When Words Go Too Far.

Elaborate adjectives can add a certain something to dull scripts. But there are two new 'flavours' in the Herbal Essences range that I just can't take seriously:

'Playful pink coral flower'

and

'Wicked white nectarine'.

What poppycock.

They say it's 'Uplifting hair that defies Gravity'. I say it's Adjectives that defy Rationality.

T-t-t-timing

Clever Kit-Kat have released an ad with Santa putting his feet up and saying: "Well, that's it for another year."

A perfect fit with their slogan: "Have a break. Have a Kit-Kat."

Have you got a topical theme you can use?

A message from Stella Artois

I posted on Twitter about some of my favourite e-cards, and Stella Artois responded to ask if I'd post about theirs.

After I got over my amazement, I checked out their link.

My answer is no. Sorry, Stella! It's much too complicated!

First you have to enter your birthdate to enter the site. Fair enough, it is alcohol after all and there are laws about such things.
Then you have to allow webcam access. Ooer, the webcam's on the laptop, and I'm working on my desktop computer. I'll ignore that and carry on anyway.
Then you're asked to 'print the marker image'.
Do I need that if I'm not using a webcam? Don't know, I'll just view the Flash version.
Oh dear, that's a bit dull.

What they promise is 'augmented reality' where you hold the marker image in front of your webcam and blow into your computer's microphone to move the snow.

I can't be bothered. But do let me know if you try it.

Well done, Tesco!

From 1230Jackie on Twitter

Tweet 1
1.5 hrs gridlocked in Tesco Orpington car park+3 hrs on road home for 30 mins normal journey - toooo much, hope better for others 2day

Tweet 2
Tesco staff rushed round with choccies for everyone - that was a plus!!

Hovis wins 'ad of the decade'

It's certainly epic, but should it be the winner?

The adverts which featured in the programme (in alphabetical order):

1. Barclaycard: Waterslide
2. Budweiser: True / Wassup
3. Cadburys: Drumming Gorilla
4. Cadburys: Eyebrows
5. Carlsberg: Old Lions
6. Citroen C4: Transformer
7. Compare the Market: Compare the Meerkat
8. Guinness: Tipping Point
9. Halifax: Howard
10. Honda: Cog
11. Hovis : Go On Lad
12. John Smiths Bitter: Various ft. Peter Kay
13. John West Salmon: Bear
14. PG Tips – Monkey
15. Skoda: Bake
16. Sony Bravia: Balls
17. Sony Bravia: Paint
18. Sure for Men: Stunt City
19. T Mobile: Dance
20. Volkswagen: Singing in the Rain

Many of them have also been featured in this blog (not as bad ads, but as good ones).

Which is your favourite?

This one's mine.



Watch the programme on ITV Player.

Ad of the Decade

Countdown of the 20 greatest commercials of the past ten years, from talking meerkats to the drumming gorilla.

ITV1, tonight at 8pm.

Wonder who chooses them? Let's watch it and see if we agree with their number one.

Why Simon Cowell has the X-Factor

This weekend has seen at least four hours of prime-time TV devoted to the X-Factor final.

Most companies pay fortunes for a 30-second ad. Syco gets hours – and we pay him!

What can you do to make your advertising that entertaining and get your audience as involved?

And the winner is...

...AC Wilgar, a heating installation company.

They took out a whole page ad in my local paper to announce the opening of their new branch and celebrate 25 years in business.

They have twice been voted best domestic heating installer in the UK, were Corgi's 'Best installer in the south east of England' in 2008, and chosen from 56,000 registered installers to help launch the new gas safe register in 2009.

It raises their profile and gives customers reassurance to choose them. What's more, the ad includes a 10% off coupon for installations before 29/2/10 to encourage prompt responses.

It's not the most attractive ad in the paper.

Their shops are a distinctive stand-out red that some would call ugly.

Their logo wouldn't win any design contests.

But their self-confident self-promotion gets a prize from me.

Heath Robinson, eat your heart out!

Watch the new Google Chrome ad.

Have you finished your Christmas shopping?

I want one of these!

Wii Just Dance.

I blame the advertising.

Tales of the unexpected

I love Roald Dahl's stories with the twist in the tail. And now here's a cheese ad with a surprise ending. It's yummy cheese too.

Why oh why oh why

is everything in Waitrose so nice that I spend twice as much there as I do in any other supermarket?

Whatever the answer, I think we could all do with a bit of it!

Have you voted yet?

Unless you've been living on another planet, you can't help but notice the number of reality shows and phone-in competitions* on TV these days.

Oxo has got in on the act, by inviting real families to record their own ads using a predetermined script. They're not daft! They're jumping on a bandwagon, generating PR and saving money at the same time.

There is still time to vote for the Oxo Factor finalists, who will be revealed during the X-Factor final (that's the show that is just one giant advert for Simon Cowell's business).

The Oxo Factor.

* You do know that they make money from your phone calls, don't you?