Ad Campaign Reviews

Okay, I watch a crap-ton of T.V. I can never find anything good, but I just can't turn it off. So much of it consist of the commercial that are on. As a result I have begun putting a lot of thought into the ad campaigns that are on.



First off, this Florida Organge Juice campaign has been catching my attention, mostly because they have been promoting the hell out of it on Comedy Central. It runs in like every of their prime time commercial blocks, and every time you try to watch an episode on the website it is preceded by a Florida Orange Juice commercial with an accompanying banner ad on the side.

What does this say? Company's advertise through mediums based on the demographics they attract. The ads show traditional family figures, but seem to be targeted at man-children and pot heads. Is it how it seems to be taking suburban lifestyle in humorous stride? I mean orange juice is really good for a hang over: hydration along with much needed vitamin C.



Next, this Dairy Queen campaign really bothers me on several levels. Not only is it a completely unoriginal repeat of the style made popular by Old Spice, but the spokesman has a mustache. Spokesman are NOT supposed to have mustaches!

Yes I realize that the Old Spice spokesman has a mustache, but he's black. I also realize that that last statement sounds kind of racist, but to be honest: marketing is kind of racist. It's not bigotry, but much of its focus is on understanding and playing of the symbols and icons subconciously understood by members of society. Visual aesthetic communicates thoughts and ideas to us, and, whether you want to be all high and mighty and deny it, that includes the color of a spokesperson's skin.

A mustache goatee thing on a black guy is a common image. It connotates a masculinity and stone cold coolness. In fact on some it just blank and irregular. Think about Samuel L. Jackson with a mustache... now without a mustache. Think about Dave Chappelle with a mustache... now without a mustache. Will Smith with a mustache... now without a mustache. Now again it's now universal. Just because someone is black does not mean they should have a mustache. Bill Cosby would look extremely weird with a mustache, but again it is ultimately about the persona you are trying to communicate.

With a white guy (and to getting back to my original point), it has a completely opposite effect. It comes off as though they are hiding something, or they are unkept or not clean; creepy in some cases. In fact this bring's me to this add:



Tell that it doesn't concern you that that man with the mustache is with a bunch of kids. Just something seems wrong with the situation. But seriously when you do sales they tell you to show up clean shaven, because that's one way people will assess if they can trust you. Television personality, like the type who are career talkshow folks (Seacrest, Philbin), don't have mustaches. News anchors don't have mustaches (the time of Ron Burgandy is long gone.



Now, after that very long, off color rant, I will try to keep this one short and PC. The significance of this commercial is that it is the first new ad campaign PepsiCo was come out with for just regular Pepsi in three years. Much of its marketing budget has been focused on new lines of its healthier drinks and Gatorades. This new campaign comes at a time when Pepsi slips third in national marketshare of carbonated beverages.

Arrest of Infamous Boston Mob Boss

Just after the takeout of Osama bin Laden, the FBI arrests another of their Top 10 Most Wanted. James "Whitey" Bugler was arrested yesterday at his home in Santa Monica, California, after at 16 year span of eluding authorities.

The 81-year-old Bugler once oversaw a major crime syndicate in Boston, and was the inspiration for Jack Nicholson's character in The Departed. Like in the movie, Bugler consolidated his power as an FBI informant using his connections to hand competitors and rivals over to the authorities, and was alleged to have been aided by former FBI contacts in his initial escape in January 1995.

Bugler was arrested along with his female companion Catherine Greig. The 16 year search reached on a worldwide scale including reported sightings in parts of Europe. Burgler was reported as a "sun-chancer" for his alledged preference for warm locales.

The FBI finally succeeded in locating the elusive Burgler after beginning a 30-second television spot campaign Monday that featured Greig in 14 major, southern markets on show popular with women of Greig's age. Reportedly the campaign all-in-all only cost around a mere $50,000.

Burglar had earned his position on the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted due to his alledged connection with 19 murders. A reward was offered up of $2 million for his capture. On Thursday Burglar is scheduled to appear before court to face federal charges of the 19 murders along with conspiracy to commit murder, narcotics distribution, extortion and money laundering.

New Cigarette Disclaimers

These are some of the new disclaimers the FDA is requiring cigarette companies to place on their packaging, and frankly I think it is bull shit.

I am not a smoker, but I am not a smoker because of my own decision. I have plenty of friends who are smokers; at parties I enjoying stepping outside occasionally to speak with the smokers, but I am not a smoker because of my own decision. So, as an individual free from bias, I would like to express that this anti-smoking has gone too far.

I personally cannot stand those pretentious a-holes who begin forcibly and loudly coughing should the slightest wiff of smoke wafted their delicate nostrils as a way of passive-aggressively voice their protest that someone might dare light a cigarette in their presence. That jerk is killing me. I have a right to be angry. REALLY!? You're 20-30 lbs. overweight with your cholesteral through the roof about to shovel a full pound, grease soaked cheeseburger into the bottomless pit you call a mouth and you're worried about a little smoke being hazardous for your health. Get over yourself.

The anti-smoking initiative has demonized smokers. They are regular working people not social deviants. They have made the most outlandish claims with the justification that discouragement of future smokers will redeem their grossly exaggerated statements. The most absurd and distasteful of their campaigns was following the 9/11 attack and claim the money spent on cigarettes was being funneled to the middle east to fund terrorism.

The issue is with the anti-smoking initiative carrying on this way they are doing exactly what they had initially begun criticizing the cigarette companies: manipulating information to brainwash the youth. Over the decades the anti-smoking initiative has succeeded in greatly restricting the abilities of cigarette companies from advertising in nearly every medium. The anti-smoking initiative had tried the hands of the cigarette companies behind their back and has now begun throwing cheap shots. These disclaims are absurd.

Ultimately of course it will prove to be unsuccessful. Some may stop smoking or be deterred, but ultimately smokings smoke with full knowledge that it is bad for their health. No matter what MTV campaigns the anti-smoking initiative runs, smoking will still be super cool. It just is. It has this nonchalant, I-don't-give-a-shit attitude. In fact, it is because smokers know that what they are doing will eventually kill them and they do it anyway, that it is cool. If anything all these adds will do is desensititize youth to the effects of smoking.

Norm Macdonald Sport Show Cancelled

This was a great show. I know this is a stupid thing to blog about, but it was and now it's been cut down in its prime. It already had established bits: What the H?; Wait, What?; Trash Talk.

This was Comedy Central's second attempt at a sports show. Last fall, Comedy Central unsuccessfully launched The Onion's Sports Dome. Apparently with Sports Show viewership had fallen below 1 million with the last few episodes. You have to start to wonder if the sports show format can work with Comdey Central's viewership. While their is some blending of demographics between ESPN and Comedy Central's viewership - they are both predominately men ages 16 to 35ish - there is a big difference between their most target viewer. ESPN you have this jockey, type-A guy probably working in corporate finance. Comedy Central you have this pot-smoking, type-B dude probably without a job at all.

Mostly I just feel bad for Norm Macdonald. This is his second failed attempt to launch a series on Comedy Central. He once had this late night variety half-hour/talk show, then Steveo from Jackass came on completely hammered and the whole thing was just this downhill train-wreck from there.

Dalls Maverick's Take It ALL!

WOW! The Dallas Mavericks are literally the dark horse that come out to beat the infamous dream team trio of the Miami Heat for the NBA finals.

Miami took the lead with the first games for wins. Then before anyone knew it the series was all tied up. Even then though it just seemed like a chance of luck; an off couple of nights for Lebron; home court advantage for Dallas; whatever. But then when it came to game 5 the results were clear: 105/95 Dallas.

This is HUGE mostly because of all of the hyped and controversy surrounding especially Lebron James but also to a good degree his teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Despite an excellent performance by the Heat, unfortunately anything short of an absolute success equates to an absolute failure.

Needless to say the people of Ohio, who Lebron had left for Miami, ruthlessly jumped on this event. The govenor of Ohio has apparently officially declared the day of game 5 to be Dallas Mavericks' Day.

Sarah Palin's Paul Revere Flub

Can we please stop giving this woman attention. Seriously, she is the Paris Hilton of politics. There is no reason to be giving this level of recognition to Palin or any level of recognition for that matter.

She clearly has no idea what she is talking about. We already that she is incapable of distinguishing between South Korea (our ally) and North Korea (home to a psychopathic miniature dictator who has threatened us with nuclear warfare). Now she has a complete ignorance for our most common of American folklore.

It's getting embarassing. The thought that people actually gather to hear her voice her opinion on the most complex of domestic and global issues is disturbing. That she is allowed to voice her opinion at on such matters is outstanding; the only upside being that it speaks to the profound integrity of our institution of the first admendment.

Pink Panthers Arrests

You know how you watch a movie about an epic heist and marvel are the glamor and adventure of the lives of the career criminals the story centers around, while at the same time that annoying little voice of practicality in the back of your mind reminds you that it's only Hollywood.

Well not this time! This time the story of international jewel theives dodging around Europe pulling off jobs worth millions of dollars is real (allegedly).

A suspected member of the group, Bojan Vuckovic, a 24 year-old Serbian, was grabbed by Interpol authorities while trying to cross the Montenegro/Serbia border.

All in a whole the Pink Panther gang is believed to be behind a series of high value jewel thefts with an estimated total worth of $327 million (250 million euros). Other suspects have been arrested in Cyprus, Monaco, and France.

Tech Companies' Emerging IPO

The web-based, music-provider Pandora, a site that offers users the ability to create radio stations personally tailored to their tastes, recently announced that they would be taking the company public. In addition the internet area-coupon provider, Groupon, has announced it too will soon be making its IPO. These offers following the tremendous success with Linkedin, the professional social networking site, in issuing their IPO.

These recent events along with the potential yet unrealized partnership of Goldman Sachs and Facebook, if I have to explain what that is you should not be using the internet, to circumvent SEC restrictions and raise funds have many speculating about the raise of another tech boom. This is of course is accompanied by speculation that we may see similar circumstance as to the popping of the 90's tech bubble.

However one cannot deny that many things have changed with the internet since the 90's; advances have been dramatic. We have since a remarkable increase in spend. Many young users now a days will have no memory of the dial-up internet making its connection. With reduced inconvenience comes reduced frustration and increased acceptance. Along with this internet use has become increasingly mobile. Nearly every cell phone - which almost nearly everyone has - today has access to the internet. Internet use has become a stable of everyday life.

So, while nothing rises forever, it might be fair say that this emerges of tech boom is one that will be a little longer lived.

(IMPORTANT - I am in no way offering investment advice. If you are basing you investment decisions on my writing her, that would be completely negligent on your part)