Author Archive
VW PunchBug ad brings a smile to viewers
Posted by: | CommentsWhile saving trees and promoting charities and good causes is all virtuous, I believe that just making people smile is also virtuous. This VW ad, playing off of their punchbuggy fad of the ’60s is a well done, cool commercial that brings a smile to my face and really sheds a great light on VW. I think its one of the best ads VW has ever come out with because it just shows the fun in people.
Google knows its People
Posted by: | CommentsI call them people instead of customers, because you don’t actually pay to use Google. I use gmail and this morning, all of the vowels were missing from the site. I mean all of them. I sure this will be fixed by the time you have read this, but its kind of funny. You can’t send an email with vowels, you can’t read anything with vowels, and its a bit confusing. Of course, there’s a link on the homepage explaining the “vowel outage”. If you read it, you will see how good of a job Google does at recognizing problems, connecting with their users, and explaining what they know. I think its really cool and sheds some light on why and how Google is so successful.
Bank of America Doors Ad
Posted by: | CommentsThis ad has been out for a year or so, but they have started showing it on TV again and I really like it. I’m a Wells Fargo customer, but this ad is inspiring and shares the right message at the right time by a bank. I think its inspirational and just makes the character of BoA seem virtuous.
The Foundation for a Better Life
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The Foundation for a Better Life has tons of billboards and print ads like this and I think its very cool. As someone who drives a lot, I always find myself staring at these billboards longer than I should whilst driving. I think that when it comes to virtuous advertising, the FFBL has a great mission in inspiring people to be proactive in their own lives. There are many other examples of this stuff on their website values.com. There is a link to connect with them on facebook and on twitter and they have a lot of cool information and examples of their ads.
A Virtuous Ad by a Virtuous Institution
Posted by: | CommentsI think that this “Miracles” ad by the United Methodist Church is really moving. Looking at the devastation and destruction in Haiti, hope is a hard thing to come by. While it comes as no surprise that churches are participating in raising funds and making a difference, it doesn’t matter what your religion or denomination is to be moved by this simple and inspiring advertisement. The copy as well as the simple imagery is moving. In addition to simply being impressed by the ad, the website that it directs you to is virtuous social media. It allows you to connect with people using whatever social media platform that you prefer in order to help make a difference for people in Haiti, environmental movements, the homeless, and many other projects.
Sidenote: I couldn’t get the ad to show up in the blog, so please hit the linked tag and it will take you to it.
Liberty Mutual: Responsible Advertising
Posted by: | CommentsInsurance is a bland product that usually competes by showing lower insurance rates and a wide variety of discount packages. Geckos and Cavemen are one thing, but Liberty Mutual takes a better more virtuous stance that really gives insight into what the company is all about. The two ads below are two of the best insurance ads that I have seen. The idea of seeing people doing good things and passing it on is virtuous and responsible. I think they do an excellent job.
Southwest “It’s On” Campaign brings fresh air to airline commercials
Posted by: | CommentsIn the world of aviation travel, commercials are all about the cheapest prices and the most benefits for its frequent flyers. However, Southwest Airlines have concentrated on the most important thing over the past couple of years: customer service. This concentration has made them one of the most successful airlines in recent history. As someone who rarely flys Southwest (they don’t fly to Atlanta), this ad really makes the potential customer feel empowered. I think its very unique in that it says very little about the airline, no mention of prices or benefits, only the sheer excitement of traveling. It emphasizes one of the most negative parts of flying (the anxiety before deplaning) and turns that negativity into excitement and joy. I think it is an innovative ad that continues to set itself apart from the competition with honesty and a clear concentration on the customers experience.
SMU’s Heart Beats for Haiti Initiative takes flight through social media
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After the destructive earthquakes in Haiti in January, SMU’s Student Senate began a program called SMU’s Heart Beats for Haiti. The idea is that donors pay money and get their name put on a heart, which is posted in Hughes Trigg. Your name is also posted on the SMU Website. For organizations the price is $1,000 for a heart. The money all goes to the Clinton-Bush Relief Fund. As far as advertising goes, I think that SMU students have really come together and put in a lot of time and effort to see this succeed. SMU’s Heart Beats for Haiti can be found on Facebook and many people have made comments about it on their twitter pages. Students volunteer to sell hearts everyday outside of Hughes Trigg. The campaign is unique, involved, and persuasive. It is a fine example of some local advertising here on campus.
Who does this attract?
Posted by: | CommentsI saw this Quiznos ad on TV earlier in 2009 and just didn’t find the humor in it at all. It seems to be making some kind of homosexual joke and maybe that’s the intention, but its a little too risque and what really bothers me is that its for a sandwich. This ad makes a torpedo look and sound incredibly unappetizing. I really don’t know who Quiznos thought would think this is funny or persuasive but it has had more of a polarizing effect on me.
