Egg Board’s Message Is a Little Soft-Boiled

Advertiser: California Egg Commission

Agency: Evans, Hardy & Young, Santa Barbara

Challenge: Convince consumers to eat more eggs, which some people avoid because they are high in cholesterol.

The Ads: In four TV spots, comedian Jonathan Winters plays a series of fictional characters--farmers, shoppers, scientists, a store clerk, a short-order chef--who share a love of eggs. In one spot, the chef and his customers--also played by Winters--mention the ways eggs can be prepared. As a scientist in another spot, Winters notes that eggs contain vitamins.

Comment: The ads are laden with the wacky humor for which Winters is famous. But let’s face it--having Winters play pudgy egg lovers doesn’t help the food’s image. More nutritional information would have been useful, especially because there is evidence that eggs have been getting a bad rap. (Last month, Harvard Medical School researchers found no association between eating an egg a day and heart disease or stroke.) Nonetheless, the Egg Board says previous ads using Winters helped boost sales in California. $$+