The Museum of Marketing Madness

November 3, 2010

Is This Progressive Store Real? Or Unreal??

Continuing the Progressive Nightmare. Let's review: Super-clean, scary-white store with a saleslady jumping out of her skin. Now about that store.

This place is so absurd, it's like a dream, it's surreal. We've never seen anything like this.

Or have we? Why yes! George Lucas's 1971 sci-fi flick "THX-1138" about a dystopian future in which control is exerted on people through omnipresent, faceless, android police officers and mandatory use of special drugs to suppress emotion. (courtesy of Wikipedia)

commercials, product mascot, Progressive Insurance
Posted by lee sachs at 11:29 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Comments = 3
November 2, 2010

It's called, "I Don't Know What The Hell This Is!"

This just left me speechless.

Even figuring it's for one of those local hyper perky morning shows where news people happy talk themselves into a frenzy...this is a stretch. Even allowing that this is part of a campaign of posters on the train...does it help if you see more than one of these?

No, it doesn't help does it? I don't know what you call this. It's not a metaphor. It's not a running joke, because it's not funny. It's just...running. I think......

TV, video
Posted by lee sachs at 10:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

The Progressive Lady Is Haunting Me!

Just another insurance company and another irritating, annoying personality. There are two things wrong here and SHE is one of them. In this super-clean and scary-white store there's a salesperson who is helpful and funny and cheerful! Yippee!!

How is it helpful to have some hyper-bubbly, eye-popping, chortle-forcing floozy in your face?! Back off honey...let me shop in peace. In fact...let me out of the store. (later...we'll get to the "Store")

commercials, insurance, personality, product mascot
Posted by lee sachs at 12:05 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Comments = 1
November 1, 2010

I Dream of Wheaties

How sad does your life have to be to get excited about "Gluten-Free Dreams?"

food, groceries, packaging
Posted by lee sachs at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

October 30, 2010

Sleek Modern Lobby Error Messages

Hey...now here's a cool office building entrance with 9, count 'em, NINE slick flat panel monitors displaying bleeding edge messages about the hip business that are down with it and all that, er, all dat.

But what's this over on the middle right? Is that another cool company so totally down wiff it?

Hmm...maybe they're advertising that this company actually created the Windows Automatic Update Error Message. That's some claim to fame...everybody sees that!

error messages, outdoor, window displays
Posted by lee sachs at 12:17 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Comments = 2
October 27, 2010

In Finland, The Runways Are Paved with Neckties

Here a Metaphor Waaay Out on a Limb. I think, not sure, this has something to do with the idea of how many cities the airline flies to. But I'm trying to figure out if the ties match up with the culture of each city.

I can accept that Copenhagen is polka dots,

but I'm just not buying this blue & black number for Moscow.

businessmen, Finnair, metaphor on a limb, posters, travel
Posted by lee sachs at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

October 24, 2010

They Could Just Say, "You'll Be Glad We Didn't Crash."

One of those attitudinal statement letting people know "The Brand" is there for them, even in these hard economic times.

There's no easy way to say this. "Business Is Terrible, But We're Still in Business." Better you don't say it, than try to curve your way around the obvious. Otherwise, you come out sounding like this. "You're going to like that fact that we don't suck that much."

economy, poster, travel
Posted by lee sachs at 11:56 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

October 21, 2010

Let's Keep It Simple. What Is The Product and Who Makes It?

The product designers had a field day taking a normal razor and morphing it into, I dunno, some kind of inverted lava lamp. Looking at those festive shapes, you really aren't thinking "sharp metal blade to remove body hair."

To further obfuscate the obvious, the Schick logo has been compressed and digitized beyond all comprehension. Maybe those razors were hacking at it?

Here's a normal Schick logo:

And here's that smudge of pixels in the upper left corner:

Which logo would you take to your face and shave with?

logos, product design
Posted by lee sachs at 10:50 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

October 19, 2010

Savings on Top of Savings = NONSENSE!!

Savings divided by savings on top of savings multiplied by savings is still...SAVINGS damn it!!!

Another stellar example of copy for copy's sake. Put something on a sign, insert buzzwords (savings, clearance, sale) hang it high and watch the magic happen.

(from TJ Maxx)

copy for copy's sake, signs, TJ Maxx
Posted by lee sachs at 4:37 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

October 18, 2010

Choice Is Being Able To Eat Fruit That Doesn't Exist

Sometimes creative cooks up a concept, foists it upon the brand and copywriters wind up building a bridge to nowhere.

3 images, 3 statements...all united by the color blue. But the third image didn't really have any blue. So what!? It's a blue apple!

Yes, that's a blue apple.

copy for copy's sake, outdoor, stock photos
Posted by lee sachs at 11:29 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

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This site is a creation of Lee Sachs and Cool Pillows, Inc. Yes, that's me, Lee Sachs (aka, coolpillows). If you have questions, comments, concerns, combustion or cartloads of other words that begin with "c," "k" or "q" please feel free to email me at lee DOT sachs at symbol gmail DOT com. (you can figure out what i'm trying to say there, right?)

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November 3, 2010

Is This Progressive Store Real? Or Unreal??

Comments = 3
November 2, 2010