The Message Behind FedEx

FedEx has some new ads out on Hulu and ostensibly television. They are totally regular/mediocre ads, but shining examples of the intricate thinking that goes into advertisements. The layers in these quick spots remind me how far we have to go in the UX world around advertising our products. Here are a couple of the ads and then below them why I think they are brilliant examples for UX people with products to learn from:

So the message is “we understand.” That should mean on the surface that fedex is clever, and they understand business. Cool. Funny ads.

But the real message:

FedEx gets that your office environment is kind of fucked up. Theirs isn’t. They run shit super efficiently. You deal with annoying office realities that are beneath your general level of intelligence. But you put up with it to get your job done. The narrative focus in these ads is through the FedEx delivery person’s eyes. The shot structure and script is setup to make it look they come in to your office like an outsider who helps you be less stressed because you can count on them to get your package and deliver it.

So you deal with fucked up things (crazy birthday combinations or name-insulting bosses) but think of FedEx like a smooth neutral remedy. If you have a choice between UPS and FedEx, make the emotional tie to FedEx being so understanding of your fucked up workplace, and choose them. Now THAT’S how people make purchasing decisions.

Here’s the thing for UX people:
We still advertise our products in like 2nd grade ad school. Features and promotions and give aways. But tapping into that emotional tie to your product or service through creative story-telling is really, really fucking hard. Telling a story with dual narratives is hard enough (see drunk history of electricity), but doing it in a way that makes you feel something towards a brand. That’s impressive.