# Most ill-conceived ad campaigns? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872 "2009-08-18T19:02:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/41 "2009-08-18T20:51:28Z")
> [@Brandus](#): > > Microsoft’s response to Apple advertising by having Bill Gates go shoe shopping with Jerry Seinfeld. What a totally uninteresting flop. See, I was going to mention the Mac/PC series of ads for Apple. Better an uninteresting flop than an ad campaign that actually makes people like your competitor and dislike you at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/42 "2009-08-18T20:51:39Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > Ooh, good one. Axe seems to be selling “douchebag” in their ads. Surely they understand that only the most naive 13 year old boys buy into the miracle of their aromatic properties. Everybody else, of course, is laughing or gagging at you. Actually, as 13 is about the age guys start using deoderant, and most guys just stick with what they’re used to for the rest of their lives… maybe targeting 13-year-olds isn’t that bad an idea. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/43 "2009-08-18T21:00:16Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Don’t forget the ad with a very young Sarah Michelle Gellar. > > As well as the musical, magical Burger King who can take kids to the resturaunt with the twist of his magic ring. And the lovely young Elizabeth Shue! Ms. Shue, if you are reading this, call me! ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/44 "2009-08-18T21:04:44Z")
> [@Transistor\_Rhythm](#): > > I defy you to name a single BK ad campaign before the King. > > I rest my case. “Herb” and “Rip off 80’s songs while showing pictures of food.” Both of which were pretty awful and go to demonstrate that Burger King gets customers in spite of its advertising rather than because of it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/45 "2009-08-18T21:08:27Z")
UPS. “What can Brown do for you?” always made me flash on the “Brown 25” skit from [_The Groove Tube._](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Groove_Tube) ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/46 "2009-08-18T21:14:30Z")
> [@cckerberos](#): > > See, I was going to mention the Mac/PC series of ads for Apple. Better an uninteresting flop than an ad campaign that actually makes people like your competitor and dislike you at the same time. Those ads always bugged me as well. PC was a bit goofy, but he came off as an endearing, hard working kind of guy. Mac was nothing more than a smirking, cooler-than-you hipster. The execption is the commercial where PC has Vista and the bodyguard has to OK everything he does. That one hit the target. ---
**Author:** ![Mogle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mogle/32/12021_2.png) [@Mogle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogle)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/47 "2009-08-18T21:21:49Z")
Not sure if it can compete with some of the stuff that been linked to in this thread, but [this swedish ad](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4R1JMXFAg4) has recieved some criticism for being creepy(though personally I don’t have a problem with it). ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/48 "2009-08-18T21:22:38Z")
Ayds helped me lose weight! {ok that was bad timing rather than ill conceived?} ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/49 "2009-08-18T21:22:56Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Those ads always bugged me as well. PC was a bit goofy, but he came off as an endearing, hard working kind of guy. Mac was nothing more than a smirking, cooler-than-you hipster. > > The execption is the commercial where PC has Vista and the bodyguard has to OK everything he does. That one hit the target. I didn’t see that one, but I agree. I always wanted to slam Mac’s head into concrete. PC was kind of like your dorky uncle who thinks he’s cool because he knows what “foshizz” means, sort of. But he’s nice and doesn’t molest you (much) and he listens to your stupid jokes without complaining to your parents. Mac just thinks he’s so awesome because he listens to bands no one’s heard of and he’ll rib on you for hours if you tell him you downloaded a White Stripes song. Stupid hipsters. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/50 "2009-08-18T21:23:36Z")
My personal choice would be split between “Get slim with AYDS!” and McDonalds’ [“I’d hit it!”](http://www.i-mockery.com/shorts/mcsex/) banner ad. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/51 "2009-08-18T21:24:14Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > UPS. “What can Brown do for you?” always made me flash on the “Brown 25” skit from [_The Groove Tube._](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Groove_Tube) All this time I thought I was the only one who remembered it. (shudder) We need to form a support group. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/52 "2009-08-18T21:30:17Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > My personal choice would be split between “Get slim with AYDS!” and McDonalds’ [“I’d hit it!”](http://www.i-mockery.com/shorts/mcsex/) banner ad. It was nearly 30 years ago…but it is still stuck in my memory the newscast that talked about the brand new illness coming around and showed a poor guy in the hospital looking like a living skeleton…cutting to a commercial with a perky women screaming “Ayds helped me lose weight”. My God that was horrible. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/53 "2009-08-18T21:30:37Z")
[This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWLGlp59Nfc) is an ad from Australia, but I don’t think you’d have a clue what it’s advertising (even if you know the brand it’s a long shot!) ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/54 "2009-08-18T21:44:47Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > It was nearly 30 years ago…but it is still stuck in my memory the newscast that talked about the brand new illness coming around and showed a poor guy in the hospital looking like a living skeleton…cutting to a commercial with a perky women screaming “Ayds helped me lose weight”. > > My God that was horrible. Am I going to hell for thinking that’s hillarious? ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/55 "2009-08-18T21:44:50Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Don’t forget the ad with a very young Sarah Michelle Gellar. > > As well as the musical, magical Burger King who can take kids to the resturaunt with the twist of his magic ring. Not that I’m agreeing that the BK King ads are good or beneficial, but you guys are talking about commercials that are freaking _ancient history_ as far as advertising goes. I’m 27 and I only have the most vaguest recollections of “have it your way”, “flame broiled” and slightly better memories of the “where it’s cool to be a kid” kids’ club thing. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/56 "2009-08-18T21:46:27Z")
The Brooke Shields VW commercials where she’s proposing that the only reason couples are conceiving children is so they can get a Volkswagon SUV. Kind of creepy, especially given her bouts of PPD. I will say that she was looking hotter in those commercials than she had in a while, made me want to help her get into a position to buy a VW SUV. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/57 "2009-08-18T22:25:59Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > The Brooke Shields VW commercials where she’s proposing that the only reason couples are conceiving children is so they can get a Volkswagon SUV. Kind of creepy, especially given her bouts of PPD. I will say that she was looking hotter in those commercials than she had in a while, made me want to help her get into a position to buy a VW SUV. I thought those commercials were amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/58 "2009-08-18T22:42:42Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > The Brooke Shields VW commercials where she’s proposing that the only reason couples are conceiving children is so they can get a Volkswagon SUV. Kind of creepy, especially given her bouts of PPD. I will say that she was looking hotter in those commercials than she had in a while, made me want to help her get into a position to buy a VW SUV. I thought they were hilarious… it was evident she was doing her own thing as the couples tried to correct her regarding her reasoning about why they were buying a “Toureg.” ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/59 "2009-08-18T23:06:32Z")
Lately, I have been puzzled by a couple of print beer ads which seem to utterly fail to sell their products. Both are very basic in concept, consisting only of a photo of a bottle of the brand, and one line of copy. The first is for Heineken, and the copy is “Nothing Ventured, Nothing Ventured.” I can’t work out what this is supposed to convey in the context of a beer ad. Is it directed at people who are already Heineken drinkers? “Hey, don’t sample that other beer – there’s a non-zero chance that it _may not be to your taste._” This is the only interpretation of the copy that I am able to come up with that begins to make sense, but it seems like a pretty weak posture to assume. The second is for Corona, and the copy is “You Could Be Watching TV On Vacation Soon.” I suppose there is something to be said for lowered expectations, but WTF? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872/60 "2009-08-18T23:12:28Z")
{nm, Icebreaker beat me to it} [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-ill-conceived-ad-campaigns/506872.md?page=4)