All entries for the month of March, 2009.
We like these ‘Don’t Let Your Hero Down’ ads for paysafecard done by TRAKTOR Wien, Vienna for one reason: They’re just so much fun to look at.
Granted, the reminder that paysafecard is ‘the easiest way to pay for online-games’ doesn’t really explain why these characters are stuck working menial jobs, but we love the heroic resignation on their faces.
That’s our take. What’s yours?
We don’t think we’re being picayune here. These ads for Honda seem really out of step with the times, especially for a brand that’s worked hard to tout its environmental leadership (remember Honda’s ‘environmentology’?). Honda shouldn’t be encouraging us to jump in our cars and drive for every l’il thing when we’re working hard to change an addiction to that very uneconomical culture of driving.
Seems to us the agency came upon a nifty little word play with CR-V becoming CRAVE and that struck all as a wonderful organizing thought. But why would Honda and agency elect to contradict the brand’s smart consumerism and responsible environmental position by urging folks to drive, drive, drive? From our POV, a super bad choice.
That’s our take. What’s yours?
We uncovered this ad for FiveSatar ranges in our archives. After our initial freak, we wondered if it was meant to be a chilling reminder, or worse, a parody. Check out the bones protruding from the backs of the famished creatures closest to the bottom.
Whatever the intention, our take is it’s downright creepy as hell. What’s yours?
Seriously. A bag of rice. The only link whatsoever to the visual: The word ‘arrived’.
In this video for Arby’s an artist paints the Mona Lisa with burger grease. The implication is that Arby’s roast beef has a lot less fat than burgers.
So we did a quick comparison off the Arby’s and McDonald’s nutrition sites and found something we’re sure the agency already knows.
Two plain McDonald’s burgers (the kind shown in the spot), weighing 200 grams, have 18 total grams of fat. In comparison, the Arby’s medium roast beef weighing 210 grams, has 21 grams of fat!
Arby’s roast beef may be processed so its fat doesn’t leach onto canvas like burgers do. But the clear implication is that less grease = less fat. This is the kind of inauthentic execution that turns advertisers into hucksters. Shame on agency Fletcher Martin. They should know better.
That’s our take. What’s yours?
This ad for V8 juice is perplexing. Not to mention ridiculously midleading.
It features a 72 year old who climbed Mt. Everest back in 2001. Healthy, yes. Someone to admire, for sure. But outside of paying to use his image, Campbell’s offers up no relationship whatsoever between Dr. Sherman Bull and V8. No testimonial that he drank V8 during his summit, or that it played a role in his training. Nothing. Just a vague non-promise that V8 ‘can help reduce the health risks that come your way.’ That’s it?
What about the Dr.? Campbell’s doesnt even try to make a link! In fact, the ad all but admits Dr. Bull had nothing to do with V8 by signing off with the tag line ‘Could’ve had a V8′. Could have. But… he didn’t?
That’s our take. What’s yours?
Given the current climate, we think this ad for Visa strikes a remarkably wrong tone. Granted, the Black Card is for the hyper-wealthy, but even they’re cutting back on jet-share hours.
The ad informs us that the card is made with carbon graphite, which helps make it the ultimate buying tool. Why this is so, and why carbon graphite is supposed to be such a huge La-De-Da! they don’t explain. But they do go on to entice the elite with ‘luxury gifts from some of the world’s top brands.’ A change purse from Louis Vuitton, just what the wealthy want these days!
To us, this ad makes Visa seem out of touch in just about every way imaginable, particularly in the eyes of the wretched slobs who are still stuck carrying around their plain ol’ plastic ones. That’s our take, what’s yours?
We love this newest ad for Mount Sinai hospital done by DeVito/Verdi. It’s sweet and simple, and the work of Rich Singer and Dan Treichel. That’s it. We love it.
This one’s a classic. We’ve been showing it to ad students since it first ran and no one’s ever guessed it (if you’re one of them, please keep this to yourself). Sorry, we can’t give you any copy clues. You’ll see why when we reveal the product next Tuesday.
What product? Take your best guess (and use the opposite of your intuition):
What’s this an ad for? Go ahead, take your wildest guess…