Misunderstandings in this ad and "Doctor" illustrate the premise of then-No. 1 subprime mortgage lender Ameriquest: Rushing to judgment is a mistake, including when evaluating loan applications.
According to TiVo data, Ameriquest’s commercials were two of the most replayed during Super Bowl XL, and both placed in the top 10 on USA Today's annual Ad Meter gauging entertainment value. Like Ameriquest's debut Super Bowl ads a year earlier ("Robbery," "Surprise Dinner"), both spots were created by DDB Direct.
Ameriquest, however, may have wanted to be a little more discerning in the long run. It closed in 2007 as defaults grew and investors' appetite to buy bundles of loans waned.
Director: Craig Gillespie, whose other Super Bowl work includes "Doctor" as well as Snickers' "Game," Audi's "The Commander," Emerald Nuts and Pop Secret's "Awesomer," CareerBuilder.com's "Casual Friday" and Cars.com's "Timothy Richman" and "David Abernathy." Production company: MJZ.
Creative director: Helene Cote. Agency producer: Vanessa MacAdam. Editorial: Spot Welders.
BRAND: Ameriquest
YEAR: 2006
AGENCY: DDB
SUPERBOWL: XL