What’s Up with Patagonia’s ‘Worn Wear’ Ad? (Blacklash Friday Edition)

by Campaign Outsider

DrAdsforProfileWell the Doc opened the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

I was reading the New York Times on (Black) Friday when I came across this full-page ad:

 

Screen Shot 2013-11-30 at 1.10.55 AM

 

That’s a real head scratcher, isn’t it, Doc? They’re saying we don’t want you to buy our clothes, we want you to . . . have bought our clothes.

Does that make any sense? What kind of business are these people in?

– L.L.B.

Dear L.L.B.,

Yeah, the Boston Globe ran the four-color version of the ad, where the jacket looks even funkier.

 

Screen Shot 2013-11-30 at 12.43.43 AM

 

So it was all about the Black Friday Worn Wear Party, which featured the documentary film Worn Wear (118,619 YouTube views).

 

 

Patagonia has launched The Common Threads Partnership (Reduce. Repair. Reuse. Recycle. Reimagine) that’s designed “to reduce excess consumption and give the planet’s vital systems a rest from pollution, resource depletion and greenhouse gases.” The website says over 60,000 people have taken The Pledge.

Kind of reminds the Doc of the Media Foundation’s annual rub-their-face-with-a-brick Buy Nothing Day, which is also tied to Black Friday. The  anti-consumerism group would try to run an ad like this in the ramp-up to Shopapolooza:

 

 

Uh-huh – what TV station in its right mind is going to sell time for that? Can’t you just see the conversation after the spot airs:

Retail guy: Are you out of your mind? I just spent $100,000 on your station telling people to shop like crazy the day after Thanksgiving, and then you turn around and tell them not to? What the hell!

Station guy: Oh, right.

Then again, as Peggy Noonan noted in her Wall Street Journal column this week, a sort of Blacklash Thursday movement has emerged.

There has been a nice backlash on the Internet, with petitions and Facebook posts. Some great retailers refused to be part of what this newspaper called Thanksgiving Madness. Nordstrom did not open on Thanksgiving, nor did T.J. Maxx or Dillard’s. P.C. Richard & Son took out full-page ads protesting. The CEO was quoted last week saying Thanksgiving is “a truly American holiday” and “asking people to be running out to shop, we feel is disrespectful.” Ace Hardware said, simply: “Some things are more important than money.”

P. C. Richard & Son ad:

Save-Thanksgiving-Page-740x900

Yo.

What’s Up with the Ad Attacking Jimmy Kimmel?

by Campaign Outsider

DrAdsforProfileWell the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

Imagine my surprise when I unfolded the Boston Globe the other day and saw this:

 

Screen Shot 2013-11-27 at 12.09.29 AM

 

My first reaction was WTF?

What’s your reaction? Is Jimmy Kimmel really in trouble? That’s okay with me if he is.

– Sarah S

Dear Sarah S:

Jimmy Kimmel is really in – who knows what.

Here’s the story as told in the ad:

 

Screen Shot 2013-11-27 at 12.19.29 AM

 

You can check out jimmy-kimmel-wrong.com for yourself, along with mitbbs.com, which says it paid for the ad. (Just a heads up: mitbbs.com is in Chinese.)

Change.org is also in the mix.

Stop Jimmy Kimmel and ABC from promoting genocide of ALL Chinese people: Jimmy Kimmel must be fired

We are taking this seriously because the same rhetoric was used in Nazi Germany against Jewish people.

This Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘Kids Table’ show was aired on ABC on 10/16/2013 and talked about killing all the Chinese so that the states do not need to pay back their debts to China.

The incriminating video:

 

 

The Hollywood Reporter reports that ABC has apologized – twice – for Kimmel’s Chinese fire drill.

First apology: “ABC would never purposefully do anything to upset the Chinese, Asian or other communities.”

Second apology: “The simple fact is, the segment should never have been broadcast. Systems we have in place for these types of things did not function properly, and steps have been made to try and prevent this kind of egregious mistake from occurring in the future.”

But apparently that’s not enough.

China Demands ABC Respond to Jimmy Kimmel Skit With ‘Sincere Attitude’

 

JIMMY KIMMEL

 

Jimmy Kimmel‘s China problem just won’t go away.

After two public apologies from ABC over a satirical skit aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Oct. 16 — in which a child suggested the U.S. “kill everyone in China” to resolve the national debt – China’s Foreign Ministry has demanded further contrition from the broadcaster.

Maybe Kimmel could kill himself.

Just sayin’.

Yo.

What’s Up with the Obamacare ‘Brosurance’ Ads?

by Campaign Outsider

DrAdsforProfileWell the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

There’s no question the Obamacare national rollout has been a disaster.

But the state healthcare exchanges have done much better.

Except for the Brosurance campaign in Colorado.

Representative sample:

 

18

 

Mother of mercy – don’t we have enough problems without that?

– Kathleen S

 

Dear Kathleen S:

That’s not the half of it.

There’s also this:

 

67

 

And this:

 

59

 

Funny thing is, those aren’t official Obamacare ads, as FactCheck.org notes.

Let’s clear this up: The edgy “got insurance?” Obamacare ads that have gone viral on the Web were not created by the Colorado state exchange or any other governmental agency, nor are they taxpayer-funded, as two Republican congressmen have claimed.

The ads are the joint product of two nonprofits that have nothing to do with a separate government-funded campaign to get the word out about the new health care exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act.

The nonprofits’ ads target a young audience and — by design — have drawn public scrutiny. One, called “Brosurance” features three guys doing a keg stand. Another features a handful of women doing shots off a snow ski.

The ad campaign “is a joint project of two nonprofits, the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative and ProgressNow Colorado Education, to educate young adults about the Affordable Care Act.”

“The whole intention of these ads is to raise awareness, and that’s what we’re doing. It’s great that more and more people are talking about it,” Amy Runyon-Harms, executive director of ProgressNow Colorado, told the Denver Post.

Yeah, except they’re not just talking about it. They’re badmouthing it.

Yo.

What’s Up with All the Veterans Day Freebie Ads?

by Campaign Outsider

DrAdsforProfileWell the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

There’s a tradition of Veterans Day Sale ads that always struck me as kinda, well, cheap. But now there’s Veterans Day Ads 2.0, in which stuff gets given free to military vets.

Exhibit A: This full-page Starbucks ad from any number of newspapers.

 

Screen Shot 2013-11-11 at 12.37.04 AM

 

Exhibit B: This Applebee’s full-page ad from ditto.

applebees-veterans13

 

So is this good, Doc? Or just using vets to make money?

– Non Vet

 

Dear Non Vet:

That’s not the half of it. Check out this Vetapalooza of freebies.

Not to mention this full-page ad in yesterday’s New York Times.

Screen Shot 2013-11-11 at 12.59.02 AM

 

Back in the early ’70s, the Doc drew #186 in the draft, so we narrowly avoided going to Vietnam.

That might make us a less-than-ideal judge of these offers.

But they still feel a little creepy.

Yo.

What’s Up with the Two Blank NYT Ad Pages?

by Campaign Outsider

DrAdsforProfileWell the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

So I read this on MediaPost’s Out to Launch and, yeah, I was intrigued.

“If you have a physical copy of [Wednesday’s] New York Times close by, take a look at section A, the main news portion of the Screen Shot 2013-10-24 at 12.48.48 AMpaper. Notice anything strange? Like two consecutive blank pages? Intentionally done, the pages are part of a 20th Century Fox ad campaign to promote its upcoming film The Book Thief.”

(Wait – isn’t it 21st Century Fox now? Not to get technical about it.)

Anyway, whaddaya think, Doc?

Good stuff?

Or empty-headed?

– Out to Lunch

Dear Lunch:

First off, here’s the two-page ad from Wednesday’s Times (via Poynter, because the Times Replica edition doesn’t seem to have it, although the Doc’s home-delivery edition did).

NYTpg9

NYTPg10

Second off, here’s wordsarelife.com.

This is a classic news ad – designed more to get media coverage than to function as advertising.

And it worked.

Yo.

What’s Up with ‘The Kims’ Ad For MailOnline?

by Campaign Outsider

DrAdsforProfileWell the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

So I was reading Ad Age the other day and I came across this MailOnline.com ad:

 

the-kims-theyre-on-the-same-page_out_large

 

And here’s the Times Square billboard, via In-A-Gist:

 

ZpHeLWI

 

Kim Kardashian is hot!  And Kim Jong-Un was named Sexiest Man Alive last year.

You think maybe they’ll get married?

– Kim Jong Uh-huh!

 

Dear Uh-huh:

Unh-unh.

What’s Up with the Hispanics Across America ‘Bad Selig’ NYT Ad?

by Campaign Outsider

DrAdsforProfileWell the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

So I was watching the St. Louis Cardinals beat the stuffing out of the Los Angeles Dodgers last night.

 

At which point I started reading Friday’s New York Times sports section.

At which point I saw this full-page ad from Hispanics Across America.

Screen Shot 2013-10-19 at 12.40.18 AM

Lede:

Screen Shot 2013-10-19 at 1.09.37 AM

 

“A disgrace to the game, to the players and our children?”

Seriously?

And then there’s this: “That’s why we are fighting for justice for Alex Rodriguez.”

Are you kidding? Alex Rodriguez? That cancer not only on the Yankees but on all of baseball?

Apparently they aren’t.

Your prescription for a response, Doc?

– Your Bud

 

Dear Actually Not My Bud,

First of all, you’ve read the disclaimer at the top, right?

Second of all, Go Redbirds!

Yo.

What’s Up with SEIU’s NYT Ad?

by Campaign Outsider

DrAdsforProfileWell the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

I was reading the New York Times during my union-sanctioned mental health break when I came across this full-page ad.

 

Screen Shot 2013-10-18 at 1.42.26 AM

 

Text:

 

Screen Shot 2013-10-18 at 1.52.10 AM

 

After reading that, I developed a severe case of SEI-(FL)U.

Any remedies in your medical bag?

-SueU

 

Dear SueU:

You read the disclaimer up top, right?

Anyway, here’s some background from the Healthcare Education Project website that promotes the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) campaign:

The Healthcare Education Project is a community-based advocacy organization committed to improving healthcare in New York State through education, grassroots organizing and coalition-building. Our mission is to protect and expand access to quality, affordable healthcare for all New Yorkers. Our efforts focus on building partnerships with individuals, local healthcare providers, and civic and religious leaders in neighborhoods across New York State.

You can also read about the successes they claim and get answers to FAQ.

What you can’t read is news coverage of this SEIU effort because there doesn’t seem to be any.

Which is why they bought the ad in the first place.

Yo.

What’s Up with the VMR Electronic Cigarettes Ad?

by Campaign Outsider

DrAdsforProfileWell the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

Full disclosure: I’m a smoker, which in today’s society means I am 1) morally deficient, and 2) an endless source of revenue for any and all state expenses.

(Not-So-Fun Fact to know and tell: In 2007, state excise taxes on tobacco rose by $3 billion. State excise taxes on alcohol that year rose by $3 million.)

Whatever.

In Monday’s New York Times, there was this full-page ad.

 

Screen Shot 2013-10-16 at 12.44.21 AM

 

So here’s my question.

What’s the deal with e-cigs? Safe nicotine harbor, or no?

– Vaporized

 

Dear Vaporized,

First off, check out the old Doc’s recent appearance on NPR’s Here & Now.

Then check out VMR Products LLC (which spent a six-figure bundle on the Times ad).

Then check out VaporTruth (the VMR e-cig mouthpiece).

 

Screen Shot 2013-10-16 at 1.02.24 AM

 

Then decide for yourself.

What’s Up with the Starbucks Shutdown Ad?

by Campaign Outsider

DrAdsforProfileWell the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

I was enjoying a latte at the Coolidge Corner Starbucks and reading the New York Times yesterday when I came across this ad:

Screen Shot 2013-10-12 at 1.37.32 AM

You can imagine my surprise – why is a coffee chain jumping into the chain-gang affairs of Congress? Shouldn’t Starbucks just concentrate on getting my order right?

– Foaming in Beantown

Dear Foaming:

Depends. The more complicated your order is, the less sympathy I have for you.

As for the shutdown ad, the jury’s still out on exactly what the hell Starbucks is doing. An Associated Press report (via the Boston Globe) noted this:

The move is unusual for a company like Starbucks Corp. While big brands generally steer clear of politics to avoid alienating customers, Starbucks and its outspoken chief executive, Howard Schultz, have run toward the spotlight by trying to gain a voice in national political issues.2013-10-10T191143Z_1759122890_TM4E9AA11ZK01_RTRMADP_3_STARBUCKS-SHUTDOWN

But because the company’s efforts are generally nonpartisan and unlikely to cause controversy, marketing and corporate image experts say they burnish Starbucks’ reputation as a socially conscious company.

‘‘It’s always risky when brands mix politics and business,’’ said Allen Adamson, managing director of the New York-based branding firm Landor Associates. ‘‘But the benefit for Starbucks likely outweighs the risk.’’

Not according to The Daily Beast’s Daniel Gross, though.

The Starbucks Shutdown Petition Is Baloney

For the record, I love Starbucks. I’ve got a Starbucks card in my wallet. I regularly wow bystanders by brandishing the Starbucks mobile payment app on my iPhone. At home, I start the day by scooping out a couple of heaping tablespoons of Starbucks espresso roast into my Breville machine.1381508632454.cached

But I was a bit dismayed by this morning’s news that Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is spearheading a  nonpartisan drive to jolt Washington into action. On the company’s home page there’s a plea to “our leaders in Washington, D.C.” to come together to  reopen the government, pay our debts, and “pass a bipartisan and comprehensive long-term budget deal by the end of the year.”

That isn’t doppio. It’s dopey-yo.

Whatever that means. But here’s Gross’s point, doppio or not:

Why is this annoying? Look, it isn’t D.C. leaders who have shut down the government and refuse to open it. It isn’t Washington that is blithely threatening not to meet our collective financial obligations. And it isn’t D.C. leaders who are refusing to enter negotiations about a longer-term budget deal. Rather, it’s Republicans behind all three.

So, presumably, all the barista-beholden should be steaming about the GOP, not the Democrats.

Time for a coffee break, yeah?

Yo.