Companies fork over untold piles of cash to have their products featured on a TV show or in a movie — even going so far as to digitally insert ads in the far background of a sitcom rerun, but there are some cases where brands would probably rather not be identified with what viewers are watching. [More]
badvertising
Wendy’s & McDonald’s Teach Readers Disappointing Lessons In Ads Vs. Reality
By 4.18.13
Most of us know that what we actually get from a fast food eatery is never identical to what’s shown in the ads, and sometimes is similar in name only. We got used to knowing that a cheeseburger will never look as perfect as it does in the commercial, but with the recent addition of supposedly fancier menu items consumers are learning to prep themselves for more disappointment. [More]
Be Careful What You Tweet About Because It Will Now Determine The Ads You See
By 4.17.13
UPDATE: A source at Twitter tells Consumerist that there are behind-the-scenes systems in place to try to prevent ads being served to users who have posted negative Tweets about a particular advertiser. Users can also report promoted Tweets that they feel are inappropriate or counter to their interests. [More]
McDonald’s Pulls Ad Since Crippling Depression Isn’t Quite The Same As Loving Big Macs
By 4.12.13
While it might seem like your day is ruined if you can’t get a Big Mac, in no way is it the same as suffering from a mental illness. That’s a point McDonald’s apparently missed with a regional ad in the Boston area: It featured a familiar image of a distraught woman with her head in her hands with the copy, “You Are Not Alone.” Below it? “Millions of people love the Big Mac.” [More]
If You’re Not The GEICO Pig, You Should Probably Have Your Paper Insurance Card Handy
By 4.2.13
Unless you’re like me and the sight of the GEICO pig on your TV has you instantly lunging for the mute button, you may have seen the ads where the porcine insurance shill blabs on about the convenience of having his insurance card on his smartphone. That’s nice and all, but it won’t currently fly in most states. [More]
4 Ways Retail Stores Are Monitoring Your Every Move
By 3.27.13
From the second you pull into a store’s parking lot, you can be relatively certain there are electronic eyes on you. But we’re way past the days of black-and-white monitors to discourage vandalism and shoplifting. Today’s retailers follow you everywhere and know lots about you. [More]
Is This Comped Olive Garden Receipt The Real Deal Or Just Viral Marketing?
By 3.27.13
——-
When a restaurant receipt story gets wildly popular online, it’s usually because a horrible customer leaves a rude message or because a restaurant staffer insults a diner, but occasionally it’s a happy story about an eatery doing something nice. Question is, are restaurants beginning to fake these stories for positive PR? [More]
Has Victoria’s Secret Already Pulled Controversial Teen-Targeted Collection?
By 3.26.13
Earlier this month, Victoria’s Secret launched an ad campaign featuring the slogan “Bright Young Things” for its Spring Break collection. Included in this collection were items like panties with “call me” written on the front or “wild” on the rear end — all of which seemed to marketed toward teens. Not surprisingly, some parents were upset and the collection appears to have vanished. [More]
American Express, Where Carrying A Balance With An 18% APR Is A Perk
By 3.25.13
Forget airline miles, cash back, rewards points, or any of that rubbish. American Express wants you to remember that the best way to take full advantage of your card is to carry a balance. [More]
Is Greenville, SC, Actually Getting Jetpacks Or Is This Just Cruel Viral Marketing?
By 3.7.13
Earlier this week, billboards started popping up around Greenville, SC, advertising a new mode of transportation — or at least a form of transport that has been promised to us since the 1950s. [More]
Is Obnoxious Advertising A ‘Firsthand Customer Experience’ You Can Yelp About?
By 3.7.13
A construction company coated Bryan’s neighborhood with leaflets, and he wasn’t happy about it. He tried to complain right to the company, and only got an answering service. So what’s a dissatisfied consumer to do? He turned to Yelp. Yelp, in turn, took down his review because it violates the site’s Content Guidelines for reviews, as it “doesn’t describe a firsthand customer experience.” Since when is having your neighborhood coated with flyers not a firsthand experience? [More]
Taco Bell Should Probably Have Told Its Restaurants About Cool Ranch Doritos Taco Going On Sale Early
By 3.6.13
Telling 9.8 million Facebook fans and 366,000 Twitter followers that you’re going to release a highly anticipated product a day early is good marketing — that is, unless you fail to tell the stores that are supposed to sell this item. [More]
Internet Unmasks One Of The People Behind Charmin’s Poo-Obsessed Twitter Feed
March 6, 2013
The official Charmin Twitter feed is notorious for its constant stream of poop-related musings, ranging in quality from sophomoric to brilliant (insofar as fecal humor can be brilliant). Now the Internet has revealed at least one of the people behind Procter & Gamble’s filthiest social media campaign. (via AnimalNewYork.com) [More]
Female Athletes Beware: Your Boobs Are Your Own Worst Enemy
By 3.4.13 — Updated: 3.5.13
You don’t need to tell me twice––or even once, really––that for many women who are “blessed” with a lot of mammary tissue, finding a good sports bra is a challenge. I’ve been on that hunt since approximately 1994. This ad campaign from UK lingerie retailer Nod & Wink sets out to be a saucy and funny ad for sports bras, but ultimately ends up haunting and sort of sad. [More]
Get The Latest News Headlines… With Your Restaurant Receipt
By 1.10.13
Because you weren’t already getting enough news from your TV/radio/computer/phone/electronic highway billboards (and occasionally newspapers and magazines), someone has come up with yet another way to provide you with the latest headlines — your restaurant receipt. [More]
Competitors Accuse Walmart Of Providing Inaccurate Price Comparisons In Ads
By 1.4.13
For several months, Walmart has been running a series of ads touting its Low Price Guarantee and calling out specific competitors for their higher prices. But those retailers are now fighting back with complaints in several states. [More]
More Online Ads Should Require Users To Confirm They Meant To Click
By 12.19.12
Last week, Google introduced a new feature on its mobile ad network that seeks to cut down on accidental ad clicks by requiring the user to verify they want to visit the site linked in the ad. We think this is a great idea that the entire Internet could use. [More]
Facebook Really Wants To Be Hated, Will Launch Auto-Play Video Ads In 2013
By 12.18.12
You know how much fun it is when you’re browsing the Internet and you get to a page where a loud video starts playing while you frantically try to stop it or mute your computer? Several hundred million Facebook members should prepare themselves for this thrill when the site launches auto-play video ads next year. [More]
