at any moment
My card: does not include a fax machine number
Edit: added link to ad site 1/4
Comments
- Anonymous
January 04, 2006
The comment has been removed - Anonymous
January 04, 2006
I liked them too, this was one ad I actually read through, specially Tiger Woods, Liked your's too.
Btw, your biggest challenge reminded me to take my Co Q10 today.
Rajnish - Anonymous
January 04, 2006
The comment has been removed - Anonymous
January 04, 2006
They are compelling ads. Any idea who that one guy is? Is he the inventor/creator of the Blackberry?
The cynic in me wonders if the celeb's answered the questions truthfully. The gullible in me says they did. I'm also curious about the handwriting...is it really theirs?
BTW: You got that right about the Last Emperor. Such a beautiful movie. It partly influenced me to major in chinese history way back in the day. - Anonymous
January 04, 2006
Brad-do you mean Ken Watanabe or someone else? Ken's an actor (I believe he was in The Last Samurai). Good questions about the authorship and writing. I'd say they probably did the answers themselves with some help. Ah, maybe I am gullible too ; )
WRT The Last Emperor, "beautiful" is the right word. The cinematography is outstanding. It really enhanced the experience when I was actually able to visit the forbidden city and see it first hand. - Anonymous
January 04, 2006
No, not Ken Watanabe. One of the print ads features an older white male who is pictured tinkering on what looks like a Blackberry. I keep meaning to Google, err MSNSearch, him. ;-)
Ahh, Beijing is definitely a place I'd love to visit especially the Forbidden City. - Anonymous
January 04, 2006
Hmm, couldn't find that one. Here's the site: http://www.mylifemycard.com/mylifemycard.html
I'll link to it in the original post. - Anonymous
January 04, 2006
The comment has been removed - Anonymous
January 04, 2006
Please do. The curiousity is killing me so iut's very important ; ) - Anonymous
January 05, 2006
There are a couple small pinholes in the AMEX campaign bubble. The answers were scripted and handwriting is not authentic. A good campaign never the less. - Anonymous
January 05, 2006
DY-we want details...how do you know? - Anonymous
January 05, 2006
LOL No big mystery, just happen to know a couple of the agency people. I recall an article in one the trade rags regarding the campaign as well. Pinholes or not, here we are bloggin on about it.... ;-) - Anonymous
January 05, 2006
Ah, I thought there was some dish. Yeah, I guess it's still good advertising if it's gotten our attention (and I still want to be friends with Kate Winslet). - Anonymous
January 05, 2006
Well there is a small dish on this. Ogilvy was named in a lawsuit by a credit card supplier in Cali. Long story short: it's a trademark infrngement charge on the tagline "my life my card." - Anonymous
January 06, 2006
Here's the 'mystery' "old guy:"
http://www.blackberrycool.com/2005/07/08/00623 - Anonymous
January 09, 2006
It looks like it may have been launched in Canada only. Interesting. I wonder if there are more coming. - Anonymous
January 09, 2006
DY -
Sorry, but the only pinholes are those you wrote. The print campaign is filled out by the actual cardmember and the handwritting is real. Neither are made up.
Check out the adcritic article and check your facts.
Oh and yes, Mike L. is the inventor of the Blackberry. - Anonymous
January 09, 2006
Maybe the person who saw it is from Canada or a border state - Anonymous
January 10, 2006
Well I am glad the mystery person's identity has been solved! Thanks person who likes to answer questions, and simper.
/Can sleep easier tonight ;-) - Anonymous
January 10, 2006
You'll probably think it's funny, but I hadn't seen them before (that's what I get for giving up TV). The print ads are beautiful and the Robert DeNiro commercial is heartbreaking, isn't it?
Do you wonder, Heather, how they would should you (or me for that matter) in your own city? How would you look? What would you say? - Anonymous
January 10, 2006
The comment has been removed - Anonymous
January 12, 2006
Heather hunny, baby, darlink.
The ads are real. Real handwritting and celeb answers.
go to:
adcritic.com/print - Anonymous
January 12, 2006
Simper, sweety, snookums, booboo. I think we covered that already. - Anonymous
January 12, 2006
But will the ad play big in Japan ? - Anonymous
January 17, 2006
simper-
Clearly you (and the AdCritic are the keeper of all facts, I acquiesce to your ultimate authority). I stand by what was written. The answers were scripted, the writing was produced (yes the signatures are real...that part is authentic...duh). - Anonymous
February 02, 2006
The comment has been removed - Anonymous
February 02, 2006
Shauna-trust me, I understand! Try to go to the Amex campaign site I linked to in one of my comments above and see if you can get the image there. - Anonymous
June 03, 2006
The comment has been removed