Here’s a classic example of “more is less”. There’s nothing inherently bad or obnoxious about the current group of Education Connection commercials. The problem comes from their sheer ubiquitousnes. Day or night – regardless of channel it seems – this chick in her pajamas is in my face an average of every 7.2 minutes. But I can understand why – how else would you be able to find out about online schools and scholarships?
Oh wait, you can USE THE INTERNET.
And how ’bout those production values! Apparently this girl isn’t just wearing pajamas, she’s wearing see-through pajamas. Look closely at them starting around the 23-second mark, and you’ll see the graphics flying through her shorts. I’ll just assume none of these online schools teach TV production.
Luckily Education Connection has made it possible to annoy people in two languages:
Faithful Mad Men viewers should remember all the way back to last Sunday’s episode, which featured Don Draper making a pitch to win the Life cereal account. Too bad his idea “Eat Life by the Bowlful” idea didn’t win, because the pitch used by Quaker Oats in the early ’60s was much more…odd.
Mmm mmm, how ’bout those pro-tee-ins! They sure are most useful.
For a more in-depth look at Life’s pre-Mikey advertising, check out Eater.
The failures and successes of Atari in the ’70s and ’80s are well-documented, but if you were of gaming age back then there was no doubt that for a brief time, they were the kings of gaming. Oh sure, we all knew kids who had Intellivision or ColecoVision – and truth be told they were superior systems – but they were desperately out of step and knew it.
Atari, like many of its contemporaries, was hit hard when the North American video game market imploded in 1983. They were never able to build on the success of the Atari 2600 console, as the subsequent 5200 console was discontinued after just 18 months on the market and the 7800 was halted for a few years. But none of that really mattered, as within a few years the Nintendo Entertainment System would begin its ascent into gaming legend, and Atari was toast.
Still, I had a blast playing my Atari. I had or played all of the games in this ad except for Star Raiders. I’ll go with Defender and Berzerk as the best of the lot.
When you think of Valentine’s Day you think about chocolates and flowers, right? Well I don’t. No sir, I think tires! And I’m not the only one, if this 1952 ad for General Tire (from The Saturday Evening Post) is any indication.
So fellas, if you’re still stuck for V-Day ideas and it’s zero hour, consider a set of these beauties for the lady in your life. Just don’t be surprised if she tries to run you down after they’re installed.
So what was all the fuss over? Turns out that Focus on the Family Super Bowl ad with Tim Tebow and his mommy didn’t strike quite the confrontational tone the media had speculated (shocker). But one thing that jumped right out at me is this:
Huh? Since when did they start handing out Heisman Trophies to family members too? I bet those two have one of those annoying “joint” email addresses too. Barf.
As a middle-class white male, I know I’m not really in much of a position to bitch about being overlooked or disadvantaged. Still, I’ll admit feeling a bit like the odd man out when one of my (formerly) favorite fast food establishments, McDonald’s, launched their “I’m Lovin’ It” ad campaign in 2003. Few things are more transparent and painful than when a business makes an obvious attempt to pander to minorities, because they usually do such a piss poor job.
Oh sure, fast food chains targeting black people is nothing new, so that’s no big deal in and of itself. But historically for TV ads, it seems the chains had their regular campaigns and then they had their “black” ads, replete with awful R&B-esque music and sad attempts to look hip. But McDonald’s took it to a whole new level with “I’m Lovin’ It”, which featured a rapping soccer mom in one early spot. Oh yeah, and this gem, which aired in Russia:
Now that’s commitment to a campaign.
So anyway, as much as I hated – nay, loathed – this lame campaign for years, I can’t help but chuckle at Mickey D’s attempt to show their love for African-Americans on the web. That’s right, their is a McDonald’s website just for black people – 365BLACK! It’s the one place on the web, I guess, where black people who don’t want their fast food experience to end with diarrhea can hang out and check out just how much McDonald’s cares about them. After all:
At McDonald’s®, we believe that African-American culture and achievement should be celebrated 365 days a year “” not just during Black History Month. That’s the idea behind 365Black.com. It’s a place where you can learn more about education, employment, career advancement and entrepreneurship opportunities, and meet real people whose lives have been touched by McDonald’s. Plus, you can also have a chance to win exciting once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. So make sure you visit often “” you just might get inspired.
Like the unique African Baobab tree, which nourishes its community with its leaves and fruit, McDonald’s has branched out to the African-American community nourishing it with valuable programs and opportunities.
Hmmm, I wonder if any of those valuable programs and opportunities mention anything about the dangerously high obesity rates for African-Americans in this country? Nope. Well at least they probably have regularly scheduled special events to emphasize the special relationship McDonald’s has with the black community. Oops. It seems like there hasn’t been anything new for black people to celebrate since the Essence Music Festival in July 2009. I guess in the meantime you could head over to the company’s sites for Asians (Myinspirasian) or Hispanics (MeEncanta).
Thanks for marginalizing me McDonald’s. So where can I, as a white person, connect with an eating establishment that truly cares about my white needs and white eating preferences? I think that should be obvious.
You know what’s even more awesome than the fact that Winston cigarettes sponsored a cartoon? The fact that the main characters, as was the custom for TV shows of the ’50s and early ’60s, appeared in ads actually smoking them. Behold, an infamous Winston spot from The Flintstones, circa 1960-61:
See, I told you it was awesome. Even better, and almost lost in the clouds of secondhand smoke, is that little gem of pre-Women’s Lib chauvinism that starts the ad. As Wilma and Betty toil in the yard, Fred has a brilliant idea – “Let’s go around back where we can’t see ‘em!” He’s like Don Draper in an animal pelt.
Winston, who also sponsored The Beverly Hillbillies around the same time, pulled its sponsorship from The Flintstones when Wilma became pregnant. I guess even tobacco companies have to draw the line somewhere.
Yakety Yak