Thread by @janthonylong

I guess rather than just dunk on this Netflix ad, which isn't very nice, I'll try to be constructive here and critique it. /1

First, the idea--"more than just a line"--makes the brand feel small. If any brand "owns" the video progress bar, it's probably YouTube. But in any case, tying their brand to a generic UX feature reduces them to a streaming service. They're much bigger than that. /2

And in a way, it's the opposite of what HBO did with that great tagline, "It's not TV. It's HBO." It depositioned the rest of the category. "TV" felt almost disparaging. Genius. /3

Now, Netflix can credibly say they're better than HBO. They just completely dominated the Emmys with a record-shattering 160 nominations. They're not a streaming service, they're a major studio. So why talk about the app? /4

variety.com/2020/tv/news/e….

You can't build a great ad on a flawed idea, but the copy is also lacking. That first line--oy. It's just patting yourself on the back. Why not start with a human truth? The word "very" is a surrender to laziness. And please don't use the "special" unless you're being ironic. /4

And why 'gets' in, "It gets you to see other people's worlds"?

Do you mean allows? Invites?

It's not a great thought in any case, but "gets"? /5

It's also best to avoid cliches ("takes you on a journey") and invisible words like "incredible." /6

But finally, on very last line: where does "We're only one story away" mean and what does that have to do with the headline? It feels like a new thought. /7

I appreciate the fact that they wanted to make a bold statement about the brand--in a full-page NYT ad, no less. But this isn't it. I would've capitalized on that record Emmy haul and fired a shot right across the bow of HBO. /8

Just look at what MGM did way back in 1943. This was a publicity photo of all the actors they had under contract. It's a veritable Who's Who of some of the greatest entertainers of all time. You don't have to say too much when you've got the goods, and Netflix has them. /fin