A QUESTION ABOUT QUESTIONABLE ADVERTISING

Excuse me, Mr. GM dealer, is this Corvair safe?

Why of course it is, Son . . . just sign right here . . .

0 Replies

@Setanta,

Setanta wrote:

So when i turn off the radio or the teevee within two or three seconds, how far into my "bottom" mind have they gotten?

into the pit below the bottom

seriously. good scientific research on how fast opinions are formed

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@wandeljw,

The kiss of death in advertizing is what they call "me too", or when a product is thought of, anothers version rises higher than yours. The "Me too" syndrome is what drives many advertizers in mature markets (like insurance). If you notice , their ads are completely stuffed with gimickry and australian accented lizards or are busy telling us how their company saves the most money.
Its hard to distinguish your product or service unless its in a niche of its own. AS far as I can tell, only Apple computers, Barrett rifles, the Lamborghini Tractor Company,Hydropunch drill rigs, D'Arches watercolor paper, and Hostess Twinkies share the gift of "unique niches".
Xerox uswed to but they somehow lost the edge. Kodak and Polaroid used to also but, like Conestoga Wagon wheels, they were successfully chased down by obsolescence.

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@farmerman,

farmerman wrote:

This was an ad for how roomy the new Ford Focus is, and how many people can comfortably fit inside. SO whats yer point?

SCuse me, I gotta run out and buy a Ford Focus

My first thought was "why are they all wearing the same panties?"

1 Reply

@boomerang,

boomerang wrote:

My dad always said that the purpose of any advertising was to inform, entertain or offend and that you should look at every ad with that in mind. If an ad makes you look long enough to find out what they're selling then the advertiser has done their job well.

Your post reminded me of an ad I'd seen discussed on copyranter a little while ago:

The fact that I remember it tells me it was probably a pretty effective ad.

I'm not really offended by busty babes appearing in an ad any more than I am by anorexic, airbrushed 20 year olds being used to sell me moisturizers.

My first thought was they were selling spas.

I saw the spa is space and related it to the girl in the tub.

Go on, throw some more at me.

I'm Jane Q Pulic and I'll tell the the foist thing that comes to mind.

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@Linkat,

Linkat wrote:

Whats with the eating of that huge sandwich?

tsk.
Don't you GET it?

She's eating a sandwich

In her spa

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@chai2,

whoa.

I just realized.
There's only 2 models in that ford focus ad, a white girl and a black girl
Seriously, they are all the same 2 girls, right?

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@farmerman,

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.stylelist.com/media/2010/02/victorias-secret-body-for-everybody-ad-campaign-590sc022810.jpg

I'd say you'd fit 50 of them in a ford Focus. Their like 7 stick insects.
Somebody needs to call in an aid agency, there's a famine at Victoria's secrets.

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@Setanta,

Setanta wrote:

By the way, the experts which ad agencies employ, and the agencies in dealing with their customers are never going to suggest either that they are not offering effective services, nor that they don't know if it will work or not. Sure they say it works, and sure they bring out all the bells and whistles to suggest that it's an expert opinion.

Sophisticated studies with the latest statistical modeling methods are done after the fact to determine how effective the ad was. These techniques are not only applied to media advertising but even to how products are displayed in stores.

There are people who can determine the exact impact on profits that the advertising gimmick produces.

2 Replies

@wandeljw,

Oh well, that clinches it . . . the experts are never wrong . . .

http://static.wix.com/media/a0f4102b8487304e710ad6432e6443ea.wix_mp

1 Reply

@Setanta,

pfftt...

Long before I read Augusten Burroughs "Dry" I long suspected exactly how people in advertising spent most of their time.

What a racket.

They basically spent most of their time messing around, then at the 11th hour would pull some half assed thing together, and looking drained, present it to the company, who would shriek "Brilliant"

Something half assed like a woman eating a sandwich in her tub, or a bunch of xeroxed girls in their underwear.

1 Reply

@chai2,

What a racket--no kidding. We're getting off topic here, not that i ever complain much about that. I'm still interested to know how people react to nubile young women in scanty dress being used to advertise widgets and doodads.

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@wandeljw,

wandeljw wrote:

[Sophisticated studies ....

oooo...sophisticated studies....

1 Reply

@chai2,

I didn't mean to make a big deal about how sophisticated they are, only that marketing people go to great lengths to determine the best way to promote products and maximize profits.

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I care about the terms of the DEAL.
2nd to that, and consistent therewith,
I like an advertizer who supports cute chicks
like Andrea Dromm in her ad for National Airlines in 1963.
("Is this any way to run an airline? You bet it is!")

Admittedly, I don 't use National much any more.

David

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@wandeljw,

wandeljw wrote:

I didn't mean to make a big deal about how sophisticated they are, only that marketing people go to great lengths to determine the best way to promote products and maximize profits.

I think that's bull feathers.

If they go to any great lengths, it's to convince us that they're working hard, and doing something so unique.

3 Replies

@chai2,

Whatever, Chai, let's talk about "nubile models" instead.

1 Reply

@chai2,

Ive worked with Procter and GAmble in thir environmental programs and they spend soooo much thought on their advertising campaigna and check and recheck via customer panels and focus groups that I was being used as a guinea pig whenever me and my guiys came out to Cinncinnatti for project meetings.

I recall from my early days with them that we were assembled into a focus group reviewing PRINGLES flavors.
I was amazed at the science that they embedded in theor ad campaigns. It was almost like Dr Skinners rats

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@chai2,

I took "advertising" class in college. The class was one of those you take because it is easy to get a good grade.

It was interesting, looking at ads and determining how they are subtly trying to sell you stuff (location of placement of things - hidden sex stuff - almost every ad you could point to something that is sexual or supposed to be) - how it things placed a certain way makes your eye draw to what they are trying to sell you.

Alot of crap - it was quite fun to take the class and yes it was an easy grade.

1 Reply

@Linkat,

No doubt.

I probably see one ad a year that makes me think "I want to try that product, and it's because of this ad."

Then, about 80% of the time I don't end up getting it anyway.

2 Replies

A QUESTION ABOUT QUESTIONABLE ADVERTISING

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