When Advertising Works Too Well

More of this Feature • Part 1: Ads Sent Pac Bell Packing • Part 2: The Commercial    Join the Discussion "Can you think of other ads that have worked too well?" In the Advertising Forum     Related Resources • Television Advertising • Television Resources • Inside the Industry    Elsewhere on the Web • View the Neighborhood Ad • View the Cops Ad

The Pacific Bell commercial clearly identified both the problem and the solution. So why, then, did Pac Bell end up pulling the ad?

Because it worked. It really worked.

The company received so many requests for DSL service that it was sent into a backlog of orders. Then, the commercial that painted cable as a line-sharing force of evil had to defy its own marketing message.

In order to bring DSL service to its customers, Pac Bell had to install additional hubs. Yes, neighbors ended up sharing their DSL lines with each other.

Now, Pac Bell is ready for the challenge. The ad that put them behind has actually spawned a new version of the Laurel Lane madness. Cops features a behind the scenes look at how the law's getting involved to stop those cable-line sharers from wreaking havoc on each other.

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