There’s no doubt that LaCroix — the comeback kid that transformed from the seltzer your mom drank to a ubiquitous libation treasured anew by the millennial gang — has amassed a dedicated following recently in the U.S. But that devotion doesn’t mean its fans know what the “essence” is in the carbonated drinks — and no one really seems to care. [More]
marketing
Ad Watchdog Group Calls For Investigation Into Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop
By 8.23.17 — Updated: 8.24.17
From paying $425 for a cleanse to claiming “healing stickers” are made from material designed for NASA space suits, Gwyneth Paltrow’s “modern lifestyle brand” Goop is no stranger to controversy. Now, a consumer watchdog group is asking regulators in California to investigate the product line for deceptive advertising. [More]
Walmart Says ‘Back-To-School’ Sign Should Not Have Been Posted Over Gun Case
By 8.10.17
The nation’s largest retailer says it is now trying to find out why a back-to-school promotional sign was posted on a rifle display case at one of its stores. [More]
Oscar Mayer Wiener Drone Designed To Make It Rain Hot Dogs
By 6.26.17
It’s not a bird, it’s not a plane, and it definitely isn’t Superman: Oscar Mayer is adding a drone to its Wienermobile fleet, one that the company says will drop hot dogs on hungry, Earthbound customers below — one wiener at a time. [More]
Belgian King “Not Happy” With Burger King’s Effort To Unseat Him
By 5.30.17
Who is more deserving to be the Belgian monarch: A man who was — literally — born to do the job, or a fast food chain? However silly that question might sound, it’s one that the actual King of Belgium would rather Burger King didn’t ask. [More]
Doctors Say ‘General Hospital’ Made Character Ill Just To Advertise Drug
By 5.19.17
With TV viewers increasingly turning to streaming services or fast-forwarding through commercials on their DVR, product placement is hotter than ever. Reality show contestants have to carry around a company’s mascot for an entire episode; there’s an entire show coming that’s just an ad for an app (it rhymes with “blazzam”). But did a classic soap opera cross the line when a character becomes sick with a rare disease and the show’s partner just happens to make a drug that can treat her ailment? [More]
Levi’s Slammed For Referencing AIDS Memorial Quilt To Sell Jeans
By 5.18.17
While it’s always refreshing to see big companies trying to do their part to give back to their customers and support important social issues, sometimes these efforts hit the wrong note. To wit: Levi’s is facing backlash on social media over a Tweet promoting its upcoming Pride collection. [More]
Just Because Your Electric Toothbrush Makes A Lot Of Noise Doesn’t Mean It’s Effective
By 4.26.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Much like the never-ending game of oneupmanship in the razor industry, makers of toothbrushes are constantly touting unique features that promise to make your teeth that much whiter and brighter than the competition. But now one ad industry watchdog is calling foul on a commercial that implies a noisy toothbrush is somehow more effective at cleaning your chompers. [More]
Adidas Sorry About That “You Survived Boston Marathon” Email
By 4.19.17
While finishing any marathon is a feat worthy of a high-five, it’s not a good idea to sound like you’re making light of a terrorist attack that left three dead and hundreds injured. [More]
This Burger King Ad Forces Your Google Home Device To Tell You About Whoppers
By 4.12.17
You might think you’re the master of your own home, controlling all the internet-connected devices within it and bending them to your will with the touch of a button or an uttered command. But Burger King is trying to sneak into your home through the TV with a new ad that tries to trigger the voice-activated Google Home. [More]
Feds Say Invention Marketing Firm Used Bogus Testimonials, Threatened To Sue Clients
By 3.14.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Getting your awesome invention from scribble to prototype to store shelves is often no simple task, but one company that promised to help amateur inventors patent and market their creation has been shut down by a federal court after being accused of bilking millions of dollars from its clients. [More]
Facebook Promises To Quit Snooping On Private Messages For Ad-Targeting Purposes
By 3.3.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
More than three years after a group of Facebook users sued the social media network, claiming that it was sharing links sent in private messages with marketing companies in order to boost its ad revenue, The Zuck’s company has agreed to stop eavesdropping on those communications. [More]
Kona Brewing Accused Of Misleading People Looking For Hawaiian Beer
By 3.3.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
What do the words “Liquid Aloha” bring to mind? Swaying grass skirts and leis, or the frigid New England coast? You’re likely thinking more “Hawaii” and less “New Hampshire,” which is why two beer drinkers are suing the parent company of Kona Brewing Co., accusing it of misleading consumers into thinking they’re swilling Hawaiian beer when it’s actually made thousands of miles away. [More]
Here Are Your Discounts, Freebies, And Bagels To Celebrate National Pizza Day
By 2.9.17
What are your plans for National Pizza Day? What, you didn’t know that today was National Pizza Day? We can’t blame you, actually, but the non-event means that restaurants, rest stops, and even Amazon’s Alexa-powered devices have special promotions and deals going on that are meant to move more pizza. [More]
Marijuana Companies Trading Stoner Slang For Mainstream Branding
By 1.26.17
Have trouble asking for an ounce of Purple Kush or Atomic Haze without feeling like the kind of stoner who would brag to his baked buddies about scoring some dank bud? Don’t worry, corporate branding is coming to save the day with acceptably bland product names. [More]
Feds Bring Criminal Charges Against 6 Volkswagen Executives
By 1.11.17
In a rare instance of criminal charges being brought against executives at one of the world’s largest car companies, federal authorities have indicted six Volkswagen employees involved in the decade-long “Dieselgate” scandal and cover-up. [More]
Woman Sues Chipotle For $2.2 Billion Over A Photograph
By 1.9.17
If you walked into a restaurant and saw yourself in a photo on the wall, maybe you’d be flattered, or perhaps slightly embarrassed if it’s not a great likeness. You also might not really care. One California woman has had a bit of an extreme reaction to seeing herself on the wall at Chipotle, and is suing the company for $2.2 billion. [More]
Facebook Discovers, Improves Another Ad Metrics Problem
By 12.9.16 — Updated: 12.12.16
Facebook makes money from monetizing your political arguments with your former roommate’s great-aunt, and advertisers want statistics that show what they’re getting for their ad dollars. That’s why it’s of note that Facebook recently told advertisers that it’s been overestimating how many people a given ad is going to reach. [More]
