Super Bowl XLI – Part II
I would like to believe that this column is read and enjoyed by millions. I would also like to believe that the titans of the advertising industry look forward to each Tuesday morning, desperate to know my thoughts. And most importantly, I would like to believe that I have a shot at resembling the new […]
Super Bowl XLI – Part I
The Super Bowl was what it was. The pre-game started fours hours before the actual game, Billy Joel sang the anthem, jets flew over, the Bears came out fast, Prince did “Purple Rain”, the Colts galloped back and the trophies were handed out. All in all, a very long day of football and football-related activities, […]
Super Bowl Psycho
One of the larger events in my sheltered and myopic little world is nearly upon us. I am, of course referring to Super Bowl ad time. As a youngster, I quickly discovered that the game itself was almost always lame and usually criminally one-sided, holding little to no actual excitement whatsoever. It was only later […]
Groom That Body Buddy
Masculine identity can be a tricky thing. Believe it or not, but men can be pretty insecure from time to time. I myself had a period that lasted a good eight years where I was totally fearful of being caught with dandruff. The ads made it clear that the ultimate shame was to be seen […]
Coca-Cola Conspiracy
“Hey, look there’s Santa Clause!” “Don’t be a sucker man.” “What are you talking about?” “Dude, you are totally falling for the biggest corporate shill in advertising history.” “Eddy, have you been drinking?” “Seriously Man, Santa Clause was created by the Coca-Cola Company” “Oh come on…” “Dude, don’t be fooled. The fat man is actually […]
The Humble Flyer
I’m certain that in the heyday of the Roman Empire the average merchant used flyers. The concept is moronically simple. A store wants you to come in and buy stuff, so they print a piece of paper highlighting a few things they think are special, interesting or priced low enough that you might just visit […]
Lego Smackdown
“Judging a book by its cover” may not be the best advice when it comes to making friends but it’s one of the most basic principals behind advertising any product or service. Obviously this method of discernment does not always work out in favour of quality, (Mental note: cool cover art aside, “Nerds Like It […]
Old School Listerine
What the heck is going on in the Listerine section of the mouthwash aisle? Good old amber colored, disinfectant flavoured Listerine woke up one morning, thinking everything was a-okay. He snapped on his socks and garters, donned a razor sharp “sack suit,” smeared some Brylcream in his coif and hit the shelf just like any […]
Costco Perfection
Advertising is often used to showcase the perfect consumer experience. Supposedly, these places really exist, yet we all know that most shopping adventures fall far short of this ideal. How ironic is it that the one place to actually deliver on such a promise doesn’t even use traditional TV advertising. Welcome to Costco. The most […]
Sexy Joe Fresh
I have a new friend and his name is Fresh, Joe Fresh. Joe Fresh is the new clothing line at Superstore (or Loblaw’s if you prefer) designed by Joseph Mimran of Club Monaco fame. The clothes are sharp and stylish. Superstore has priced these new brand killers in line with the cost-conscious image their stores […]