Yellow - Green = Red

Did you realize that there are almost two copies of telephone directories distributed annually for every man, woman, and child in the United States of America??

That astounding fact has environmentalists and tree huggers seeing red. Most efforts to pass opt-out legislation involving generic “yellow pages” have either stalled or failed in at least seven states this year.

Just say no.

Lost In Translation

There are more general market (originally meant for USA) ads than ever before being used offshore. And it would seem, that often, a detailed translation is the last step in the process. One that gets rushed and comprimised.

Use of a proven translator or translation service, the advertiser should always encourage them to avoid literal translations and to offer insights and suggestions based on cultural issues. Some recent examples of the reasons for this suggestion:

 Kellogg’s had to rename “Bran Buds” cereal in Sweden when it was
discovered that the name roughly translates to “burned farmer.”

 American Dairy Association tried to expand its “Got Milk?” campaign
to Mexico. It found that the Spanish translation of its slogan read:
“Are you lactating?”

The Most Recent Cut is the Deepest

A recent survey of Top 100 National Advertsiers by the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) conducted before the disappearance of Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch.........found that 53% of the respondents expected media expenditures to be reduced within the next six months.

Almost Eighty-five percent say they have been asked to identify cost savings or reductions in advertising and marketing programs. More than 60% said that travel restrictions have
been imposed and that new projects have been eliminated or delayed. The research
also found that companies are already challenging agencies to cut their expenses and costs.

Bankers = Blockheads

Exactly who is running the USA banks these days? Hard to tell. One thing has not changed ---- the fact that bank marketers think they are geniuses. Here's just one stupefying example.......... this one from Citigroup.

The bank needed to rebrand and wanted to deploy a more catchy slogan than “The Citi Never Sleeps.” In an apparent committee decision, they decided on “Let’s Get It Done” after an investment estimated at nearly thirty million dollars.

Apparently, no one was aware that Larry the Cable Guy (star of “Witless Protection” and “Delta Farce”) uses the phrase of “Git-R-Done.” Continuing to exhibit its genius, Citigroup went to Plan B. Its new slogan is “Citi Never Sleeps.” The thirty million dollar exercise resulted in elimination of the word “the.” Brilliant!!!

Stephen King for ESPN Sports Center. (classic).

Love Kenny Mayne --- always have. Also love Stephen King --- always have to. "Christine" still scares me to this day. And "Children of the Corn" freaked me out for a year.

It's great to see King pitching for ESPN. The ESPN ads are always smarter than their audience. Show me a bad ESPN spot and I'll show you 5 great ones.

It also proves that New England can be funny. "No players with telekinetic powers please." Classic.

Psychokinesis is well-established in movies, television, computer games, literature, and other forms of pop culture. In the 1976 film Carrie, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, Sissy Spacek portrayed a troubled high school student with telekinetic powers. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress, the first psychokinetic character in a film ever to be so recognized (Ellen Burstyn was the second, in 1980's Resurrection).

See it here:
http://gawker.com/5056021/stephen-kings-sports-center-commercial

Good Ad? Bad Ad?

http://gawker.com/5052544/wash-your-hands-or-eat-this

I hate germs as much as the next guy ---- trust me. This ad will make you think more about germs than ever before. Not sure if i love it or loathe it. You decide................