Recently, there was an interesting article in Advertising Age about the scarcity of good print advertising today. It’s a subject that many marketers don’t think about much, what with the shine and glory given to digital communications.
But hell’s bells, the author was dead right. Most print ads these days suck like a Hoover vacuum cleaner in a wind tunnel.
Case in point, this atrocious ad for Samsung.
How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways.
1. Bad visual pun headline. The kid’s dressed like a tree– get it?!!!
2. Insulting your target audience. It’s an ad for an energy efficient product, so why use a derogatory term like “tree-huggers” as its calling card? Is it a good idea to insult the very people who might be interested in your product? I don’t think so.
3. Bad photography. This shot is awful. These people look phony enough to make Holden Caulfield puke bile and blood.
4. Bad copy. For some reason, the writer felt the subhead “That’s the wonder of Samsung” was a logical stepping stone from the tree-hugger headline. Then the copy talks about the physical beauty of the product, leading into a litany of product benefits– which are buried. Old school journalists call this ‘burying the lead.’ I just call it lazy A.D.D. writing, stringing product claims together like popcorn kernels on a string.
5. Sloganitis. This is a disease where the brand can’t decide what slogan or positioning line it wants to go forward with, so it takes them all. There’s the wrap up to the body copy with Samsung is dedicated to wonder, completing the ‘wonder’ subhead I guess, then there’s the logo with a new line: Samsung. Turn on tomorrow. I wonder which slogan they liked best? Two votes for ‘wonder’, one for ‘tomorrow.’ Yawn, I really don’t care.
Look, I’m usually a pretty forgiving person, but this ad is the poster child for what’s wrong with communications these days– it’s jumbled, confused, cutesy, lame and a mess. It happens to be a print ad, but the basic rules apply for all communications. We’re too busy to waste our valuable time on crap like this.
The saddest part of all– the ad is for what appears to be a terrific product from an innovative company. Bill Bernbach once wrote that great advertising will put a bad product out of business quicker because more people will be intrigued by the ad, try the product and become disappointed. I suppose the reverse may be true: bad advertising will put a great product out of business slower. Because the ads don’t connect, fewer people will be intrigued and buy the product and eventually said product will die of neglect.
It’s such a pity and terrible waste. Samsung, you need to find big ideas and big ideals. You’re better than this.
Reference #3. She looks hot!
She’s glued to the door. She’s waiting for the cool air…