Truly Failed Advertising

[bushwhacker2k]

It's gotten to the point that decent commercials are hard to find these days.

Most of the time, the commercial is barely even relevant to the product and often doesn't even give any reason to click or pursue it.

I've been complaining about commercials for a decade now, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. I've heard television ads are expensive and thus it startles me to see how little effort they put in to them. Internet ads are worse most of the time, being obtrusive, popping up, forcing other ads to pop up and just making me ctrl+alt+del as fast as I can, to the point that there's no way anyone would actually end up purchasing anything they're advertising, it's ridiculous.

 

[Faladorian]

In line with the Cataclysm ads, i have two points to make with those:

#1) Anybody who plays WoW will know about the expansion undoubtedly. It's all they'll hear about, and if they don't buy it, they're essentially quitting the game.

#2) Advertising a new expansion for an MMO is basically saying "If you start playing now, it'll take even LONGER to get to the interesting part!"


Also, I was THIS CLOSE to never coming back to the Escapist ever again, then they got rid of the Slim Jim ads. Seriously, I love Slim Jims but I've made it a point not to buy any again because of those weeks of torture.

"With the power of Slim Jim, anything is possible."
-gasp-"NINJAS!"
"WWE Champions!"
"Whoa kids, one step at a time. Now eat it, and beat it."
Snap into a Slim Jim, hee hya hee hya hee.

Oh how I hate thee, Slim Jim Marketing Department.

 

[Atmos Duality]

This. Just, this.

What are you talking about, that was amazing!

I always imagined that this is what Sony executives think of when they think about their customers.

 

[Chrono180]

I seem to recall that back in the 80s Pepsi had the idea to make a promotion where they would put letters under the caps of their bottles and anyone who could spell out their last name would get 5$ per letter. They planned to control the number of winners by limiting how many vowels were send out, but they did not count on one guy in Chicago with the last name "Vlk". Yes, "VLK".

Richard Vlk, a diabetic who could not drink pepsi, found out about the challenge and put out ads in the paper saying he would split the prize with anyone who collected his name. By the end of the promotion, he had collected around 1393 sets of his name, worth roughly 20,000$. Pepsi, annoyed, got even by sending him checks in 15$ increments.

 

[ReservoirAngel]

Two words and a number:

Cash 4 Gold.

fuck OFF with that shit!

 

[Ironic Pirate]

Those god-awful Slim Jim ads that used to be on the Escapist. Every time I saw one, I wanted to shove dessert forks in my eyes and ears.

I've been unable to eat Slim Jims since. I pick it, hear "WWE CHAMPIONS!!" in the most annoying voice possible, and put it back down. Ruined forever.

 

[Alphavillain]

This stupid shit.


This is not the only Dettol advert that has given me huge facepalms. All of them feed on public paranoia about hygiene, and scaring people into buy their products, it's such BS.

Agreed. The precipitous decline of civilisation has started, methinks. (Another indication of this is people using the word "methinks".)

 

[Alphavillain]

Oh god, it has to be this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbsSeVr5NSI

I especially like the "iron-clad kick butt" guarantee

There's something worryingly yet intangibly sexual about that product and the ad in general that I fear may scar me forever.

 

[loc978]

Oh god, it has to be this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbsSeVr5NSI

I especially like the "iron-clad kick butt" guarantee

...and it inspired so many parodies...
One [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDottm2hDhI] that even resulted in the threat of legal action... they had to expect it when they made the damn commercial...

 

[tigermilk]

Arguably 'Strand' cigarettes had the most unsucsessful advertising campaign ever. The adverts of a man stood in shadows smoking a cigarette was mean to eoke connotations of being mysterious. Unfortunatly they became known as the cigarette of choice for stalkers and perverts. Their legacy is the song 'Do the Strand' by Roxy Music.

 

[grimsprice]

I cannot believe no one has mentioned the J.G. Wentworth commercials.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN9OKXtzHtE

 

[Professor James]

Most In-Game Advertising. All they do is break the immersion and I highly doubt they want to buy the company's product. As a matter of fact I heard that people disliked the company after seeing one.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

"HI, I'M BARRY SCOTT AND THIS IS CILLIT BANG!!!

This was simply unfortunate casting in the localisation.

The US got Billy Mays, who could be entertaining to some.

The UK got Barry Scott. Nobody, not even Barry Scott, likes Barry Scott.

 

[badgersprite]

I think there's only one kind of failed advertising, and that brings this to mind.


Note: if the time stamp isn't working, start around 2:27.

 

[bushwhacker2k]

Spoiler

This. Just, this.

What are you talking about, that was amazing!

I always imagined that this is what Sony executives think of when they think about their customers.

I preferred the spin-off:

 

[Hashime]

I have not seen an ad in months, plain and simple. I no longer watch TV on the TV and ctv.com does not attack you with ads. Also, there is a direct download network at my school.

 

[DeadPlatypus]

Just take a look at this one.

 

[theSovietConnection]

I don't know about a fail advertising campaign, but I do know the interactive advertisements that seem to be on damn near every flash game site anymore are annoying as hell. Although there is that mildly terrifying Andkon Arcade logo...