The ad that captivated my family

We had a Christmas get-together. You know… all the aunts and uncles, cousins we haven’t seen in a while… gathering together to eat and catch up.

The TV was on and the cousins of my generation were all chilling on the couch, when this commercial came on:

We saw the set design… we saw the karaoke machine (a cultural staple in Asian famiilies)… we saw the Asian-styled auntie…

It was a mirror into our lives.

Basically, when you think of the creative and the media placement… this worked perfectly.

An entire extended family was intently staring at the TV screen… watching a COMMERCIAL.

It was like the ad was speaking directly to us.

Is it pandering?

Maybe. But it was done really well and it got a laugh out of most of us. And, apparently, made enough of an impression on me to write this blog post.

It was clear that they had some real Asians on staff during the creation of their ad.

Asian tropes (overfeeding, asking intrusive questions, comparing you to other kids, karaoke, bringing containers of food home) are not new. But Panda Express packaged this in a funny and relatable way.

It's the same thing as brands trying to relate to black families (BBQ family cookout, church community, barbershop discussions, etc.)

It all depends on how well it’s done, and how cliche it is. If it’s something the audience has seen before, then they’ll probably get bored or even roll their eyes. But if it feels fresh, then they’ll get curious and engaged.

Did it work?

I don’t know. It’s a random well-produced ad for Panda Express. I already like Panda Express.

Not because of this commercial. It’s just good yummy fast food. I rarely ever buy it, but when I do, I enjoy it!

Why don’t I buy it more often? I don’t know… Maybe the food doesn’t sit well with me (physically? subconsciously?) or something… Never really thought about it. We grab Chipotle and Chick-fil-A a lot, but not Panda Express. Maybe it’s too much food? Too greasy? Too slow and inconvenient? I don’t know. But I do actually like the taste, and I don’t think it’s more expensive than Chipotle.

Anyway, all that’s to say… I don’t think this ad endeared me to Panda Express. It was just a funny commercial that grabbed our attention, but we all already kind of like Panda Express anyway. The commercial itself wasn’t even appetizing, because I don’t think it showed any food. It was just inserting itself into Asian culture.

In conclusion

The reason I wrote this post is because I am always paying attention to what grabs my attention.

How often do YOU pay close attention to an ad? It’s probably a very rare occasion. So by definition, it’s special whenever it happens.

People can argue whether an ad is “good” or “bad” all day long. It’s subjective.

But what’s not subjective is the fact that this ad DID grab my attention. And not just me, but my entire family as well.

That’s special.