BJ’s brings the LOLs with inspired silliness in latest campaign
Seldom do I actually find myself actually laughing out loud at a commercial, but the new BJ’s Wholesale Club campaign is that rare exception—at least two of the spots from Terri & Sandy have the kind of inspired setup and perfect payoff that they should bring the LOLs as they roll out this month.
The first is set in a balloon store, where a helium canister is leaking. The proprietor and a customer end up chatting—and then chuckling—in helium voices. The BJ’s pitch comes out of nowhere, but that’s fits the absurdity of the situation, and it’s amusing to listen to whatever they’re saying. I can’t recall a commercial with helium voices before, which seems bizarre, as it’s such a universal comedic staple.
Nalle Sjöblad, whose credits include the multiple Cannes Grand Prix-winning “Clash From the Past” campaign for Clash of Clans, directed the series.
A second spot also features voice comedy. It features an older woman visiting a psychic to connect with her dead husband. And connect they do, though to say it doesn’t go well is an understatement.
A third spot—which wades into death humor, with more mixed results—takes place in a hospital room, where a doctor spies a BJ’s billboard out of the window and ends up confusing the couple seeking an update on the man’s condition.
The oddvertising is an apt approach, given the theme of the spots—“Absurdly simple savings.” The client and agency said the strategy is to bring some levity to the shopping experience amid the anxiety of recent inflation.
“It is a very difficult economic climate right now and we know that shoppers actually feel anxiety when they go to the grocery store and the pumps,” said Terri Meyer, co-founder of Terri & Sandy. “We want to bring levity to the situation and deliver a compelling savings message in a fresh, funny voice.”
In addition to the spots above, the campaign includes a dozen shorter spots built around a fake newscast, where one anchor is trying to deliver the news while the other keeps interrupting with BJ’s sales pitches.
“The campaign aims to communicate our up-to-25%-off grocery store prices promise as well as everyday low gas prices,” said Donna Noa, VP of marketing and branding at BJ’s Wholesale Club. “We leveraged humor, relevant conversational candor and creative unique storytelling deliverables to create these news spots to showcase BJ’s unbeatable value and incredible savings in a fun, entertaining way.”
