December 2013 – Ad Man in Waiting

WTF advert of the day from Thailand.

Japan hasn’t entirely cornered the market on crazy, those typically sentimental Thais can also whip out the whacky. Wtf, indeed.

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

The dilemma of many a writer, particularly those of us in advertising.

Advertising, for the most part, is ‘lying’ – there are very few whole truths in most anything we say. If we were to be upfront about every product or brand we spruiked for, consumers would run the other way. But, by the same token, when we merely ‘bend the truth’ in a way that is as deceptive as it is honest, consumers respond with open hearts and open wallets. In the end, the best truths are those that earn that degree of trust that allows you to sell your way into their heart. Just remember, those who say we do not lie or manipulate are lying to themselves, and you.

giveablogabone:

Tide – Wishing you a white christmas

I much prefer this corny yuletide effort over any outright schmaltz (I’m looking at your Apple).

It’s laden with more cheese and corn than most can tolerate, but it still exudes enough charm to work wonders on passersby; such wordplay is what copywriters live for.

Is this Apple Christmas ad as contrived as it seems or am I truly that much of a heartless cynic? In all honesty, most if not all under 30s glued to their phones, iPhone or otherwise, will not be secretly capturing precious memories to share with the family at holiday’s end.

Bah humbug.

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

Marketing and advertising cannot exist without ‘problems’ whether they be real or irrational; we go so far as to create problems where there are none in order to drive demand, transforming half hearted wants into fervent needs. In turn, this has also lead to the increasing need for brands to have ‘meaning’, or some semblance of, to ensure that consumers feel a “connection” with the brand when their “problem” is solved. It’s a cycle that is as essential as it is vicious and is likely not to end any time soon.

This makes me think about brands and brand lines, those quips and slogans that define a brand for a time or forever. Not everyone brand can have a “Just Do It” because sometimes life happens, and meanings change; just look at Apple and “Think Different”, a slogan that is now loaded with an abundance of unwanted irony given their current unrelenting ubiquity and mainstream cool. Between these two, it’s a matter of being a brand of your word, of sticking to your guns, or maybe it’s just chance. In the end the question you should be asking is, is your brand multidimensional or is it a one trick pony reliant on a single fad that has long since reach its used by date?

It doesn’t surprise me to see such an innovative approach to print advertising be used for what is essentially a Google product. This is a great way to breathe new life into what many see as an overly tired and static medium (not me, I love print).

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)