Advertising Archives

We’re All Biased: On Communicating with Purpose

Advertising, Culture & Communication

I’ve been on the road a lot lately. Great memories were made by taking to the road on thousands of miles of highways and byways – traversing metropolitan cities, rural stretches, quaint villages, and international borders. And, just like it was 25 years ago when my family drove thousands of miles coast to coast, billboard advertising is still very much alive in 2017. When you’re driving for hours on end, roadside attractions and billboards offer a fleeting break to the monotony – and it’s so interesting to observe the varying messages and designs, which are markedly different everywhere you go. The fascinating thing about roadside billboard advertising is that you have to be as concise as possible – the impression doesn’t last more than a few seconds. Continue reading …

Dos Equis, Sunsetting a Strong Campaign Before It’s Too Late

Advertising, Marketing

Several years ago, Dos Equis woke up consumers and the beer industry by introducing the iconic “the most interesting man in the world.” It was a brilliant idea: this classy man, of ambiguous but almost Latin ethnicity, was a successful silver fox, captured on each ad spot while savoring the bounties of fine earthly living, speaking succinctly with authority and righteous pomp to consumers that can only dream of his lifestyle, the pinnacle alpha male, winning, with gorgeous super models vying for his attention.

Samsung Korea SSD Advertisement…cringeworthy. But the audience loves it?

Advertising, Marketing

Would love to interview the team behind this ad – the actors speak in well-pronounced, basic English at a very slow pace. Facial expressions and body-language are over-emphasized as well…to the point that it feels like an SNL skit. But, does this method activate the new product with the target market?

As a native English speaker…this is painful to sit through. Toddler television moves much faster. One of the actors, the businessman, apparently went to Reddit to explain why the acting seems so…bad? This is apparently how English-language is done on Korean media.

Retail Commerce: Old Brands in a New World, Sears and JC Penney

Advertising, Marketing

Sears: An Innovator and Market Leader
In 1893, Richard Warren Sears and Alvah C. Roebuck started one of America’s retail pioneers, Sears, Roebuck and Co. The founders had some great ideas, in the earliest days they launched the famous Sears catalog to allow folks to order through mail – this was an innovation at the time because farmers used to have to come into town and haggle deals for their supplies. They made so much money that they opened a printing plant just to be able to print the infamous Sears catalog, which by the early 20th century had over 500 pages to it and sold everything a household would need, including hardware, groceries, and stoves! Continue reading …