FC NOW: The Fast Company Weblog
September 27, 2005
Dumb Ad Medium of the Day
Just when you thought there was no virgin ad space left (fresh fruit, babies, town names), today's adrants gives props to what I'll call "the new advertising medium gimmick of the day." Ready folks: parking lot stripes ("special strips containing ad messages right over existing parking lot lines") and escalator hand rails ("There's not much to do while riding an escalator so you might as well look at ads on the handrail")! Genius. While the folks behind these innovations are probably basking in their cleverness, I can't help but continue to wonder: Why does the ad industry continue to saturate consumers with more clutter? Don't they realize they're the ones guilty of breeding the indifferent-ADD-consumer in the first place with, um, too much clutter (check out Doug Rushkoff's Frontline: The Persuaders)? Where are the big ideas -- as opposed to these band-aid attempts at healing?
Posted by Danielle Sacks at September 27, 2005 2:55 PM | Category: arts + entertainment |
4 Comments
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If the ads go with the space then it's clever. Like AAA advertising on the parking strips, or a health PSA on the handrail ("Shouldn't You Be Taking The Stairs?")...
I still contend that advertising on people's cars remains a viable advertising medium for the company that figures out the right way to use it in a creative way.
http://kurtmaddox.tblog.com
http://kurtmaddox.blogspot.com
two great ideas: there was a bar in Galway, Ireland that when a man goes to the Lou (the John to the ladies) and he's urinating, one doesn't have much to do except look at the wall. So, the bar owner had a slide show projected against the wall.
As your standing there, pictures of pretty ladies are flashed on a small screen, alternated with drink specials and a price card. Guinness 1 pound for a pint/flash, naked girl, flash, Harp Beer, half pint, etc, etc.
There was a bar in Philadelphia, it was German on Ludlow Street, that posted the Sports page right above the urinals so while you are tinkling, you get the latest baseball scores.
Other, less savory places, have more lurid distractions, but, you get the point.
There is a bar in Tucson called the Bum Steer, they have the Mens Room marked on the ladies room door in big letters with an arrow pointing to the "men's room." (distracting).
Inside the outer doors of each rest room, as you leave are food and drink ads at eye level.
http://journals.aol.com/rogdodger1/nowhearthis/