Please Fence US In

MayorBob.

Posted to Etcetera on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 06:48:21 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

Some claim that strong fences make good neighbors. As you read this work continues apace to build a good fence system to separate the US from Mexico. Whether that will make for better neighbors is moot but as work progresses in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas a question does arise - can it possibly be completed without hiring those it's intended to keep out?

(31 comments, 529 words in story) Full Story

Absolutly Outrageous!

MayorBob.

Posted to Media on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 09:54:43 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

One of the main purposes of advertising is to gain name recognition.  You can accomplish that by waxing eloquent about your product's excellent quality.  Or you can connect your product with the life style you want your product to be connected with.  Or you can get away from the product entirely, opting to say "I'm hip and irreverent and ever so slightly obnoxious" and appeal to the hip and irreverent crowd.  The first two ways of shilling are straight from the Advertising 101 text book.  The latter way of doing is potentially hazardous in that you might offend enough people that your campaign generates more of a WTF response than a willingness to sample the brand.  Then there's the surefire turnoff demonstrated by a certain Swedish vodka company.

(37 comments, 440 words in story) Full Story

Take Us To Your Cool Ranch Doritos

MayorBob.

Posted to Business on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 02:58:39 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

Have you ever wondered what mankind's first encounter with space aliens would be like?  Would they be hostile to us or would they come in peace?  How, when we're just one among billions and billions of places in the Cosmos, do we go about letting any intelligent forms of extra-terrestrial life that Earth is here and would like to hook up?  Do we rely upon radio and TV transmissions (and other "historical documents") we have thrust out into the Cosmos over the past 100 years?  Nope, the real answer is, if we want to get our message "out there" we have to market ourselves.

(24 comments, 298 words in story) Full Story

Whoever Accused Advertising Of Being Tasteless?

MayorBob.

Posted to Media on Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 12:05:20 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

Somehow I think the porn potential isn't there - Degee

What with "scratch and sniff" ads, magazines offer another level of product exposure unavailable to radio or TV advertising.

(9 comments, 468 words in story) Full Story

Trying To Combat Statutory Rape - This Time With Sexy Results.

MayorBob.

Posted to Media on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 03:36:04 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

The Family Violence Partnership of Milwaukee, Wisconsin wants you to know that statutory rape is a bad thing.  So, they've begun running a print ad to drive home that message.  What they're trying to combat is the often-proffered excuse that "but she looked old enough."  Their message is, even if she has the body, she might not be old enough to have sex.  The part that's raising concerns is, in order to graphically drive home their point, they applied some Photoshop skills to add boobies to a young model (might be considered NSFW in some places).

(27 comments, 259 words in story) Full Story

Purple Mountain's Majesty Vs. Chicken Man

MayorBob.

Posted to Legal on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 10:24:06 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

This issue, which may or may not be a free speech issue, doesn't involve any speeches.  It comes about because a commercial firm's right to advertise ran head-on into a town law aimed at preserving its "mountain grandeur."  It doesn't involve speech because the centerpiece of the drama is a mascot -- a human being marching silently alongside a road dressed in a chicken suit.  A small Colorado town says Chicken Man is aesthetically displeasing while the mascot's owner, a chicken restaurant, says it's simply advertising.

(26 comments, 506 words in story) Full Story

Can Overweight, Older Women Sell Stuff In a Sexy Way? A Little Birdy Says So.

MayorBob.

Posted to Media on Fri Mar 09, 2007 at 07:40:01 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

The rap that gets hung on most advertising is that it uses sex like a sledgehammer to sell products.  One industry which shamelessly markets images of impossible beauty is the beauty product industry.  But, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and Dove, one of the beauty product industry's giants, believes the way to sell their products is to market something called "real beauty."  Perhaps they went a bit too far with that reality thing because it has some people upset with the way Dove is using nude, mature females to market their products.

(41 comments, 481 words in story) Full Story

"Global Warming Ready" Just Means More Hip And Trendy Beaches.

MayorBob.

Posted to Business on Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 07:01:40 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

You might call it a case of making lemonade out of life when you're dealt lemons.  Or, you might call it a cynical manipulation of a serious topic in pursuit of selling the latest, hippest and trendiest of fashions.  Then again you might call it a company which is all about the superficiality of fashion discovering a "cause."  Whatever, Diesel, the Italian fashion design firm is making big waves by running an ad campaign which looks at the issue of global warming, only with sexy results this time.

(5 comments, 542 words in story) Full Story

What Comes After Afterthekiss.com?

port1080.

Posted to Media on Wed Feb 21, 2007 at 02:51:34 AM EST (promoted by 1fastdog). RSS.

It was a simple and seemingly clever idea from the marketing folks at Masterfoods USA, maker of the Snicker's candy bar. Premier a new commercial during the Super Bowl showing two manly men working on a car, have them accidentally "kiss" while eating a Snicker's bar, and then direct viewers to a website (the astutely named afterthekiss.com) to see alternate endings of what happened "after the kiss."

(11 comments, 312 words in story) Full Story

Trees And Things...Branching Out

Board of Directors.

Posted to Etcetera on Tue Feb 13, 2007 at 03:32:32 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

In its final meeting of 2006, the TnT Board formed a committee to explore avenues for testing out the effectiveness of google's "adwords" advertising in increasing the size of the TnT community.

(30 comments, 214 words in story) Full Story

Colts Beat Bears, 29-17

3fingerspointback.

Posted to Sport on Mon Feb 05, 2007 at 09:53:01 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

Most of you probably watched Super Bowl XLI. If not for the game, then for the ads, or to watch Prince do the halftime show, or just to have an excuse for a party.

(12 comments, 139 words in story) Full Story

I Know What The Family Name Is, But Do You Have To Call The Company Crappy Foods?

MayorBob.

Posted to Business on Thu Jan 18, 2007 at 11:28:06 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

Branding a product or a company is important because the name will be its face to the public.  It's so important that there are companies out there specializing in branding, making big bucks as a result.  Thus, when you're thinking about branding your product or company, you want something distinctive and not distasteful, something that will stick in consumer's noggins but not in a bad way.  Think of successful brand names, stuff like Lexus or Coca Cola and you automatically think of something posh yet practical or sweet and refreshing.  Or, in the case of cheaptickets.com, their name is what they do But, what happens when the brand name makes you scratch your head in wonderment as to why they ever decided to call it that?  What happens when what you have is bad branding?  Apparently, it's not all that hard to do and there are several good ways to insure bad branding.

(12 comments, 459 words in story) Full Story