Beautiful concept

It may seem a bit cruel to pick on Marty Feldman just to make your point, but the pairing was inspired in more ways than one:

Comments

ANGELA COBB said…
I don't know if it's cruel, just an inspired concept. I've always loved the ad myself, as a fan of Feldman. It's rather clever. And the things that they right in the ad are cute. Good stuff. Fun ad.

~Angela Cobb
May 23, 2008 at 8:33 AM
Craig McNamara said…
I'm sure they needed Feldman's blessing to go with the ad, just as I'm sure that Feldman was aware of (and comfortable with) the source of much of his appeal. Still, it is a little...I don't know, cold...to see a company that has gone to so much effort to give itself such a charming personality run an ad that keys off of making fun of somebody else's appearance. It's definitely clever, and obviously hard to ignore, but VW and Doyle Dane Bernbach have done better ads.
May 23, 2008 at 11:28 AM
ANGELA COBB said…
Oh of course, I agree. And I'm sure even with how comfortable he seemed with it, Feldman had to be somewhat insecure with his appearance, I mean...I don't know it'd make sense. Also, his appearance wasn't all of his appeal, a huge comic talent, mind, and great writing ability were another bit.

But yeah...clever. And I suppose though, as you've said...it is a bit odd. Because come to think of it, you never really see any other ads that do so much capitalize on mocking someone's appearance. Good point.
May 23, 2008 at 9:26 PM
Anonymous said…
I preferred the lunar module execution which says the same thing in fewer words with a timeless visual.

(Though David Abbott wrote the Feldman ad which is a bit like slating God’s handiwork.)
May 28, 2008 at 4:59 AM
Craig McNamara said…
Anthony, thanks for bringing up the Lunar Module concept, too -- "It's ugly but it gets you there." -- I remembered that one, too, as one that made the same point in a less personal (and probably more relevant) fashion. Maybe it says something about our culture being a bit more intolerant of insensitivity back then. I can imagine VW running the same ad with, say, Phyllis Diller, but I can't think of celebrity today who'd be comfortable with the implication of being unattractive. [The only possible example that comes to mind is that show, "Ugly Betty," and there, the main character isn't really ugly, she's only being judged against the impossible standards of the fashion industry.
May 28, 2008 at 1:57 PM
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