I don’t know how they did it, but they did it.
If you’re in the business, don’t miss this. It’s totally amazing and the best example I’ve see in a long time of “thinking out of the box.”
“Great Concept and Copy, Horrible Design” department
June 17, 2009 by ddumanisI hate it when this happens! Every color of the rainbow in a totally undisciplined palette, giant logo right in the middle of the poster followed by a giant URL, stock shot of “girl having fun on waterslide,” busy layered backgrounds, cheap typography tricks no first-year design student would touch with a ten-foot pole–I can’t think of any rule of good judgment this poster doesn’t break!
Great headline, though.
found on a SF BART train
(Excuse the lousy photo–I was on a moving train.)
Why you like Post Shredded Wheat spots for the wrong reason
June 17, 2009 by ddumanisThese Post Shredded Wheat spots are brilliant, not because they’re funny and quirky and weird (though they are)–but because they’re true to brand heritage.
Anyone who’s seen or read Road to Wellville knows that all the original cereal magnates were all bats**t insane!
All the greatest advertising is true to the original idea that made the brand great in the first place, and this is no exception. A classic.
Violent 1960 coffee commercials starring the Muppets
June 17, 2009 by ddumanisViddy this, O my brothers. Real Muppets doing Really Bad Things in the name of coffee.
From SuperPunch via BoingBoing.
crazy crowded color photo collage graphics taking over
June 4, 2009 by ddumanisNew spot for Microsoft’s search engine reboot, called Bing.
Did I call it about this graphic style, or what? (See my post below about the Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head “Ponytail” music video.)
By the way, does the name “Bing” remind any one else of Ned “Bing!” Ryerson, the ubernerd from “Groundhog Day?” (Who happens to resemble a balding Bill Gates, and not in a good way.)
Funny or Disgusting Orkin Roach Pizza TV Spot
June 4, 2009 by ddumanis
I was watching this the other day during my lunch, and came this close to losing it.
Please proceed with caution.
Adding to the “Disturbing” factor on this one is the veiled reference to porno movies. “BLINK BLINK but I didn’t order any pizza with sausage…” Boom chucka wow wow!
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May 15, 2009 by ddumanisTo add this blog to your WordPress RSS feed, click the “Blog Info” button at the top right and choose “Subscribe to Blog” from the menu.
Ugly Betty product placement clumsier than Ugly Betty herself
May 15, 2009 by ddumanisIf you didn’t get to see Ugly Betty last night, you can watch it here.
About halfway through, there’s a product placement for Antioxidant Cherry 7Up that’s virtually unwatchable. As they critique a magazine layout with their new investor, the staff of Mode Magazine mentions and points out an actual print ad in the magazine for that product–mentioning the product’s full name several times. Ick.
C’mon, Ugly Betty, you’ve got some of the best writers on TV, network or otherwise. I know product placement is a necessity in this age of DVR ad skipping, but show us what you’re made of. Even Stephen Colbert has the good sense to make fun of the products he pitches. I’d rather watch Amanda and Hilda spray shaken-up cans of Antioxidant Cherry 7Up all over each other than watch that crap again. (Sayyyy….)
Why ad agencies may have to morph into Experience Agencies–OR Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, hold the service
May 14, 2009 by ddumanisI love Crispin Porter Bogusky’s work for Burger King. It’s always fresh and inventive.
But there’s a slight problem: Burger King itself sucks.
The food’s OK–better than McDonald’s in my book–but the service is terrible.
I went in today to buy a grilled chicken sandwich. Everything was fine until I asked for extra lettuce and tomatoes. Then the 20-year-old behind the counter looked at me like I was from Mars. She stared…and stared…and stared.
Then, without so much as an “Excuse me, sir,” she went to get the manager and the two of them had what appeared to be a complicated mathematical discussion about the extra 30 cents I was being charged. Neither of them acknowledged my presence at all. So now I was being ignored by two “service” people.
Finally, I walked and went to Quizno’s, where they know something about service–and the food is way, way better for about the same price.
Why do I bother to tell this story? Because the TV spots promised me one experience–quirky, witty, hip and fresh–and the restaurant gave me another one entirely.
Now, you might think that’s just the nature of advertising. But I beg to disagree.
The purpose of advertising is to put the best face on a product. It’s not to blatantly misrepresent a product or make stuff up out of thin air. Doing that is the fastest way to put yourself out of business.
The VW bug is not sold as a luxury car. Axe is not sold as a cologne for women (though many have probably tried it).
And Burger King should not be sold as a place that’s hip, witty and different when the people who work there don’t know how to say “excuse me” or add 30 cents to four dollars.
Now. Does an ad agency have control over hiring practices or customer service? No.
Do the have the ability to suggest changes to those things?
Yes. Yes, they do.
And that is the next great step in the evolution of the ad agency.
do you like my ponytail? i do! i do!
May 8, 2009 by ddumanisThis music video has singlehandedly revived the art of the music video and will influence advertising design for the next TEN YEARS.
Don’t believe me? Watch it.
