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marketing
Harry Potter Does Not Get Its Romantic Ideals from Twilight, Thank You Very Much
Supernatural-obsessed youngsters are delicate creatures to cater to. Just ask the producers of Harry Potter and Twilight. The juggernauts often square off in ideological combat, but when it comes to their movies, they mostly stay far away from each other. More » -
Billy Mays
Dead Man Sells Adhesives
Billy Mays is dead, but his ghost will return to haunt your television until you order roll after roll of Mighty Tape, to quiet the bearded demon. It's what he would have wanted. More »
2,345
Comment by Awesome X: My favorite is when he dances with Bing Crosby. CGI, FTW. 3 Responses | Other threads
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advertising
Burger King Will Regret Posing Hindu Goddess on Ham Sandwich
Burger King is constantly getting tons of free publicity for its outrageous offensive (and wacky!) ads, which it sometimes apologizes for afterward. Could this be a purposeful strategy? Of course! But now they're fucking with the goddess Lakshmi. Bad move. More »
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Comment by aMagnificentBasterd: All Hindus are vegetarians? Who the hell is serving me the Pork Vindaloo? 8 Responses | Other threads
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champions
Marijuana Smoker Lands Fast Food Job
While you were all just hanging out last weekend swimming in a pool and smoking weed, Michael Phelps was being quietly reintroduced as a pitchman for Subway. More »
5,032
Comment by ithabeleng metesunyane: Jared (the guy who lost all the weight who is in all the Subway commercials) looks like he has put... 4 Responses | Other threads
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ethics
Washington Post Mistakenly Tells Truth About 'Sponsored' Media Events
The Washington Post sent a flier to DC corporate lobbyists and other scum offering them an exclusive, schmoozy dinner with political officials and Post reporters for only $25,000. Now they're disavowing it! Come now. They were just too honest. More »
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Comment by CountryClubRepublican: I don't care how one rationalizes it: selling access to government officials, lawmakers, and a newspaper's reporters and editors is... 1 Responses | Other threads
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marketing
Teens Flock to Denny's for Inexplicable Dork Band Promotion
Hey, kids: We've noticed you all aren't hanging out at Denny's all night as much as you used to. Denny's wants you back, teenage vagrants! Come meet your "cool" bands, at Denny's! Like Rascal Flatts. You kids like that, eh?? More »
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Comment by Richard Lawson: Who Will Save Your Fillet of Sole? Foolish Game Hens? These Hams? 24 Responses | Other threads
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branding
Consultant Somewhere Fired
What to call the Nigerian joint venture with Russia's Gazprom, hmmm? Hmm. "Nigaz." That's an even worse faux pas than Gazprom's Ukrainian joint venture, "VladimirPutinIsAnEvilFucker." [Post your own joint ventures in the comments!]
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Comment by TableNine: I heard Sharpie is issuing a ladies-only line of markers.... 10 Responses | Other threads
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product placement
How Are We Tricking Kids Into Using Condoms Today?
Condoms: Are teenagers sufficiently aware of their existence? Despite being the subject of the world's highest number of bizarre ads, you can never be too sure. The newest ways to corrupt kids' minds, sexually: direct mail, and Leighton Meester videos. More »
4,710
Comment by Wrapitup: The larger question is why don't the kids already want to use condoms? If the answer is that parents don't... 17 Responses | Other threads
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America the dumb
All Food Ads Now Hardcore Porn
Burger King is selling sandwiches with blowjobs. Various female sex symbols orgasmically consume burgers in TV ads. What next? Hardee's asks you to "Name our Holes." Hardee's executives love to fuck biscuit dough. More »
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Comment by Martiniman: Enough already, what we really want is the Wendy and the King sex tape to be released! Don't worry she's... 11 Responses | Other threads
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fandom
Barack Bobbleheads Don't Go Over Well in Brooklyn
Last night the Brooklyn Cyclones, a minor league affiliate of the New York Mets, transformed into the "Baracklyn Cyclones" to honor Barack Obama in "a night of patriotic partying at the ballpark." Some Cyclone fans were not pleased. More »
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Comment by Ohcaptainmycaptain: Obama-worship is creepy. Can't we limit it to the media? 3 Responses | Other threads
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advertising
World's Cleverest Ad Campaign Is Big Failure
Sometimes a worthless "consumer" will see some very strategic high-concept ad that involves, say, a subservient chicken, and innocently ask, "How does that sell burgers?" And then the creative ad execs will chuckle at this un-strategic dunce, their target audience. More »
23,080
Comment by Wrapitup: The very thought of waking up suddenly in the middle of the night to see a guy next to me,... 7 Responses | Other threads
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branding
Maxim Sure One of These Spinoffs Will Work
Maxim recently folded its UK print version, and it's facing the horrific specter of a world with no cigarette ads. Times are tough. So they're coming out with yet another brand spinoff! It's a full-blown trend now: More »
3,233
Comment by Smitros: Sponsors for the TV show 1. Vaseline2. Wesson3. Johnson's Baby Oil4. Jergens 1 Responses | Other threads
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marketing
Is It Worth Keeping Kids Away From Cigarettes If It Means Less Money For Maxim?
Last week, the federal government passed a bill that lets the FDA essentially control everything about how cigarettes are advertised and marketed. New restrictions could save thousands of lives. But wait, this could hurt magazines! Stop everything! More »
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Comment by irishflyesq: Yes, because Joe Camel put a cigarette in every teen's mouth. I am so tired of the media/advertising being blamed for... 5 Responses | Other threads
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journalismism
Bloomberg Brags About Lamest 'Scoop' Ever
Bloomberg's been bragging it suddenly tripled its number of scoops in the first quarter. How did the financial wire do it? A company mole forwarded along one particularly egregious example. More »
4,171
By Ryan TateComment by soonbanned: People who've never worked at Bloomberg don't understand how insular the company is. If it's anything that's not financial news,... more » | Other threads
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kids these days
Hipster Crib Is a Cardboard Box
If you're going to spend $255 on crib for your spawn, you might as well do it ironically, right?
More »
18,374
Comment by iplaudius: And what happens to the cardboard when baby piss and shits gets all into it? 10 Responses | Other threads
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advertising
Hippie Movement's Final Outcome: Diaper Branding Campaigns
Maybe the iconic imagery of the '60s meant something in its own time, but today it's solely used as a nostalgia trigger to lure aging Baby Boomers into purchasing crap from massive corporations. Shut up and buy, you old hippies. More »
2,184
Comment by Dickdogfood: Methinks the boomers aren't the target demo for the Luvs commercials--aren't they now far too old to have children, and... 2 Responses | Other threads
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what
Okay, 'It's Hammertime'
If you haven't already watched this video (ad, really) of a mob of golden-panted dancers flooding into a clothing store, unannounced, and performing the Hammer dance to "U Can't Touch This," what exactly are you doing on the internet?
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Comment by dolemite1975: + Watch video This is so much friggin' better. Sheesh. 5 Responses | Other threads
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advertising
Breakthrough Beer Ad Uses Awkwardness of Purchasing Porn for Comedic Effect
This sexuadvertisingly-transmitted viral has been going around quietly for a while but we haven't seen it since we're not beer-guzzling porn freaks (professionally). We're sad to admit that this vibrator-featuring Bud Light ad is amusing on its own merits: More »
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Comment by saythatsfuckingcool: Ths d dmnstrts th clstls' bsssn wth mrtl ds. Th Flshlght s lk thrd hnd fr ths fckng dgtrs. ... 11 Responses | Other threads
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finally
Nate Silver Moves On to the Real Issues
Politiconumerical nerd-guru Nate Silver is totally in the tank for Peet's Coffee, and uses his statistical wizardry to imply it's better than Starbucks. But is it better than McCafé? This marketing crap is your future, Nate Silver. Drink up.
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Comment by dado: I'm quite certain my life was better before I knew what a macchiato was. 6 Responses | Other threads
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Yuppie Wars
McDonald's Sucks Starbucks' Lifeblood
McDonald's is trying to take advantage of the recession to crush Starbucks by flooding America with cheap, faux-fancy McCafé coffeé. Despité the nation's most annoyingé ad campaigné, McD's is winning the battle for the (formerly) yuppié soul: More »
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Comment by Stacy Davis: I've had three friends laid off from Starbucks in the last couple months. In Seattle they are a major employer,... 7 Responses | Other threads
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corporate america
Starbucks Robot Martian Commenter Approves
Why did Starbucks decide to sponsor MSNBC's Morning Joe? To "promote its ethical commitments." Whatever that bullshit means. One human-like online Starbucks advocate supports them strongly!: More »
1,672
Comment by Fry_Bread_Power: I hate it when doctors order healthy interaction with other people. 2 Responses | Other threads
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advertising
Bing Will Annoy You Into Submission
Microsoft's new search-dealie "Bing" is going up against The Google, which is hard! Fortunately, Bing's marketing wizards have devised the world's most annoying ways to promote it. (*Bing* sound)! More »
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Comment by Kid Twist: Microsoft has a history of annoying marketing startegies and devices. Like that goddamn paperclip from a few years ago. 2 Responses | Other threads
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Shut Up, Twitter
Science Confirms: Twitter Dominated by Self-Obsessed Dudes
Harvard has looked at the data and two studies have reached an unavoidable conclusion: Self-absorbed loudmouth guys have overrun Twitter like no other place on the internet. You probably figured. But now there are numbers. More »
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By Ryan TateComment by blogissuchanuglyword: Apropos of not much, but I can't believe people actually Twitter. Like, that they sit there and think "Ohhh, shit... 6 Responses | Other threads
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then and now
When Only Shameless Appeals to Commerce Could Sell Disinterested Corporations on the African-American Market
Look, this is the business card of what we would call an "Urban Marketing Agency," from back in the olden days. Oh, the shamelessness! Luckily we have made much progress since then: More »
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Comment by wasurhandle: Does the 24 Million "AFRICAN AMERICANS" include those who don't use all caps when describing themselves? Of course this probably... 1 Responses | Other threads
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advice
Naming NYC's Parks For
New York City, which is broke, of course, is selling off naming rights for its city parks. For mere millions! Using sociogeographical insight and imaginary marketing expertise, we have compiled a list of exactly who should buy these rights for a half-dozen parks. Read it and argue: More »Fun andProfit
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Comment by DennyCrane: Madison Square Park presented by Shake Shack. 2 Responses | Other threads
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oops
American Girl Doll Is Anarcho-Hippie Terrorista!
When the American Girl corporation had to pick a name for its new Jewish Girl doll, they went with: "The name of an Earth Liberation Front enviro-terrorist arsonist wanted by the FBI." Hey, that's racist. More »
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Comment by BookishLookish: Hmm. Put some granny glasses on that doll and she looks a lot like Emma Goldman, who is in my... 3 Responses | Other threads
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marketing
Stupid Americans Eat Grape Nuts
What is a Grape Nut? "Carin Gendell, who was its senior brand manager in the 1980s, remembers how her staff described it. 'Grape Nuts,' she says, 'was people eating advertising.'" Grape Nuts are made out of lies! More »
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Comment by Spirit Fingers: Seriously though, I've never been able to buy these cereals or look at anyone in the store with them in... 6 Responses | Other threads
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It's a test
'Dude, I Got It. The Name!'
Pussy™ Energy Drink: "Pussy is a 100% natural drink. No nasty chemicals and nothing manufactured."Pussy is Jonnie Shearer's vision. He set up from his bedroom at 21 and launched in June 2004." You can't go wrong, copywriting-wise. Pussy's not available in America, sadly. [Here, via Copyranter]
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Comment by AcerbaFemina: I think there is a major flaw in their product naming logic. It has been my experience that once... 7 Responses | Other threads
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advertising
Let's All Dwell on The Great Depression
How to reassure scared consumers that they can afford to spend their precious pennies on your crappy product? By relentlessly bombarding them with images of the Great Depression! It sells ads, at least: More »
1,669
Comment by DennyCrane: "Those comparisons are much on the minds of consumers ... " BULLSHIT BULLSHIT BULLSHIT A THOUSAND TIMES BULLSHIT. more » | Other threads
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The hipster demographic
Vice Sells Out Un-Ironically
Vice Magazine is trying to be the coolest magazine in the world and, simultaneously, the biggest bunch of sellouts ever to walk the streets of Williamsburg, in an effort to see if it's actually possible to bend over backwards far enough to give a blowjob to oneself. More »
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Comment by Hamilton Nolan: @boozeshaman: @Mount_Prion: C.U.C.A.R.A.C.H.A.: I don't write the ad copy. There's the difference. 8 Responses | Other threads
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advertising
Procter & Gamble Instructs You How to Shave Your Balls
If more dudes shaved their balls, that's like, thousands more razors they can sell every year. Every little bit helps. [via Adfreak]
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Comment by Mama Penguino: Guys, please do not fall for this! I know I'm just one woman, but please -- please! -- just stay... 9 Responses | Other threads
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marketing
Levi's Grows Ever More Gay
If you don't follow the denim industry closely you could be forgiven for thinking that world has gone crazy. Levi's, the Americanest jeans you can possibly buy without a flag sewn on them somewhere, is publicly endorsing gay marriage. The gays have literally wrapped themselves around George W. Bush's butt! More »
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Comment by Heywoodjablome: Scanning this headline quickly, I thought this was another fun story about Bristol Palin's baby daddy... 9 Responses | Other threads
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polls
America's Greatest Wish: Eat Chicken With The Pretty TV Lady
Like hostages whose will for freedom has been completely sapped, slack-jawed Americans aspire only to befriend vapid, idolized television personalities while downing grease-laden comfort food, a new poll has confirmed: More »
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Comment by TheHonJudgeSmails: Also, 67% of Americans would like to jam with John Mayer, as opposed to 18% with Jimi Hendrix and 15%... 10 Responses | Other threads
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flackery
Julia Allison's Shill-erific Sea World Adventure
Julia Allison was paid in cash to blog about her trip Sea World, the "lifecasting" celebrity wannabe has belatedly disclosed. So how have the first few days of the trip gone? Allison, who announced her trip with five exclamation marks, seems belatedly conflicted. More »
8,760
By Ryan TateComment by Uncle_Billy_Slumming: Who is the lady in the middle in black and white? She's like the queen of the photo. 5 Responses | Other threads
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Shiny plastic amusements
God Damn Tourists Love God Damn Billboard
Patriotic McDonald's helps us win the Revolutionary War by installing a billboard in London's Picadilly Circus that no fucking tourist can resist posing in front of for inane pictures, which just makes you want to assault them. If this were in Times Square there would be tourist murders daily. [Adfreak]
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Comment by BookishLookish: Mr. Bookish L. calls these the "woo people," because they are always yelling woo! when they are having their fun. I... 7 Responses | Other threads
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Douche totems
Dude There's This Axe Body Spray Club in The Hamptons With So Many Sluts, I Swear
Haha, we know exactly what to make of this: Axe Body Spray is sponsoring a nightclub in the Hamptons for the whole summer. Brah: More »
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Comment by restless: Axe is the new Drakkar Noir. Back in the day, that was the eau de choice for douchebags. 7 Responses | Other threads
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exclusive
ABC Internal Video Teaches Us How to Market The Smoking Clown
ABC's marketing department is so hardcore that they will get Mickey Mouse to hand out cigarettes to children if that's what it takes to get people to watch their crappy shows! More » -
product placement
NBC's Chuck Exists Only to Sell Subway Sandwiches
Last month NBC's Chuck had that Subway sandwich product placement that was so laughably flagrant we thought, "This will surely hurt the credibility of NBC's 'Chuck!'" How young and naive we were. Turns out that that Subway deal is literally the only reason that Chuck still exists: More » -
the good old days
Twitter's Not Hip Hop
Shoot. I remember when all it took to promote an Eminem album was a battle against five wack MCs. And lots of drugs. [Ad Age] -
badvertising
Dell Discovers Ladies Use Computers For More Than Diet Tips
In response to widespread internet backlash, Dell has revised "Della," its website marketing netbooks to women, purging it of references to calorie counting and shopping. [Jezebel]
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By MargaretComment by baraqiel: Yeah, up until recently, Dell computers were a piece of shit. And I'm not convinced they've gotten a ton... 22 Responses | Other threads
marketing
New York, 7:55 PM
Sat Jul 11
16 posts in the last 24 hours
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