Can advertising up your cool factor?

If the spots below for Baby Carrots are any indication, I'd say the answer is a resounding "yes". Take a look, then read on.

">

">

Nothing says 'cool' like this new TV campaign from the Carrot Industry (who knew such thing existed?), brought to us in all its splendor (no surprise) by the cool folks that are CPB. The graphics, the audio, the vignettes, the package design, the reference to "a bunch of carrot farmers", the obvious innuendo, the transparency with the 'junk food-like packaging' claim.

But, the BIG question is...WILL this make people eat more baby carrots? Will teens with raging hormones, rev'ed up metabolisms and a caution to the wind regard toward over-sugaring, really forgo the bag of Cheetos or peanut packed Snickers bar that taunts them at checkout in favor of carrots, however cool the packaging and reminiscent the ooh's and ahh's of scantily clad women?

I'm not sure, but these are very cool ads that give it a good shot.

Pardon me, though, as I play consumer insight police. Is cool packaging and crazy fun memorable advertising the reason people buy junk food or is it something else? Perhaps something more visceral....a physical craving for salt or sugar, maybe? And if in fact such is the case, will a cooler positioned batch of carrots prevail over sodium and fructose laden alternatives?

I don't presume to have the answer, but if those cravings really can't be stopped, maybe this super cool campaign would have benefited from a product that packages the carrots with a tiny scoop of honey or a savory maple pepper dip? Yummm...you're hungry aren't you?

The rest of it could then proceed as directed, but what I'm proposing may have up'ed the crave factor to match the cool factor.

Just sayin'.

ON STRATEGY with a 'we'll circle back' clause. Best of luck to the bunch of carrot farmers who are counting on this.