Rating:

Assessment:This ING campaign does an excellent job of brand recognition. I'm going to have to surmise that it's working since they're sticking with it. But it's missing its emotional side. These spots are very rational and they contradict themselves. One spot tells you to stay away from big banks. But the spokesperson looks and talks like he works at one. ING is about keeping things simple. But these spots are confusing. They read like a big run-on sentence listing multiple points. I can't believe I'm saying this but I miss the old ING spots.

Rating:

Assessment: The corny actor with the ambiguously European accent used to bug me. Now I think that he's worked for branding ING, similar to how the voice in the IKEA radio spots has. This ING campaign is not intended to win awards, but to inform. It does the job and I feel like I trust this guy. The Toronto spot is the weakest of the three. At least the other executions fit well with the copy. Marks for branding but less for creativity.

Rating:

Assessment:: Say we were good friends and I invited you to a dinner party. If I told you that the ING man was going to be there, would you come? I think not. I think you'd book an early evening root canal on that night. But like him or not, he continues to do a great job as spokesperson for ING. He's articulate, confident and always delivers a message that has me questioning my current bank's ethics. Would I invite ING man for a coffee to discuss my banking needs? Yes. To a dinner party? No.