In a previous instant-coffee commercial, a wife and husband were shown waking up with two cups of coffee as the husband inquires, ”Why is your coffee darker than mine?”
That mind-tingler of a question proves that even in these days of parodies and hip graphics, the married-people rule still exists in
advertising. Once hitched, each party`s IQ level plummets as spousal conversation becomes mainly limited to morning breath, dietary fiber, saturated fat and bankruptcy.
Perhaps that`s one reason this chaste little soap opera for Taster`s Choice, by McCann-Erickson, has gotten so much attention. Romantic leads Sharon and Tony are single, so they still have their wits about them. Because the series originated in Britain, it`s far more verbally adroit than what`s usually attempted here. These two actually indulge in repartee: They know how to offer clever lines and witty comebacks and when to pause for dramatic effect. They even use two-syllable words like ”perhaps.”
But let`s not get too carried away; Tony and Sharon meet over freeze-dried coffee and make product-related conversation. So the banter is about as lively as it can get considering that one or the other is holding a jumbo jar of Taster`s Choice.
The first 45-second spot starts with the doorbell ringing and Sharon
(actress Sharon Maughan) appearing on her neighbor`s doorstep to borrow coffee for her dinner party.
Dressed up and accessorized, with her British accent and emotive acting, she suggests the thinking woman`s ”Dynasty” vixen.
The same actors star in both versions, but Tony turned into a local for the U.S. spots. And the actor, Anthony Head, is one of the few Brits to do a convincing American accent without sounding like a cross between Deputy Dawg and Tony the Tiger.
In this Bush culture of blandified family values, we don`t often see 40-ish single people who are equally powerful, challenging and self-possessed flirting on doorsteps for 45 seconds at a clip. It`s as if these two were freeze-dried from some pre-safe sex era.
By the second spot, which broke last month and received about as much press coverage as John Sununu`s flight plans, the borrower reappears. (”How can you ever thank me?” he says.) When it becomes clear that he`s
entertaining a guest, they exchange a meaningful ”perhaps.”
”Perhaps” is key to keeping the tension alive. ”Moonlighting” died once they did it.
The real test comes next fall, with the third spot in the series-and the first to diverge from the British setup.
The classic `90s American romance scenario, of course, would include his- and-hers private investigators and wacky mixups at the fertility clinic. That should get them through a few more episodes before the talk turns to fiber.
