TD Bank is really stepping up its efforts to try to get customers to sign back up for “overdraft protection,” which really just protects their right to charge you $35 if you want to buy a $2.00 candy bar and only have a $1 in your account. Now they’re greeting customers accessing their accounts online with pop-up ads trying to scare them into agreeing to signing up for the service. [More]
Extended Warranty Junk Mail Designed To Look Like DMV Letter
By June 29, 2010
The letter was from “Motor Vehicle Services.” It warned Serra that his car’s manufacturers warranty is expiring. It accurately listed the monthly payment he was making on his car, and the number of payments he had made. It was even written in that typewriter font beloved by mechanics and bureaucracies. But it wasn’t from the Department of Motor Vehicles, it was a piece of extended warranty junk mail gussied up to look official. Here’s the letter: [More]
Brand Fail: Not Just Bagels
By June 28, 2010
They may want to think about a new name. (Thanks to Andrew!) [More]
Spirit Airlines Launches "Check Out The Oil On Our Beaches" Promo
By June 22, 2010
Spirit Airlines is known for pushing its bottom-scraping fees with crass emailed promos, but usually they just stick with dorky sex puns. Now they’re branching out into sociopolitical commentary with their latest “Check Out The Oil On Our Beaches” promotion that leverages the BP oil spill in comedy and marketing gold. [More]
How To Opt Out Of Apple's iAds Service, Eventually
By June 22, 2010
If you don’t want Apple collecting data on you and using it to target you with ads starting July 1st, you can opt out from “any device running iOS 4,” says AppleInsider. The opt-out is automatic when you hit up http://oo.apple.com from an iOS 4 device, and as far as I can tell you can’t undo it, so don’t click the link unless you really want to opt out. Also, it’s not working at the moment. [More]
Hello Kitty Engine Oil
By June 22, 2010
Sometimes you can take branding too far. Apparently this Hello Kitty engine oil is a real product designed for compact cars, and it sells for $2980 Yen, 33 American dollars. Perfect for outrunning bad penguins. [Newlaunches via BoingBoing] [More]
Coming Soon, A Way To Find Out How That Online Ad Knows What You Like
By June 22, 2010
Last year the FTC asked online marketers to regulate targeted advertising, so in an attempt to avoid new regulatory policies the major ad industry groups have gotten together to launch a new service. Starting late summer, when a targeted ad from a participating marketer appears on your screen, you’ll be able to click a small icon somewhere on the ad and see your profile on that marketer’s site. You’ll also be able to then opt out of future ads from that ad network, reports Wired. [More]
Manufacturers To Market To You Via Messages Hidden In UPCs
By June 22, 2010
Stickybits is a social network that combines your phone’s camera, a web connection, and UPCs to leave virtual notes and images scattered all around you like invisible sticky notes. The important question, as always, is can it be used to sell stuff? Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Campbell’s, Frito-Lay, and Ben & Jerry are all planning to find out in social media campaigns this summer, reports Brandweek. [More]
Your Kids Think Food Tastes Better When It Has A Cartoon On The Box
By June 21, 2010
Researchers from Yale University announced today that kids think food tastes better when its marketed with a cartoon. They asked 40 kids to try some gummy fruit snacks, graham crackers and baby carrots. [More]
Buy Solar Power System, Get Free Gun
By June 18, 2010
“Buy solar. Get a gun.” Perfect for off-the-grid survivalists, Bland Solar and Air Inc has a new deal offering every customer who buys a 3kW+ solar system a free firearm. Best. Cross-promotion. Ever. [More]
ABC Doubling The Commercials On iPad App, Online Streams
By June 16, 2010
If you watch ABC’s shows online or with an iPad, your limited commercial interruptions are about to get a little less limited. So far, most of ABC’s streaming shows contain 5 to 6 ads of 30 seconds each, but mocoNews says one of ABC’s executives just confirmed that the network is going to double that ad load, perhaps leading the way for other networks to do the same. [More]
Design BP's New Logo
By June 2, 2010
In light of recent events, it seems BP’s “blossoming natural gas flower” logo needs an update. A friendly citizen passing by their station at Crosby and Houston in New York has offered this as their suggestion. If this sets off a brainstorm for you, LogoMyWay is hosting an parodic BP logo redesign contest with a $200 prize. (Thanks to GitEmSteveDave!) [More]
Unfortunately Named Products: Aciphex
By June 2, 2010
Remember how when you were writing essays in school teachers would say that you should read your work aloud before handing it in? To see if you could catch any typos or strange-sounding phrases? Well, the nomenclature-smiths who came up with heartburn drug “Aciphex,” seem to have forgotten that important lesson. Watch the ad and you’ll hear what I’m talking about: “Fred, you have acid reflux disease. I want you to try prescription ass effects.” [More]
Beer Sales Drop, Brewers Scramble For Your Beer Money
By May 31, 2010
In the past month, sales of premium light beers fell 11%, reports Advertising Age. Instead of light Coors, Miller, or Bud brands, people have been buying cheaper brews like PBR, or saving up for fancier brands. But we’re not just spending our beer money differently–we’re also drinking less of the stuff. Well, not me. But someone’s cutting back. [More]
HDTV Lies Exposed By Industry Expert
By May 24, 2010
The next time you go shopping for a new HDTV, keep in mind that the brightness and contrast settings don’t adjust brightness and contrast, and most of the fancier-sounding image quality controls don’t do anything except possibly degrade the image. Also, motion blur in live video is largely imaginary, which is good because advertised response times are highly exaggerated. And hey, that impressive “dynamic contrast ratio” the manufacturer is crowing about? Most of the extra contrasty goodness happens when there’s no image on the screen. [More]
Apple Finally Drops "I'm A Mac" Ads
By May 22, 2010
Apple has finally caught on to something many of us have known for years: John Hodgman’s befuddled “PC” is far more appealing than Justin Long’s smug “Mac,” so the “I’m a Mac” ads aren’t really very effective at converting PC-users to Mac fans. Well. maybe that’s not the official reason, but the company is still killing the long-running campaign
The ads have already been removed from Apple’s site, and have been replaced by the company’s “Why you’ll love a Mac” promos. Last month, Justin Long signaled the end when he told an interviewer: “You know, I think they might be done. In fact, I heard from John, I think they’re going to move on.”
Harper's Magazine: Insider Reveals How You Get Jacked When Selling Jewelry
By May 19, 2010
Struggling to make next month’s rent, you might be tempted to dig out some necklaces and rings you don’t wear and try to sell it to your friendly neighborhood jeweler. But you might actually be buying a ticket to a sick magic show. The jeweler performs a blistering series of slight of hand tricks, whipping out calculators, spouting off fees, keeping your eye on the supposedly worthless diamonds under a tenth of a carat while double-deducting for the base metal. By the end, you slink out in a dizzied blur, accepting 1/5th of what the piece is actually worth. In this exclusive excerpt from the latest issue of Harper’s, ex-jeweler Clancy Martin takes you on a journey to the dark underbelly of the jewelry game. [More]
Ex-Jeweler Dissects "Buying Roadshow" Ads
By May 18, 2010
The ads are cheesy as all get out: “Buying Roadshow” “Instant Cash For All” “Will pay up to 1100%” in giant block letters and starbursts. And the crazy thing is that they’re really good at packing in suckers eager to sell their “scrap jewelry,” dreaming of riches, but eventually convinced to be happy walking away with a few bucks. Over at Harper’s Magazine, ex-jeweler Clancy Martin takes apart these ads piece by piece and reveals what really goes on behind the black curtain. For instance: [More]
