Monday, September 12, 2005
Random Thoughts on Advertising
Sometimes I wonder what on earth the advertising consultant was thinking when they came up with a particular strategy ... and what on earth the company was thinking when they agreed to it.
For example, the latest Woolworths ad, where they are bragging about how there is only one Australian supplier of baby corn, and how they sell it (or something to that effect). We see the Woolworths spokesperson standing beside a weatherbeaten Aussie farmer, with his arm around him in a pally sort of way. The Aussie farmer then tells him to step back a bit because the spokesperson is making him uncomfortable. The overtones are blatantly homophobic. What a great idea for an ad!
Another favourite least-favourite ad of mine from times past is the "Fanta fizzed by Frank" ads, where they showed a large man (who'd clearly been drinking too much Fanta) in an orange and white bathing suit dive bombing into a huge vat of unfizzed Fanta syrup. Apparently this is what gave Fanta its bubbles.
WTF?! I for one don't like the idea of anyone, let alone Frank, swimming around in my softdrink, putting bubbles in it through what I can only assume is some sort of bean-assisted process of gas production.
I'll never drink Fanta again...
Ads I do like are the ones where the ad takes the piss out of the advertising process. A local example is the recent string of ads for a company called Carpet Court. Their logo is a jester's hat. The ad I am thinking of shows a very dorky looking guy with a nasal voice wearing the jester's hat - he starts his pitch with something along the lines of, "Hi, remember me? I'm the advertising gimmick that's here to tell you about Carpet Court's latest... " etc.
Other ads I approve of are those beer ads that make fun of beer ads. Quality stuff!
For example, the latest Woolworths ad, where they are bragging about how there is only one Australian supplier of baby corn, and how they sell it (or something to that effect). We see the Woolworths spokesperson standing beside a weatherbeaten Aussie farmer, with his arm around him in a pally sort of way. The Aussie farmer then tells him to step back a bit because the spokesperson is making him uncomfortable. The overtones are blatantly homophobic. What a great idea for an ad!
Another favourite least-favourite ad of mine from times past is the "Fanta fizzed by Frank" ads, where they showed a large man (who'd clearly been drinking too much Fanta) in an orange and white bathing suit dive bombing into a huge vat of unfizzed Fanta syrup. Apparently this is what gave Fanta its bubbles.
WTF?! I for one don't like the idea of anyone, let alone Frank, swimming around in my softdrink, putting bubbles in it through what I can only assume is some sort of bean-assisted process of gas production.
I'll never drink Fanta again...
Ads I do like are the ones where the ad takes the piss out of the advertising process. A local example is the recent string of ads for a company called Carpet Court. Their logo is a jester's hat. The ad I am thinking of shows a very dorky looking guy with a nasal voice wearing the jester's hat - he starts his pitch with something along the lines of, "Hi, remember me? I'm the advertising gimmick that's here to tell you about Carpet Court's latest... " etc.
Other ads I approve of are those beer ads that make fun of beer ads. Quality stuff!
// posted by Cass @ 9:20 PM 
