Forums - IB's new commercial

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-- IB's new commercial - "Join the 1%" (http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?threadid=238740)

Posted by zboy2854A on 03-15-12 01:02 AM:

IB's new commercial - "Join the 1%"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...e&v=ChKIecFPL8A

Good lord, how tone deaf can you guys be? As an IB client, this commercial gives me the heeby jeebies.

Posted by oldtime on 03-15-12 01:17 AM:

Re: IB's new commercial - "Join the 1%"

Quote from zboy2854A:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...e&v=ChKIecFPL8A

Good lord, how tone deaf can you guys be? As an IB client, this commercial gives me the heeby jeebies.

no kidding, I've always been very happy with IB, I like my anonymity. I can't think of a worse commercial. and I always feel if the buttheads that run a company can't design a good ad, that tells me a lot about the company.

One of the best new ads is the Italian Lady Fiat ad.

The worst ads are usually McDonalds or Dr Pepper

so I guess that tells you that my opinions of ads don't mean much

this one really makes you feel bad about being a long time satisfied IB customer

Posted by ddaytrader on 03-15-12 01:40 AM:

So you are suggesting that a better message would be "join Interactive Brokers and wallow in despair and poverty with the 99%"?

And let's be accurate and realize the falsoe distinction between the "1% and the 99%."

There are the 1% of top earners/wealth builders.

Then, scattered throughout the remaining 99% are the 19% of the population that aspires to the 1% and are willing to work hard and smart to rise to the 1%. IB's market are people located within that 19%. Why tailor an ad to the 80% who are either happy with their lot or worse, an ad to placate that portion of the 80% who are not willing to work to better their lot but expect a better lot to be handed to them?

__________________
I think I can ...

Posted by oldtime on 03-15-12 01:47 AM:

Quote from ddaytrader:

So you are suggesting that a better message would be "join Interactive Brokers and wallow in despair and poverty with the 99%"?

And let's be accurate and realize the falsoe distinction between the "1% and the 99%."

There are the 1% of top earners/wealth builders.

Then, scattered throughout the remaining 99% are the 19% of the population that aspires to the 1% and are willing to work hard and smart to rise to the 1%. IB's market are people located within that 19%. Why tailor an ad to the 80% who are either happy with their lot or worse, an ad to placate that portion of the 80% who are not willing to work to better their lot but expect a better lot to be handed to them?

I'll never eat at a McDonalds no matter how classy their ad is. The quality of the ad doesn't tell you anything about the product, but it does tell you about the quality of the people running the firm. So all I know viewing the IB ad is the quality of the firm has really gone down hill. It's not that they need a new ad agency, it's that they need a new leader who understands this ad is crap. (and he even sent out a private message to all account holders bragging about it.)

Posted by zboy2854A on 03-15-12 01:49 AM:

Quote from ddaytrader:

So you are suggesting that a better message would be "join Interactive Brokers and wallow in despair and poverty with the 99%"?

And let's be accurate and realize the falsoe distinction between the "1% and the 99%."

There are the 1% of top earners/wealth builders.

Then, scattered throughout the remaining 99% are the 19% of the population that aspires to the 1% and are willing to work hard and smart to rise to the 1%. IB's market are people located within that 19%. Why tailor an ad to the 80% who are either happy with their lot or worse, an ad to placate that portion of the 80% who are not willing to work to better their lot but expect a better lot to be handed to them?

No, you're totally missing the point. It's not the reality of who has wealth and who doesn't. Obviously anyone who invests or trades does so to increase their wealth. Duh.

It's the connotation that is attached to those phrases now that is the problem. The whole "1%" and "99%" euphemisms are totally stupid to begin with anyway, the epitome of class warfare. And by co-opting that terminology in its commercial, IB perpetuates that bad rhetorical paradigm, and it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Posted by oldtime on 03-15-12 01:51 AM:

Quote from zboy2854A:

No, you're totally missing the point. It's not the reality of who has wealth and who doesn't. Obviously anyone who invests or trades does so to increase their wealth. Duh.

It's the connotation that is attached to those phrases now that is the problem. The whole "1%" and "99%" euphemisms are totally stupid to begin with anyway, the epitome of class warfare. And by co-opting that terminology in its commercial, IB perpetuates that bad rhetorical paradigm, and it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I agree, you said it better than I could

Posted by just21 on 03-15-12 02:44 AM:

I thought the ad was very amusing and I will be checking out every strategy on the banners. Remember that if you earn more than $31k you are the one percent on a global not us basis.

Posted by oldtime on 03-15-12 03:01 AM:

Quote from just21:

I thought the ad was very amusing and I will be checking out every strategy on the banners. Remember that if you earn more than $31k you are the one percent on a global not us basis.

you make a good point, I guess that's how 99% of the people see it

Posted by RobertG on 03-15-12 04:46 AM:

This is what "creative" minds of copy writers and animation graphics of ad agencies come up with? a Disgrace!

IB along with their ad agency should read one chapter from George Lois.

Posted by southall on 03-15-12 06:07 AM:

Good advert.

If you aspire to be in the 1% you should be proud of the fact.

Posted by braincell on 03-15-12 03:01 PM:

I found the add totally hilarious and a bit tongue-in-cheek! Maybe the sarcasm which should entertain didn't come accross for everyone (or maybe it's not even there?). If the target audience are retail traders, it might work. Everyone else will hate it for making fun of what was an attempt at a serious social movement.

Posted by Laissez Faire on 03-15-12 03:09 PM:

I loved it.

Posted by oldtime on 03-15-12 06:02 PM:

nah, it makes you feel bad when you thought you were an Elite Trader who cleared with IB and you realize you are just another dumbshit.

Shouldn't I at least get a coupon for some free trades?

Posted by tenthousandmen on 03-19-12 04:55 PM:

Quote from oldtime:

nah, it makes you feel bad when you thought you were an Elite Trader who cleared with IB and you realize you are just another dumbshit.

Shouldn't I at least get a coupon for some free trades?

Ha ha

Posted by RobertG on 03-21-12 04:39 AM:

Quote from oldtime:

nah, it makes you feel bad when you thought you were an Elite Trader who cleared with IB and you realize you are just another dumbshit.

Shouldn't I at least get a coupon for some free trades?

Brilliant!

Posted by dudebro on 03-23-12 06:22 AM:

um ... IB does not excel at marketing let's leave it at that ...

i'm sure this sounded better when said aloud but the message and execution do not come across as intended here. (even then, co-opting the class warfare 99% paradigm is in poor taste ...)

also how many people do you really expect to sign for "covered calls on dividend paying stocks" ...?

Posted by Optionpro007 on 03-23-12 01:46 PM:

Agree. The ad sucks, period.

Thomas if you are reading this, please fire your ad agency.

Posted by Scataphagos on 03-23-12 01:56 PM:

Quote from ddaytrader:

"... There are the 1% of top earners/wealth builders.

Then, scattered throughout the remaining 99% are the 19% of the population that aspires to the 1% and are willing to work hard and smart to rise to the 1%.

"... 80%... are either happy with their lot... but expect a better lot to be handed to them?

Ditto!

A primary reason we don't have "more than 20% aspiring to the top"... is because excessive "benefits" have been lavished upon the 80% for their vote or manipulated through unions.

That is... too many people are mostly "comfortable at the expense of others" and are complacent to stay where they are while bitching about "how unfair it is that harder working and smarter have more".

The REAL solution... the 80%'ers should be given LESS... so that they have the motivation to WORK HARDER FOR THEMSELVES.

Posted by d08 on 03-23-12 02:00 PM:

This is not the era to be flaunting, we have the FTT and things that are threatening trading. This ad comes off as unprofessional.

Posted by HurricaneUS on 03-23-12 02:05 PM:

that ad is embarrassing and totally inappropriate...kinda makes me want to pull my money out of IB.

Posted by Scataphagos on 03-23-12 02:10 PM:

Re: IB's new commercial - "Join the 1%"

Quote from zboy2854A:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...e&v=ChKIecFPL8A

Good lord, how tone deaf can you guys be? As an IB client, this commercial gives me the heeby jeebies.

Whatsamattu?

I found the ad to be non-offensive.

One of the things most of us MUST do to become a "1%'er" is to invest well.

IB is only highlighting that fact. That is, "Invest with IB... if you're already a 1%'er, this is the place to be. If you're aspiring to the 1%, IB is still the place to be".

Posted by noob_trad3r on 03-23-12 04:25 PM:

I thought the commercial was funny. Don't see what the big deal is.

Posted by loufah on 04-16-12 11:07 PM:

Was it Discover Brokerage that had the ad with the truck driver that went

Passenger: Vacation spot?
Driver: Actually, it's a picture of my house.
Passenger: It's an island.
Driver: Well, technically it's a country.

The ad I find most disturbing (because it was true for a lot of us) was the one from E*Trade (I think) with the actress in some medieval movie who was so compulsive about trading that it began to interfere with her job.

Posted by JamesL on 04-16-12 11:35 PM:

Quote from loufah:

Was it Discover Brokerage that had the ad with the truck driver that went

Passenger: Vacation spot?
Driver: Actually, it's a picture of my house.
Passenger: It's an island.
Driver: Well, technically it's a country.

Yes

http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...lient=firefox-a

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