Vonage | Re-engage with customers on their favorite channel

In this ad, Vonage highlights how their business communications platform helps companies engage with customers across their preferred channels. The commercial uses humor and real-world scenarios to show the disconnect between businesses and customers when communication tools aren’t properly aligned, making the case for Vonage as the ultimate solution.

The Formula (That Works at Any Budget):

Real-World Problems = Instant Connection – The ad starts by presenting relatable communication breakdowns between businesses and their customers, something everyone can understand.
Lesson: Start with a problem that resonates universally to draw your audience in immediately.

Exaggeration = Comedic Relief – The communication mistakes and misunderstandings are taken to comical extremes, like employees awkwardly attempting to engage customers over the wrong platform, creating laugh-out-loud moments.
Lesson: Use exaggeration to amplify the pain points of your audience and turn them into funny scenarios that highlight the problem.

Clear Contrast = Simple Solution – The ad highlights the chaos of the wrong communication tools, contrasting it with the simple and effective solution that Vonage provides.
Lesson: Use contrast to make your solution feel like a game-changer in comparison to outdated or inefficient alternatives.

Humor Breakdown:

Situational Humor – The humor comes from watching people try to engage with customers through mismatched channels. These exaggerated attempts at communication—like sending a fax to a text message user—highlight the absurdity of not having the right tools.
Relatable Moments – Anyone who has had a frustrating experience with poor communication systems or channels will relate, making the humor feel both personal and effective.
Light-Hearted Exaggeration – The situations are blown out of proportion in a fun way, showing the serious consequences of bad communication without turning it into a fear-based scenario.

Final Verdict:

Vonage’s commercial cleverly uses humor to highlight the importance of effective communication. By exaggerating the consequences of poor engagement, the ad emphasizes how Vonage can help businesses connect with customers in the most efficient, user-friendly way possible.

Brave-o-meter score: 

B-6 | R-7 | A-6 | V-6 | E-6

BRAVE – 6/10

Watch the full ad & learn more:
Website: Vonage
LinkedIn: Vonage LinkedIn Page

(See what BRAVE means in our collection)

Understanding the B.R.A.V.E. Scoring System

The B.R.A.V.E. scoring system uses AI to deliver an unbiased evaluation of top-of-the-funnel B2B brand ads. It measures potential impact, memorability, and effectiveness by assessing five key components of a video ad or commercial. This system gauges an ad's capacity to drive brand recall and enhance salience, ensuring that creative work not only captures attention but also leaves a lasting impression.

What B.R.A.V.E. Stands For:

Each letter represents a key factor in determining an ad’s success:

  • BBoldness: Is the ad original, creative, or daring? Does it break away from generic B2B marketing, or is it just another forgettable corporate video?
  • RRelevance: Does it connect with a real buyer pain point? Is it addressing a specific frustration or need, or just listing product features?
  • AAttention: Does it grab and hold attention in the first few seconds? Is it visually or tonally engaging, or easy to skip?
  • VVibe: Does it create an emotional response—laughter, recognition, or surprise? Or does it feel like just another corporate info dump?
  • EEffectiveness: Will buyers remember the brand when they need a solution? Does the ad make an impact that lasts beyond the moment?

How It’s Applied to B2B Video Rating

Each video is scored 1 to 10 in all five categories, based on how well it meets the criteria. The total score (out of 50) is then divided by 5 to give a final B.R.A.V.E. score out of 10.

For example:

  • An ad scoring B-8 | R-9 | A-7 | V-6 | E-8 has a total of 38/50.
  • The final B.R.A.V.E. score is 7.6/10.

Why It Matters

B2B ads often struggle with being bland, forgettable, or ineffective. The B.R.A.V.E. system ensures they are judged by their ability to break through, connect with buyers, and drive action.

Simply put: If your ad isn’t B.R.A.V.E., it’s invisible.

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