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Badvertising

By Drew Grant 9/27/12 1:19pm

Badvertising

Halloween fun at Target!

Target’s Questionable Advertising: Shoppable Videos, Gimp Suits

Look, we love Target as much as the next person who finds that it’s oddly comforting to walk down aisle after fluorescent-lit aisle, knowing that everything we need–from food to furniture for your college dorm to designer apparel–is all available in one location at a relatively low price. For instance, one time in college we went to Target and bought a frozen turkey, a giant bouncy ball and a B.B. gun, and then drove to a field for Target target practice. (We kept the turkey in the car and ate it later.)

So in terms of mega-chains, Target is tops, no question. We do have some question, however, about its new advertising techniques. Such as: Read More

By Drew Grant 9/18/12 4:18pm

Badvertising

False advertising

Fake Drugs That Look Like Real Drugs Are the New Real Drugs (Video)

Three years ago, Nate Hill made news for his business venture/performance art piece, a weekend crack delivery service. Mr. Hill would come to the houses of curious (or fiending) patrons, wearing a white tuxedo and a dolphin head bringing a baggie full of rock. Too bad it was of the sugar variety. Surprisingly, the sheer novelty factor kept him in business, despite complaints to the police from concerned citizens who fell for the prank. Luckily for him, the NYPD’s hands were tied. “It’s just candy,” one officer said. “Unfortunately, being criminally stupid is not illegal.”

While this endeavor was entertaining the first time around, we’re not sure how well it’s going to play with the Weed Van, a cross-country vehicle with lots of druggy imagery on the outside and actual pot smokers “Kush” and “Dro” on the inside. The biggest problem with these Mary Pranksters is their non-buzzable product: despite costing $5 a (lolli)pop, the candy you buy from the weed van is made out of hemp oil, and will not get you high. Read More

By Foster Kamer 8/20/12 4:34pm

Badvertising

rich kids romney

Know Your Ad-Demographic: Romney Campaign Advertising on ‘Rich Kids of Instagram’

Maybe you’ve heard of the buzzed-about Tumblr known as Rich Kids of Instagram? It’s a blog that chronicles the comings and goings of some of the world’s uber-rich children. It’s an unapologetic, hilarious display of extravagant wealth, the teenagers who have done little to fall into it, and the way they live their very-moneyed lives. Some people see it as voyeurism, others see it as a despicable celebration of undue wealth, and others see it as a others see it as a problem (like some of the parents of these children, who have found their own personal security compromised by their kids’ aggregated “contributions” to the blog).

But if you’re working the ad buys on a presidential campaign, you see it as an opportunity to reach a certain demographic. Read More