This commercial begins with a lady, supposedly from the US, placing an online order for Houte Sandals.
The commercial then proceeds to Lagos, Nigeria where it shows what is a apparently a Nigerian man (and potential 419 fraudster?) reading “New Activity” online detailing the lady’s order, contact details, and credit information. This man then hands off the details on paper to a boy who then runs quickly to hand off the paper to another man who goes on to “process” the details …
The whole time, the video is obviously playing on the image of the stereotypical 419 fraudster from Nigeria.
Watch the video to see the punchline … Any opinions on this? Witty, tasteless, or just cheap humor?
#1 by Julie on November 10th, 2009
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Seems to me the ad ends on a positive note – the transaction is all good, it’s legit. So then it is making Nigeria a positive place, right? Seems to me that questioning the integrity of the transaction and of Nigeria is a stereotype of the viewer – shame on them!
#2 by Samuel on November 11th, 2009
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The transaction was legit, I mean the lady saw a per of shoes, orders it and the merchant or owner of the websites fulfills the order by sending his boy to get what was ordered. What I don’t like about the ad is the punchline on Nigeria “watch where your identity goes” wasn’t the order fulfilled or do they think its every Nigerian that is involved in Internet fraud. Identity Guard should be careful
#3 by Sydney Dennis on November 16th, 2009
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Refering to the 419scams being perpertrated through the banks, or there name is used to give substance to the scams,which continue to this day.It would be a honorable idea,for all the personel, at each bank that deal with foreign transactions,to publish the names and email addresses, this would help the public to know who they are dealing with.This would make scamming less profitable, and reduse the number of scammers
#4 by Sydney Dennis on November 16th, 2009
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Nigerian authorities talk about improving there image but dont do anything costructive.This is no good for the nigerian economy,it keeps investment away. Who would want to trade or manufacture in this type of envirement
#5 by Babafemo on November 21st, 2009
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You guys are missing the point the idea is that, some of us (Nigeria companies) do business as should be done.
It a good advert and hope to see more of same.
#6 by Aduro on December 12th, 2009
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The point here is that Identity Guard is still portraying Nigerians as ID theft, that with them identities are secured. This is not the right thing to be portraying about our country. I think they need to pull the ad and at the same time apologize for the damage it has done already
#7 by Judith on December 14th, 2009
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Should be careful? They have already crossed the line! This is a very bad advert, imagine if a company said this about New York, USA. How can you make an ad, negative ad at that, about a whole country? And we have been getting jabs on the 419 issue for years! This is just low and the advert should be pulled immediately. This is very bad publicity and no American will accept such an ad about the US
#8 by Judith on December 14th, 2009
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Hmnn, guess where your identity goes when it is stolen? Somebody should be giving somebody money for libel, defamation of a nation’s character, based on a few 419ers? And where did Naijas learn the fraud from? Don’t let me start to mention names like Madoff et all, who crash a whole economy???
#9 by Ejere on December 20th, 2009
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The commercial is absolutely detestable and it’s completely unacceptable by Nigerians. I’m really surprised that a decent corporate citizen will descend so low and level such a reputation assault on a whole nation just in a bid to win customers. This irrational behavior has failed to consider hurts and so much pains this kind of adverts cause the majority of Nigerians, both at home and in Diaspora who are hardworking and honest in their dealings.
#10 by Chidi agbo on December 24th, 2009
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that commercial is cheap , worthless, wasteful and useless.How can an order placed in the US be processed in Nigeria? How is the local vendor/shop keeper going to process an order and get his money from a card company/bank in the US?
#11 by Ola Balogun on December 25th, 2009
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Amazingly Identity Guard is using the same smear disinformation that fraudsters use to attain money. I think this commercial speaks for itself. Its just a marketing 419, which is here to deceive and decept. How are you in any way different. Why should anyone trust this company.
#12 by c.f.l. on December 28th, 2009
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What about the child labor implied by the commercial? Does anybody think that kid is getting paid for his service as a messenger?