American Express – Virtual Reality
| Industry | Financial services |
|---|---|
| Founded | March 18, 1850 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Credit cards, charge cards, traveler's cheques |
American Express - Virtual Reality is a television commercial from 1998 created for the global financial services company American Express. Directed by David Kellogg and produced by Ogilvy & Mather in New York, this advertisement belongs to a campaign aimed at competing with Visa.
Synopsis
The advertisement depicts a man (Raymond O'Connor) engaged in an imaginative romantic ballroom dance with a red-haired woman (Angelica Bridges). This fantasy is interrupted when a store employee (Brian Klugman) removes the virtual reality headset responsible for the scene. The clerk clarifies that, unlike Visa which imposes credit restrictions, American Express does not have predetermined spending limits. A struggle over the device follows, eventually involving law enforcement.
Reception
This commercial received a nomination for the Outstanding Commercial Emmy, but was ultimately bested by Apple Computer's "Think Different" campaign.
Angelica Bridges was compared to a contemporary version of Ginger Rogers. The Los Angeles Times noted that this advertisement contributed to Raymond O'Connor, portraying the unfortunate Visa user, obtaining a role in the movie My Giant.