http://www.dothetest.co.uk/

An actual printed box for a Nintendo DS game called Imagine Babies. I could care less about the game, but I sure do love that they were too cheap to even purchase the rights to the image of the two babies on the bottom-right! Last time I checked, an image on iStockphoto would run you about $12 for a print quality version.

Funny and true

Environmentalism at it’s finest

And one more for the road…

Coincidence?

http://www.christvertising.com/

If so, I don’t get it. At first I thought it was real but then I watched the video on the Where page. (via)

For my business, I have a sticker that I could put on my truck if I wanted to. It is my (former) logo, custom made by a company who does such work. I say could, because I have never done it. I’m not really in the business of getting business on the highway. Plus, my driving record could probably prove that I wouldn’t obtain much business even if I was. While I am not a fan of window stickers/car decals/magnets for my business, I might recommend them for you and your business if I knew it would attract the right clients. Who knows.

What I wouldn’t do though is any form of the following:

• I wouldn’t put any sort of advertising on your car if it isn’t a professional looking vehicle. Meaning, if we are fighting for window space with your ‘Calvin, doing anything inappropriate to any other brand,’ it ain’t happening.
• I wouldn’t allow you to over-do your advertising. Nothing scares me more than approaching a vehicle from the rear and seeing a full auto-wrapping of one of those tacky Glamor Shots that Realtors still think are OK to use. Not cool. The pictures, the 80’s bangs, the fake teeth or the Fathead-sized image they combine to make.
• And worst of all, I wouldn’t let you put your business name, number, contact info, website, dog’s name, services, your name, email, or any other form of text on your car in those 70’s style mailbox sticky letters than can possibly only be found at WalMart anymore. Sad. I’ve seen it happen. On more than one occasion. And thank goodness for 1-megapixel camera phones so I can share this goodness with you.

Each of the photos below have been taken, by me, sitting in my truck wondering how someone actually thinks it is a good idea to advertise in such a manner. And then spending 5 minutes looking at all the cars around me wondering if that person(s) would be one that would call a number from one of these mailbox sticker ads.

And just so you know what letters I am referring to…

Advertising at its finest:

The first mini-van was happy to let me know that if I am tired of living paycheck-to-paycheck I should give them a call. Nothing says debt free like a green Ford Winstar. Oh how I wanted to call this number so badly just to hear the story.

The second mini-van (sensing a pattern here) is an older Chevy Lumina wagon that if I remember correctly was advertising child care.

Now don’t get me wrong, mini-vans can useful in business. My grandfather has been driving one for about 10 years. But he runs a print shop and has to deliver printed materials weekly. And for as long as I can remember, he has seen the importance of a real sign or proper lettering on each of his work vehicles. But the effectiveness of the cheap, un-aligned, multi-font stickers is on the same level as allowing your 13 year old daughter to do your auto advertisements in shoe polish. It isn’t.

Again, my job is to make you look better, let me do my job.

Injured Bad

Karate

Spinach or Spanish

Snotty Doctor

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about advertising. How it affects me, us as a society, and how I can become better at creating/using it. To me, advertising at its core is about making you feel bad or insecure about what you have by showing you what you don’t have and how it is better. It doesn’t always work, but when done well can create firestorm for your product/service/company. A few companies who are very good at advertising (or hire good agencies): Apple, Miller High Life, & T-Mobile come to mind.

Like the Vern Fonk video from a while back, advertising through the use of things like viral videos has the potential to spread rapidly and can gain outstanding results. But they have to be done correctly.

With all types of advertising out there from print/web/TV/radio/billboard, there is one I admit that I just don’t get yet. The ad campaign that leaves the thought of ‘what exactly were they selling?’ in the audiences’ mind doesn’t actually seem like the perfect solution. I won’t say never but very seldom does it ever work. The Sony Bravia commercials come to mind as one’s that might.

As I spend some more time collecting my thoughts/learning about advertising on the Internet I hope to gain an understanding of what works well and what doesn’t. Adwords vs. Banners, Promoted vs. Viral, Blatant vs. Subtle. Lot’s of options when it comes to advertising.

To go with all my advertising thoughts, Cadbury Dairy created the following to promote video their milk. I think. It doesn’t make me want to buy their milk but it does make me want to share their video.

A Glass and a Half Full

Side note: this video reminds me of my cousin Trevor, not the gorilla per se, but the song choice and the drum solo that he always ‘air-drummed’ to.

Created by theDTshow for Vern Fonk Insurance