There are certain adverts which can be very annoying and for me, the Go compare opera singer adverts definitely fall into that category.  I think it is one of those campaigns which really divides people’s opinion like marmite – you either love it or you hate it.

However, it is interesting to see the advertising agency spinning the negativity surrounding the campaign by using this as part of their latest advert.

Whilst some companies would probably withdraw campaigns which receive negative publicity, this is a demonstration of the creative and clever way negative feedback can be used to their advantage.

By doing so, they are appealing to both sides of the spectrum, increasing likelihood to watch and therefore increasing overall awareness of the brand.

People who love the character are probably watching out of disbelief as Gio Compario is blown up.  And those who previously were more likely to reach for their remote are watching out of satisfaction that the annoying opera singer has been silenced.

That said, whilst I do find the adverts annoying, I wouldn’t go as far as blowing him up.  In some ways, I find the new advert a little disturbing in the way they have dramatised the hatred.  We all know the impact advertising can have upon young children therefore what message does this send out?

Whilst I do see the potential funny side and many people may actually feel like blowing him up, is it necessary to actually depict this?  The Advertising Standards Authority have already received a number of complaints so it will be interesting to see whether the adverts are investigated and the outcome.

With the price comparison market becoming very competitive, companies need to do what they can to stay top of mind for the ‘go to’ place for sourcing insurance quotes.  But maybe they need to keep the core of what they are offering as the main focus of their advertising campaigns so as not to lose the essence of what they stand for.