10 Random Observations on Ads, Advertising and Ad People

Posted by Peter Madden on 12.19.08 @ 01:29 PM

Peter Madden

1. If an advertisement makes you laugh, but you still don't buy the product, does the ad matter? I won't stay at the Holiday Inn, but love those Cal Ripken ads! Makes you think of a tree falling in the forest, doesn't it?

2. Who has whispered in the ear of every company that "Facebook/MySpace is the ultimate new marketing strategy"? Please find those people responsible and tell them to shut up. No one wants to friend Coca-Cola -- though we might drink the hell out of it.

3. Does Donnny Deutsch I.V. the coffee directly or just drink a ton of it to make his guests seem interesting -- or at least keep himself awake during those interviews?

4. Michael Phelps isn't Michael Jordan. Anyone who says differently must be Phelps' agent, who gets much credit for procuring major dollars for a guy who swims.

5. I tried the mad men multiple-martini lunch. It didn't make me (or a few other ad guys involved in this experiment) any more creative. It did get us awfully philosophical though. It also wasn't a bad way to spend part of an afternoon. See my post-holiday January blog for more on this.

6. Please write a book, Obama-maker David Axelrod. That is, if you're not in uber-demand to speak to every marketing organization from here to Dubai.

7. Thank you SMITH Magazine for "6 words." Words aren't dead after all IMO, tho txtg is tryng 2 kil thm off! It's up to you copywriters to rail against the mobile machine! LMK and TTYL.

8. Two articles I can do without: 1) the annual preview of Super Bowl ads and 2) the annual review of Super Bowl ads. USA Today should stick to reviews of Jonas Brothers albums. In bold color, of course.

9. Just when I thought Target couldn't trick out their ads any more, they bring it back home and put us front and center for a children's holiday play about their products. Manipulative, brilliant bastards. Can't wait to see how Macy's follows that lead.

10. Is there any other business where those not currently working in it feel like they could do it, or better yet -- be great at it? I don't do my own root canals, I let attorneys handle our contracts, and a mechanic is going to have my car back on the road a few decades before I would. Still, I would rather be a Mad(den) Man than a Dr. or Esq. Put that in your stocking and Happy New Year!

7 Comments

By Miles | Monument, CO December 19, 2008 04:38:39 pm:

Thanks Peter - I love the cynicism. Number two is my favorite, that just hits the nail on the head.

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By snyders1 | Philadelphia, PA December 21, 2008 12:03:36 pm:

Great insight. It seems as if the ad-agency world has lost their charm and grit just a bit. It's time to bring back the golden age of advertising. It's not always about joining the latest trends just for the sake of doing it. It's about connecting with consumers on all levels.The modern ad-agency world can learn some things from Mad Men--let's try to get our balls back. What do you say?

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By littlelisa24 | Eugene, OR December 22, 2008 03:36:40 am:

Coca Cola has 1,586,212 fans as of 12:36a.m. PST.

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By nickkinports | Chicago, IL December 22, 2008 11:01:27 am:

"No one wants to friend Coca-Cola -- though we might drink the hell out of it."

You don't "friend" Coca-Cola, you become a fan of it (which apparently you are)...

http://admaven.blogspot.com

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By PHILIP | CAMBRIDGE, MA December 22, 2008 11:13:10 am:

Peter, I love it, the attitude and the sharp observations. Keep writing. http://agencypja.com

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By jgiles | Las Vegas, NV December 29, 2008 05:07:06 pm:

There is another profession that people seem to believe they can do better; pro sports. Unfortunately, we aren't paid equivelent salaries (at least I'm not) nor is it so easy to demonstrate our superior ability/knowledge. I think it just comes with the territory. When your work is on display for all to see expect some opinions. Bear in mind the old saying "Opinions are like feet everyone has them and most of them stink."

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By Jim Norman, | Toronto, ON January 13, 2009 06:15:50 pm:

Random observation #1-B: If an ad campaign wins awards but doesn't build revenues, does the campaign matter? Should it? (Those who think not are free at this point to blame poor ROI on, say, ineffective product distribution, despite the existence of "great" creative.)

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