Creepy Hand or Smart Looking Button? That Was Easy!

I'm sure I am being very culturally biased here, but I always thought that Office Depot was a bigger player in office supplies than Staples, simply because the latter doesn't have a store (to my knowledge) in Houston where I live. After seeing the new ad campaign by Office Depot, however, I have to assume I was very wrong. For quite some time Staples have done a nifty little campaign that has included an "easy button." In their commercials, offices are getting completely organized with the click of a button. What wasn't true, was at least effective, in the eyes of this consumer of office supplies.

Then, out of what appears to be desperation, Office Depot has made one of the biggest mistakes a competitor can make (in my opinion), which is to try to make their own cute mascot in response to someone else. It has "me too" written all over it and it is a wide spread public confession that the button was working.

To make matters worse, Office Depot's mascot is absolutely creepy and is a flashback to the hand from the Munsters episodes that I remember as a kid. I loved that series and I still enjoy looking at old ones today, but I certainly wouldn't want a little hand like they had helping me around the office or the store. This week, sadly, actress Yvonne De Carlo who played Lillian in that great series passed away. I think, in honor of the actress -- and in hope of saving their business -- Office Depot should put their creepy little hand out to pasture.

Creepy versus smart? In the words of the Staples' commercials, "that was easy!"