This is an odd spot for Old Navy, although somewhat entertaining in a mindless I don't have nearly enough sundresses kind of way. But, for some in the audience, it's also loaded. Nazneen Patel , writer and political provocateur, recognizes that "it's obnoxious and counterproductive to cry 'RACE' every time something like this makes an appearance. Yet, she can't help herself. Among the many vitriolic stereotypes …
Ads Not Nearly As Provocative As The Station’s Programming
Current TV's Vanguard programming tackles some tough subjects. In fact, as I write this, I'm watching a report on how the U.S. is already at war with Iran. Italian ad blogger, Flavia Brevi, tells us that out of home ads for the program have been banned from the Metro in Rome. Is the United States supporting terrorists? creative by cOOkies adv/Milan According to Brevi, ATAC, the association that manages the ad spaces …
Continue Reading about Ads Not Nearly As Provocative As The Station’s Programming →
Can You Be Anti-Branding And Pro-Sales At the Same Time?
Geoffrey James is a freelance writer and author. He used to sell expensive computer systems. Here's a small sample of his writing from BNET: I also believe that developing "Awareness, Interest, and Desire" (aka "Branding") inside B2B firms is mostly just an excuse to spend money. In fact, branding is overrated in B2C firms, too. Marketeers frequently cite examples, like Coke, where corporate branding appears to …
Continue Reading about Can You Be Anti-Branding And Pro-Sales At the Same Time? →
Shrivel Factor
As a maker of advertising, I've often had to confront the unsustainable mass consumption model my very existence, and the industry's, relies upon. I've used this site, as you may know, to share many of my reflections on the matter. Here's one from another source, Adweek's Brian Morrissey: What happens when we move beyond the mass consumerism that's propped up our economies for so long? For kicks, I often ask ad types …
Ubuntu Sounds Like “Up Yours” In Europe
The French are fun people. They make lovely wine and food, they climb mountains and frolic at the sea. But don't get on their bad side, because they're also a proud people and nationalistic, as well. For a variety of reasons, Microsoft, is on their bad side. Ashlee Vance of The New York Times writes: If the French National Assembly gets its way, the open-source Linux operating system will take over the governments of …
Continue Reading about Ubuntu Sounds Like “Up Yours” In Europe →
Overly Social Can Be Totally Annoying
Nathania Johnson at Search Engine Watch considers Fanboy's take on social media experts and how they're ruining his Twitter experience. Pinto is sitting at the popular kids table and the conversation is shallow. The most popular people on Twittter are determined by vain methods found on grading websites that use things like number of followers as a crucial factor of someone's Twitter power. I recommend sitting with …
Continue Reading about Overly Social Can Be Totally Annoying →
Corporate Messages Can Kiss Poster Boy’s Collective Ass
A totally made up phone conversation... Girlfriend #1: I met this fine guy at a party last night. He had his hoodie on most of the time, but I'm pretty sure he's smokin'. Girlfriend#2: Cool, what's he do? Girlfriend #1: He's a Culture Jammer! Girlfriend#2: Is that some kind of DJ? This is what it says on Poster Boy's Flickr page : "Poster Boy is many things, but is not one person. Poster Boy is not about subway …
Continue Reading about Corporate Messages Can Kiss Poster Boy’s Collective Ass →
What A Backache
There are times when a brand misses its cue. Sometimes it's worse than that. Sometimes the brand offends. That's what happened when Motrin (whose site is down at this time) ran an ad that offended, of all people, moms. You don't want to get moms mad. Look what happened to drunk drivers. Here's but one of many responses to the ad emerging from the ether: NOTE: YouTube user, instinctparenting, disabled the embed …
