First Choice ridiculed over ‘cringeworthy’ rap-themed ad
First Choice’s multi-million-pound ‘Go Mahoosive with the All Inclusive’ turn-of-year campaign has been slammed by travel agents and social media users.
The campaign, which launched in cinemas across the UK on December 22 and made its TV debut during The Great British Christmas Bake Off on December 25, has attracted derision with descriptions ranging from the ‘worst ad ever’ to ‘horrific’, ‘beyond terrible’ and ‘cringeworthy’.
The comments came after a member of the Facebook site Travel Gossip posted to say: "I’ve just seen the new First Choice advert. It’s shockingly bad. Who signed that off?"
Other comments from Travel Gossipers included: ‘sodding awful’, ‘ridiculous’ and, in reference to the fact the ad features rapping, including the line ‘the A to the I’, one person joked: "I think Honey G must’ve written it’.
Comments posted on YouTube, where the advert is also featured, include: ‘S to the H to the I to the T to the E’, while another viewer takes issue with the use of the term ‘family vacays’, saying: "I thought First Choice was a British company. Since when do we say vacay?"
Another commented: "This is what happens when old white men make a rap video."
While the majority of comments have been negative, one YouTube viewer was more positive: "Love this advert. So different. So fun."
One Travel Gossiper posted: "Awful and chavvy, but memorable … just what the company wants," while another said: "It’s bad but it’s got everybody talking about it."
At the launch, TUI UK and Ireland marketing and customer experience director Jeremy Ellis said: "The ad does a fantastic job of highlighting some of our key benefits – a trusted brand, value, flexibility and fabulous food – in a truly entertaining and memorable way."
No-one from First Choice was available for comment today.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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