Why Is There So Much Hate For Ambi Pur's Raya Ad?
Photoshop can work wonders, but not in this case.
By Samantha Khor — 14 Jul 2015, 06:17 PM
Ambi Pur Malaysia's graphic designer must have stumbled upon a creative block on 1 July, because this Raya promo ad is definitely NOT their best work
Although we're not discounting the possibility that this could be the work of an unsuspecting marketing intern who was asked to whip up a quick promo ad for Raya.
Image via Ambi Pur Malaysia's FacebookThe ad, which was posted on the fragrance brand's Facebook page, was widely shared and commented upon yesterday for its - for want of a better word - poor Photoshop work
One of the comments in the thread pointed out that the ad was actually edited from a royalty-free stock photo depicting an ang moh family of five who look really excited for a road trip
Now, it's important to note that it is not unusual for brands and companies to use and/or edit stock images as promotional material. But they are usually quite nicely edited, like this one from Hotlink:
So, what's so bad about the Ambi Pur ad to evoke such harsh criticisms? Based on the comments in the now-deleted thread and with comparison to the original stock image, let us count the ways:
(1) It's quite illogical for someone to hold a serving plate while riding on a moving car; the kuah and everything else would probably spill over along the way. Could be a little bit more believable if food items are placed in a container instead. Commenters also remarked on the tudung-clad lady's "disheveled" look. Oh, and she's not wearing a seatbelt.
In reference to the original stock image below:
(2) No problems whatsoever with the missing boy (circled in red), but the seatbelt is restraining a non-existent person in the backseat. Well, in the original stock photo, it's restraining the little girl so... why didn't it remain so?
(3) The little girl looks like she has multiple chins and that arm is just... at a really odd place.
(4) Where did the little boy's body go??!! PS: Commenters say that the boy resembles a "penanggal" (a female demon with a detached head that can fly on its own as the stomach and entrails dangle below it). Yikes!
(5) The man's superimposed face is just too big for the head, and the hairy arm is just... we can't even.
Social media users were quick to comment that an ad of such quality is not a positive reflection of an international brand
If a contestant from your 'Smelly to Smiley' contest can come up with this quirky photo, we're pretty sure your marketing budget can accommodate for a simple photoshoot in the car!
