The TV ad for Clarica: ‘What’s hanky panky? It’s when parents smooch and smooch.’ is a great ad. It gives the impression that the company tells it like it is and is warm and fuzzy at the same time.
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Meanwhile, there’s a picture of a male model in the window of The Bay at the corner of Bay & Richmond streets in Toronto. The ad is for YSL men’s cologne. The focus of the picture is his armpit. Does YSL men’s cologne smell like armpit? Don’t want to sample that one!
Cathy Gareau
Toronto, Ont.
It’s a winner
I have been happily impressed with the recent advertising for Winners apparel. Not only does it capture how the Winners shopper talks, but it actually makes me feel paranoid that I’ll lose my secret shopping weapon.
Well done, Winners!
Judy Smiley, strategic marketing
Blade Marketing Communications
Toronto, Ont.
This is not in the Canadian spirit
OK, this kind of thing usually never bothers me but, the recent Bombardier television commercial that pictures their all-terrain vehicle [ATV] driving through a forest with narration that says ‘This is not sushi’ [referring to the ATV not being of Japanese origin] and then ‘This is not bamboo’ [picture of the trees]…it goes on and on in this vein in order to imply that somehow Bombardier’s product is superior simply because it is not Japanese.
I think this ad is negative and somewhat insulting in nature and really says nothing positive about their own product. I would think their customers/ potential customers deserve better.
We sell ATVs of both Japanese and American manufacturers and it has never been suggested by our sales force (or the American manufacturer) that one product might be better/tougher/stronger because of the national origin of the company that distributes it. It’s unfortunate that a company doing business in Canada, which promotes tolerance and diversity, would produce this kind of advertising.
That’s my rant and I’m sticking to it.
Thanks, I feel much better now.
Norm Roessler, sales manager
Cycle World West
Toronto, Ont.
Win a free bag of swag!
Send in your rant (adsthatsuck@strategymag.com) or rave (adsthatrock@strategymag.com) and, if we deem your response the best of the lot, we’ll send you some goodies. This issue’s winner is Norm Roessler.
