So I was going to start this Monday morning off with a good old fashioned rant about the Superbowl ads that ran last night, but it turns out someone already did it for me. Over at the Denver Egotist there’s a great post called “Superbowl Ads Can Go Suck a Tailpipe,” and you should just go read that, because it says everything there is to say.
As the [unattributed] author points out, the Superbowl ads are “not advertising. In fact, they’re a freak show of advertising.” Most weren’t truly creative in any way, and the spots that were stood out on their own merit (we’re talking to you, Google). But the good ones were few and far between, and the over-the-top stunt advertising feels tired and overdone (bravo, Pepsi, for bowing out this year).
Oh well. At least the game was good. And The Who (or, the surviving members, anyway) may be old, but they pulled out a rocking performance (with the help of a few whippersnappers and a totally insane light show).
Happy Monday, folks! Mashable has all the ads, if you’re looking to check ‘em out…
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Tags: ads, marketing, advertising, Superbowl XXLIV, 40, 2010, Google, Hyundai, Pepsi, Coca Cola, GoDaddy, ETrade, The Who, Colts, Saints
Sometimes you just need a good dose of Kirk to jumpstart your Monday afternoon.
In this long lost video from 1983, the “distinguished actor William Shatner” (as he is called in his introduction here) recites Poe’s classic “The Raven.”
Is it campy, overwrought melodrama? Of course. That’s what makes it fantastic.
When I saw this, I wondered aloud, “Why the hell does he have a book tucked under his arm if he has the piece memorized?” My girlfriend promptly yelled from the next room, “Because he’s William F—ing Shatner, he can do whatever he wants!”
Then I posed a followup question: “So, whaddaya think; will this man ever be called a ‘distinguished actor’ again..?”
Quoth my girlfriend: “Nevermore.”
Via Vulture.
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Tags: 1980s, edgar allen poe, funny, kirk, ridiculous, star trek, the raven, william shatner
Why I won’t be buying an iPad
Since the release of Apple’s much anticipated tablet device yesterday, the web has fallen all over itself with predictions, implications, praise and derision. Many have said that it is trying to carve out a new space between smartphone and laptop, and most are complaining of the device’s shortcomings – no flash, no camera, no multitasking, etc. But as Stan Schroeder pointed out in a great post on Mashable this morning, these omissions were no accident.
The point of this device is not to give you a bigger iPhone, or a sleeker laptop. It is a media consuming gadget, and after you’ve dropped five to eight hundred bones on it, and you’ve got your AT&T data plan, then come the paid magazine subscriptions, video channels, e-books and other iTunes-esque purchases required to use this thing.
I don’t know about you, but as much as I would like to tote around a sleek new Apple gadget so I can watch episodes of Lost and read Maxim, who has the time or opportunity? I’ve got a couple games on my iPhone to keep me busy at the bus stop, and when I have time to watch TV, I do it at home, on my computer or television (speaking of which, when is the industry going to step up the union of similar devices instead of creating unnecessary in-betweens?). If I wanted to read books on a screen (which I don’t), I’d buy an e-reader that’s not as harsh on my eyes as every other device in my life. And I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there’s a way to read newspapers and magazines in full color and clarity without all that annoying pinching and tapping.
So, in summation: Apple has created a device that is less portable than a smartphone, does less (way less) than a laptop, can’t run multiple applications at once, has a closed development platform, no USB, no flash, no camera, no stand, and is likely to charge you for content every time you want to consume it (which appears to be the main thing it was designed for).
Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Hell, if on-the-go media consumption is your thing, spend away, my friend.
Me, I think I’ll pass…
Filed under: Fun Marketing Blogs | 4 Comments
Tags: apple, hype, iBook, iMac, ipad, iPhone, iPod, iTunes, laptop, macbook, marketing, media, review, smartphone, specs, steve jobs, tablet
Cheers to that
A few years ago I blogged about a study done in Italy that claimed cell phones were responsible for nine out of ten discovered affairs in that country. The kicker was, the firm that did the study went so far as to release a list of “Golden Rules for Cheating,” in case these adulterers wanted to get better at covering their tracks.
This is almost as bad as that.
In the video below, you’ll see Saatchi & Saatchi/Buenos Aires (on behalf of their client, Andes beer) making some wild generalizations about boyfriends wanting to be at bars with their buddies, and girlfriends wanting them to be at home. What they cooked up is so ridiculous you will think it must be fake: a soundproof booth installed in local clubs that allows men, when their cell phone starts ringing, to duck in, select a background sound, and lie to their girlfriends about where they are.
Brilliant, right?
Oh, and sexist and deceitful. On the other hand, maybe Saatchi’s market research suggests that Andes’ target customers are mostly sexist and deceitful. Hell, they must have done something right, because guys actually used these things. They used them a lot.
So Andes got all sorts of publicity for a unique approach, not to mention a ton of grainy black & white video of the guys lying to their girlfriends, which they can use as A) free advertising or B) blackmail. So who really gets hurt?
Oh, right, the girlfriends. But they probably drink wine or something.
(This dude probably has the iTrust app, too.)
Via Digital Buzz.
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Tags: advertising, andes, argentina, beer, boyfriend, buenos aires, cheating, girlfriend, lying, marketing, men and women, saatchi & saatchi, viral
Fairpoint’s freakish furby
Fairpoint has a campaign out now wherein the word “bundle” (as in your cable TV, internet and phone bill) becomes personified by an adorable little creature that customers evidently just love having in their homes.
Except that the little critter is an unholy abomination, and we don’t trust it for a second. Don’t let that evil little furby near your chopping knife, argyle sweater man! No good can come from it!
Being from Vermont, we can say that around these parts, Fairpoint has some serious brand image issues to sort out. Last year major technical problems caused a tidal wave of complaints from customers. And then the regulators came in. And then, rumors of a possible bankruptcy.
And with recent revelations that Burlington Telecom dipped into the city coffers to the tune of $17M, (results of that report apparently forthcoming) we seem to be having some serious communications breakdowns in our little corner of the country these days.
Oh well. At least we’ve finally got 3G.
Point is, if you’re trying to get back into the good graces of the public in New England, maybe this spot isn’t the best use of your dough. We know it’s supposed to be cute-weird, but it’s actually more weird-scary-dumb. How about you stick to fixing your service problems before you try to get precious with us, hm?
Via AdFreak.
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Tags: bankruptcy, budget, cable, cell, communications, Fairpoint, internet, ISP, New England, New Hampshire, phone, problems, regulators, service, TV, Verizon, vermont
I guess they chose the name “iTrust” because “iHaveNoTrust” wasn’t as catchy…
So, let’s assume for the moment you’re extremely mistrustful of your significant other. But to put a passcode on your phone would be tantamount to advertising that fact. Now there’s a handy little app that not only tricks your partner into thinking your phone is frozen, but tracks their every move when attempting to snoop on your phone.
Okay, so if they’re smart they’ll push the home button and the app will close out, but not before you’ve recorded their attempts to mash a few buttons.
Then, it’s as simple as confronting the person, explaining that you’ve downloaded an app to confirm your suspicions about that person messing around on your phone, and then engaging in a knock-down, drag-out fight about how insulting it is to each of you that neither person trusts each other.
What fun!
The whole concept feels a little like entrapment to me. On the other hand, if they’re snooping, I suppose they deserve it, right?
On the other hand (yes, this person has three hands), if you need this app, maybe you need to reevaluate your dating criteria. Or at least keep incriminating data off your phone altogether.
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Tags: app, boyfriend, catching, cheating, girlfriend, husband, iPhone, relationships, snooping, spouses, technology, tracking, wife
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Market This! is a blog about cool stuff in the worlds of marketing and popular culture. It is written (mostly) by Nathan Hartswick, co-founder of the virtually-based marketing firm Asgood & Better.
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Recent Entries
- Superbowl ads feel older than The Who
- The Shat will brighten your Monday
- Why I won’t be buying an iPad
- Cheers to that
- Fairpoint’s freakish furby
- Distrustful person? Untrustworthy partner? There’s an app for that.
- Cell phone projectors: cool or annoying?
- PUMA has a bit of fun
- Will animation detract from or add to the Ricky Gervais Show?
- A&B enters into a WinWin situation
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