Scientists are devising a series of billboards directed at monkeys to see if advertising works on them too, reports the New Scientist. [More]
advertising
1956 Ad Says Feed 7-Up To Babies
By 6.28.11
This Seven-Up ad from a 1956 LIFE is simply amazing. Who needs mother’s milk when you have Seven-Up? [More]
Microsoft Thinks You Actually Want To Use The Kinect To Shout At Interactive Ads
By 6.21.11
Since Microsoft launched the Xbox 360’s Kinect motion-sensing device last year, the company has hinted at the Kinect’s potential use for advertisers who want to create more interactive ads. Microsoft never asked consumers if they actually wanted this functionality, but that didn’t stop the company from demonstrating it earlier today. [More]
With $4.6B Spent, Procter & Gamble Remains The Country's Largest Advertiser
By 6.20.11
Procter & Gamble may only be #26 on the Fortune 500 this year, but that hasn’t stopped the company from once again outspending all other U.S. advertisers by nearly $2 billion. [More]
Burger King Launches All-Whopper Channel On DirecTV
By 6.16.11
Looking for something to watch but don’t really like shows with scripts, actors or dramatic arcs? Then Burger King and DirecTV have come up with a channel for you, especially if you want a free Whopper. [More]
This Marketing Letter Is Pretty Ballsy
By 6.16.11
It would almost work on me because I would be curious to find out what kind of people would think this is a good approach. They’ve either got to be total mendicants, or marketing geniuses. “Never darken my door again?” People who say that are people I want to meet! [More]
Parody: Baby's Face Lotion
By 6.3.11
This parody ad riffs on all those “age-defying” facial lotion commercials and takes it to their inevitable and ridiculous conclusion. “People say that I have a baby face,” says the female voiceover, “but now that I’m getting older, t hat’s just not enough.” Cue disturbing special effects. [More]
Cox Adds Banner Ads To Cable Programming Guide
By 6.3.11
Andy’s Cox Cable DVR/cable box received an upgrade last night. What exciting new features would his television receive? As it turns out, the upgrade included an impressive new feature: a big old advertising block on the bottom of the channel guide screen that wasn’t there before. [More]
Ads Implant Fake Memories In Your Head
By 6.2.11
A new study says that really lifelike commercials are really good at tricking our brains into thinking that not only did they actually happen, but that they are scenes from our lives. [More]
Original Ronald McDonald Was Really Creepy
By 6.2.11
If today’s Ronald McDonald looked more like his original incarnation, the McDonald’s CEO might have a tougher time defending against those asking for the burger clown’s resignation. Have you seen the first Ronald? Played by Willard Scott, he’s a clown with a soda cup for a nose and a tray of food as a hat. He also has a food tray attached to his belt which will magically produce three hamburgers in a row on demand. You can see why this Ronald was streamlined into the version we know today. Because he looks like a serial killer. [More]
PBS To Add "Promotional Breaks" Within Shows
By 6.1.11
In a break with long-standing tradition, PBS is going to start putting those sponsor announcements as briefer breaks within the shows themselves, instead of long stretches at the beginning and end, NYT reports. While the programming and mission remains non-commercial, the format is going to make the messages look more like, well, commercials. [More]
This Is How TV Ads Are So Loud
By 5.27.11
Here’s something that might be hard to believe at first. There is no difference in volume between the loudest part of a TV show and a loud commercial. [More]
Carlsberg Looking To Attract The Ladies With Beer In A Pretty Bottle
By 5.20.11
While the soda business is aggressively marketing toward men for the latest generation of diet drinks, the folks at Carlsberg, the brewery where the truck drivers went on strike for not being able to drink on the job, are trying to go after the gals’ cash, luring them toward their new beer in a pretty bottle. [More]
Allstate Running Ad Next To Rapture Story Is Genius
By 5.19.11
Next to a CNN news story about how The Rapture is predicted to occur this Saturday reader Ed noticed a little ad for Allstate insurance. (According to some beliefs, The Rapture is when Jesus returns to the Earth and pulls up all the chosen in the air to meet him and get whisked away to heaven. Then some really bad stuff happens down here.) The copy reads, “When it happens, you’re in good hands.” While no doubt the placement is accidental, and part of the effect comes from the intentionally vague and all-encompassing tagline, one does start to wonder how Allstate insurance could help out during the End of Days… [More]
San Francisco On Track To Ban Yellow Pages
By 5.17.11
San Francisco, the city that likes to ban everything that makes this country great, like plastic bags and Happy Meals, is just one more round of voting to do away with another American staple. No longer will its citizens be able to depend on their annual free doorstop upgrade in the form of a Yellow Pages phone book plopped in front of their abode. If the bill, read it here (PDF) passes, the company will have to confirm that the residents actually want one first. That should only cut down their market share in the city by roughly… most people. [More]
Check Us Out On 20/20's "Infomercial Nation" Special On May 20!
By 5.13.11
As we recently mentioned, Consumerist and Consumer Reports have teamed up with ABC News for an upcoming 20/20 special called “Infomercial Nation,” that will air next Friday, May 20. [More]
Toy Commercials, In Word Cloud Form
By 5.13.11
What does it look like when you take the words from toy commercial voiceovers and turn them into a tag cloud of sorts? It looks like this. One cloud is made from commercials targeting boys, and the other made from commercials targeting girls. I wonder which is which? [More]
Toyota's New Pitch Woman Is Unreal
By 5.11.11
Meet Toyota’s new TV pitch woman: Hatsune Miku, a young Japanese singer who has been extremely popular in her homeland. She’s also a computer-generated anime character. [More]
