Dumb e-cig ad is a throwback to a more racist era

This ad, from Belfast, is kind of shocking in its cluelessness. Taboo love between a mature white woman and a young black man! The scandal!

Fortunately, according to campaign, the Northern Irish didn't like it much either. The Advertising Standards Authority received several complaints, and ruled that "consumers viewing the ad would believe it was presenting a relationship between an older and younger individual, particularly an older woman and a younger man, and a couple of different races, as something that was unusual or socially unacceptable."

The ad has been ordered removed, which is always a touchy subject. I far prefer when brands willingly remove ads because it's in their best interests not to piss off customers by pretending it's still the 1950s.

The most offensive lottery ad of the day

This sexist crap, by BBDO, Düsseldorf, won a Gold Lion at Cannes as part of a campaign about how winning the Westdeutsche Lotterie can transform your life (or in this case, maybe "wife"?)

Sexual disgust as a marketing strategy

I saw two ads this week that managed to turn the whole "sex in advertising" thing completely around, with an attempt to elicit not arousal but rather disgust.

The first, via Adrants, is an online ad for singles phone line QuestChat:

Coincidentally, it was just announced that an app has been developed to help legendarily homogeneous Icelanders not hook up with not-so-distant relatives. So the timing was perfect to play on the cultural taboo of cousin incest.

(I don't want to get all Shelbyvillian about it, but I knew a guy whose parents were first cousins. The whole family were actually quite brilliant.)

The second ad, via Copyranter, is more than a little more disturbing:

No, I wasn't disturbed by the idea of an elderly person having sex (although that was certainly the intent). I'm more bothered by the cheap shot at seniors taken by this ad. It doesn't even communicate a true product benefit, as not even the most modest claims of cosmetics are necessarily honest. Bah!

Lanvin joins the mature model trend

(Sorry for two weeks of absence, dear readers. I was on vacation.)

I wrote recently about American Apparel's refreshing change from barely legal, semi-pornographic ads, with the introduction of 60-year-old model Jacky O’Shaughnessy in their "Advanced Basics" campaign.

Now, Paris fashion house Lanvin has included 82-year-old Jacqueline Murdock in its campaign for the women's winter line.

Shot by Steven Meisel, Ms.  Murdock is a former Apollo Theatre dancer who had always dreamed of being a model. But, she told Fashionista, "The opportunity was not there at my time for women of color."

Tip via Shift

Every family's worst nightmare: Dads in briefs

You know, as a "needs to get in shape" middle-aged man, I have no problem whatsoever with the double standards in what would be considered ageism, sexism and body shaming if this was an ad about women.

It's just one of those times when we need to accept the payback.

Flash only (for now):



Ad by Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Beunos Aires

Via Creativity Online