Every day I pass this billboard on the way to work. Being a brand planner, I feel a right to comment on and critique ads everywhere I go. While I’ve liked several of the Foundation for a Better Life’s spots (girl who overcame shark bite, man who climbed Everest blind, etc.), I abhor this one. Soul? Are you kidding? If someone asked you what was so great about Gandhi would you be like: “he had soul!”?? What made Gandhi remarkable was his adherence to his personal beliefs of an ascetic life void of greed and violence, a stance against oppressive taxation, and a dedication to women's rights and the patronage of indigent people. His biography film is one of the first movies I remember watching, oddly enough. The ad is absurd because it’s an ad about Gandhi. He is probably rolling over in his urn.Other ads in Utah I loathe:
-1-15’s “Modesty has never been sexier” billboard
-Lowbook auto sales radio spots
-Deseret First Credit Union’s TV spots attempting to recreate LDS idiosyncrasies (RMs who want to get married, church activity, a dad w/2 daughters getting married at the same time, blah, blah)
-The frightening Humane Society electronic billboard that is always displaying creepy cats
-The borage of ambulance chaser ads invading my radio, tv, and the freeway… I’m sure there are many more but I don’t drive 1-15 enough anymore to know.
On the flipside, my favorite ad in Utah right now: Ominiture’s hiring campaign: “Refer a friend, get $1000 (and we’re not even a pyramid scheme).” hahah.
9 comments:
Kevin hates the Lowbook ads too!! He gets the song in his head and can't stand it.
Hey Shannon, This is Garrett's wife Whitney. I am a marketing major (sort of) and can relate to critiquing ad's everywhere. I agree with you 100% on all of these ad's. My least favorite are the low book ad's. I change the station immediately.
LOWBOOK BUYS CARS, LOWBOOK BUYS CARS, LOWWW BOOOOK BUUYYYYS CAAAAAAAARS! (are they really still running that one?)
LOVE THIS ENTRY... well done Shannon. You continue to AMAZE me! haha... send me your portfolio when you get a chance! And... I too am even tempted to apply for omniture because of their billboards! they are some of my favs...
Rolling in his urn...lol. When I think of soul, I think of James Brown. Not Gandhi.
I do, however, feel differently about one of your hated ads-- I have never been sexier than when I'm wearing my shade shirt and high rise jeans. Woo hoo!
how about those radio commercials from the morgage company, "it's the biggest no brainer in the history of earth"...know what i'm talking about?
Haha love this. Omniture really knows how to take the cake.
ps why have I not seen you? I need friends, you know.
hahahaha SO TRUE. Especially the scary pets on i-15. Why would I EVER adopt one of those after seeing it on the freeway? They look posessed!
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