Even if fast food were never advertised again...

people would still be fat.



















This is what we've come to. Via boredstop.

Here we go again.

After an unintentional hiatus, I'm back to the blog. Apparently, April and May (the only two months I've been at this job) are pretty crazy and a little sleep depriving around here. Anyway. Let's open it back up with a little yin and yang, recycled from recent ad blogs. First ad, for Hardee's , I really abhor, the second ad, for Carlton draught, I'm completely in love with. Talk amongst yourselves.

More beer, ahem, cola taste.

More cola taste is the idea behind this new Pepsi campaign. Sounds like a (less than successful) page out of the Miller Lite playbook. Fun creative, but a weak strategy.

Evidence that it's still okay to be a copywriter

In the terrifying world (for us newbies, anyway) of the advertising job search, sometimes it seems like no one is hiring anyone. Hell, in the last few months, we've seen Consumer-generated media take over the Super Bowl, and Creativity Magazine even published an article debating whether our position will be obsolete in a few years. Well, take heart, young job seekers. Check out this Pringles CGM (it's painful, but you'll feel better about yourself when it's over - this has to remind marketers why they usually pay for this sorta thing), then have a look at this Yahoo! Hotjobs report about the top five in-demand occupations.

Price points makin' you pudgy?

Stumbled upon this interesting article from the New York Times about how government subsidies on certain crops are doing more to make Americans fat than anyone could ever hope to with advertising. Advertising helps, though.

Very original use of kitchen appliances

Well, if you read Advertising for Peanuts, you may have seen it already, but I love it so much, I have to post about Miranda July's website in support of her book, No one belongs here more than you. Littlejohn over at Peanuts likes it for its simplicity, and I appreciate that aspect, but what I'm really all about is the impossibly endearing quality of the writing. Knowing nothing else about her, I think I'd be okay getting stuck in an elevator with Miranda July.

Where taglines are redundant

I'm walking to work this morning, and I pass a bus with an ad for Turkish tourism. The only copy on this ad is down as a part of the logo: "Turkey - Where culture is a way of life." While they've accurately defined the word culture, they've effectively said nothing at all about Turkey. This would be as if Coca-Cola where to adopt the slogan, "Coke - Where cola is a beverage."

Am I wrong?

Partly sunny, but cloudier as the day goes on.

You don't have to know Chinese to get this one. Call it a lob, but it'd make me notice.



Click the image to read the captions.
(Via AdArena)

We made it just over three weeks without boobs.

As far as I can tell, this circa 1978 ad is legit (or at least, it's grouped with a bunch of ads that seem real). I'm not quite sure what to make of it. I don't know how it could have run anywhere (maybe in Playboy, or if the Dodge Van had an audience in the UK). But I gotta say, while I like bare breasts as much as the next guy, I think I'm glad this isn't something you see anymore. I'm no fan of Americans' uptight ad standards, but I have to think that the option of naked chicks in car ads would only dumb down the creative process in an area that is already a bit lacking in substance.

I imagine the conversation about this ad went something like this:

Copywriter: "The brief says the van has to be the hero of the ad."
Art Director: "But it's the late 70's - our vans are ugly as hell!"
CW: "Good point. Well, we've got a pretty solid line. 'Dodge' almost rhymes with 'garage'. Let's make that the star."
AD: "Wait, I've got it. Let's just put a pair of boobs in the ad! That way everyone will see the van, if only by mistake."
CW: "Groovy. Let's get some lunch and smoke a bowl."


(click here for less pixely, if you feel so inclined)

A response to a response to a response.

Buried in today's AdAge Daily, under Don Imus, Google and Mountain Dew, was this article. It's a response by Bob Garfield to Rev. Donald E. Wildmon, of the American Family Association, going a little overboard in his outrage at the so-called "adult nudity" in this Burger King spot about their Sponge Bob promotion (ironically enough, it's only available because the AFA posted it). Garfield points out why taking offense to this is so ridiculous astutely enough, but there's another reason this guy is foolish for getting up in arms. He's over extending his brand. Like Crayola trying to shill juice boxes (I am not making that up), Wildmon is slapping the AFA's name on a protest that just seems a little ridiculous. It only hurts his brand's credibility for when he tries to pursue a cause that isn't so very, very stupid.

And this is what I had in mind.

I didn't have a blog when this commercial came out. I'm not even sure when that was, actually. But I think it's a strong example of finding a way to do fun work for a brand that doesn't always demonstrate top-notch creative. Also, it serves as a comment on the importance of good casting. This dude is to the spot what Will Ferrell is to a any crappy comedy screenplay. It's all about the delivery.

AdFreak, why you hatin'?

First, I mean that use of hatin' ironically. I am not allowed to use that word (Was that a Don Imus joke? Mmm.. no.).

But seriously, AdFreak posted today about the sad marketing effort being put forth on behalf of Lollapalooza 2007. And, to their point, it does pretty much blow. It's rather underwhelming in scope, and they've brought back (or more likely left since last year) the crazy flying space van motif. It's horrible. I can't find a video of the commercial online, but I think the website will give you a hint of what I mean.

Thing is, the festival doesn't garner daily attendance of 60,000 a day (since moving to the 2-3 day Chicago format) because of its marketing. It's the line-up. And Adfreak bashed that too. Now, it's not last year's stellar group, and as AdFreak points out, there are some niche acts and bands "who just suck", but it fails to mention up-and-comers like Regina Spektor, Snow Patrol and Peter, Bjorn and John, who will act as a draw, along with the kind of bands people never get tired of seeing live, like Pearl Jam (washed up when?), Spoon (I think they just tour all the time), and Kings of Leon. This is what sells the concert. And a few mentions on the radio never hurt anyone. The website could look uglier than mine and the place would still be packed.

I don't think we're needed to fill Grant Park. They've got moments like this:

But he seems so approachable.

Now and then, I'll just post and point. This is what I love about a good ad. A smile and a purpose. Next time you can't find that obscure nature book for your brother's birthday, abebooks.com.



Two more via AdArena.

Advertising = Graffiti?

Despite my cable news-style issue raising in the headline, this isn't the part of the blog where the young advertiser tries to defend advertising. I do think the message in this video, while cleverly executed, hits way off the mark. But regardless of my proving why advertising is much more purposeful and beneficial (at least in some cases) than any graffiti, this video, combined with the barely intelligible YouTube comments (probably from our coveted 18-25 year-old males)does point to the more serious issue of all the bad advertising sucking down what little is left by association. It's ineffective, and it mostly just pisses people off. Seems that if we all took the approach of giving the consumer something they want and hoping for a little engagement in return, then maybe they'd all hate us a bit less. Or perhaps I'm just young, naive and stating the obvious. Probably that one.

Upgrade? Up yours.

I've noticed in several ads over the past few months that everyone's new favorite word seems to be "upgrade". I have no problem with this. At least, I didn't at first. It didn't say much besides retooling "we're better, buy this", but it didn't actively annoy anyone. But now, it's been in GMC ads, Right Guard body spray ads, Tampax Pearl ads, and others on a list that seems to grow every time I turn on the television. Pretty soon, it's going to become almost as meaningless as the various cell phones carriers claims of "power", "all-over", and "dropped call rates in extremely specific geographic areas".

I should say, however, that this smells suspiciously of client-dictated word choice. Blame not the writers, we are merely pawns in this game.

The Painful Lack of Suspense Four

The story on the Nielson ratings is that they tend to have a negative bias against sporting events because people watch in groups, and the Nielson box cannot compensate properly for this high per set viewership. Well, I'm thinking they don't have to worry about that for this year's Final Four. The last three games of the tournament were so boring, those additional people probably just served as a distraction from what was happening on CBS.

Mahna Mahna

A note to advertisers everywhere. This song (below) should never, ever again be used in a commercial. Ever. I've seen it tried three times, once by Dr. Pepper, once in a student competition centered around an indestructible mailbox, and again, most recently/currently, by Saturn. It's supposed to be endearing and quirky. Instead, it just ruins an otherwise sound marketing strategy, making everything you're trying to communicate seem a little stupider.




It works best from the mouths of puppets. I think that says something significant.

V-Dub in da house.

A few days ago, I bought a new Volkswagen GTI so that I could get to the job on which I am now dependent to make my car payments. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is the promotional material I procured while at the dealer. It's a DVD a called "Project Fast", from back when the new GTI debuted with the little demon guy on the dashboard. It's about a psychologist trying to discover what makes humans crave speed, and segueing as smoothly as possible to quirky little explanations of the GTI's features. To see what I mean, check out the clip below. The whole thing is like that. And it's both hilarious and informative. I think it's a great example of what can be done with a long form video and an audience with a vested interest. Dunno if Crispin handles all the VW work, but this seems like their style.

Blogging is hard. For me, but not Chuck Klosterman.

Well, that post a weekday thing went by the wayside quick. No worries, for my three(maybe?) fans out there. We're playin' catch-up today. Here's number one.

Perhaps my favorite thing about March Madness this year has been this blog by Chuck Klosterman. How is this related to advertising, you ask? Well, first of all, that's more of a guideline than a rule. Secondly, I think his habit of random observation is evidence of the kind of curiosity every good creative also possesses.

Here's what I mean:

"Frankly, Oden is my favorite player in this entire tournament. I love his stoicism. I realize members of the media are supposed to love "raw emotion," but I always find that undignified. At this very moment, I assume Joakim Noah is moshing around his hotel room and eating handfuls of glass and yelling at "The View" and hitting a tennis ball between his legs; he is a citizen of the world, but he's also something of a lunatic. I prefer the expressionless Mr. Oden, a person who's likely sitting beneath a singular table lamp, silently reading Chuck Eddy's analysis of the British invasion while peeling a tangerine. I always want my post players to be intimidating-yet-wooden.

As such, I am an Oden superfan."

That's what I'm talkin' about.

Warning: Contents May Be Very Hard-Working

This morning, I found myself freelancing in Indiana by 8 o'clock. This means I was awake at 5:45am. I've been unemployed for two months. This is not something I am accustomed to.

I needed caffeine and I needed gasoline. I found them both at a Speedway/Burger King combo near my destination, so I pulled in to refuel. The coffee machine at the BK carried the slogan "Good hard working coffee". BK's positioning their simple (from concentrate, even) morning brew against the foufy coffee made popular by Starbucks, and since adopted by the likes of Dunkin' Donuts and McDonalds. It's not an original position, but it works better for Burger King and its clientele than anywhere else I've seen.


Every customer who walked into the place in the half-hour I had to kill in Schererville was a blue-collar guy in torn jeans and steel-toed boots (except, conspicuously, for one woman in scrubs). They each stepped up, and took their choice of the decaf, normal, or turbo (so powerful it's available only behind the counter) varieties of hard-working Joe. They aren't looking for caramel in the morning, just a good kick in the ass. And apparently drinking bitter coffee just means you're hard. I thought the coffee sucked (though others would disagree with me on that point, it seems), but I'm a big fan of the marketing, and the niche they're serving. Far more convincing than "English, not Fritalian".

Here we go.

I'd been planning on starting a blog with which to chronicle all of my ad-related thoughts for awhile now, but as a part of my "do nothing until you get a job" plan, I hadn't allowed myself to make one. Or exercise.

I'll be aiming for once a weekday, but we'll see how that goes when I start working on all those days.

For now, let's just start with this:


I love this commercial, despite the celebrity endorsement. I think there are just few brands that can get away with it, but Element 79 leverages the increasingly popular celebrity-cameo-endorsement-by-association (somebody think up a better name) technique well for Gatorade. It's pretty entertaining, even if it smacks a little of Nike's Briscoe High Football effort from last summer.