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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
"Greetings to all you shameless hucksters and flim-flam men!" So began the opening remarks by host of the 1987 awards show for Minneapolis advertising. As the writer for the ceremony, I was responsible for his script, as well as the introduction for his surprise appearance: We asked ourselves … what person exemplifies the prestige and high standard of excellence for which this show is renowned? What person was secure enough in his or her own fame to share the spotlight with a series of commercials and print ads? Finally, what person possesses both a sense of humor and a sophistication to make the presentation vibrant and entertaining, yet respectful of the advertising it honors? These were the questions we asked ourselves. Unfortunately, we couldn’t come up with any answers, so we asked a couple more questions: Who was available? And who could we afford? Ladies and gentlemen, join us now in welcoming our host for the evening … national celebrity … television star … and the an
Maybe you've seen this classic Guinness poster, created back in the '30s and assumed that it was nothing more than silly hyperbole: And you'd be partly right. The idea is actually based on the high iron content of Guinness (probably from the water used), though of course, the benefit of this is exaggerated to an unbelievable extent in the poster above. That didn't stop the image from becoming so iconic that a pint Guinness became known as a "girder." The image also inspired this parody from Heinekin some 40 years later (though its likely that many young drinkers never realized its source), that both fit the idea into its own ad format and made the male sexual subtext even more implicit: (Best not to take any of this too seriously, though. In reality, the pictures in the Heinken ad would have to be reversed.)
As a panelist on a TV talk show, ad man and creative revolutionary George Lois was once asked to define advertising. After listening to the more scholarly definitions offered up the other ad execs on the panel, George commented, “I think these guys and me are in a different business,” and offered a more blunt, visceral definition. Lois: “Advertising is poison gas. It should bring tears to your eyes. It should unhinge your nervous system. It should knock you out.” 1 That’s George in a nutshell. Visceral. Bombastic. But in a less provocative mood, he summed his approach up this way: Lois: “The common denominator of all my work is the unremitting quest for The Big Idea, because The Big Idea – a surprising solution to a marketing problem, expressed in memorable verbal and/or graphic imagery – is the authentic source of communicative power … [and] picks up force and speed because its element of surprise changes a habit or point of view.” 2 He capitalized the term quite intentional
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~Angela Cobb
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.
(Though David Abbott wrote the Feldman ad which is a bit like slating God’s handiwork.)