Chimp Disappears but Still Sells Dodge
A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Mannequin American
"People do not buy what they do not know about. That's why companies use marketing. At least the smart ones do."
Chip Martin, Marketing Guru
Dodge Makes a Chimp Disappear
Now this is really funny. From AdFreak: At first I was very disappointed that Dodge caved in to PETA's complaints and altered its 24 second commercial in which a chimp in an Evel Knievel costume detonates a bunch of confetti. Monkeys historically help to make commercials entertaining and that's what this chimp did. I mean, look at the picture above. It's funny.
But when I saw how Dodge altered their commercial ... it was even funnier. And they "stiffed" PETA in a manner that can't legitimately be objected to.
Check out the original version here and the revised version here. Seriously, it's worth a view (Dale's daughter says, "It's awesome.") Read more of the back-story at the Los Angeles Times.
Best Store Display ... Ever
If you've ever wondered what Super Mario would look like constructed from roughly 300 cases of soda pop, wonder no longer. This may start a whole new trend in in-store displays.
At least I hope it does.
One Mad Men Sponsor Gets It
I'm a fan of Mad Men. But I'm constantly perplex as to why more sponsors of that Emmy Award-winning program don't create better commercials that take advantage of the show's premise, and thus become more memorable and effective.
Unilever seems to be the only company that gets is. Six Mad Men-style commercials have been created for Unilever products to air during Mad Men this season. These unique vignettes feature a fictional advertising agency, Smith Winter Mitchell, to promote Dove, Breyers, Hellman's, Klondike, Suave and Vaseline.
The commercials are brilliant and mesh so well with the show that some viewers may think they're part of the plot. Click here to view the special 30 second Hellmann's ad and you'll see why I like the concept. As I said, "Brilliant."
Who Do We Blame?
We apparently don't already know that McDonald's and other fast foods aren't good for us. So a non-profit physicians' group in Washington, D.C. which pushes a vegetarian agenda, has funded an ad that directly links McDonald's to heart disease.
Click here to see the commercial that aired during The Daily Show and local news broadcasts yesterday. It features a corpse in a morgue. The dead guy is holding on to what appears to be a half-eaten Big Mac. McDonald's famous golden arches are then superimposed over an image of the dead man's feet with the words "I was lovin' it" replacing the McD's "I'm lovin' it" slogan.
Seems a bit unfair to single out and target Mc Donald's. No one forces McDonald's to build and operate all of those Ronald McDonald Houses all over the country ... benefiting thousands of families. And no one forces the rest of us to stuff our faces with Big Macs. McDonald's is not the problem. The problem is an inability to accept or recognize individual responsibility. It's just easier to blame someone else versus putting the responsibility where it belongs ... on individuals.
Are All Magazines Starting to Look Alike?
Is it just me or does it seem that magazines have reached the point where all publications are emulating Maxim and Playboy with sexy young women exposing themselves on the covers to attract consumers' attention? (And for the record, I'm not complaining.)
In any event, according to Ad Age it's not working. Total combined subscription and single copy U.S. magazine sales in 2009 were down 6 percent from 2008, and at their lowest level since 1985, according to Magazine Publishers Association figures.
Print Ads that Caught My Glass Eyes
Via CopyRanter: With the clever tag line, "We don't judge. We frame." this campaign for Miami frame shop "Frame On Wheels" has potential. But they should use more bizarre portraits to get attention. And I'm not a fan of "wood" frames. My uncle was framed. Actually, he was a frame.
You Won't Believe This
The next time you're waiting in an airport security line, asking yourself, "Where do they find these TSA people?" here's the answer.
Apparently the TSA is hiring, so they needed to advertise. Anyone who knows anything about advertising knows that the goal is to get the right message to the right audience. The TSA thought that the best way to reach the best and brightest candidates would be to place ads on ... wait for it ... the top of pizzas boxes. (Thoughtful pause...)
Apparently their ideal employee is someone who is too lazy to leave the house to get food. Are they trying to attract fat, pale slobs that do nothing but sit on their bean bags and play video games all day? There's a reason the FBI, CIA, etc. do not put job postings in dumpsters or strip clubs. But it seems that the TSA is going for the lowest common denominator. Scary to think that that's exactly what they're going to get.
Fishing Retailer Makes Pitch With Man-Babies
From AdFreak: I typically don't like babies because they're needy, wrinkled, self-fouling whiners who cry a lot. (I dislike old people for the same reasons.)That means I have two reasons to dislike this Okuma "Born to fish" campaign which disturbingly combines tykes and coots. The tagline simply reads: "Okuma. Kiwi for fishing." Did I mention that I don't like fishing either?
Sign of the Day
As kids head back to "school" this highway caution sign gave me reason to smile. I think the government employee who painted the sign needs to be sent back a grade.
Introducing the Beer Popsicle
Beat the heat with this cheap and cool treat, the beer popsicle. The Diablo Royale Este saloon in New York takes a Tecate beer, injects it with simple syrup and lime juice, then jams a wooden stick in the can hole and freezes it. Four days later, they pull it out and saw it open with a serrated steak knife. Sounds awesome! Introducing the Beer Popsicle [Urban Daddy]
