Think nothing’s wrong with your overgrown Twig & Berries? Think again…

Men, in our infinite mulish simplemindedness,
tend to think all body parts are just supposed to work and all the
stuff growing on our backs and thighs and groinal regions looks damn
fine as it is no matter how tangled and shaggy and utterly
extraterrestrial it might appear and how often our lovers cringe and
shudder at the sight of us naked. Besides, there’s little we can do
about it anyway. Right?

Gaze, won’t you, at Philips Norelco’s latest and surprisingly bold viral Internet ad campaign from 2006, found on www.shaveeverywhere.com

Have some fun on the site… I recommend the music video.

And be sure to read the entire hilarious article "How To Shave The Modern Male: In which a helpful corporate giant encourages you to please groom your crotch."  By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist.

CREATIVITY AND EMOTION ARE THE TWO KEY CHARACTERISTICS!!!!

What you say? Jam-packing an ad with product feature after product feature doesn’t work? That’s crazy talk!

Dr. Heath from the University of Bath has got the answer we have been searching for. Not only the answer, but proven scientific results.

"Dr Robert Heath, from the University of Bath’s
School of Management, found that advertisements with high levels of
emotional content enhanced how people felt about brands, even when
there was no real message.

However, advertisements which were low on
emotional content had no effect on how favorable the public were
towards brands, even if the ad was high in news and information.

Dr Heath, working with the research company
OTX, tested 23 TV ads that were on air at the time in the USA and 20
that were on air in the UK, for their levels of emotional and rational
content.

They then asked a second sample of 200 people
in each country how favorable they were towards the brands in the
advertisements. Those who had been exposed to ads with high emotional
content showed a marked positive shift in their favorability towards
the brand. But those who had seen ads with low emotional content showed
no real shift in favorability, even when they had a high level of news
and information."

Thus, the most effective advertising  to establish a preference among brands are ads with a large amount of emotional content and very little actual information.

"In advertising, it appears to be the case that it’s not what you say, but the way that you say it, that gets results."

Read the whole article  here

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

For those of us that have never been fans of V-Day – the folks at Altoids opened three very temporary retail outlets on February 8th. 

In the week leading up to Valentine’s Day, Altoids invites the lovesick, lovelorn and Cupid-wary to a sanctuary from all the romantic overtures.

Altoids Curious and Original Chocolate Shoppes have touched down in Chicago, Miami and New York, and will feature various activities, from Therapeutic Crafts for the Broken-Hearted, with free ‘Love Stinks’ needlepoint kits, to Love Lost Readings. The main feature, however, is letting customers sample new Altoids Dark Chocolate Dipped Mints, accompanied by free lattes.

Simply delightful.

If you have a moment, check out the new Altoids website. It’s got a few glitches but there is so much explore. www.altoids.com Especially, the singing telegram, hilarious.

As if we didn’t have enough to be snarky about, today we notice Ford Motor Company crowing over the “re-release” of the Taurus. Over the years, Ford has rolled out some big names: “Thunderbird.” “Falcon.” “Galaxie 500.” “Ranchero.” “Mustang.”  Hell, even the “Country Squire” brings a smile to the faces of people of a “certain age.” (Quit laughing. Don’t make us come back there, we will turn this car right around.)
Now. Raise your hands if you’re overcome with a wave of nostalgia for the “Taurus.” We didn’t think so.  The breadbox-looking denizen of municipal motor pools and downmarket rental agencies everywhere has never inspired anyone outside the Ford boardroom to do anything…except keep driving to the Toyota dealership.
We’re not surprised that Ford is claiming this move is part of their “New Way Forward,” but what really makes us throw up in our mouths is the Detroit Free Press’ fawning coverage of the subject:

“…On Jan. 24, (Ford CEO) Mulally told the Free Press that he was considering reviving the name.

…Reviving the Taurus name is a small correction, but it shows Ford customers, dealers and employees that the captain is awake at the wheel.”

Um, excuse us, but exactly how does this “bold move” show that the “captain is awake at the wheel?” Wheel of what? The Titanic?
The only time we’ve ever had “fond feelings” for a Taurus is when we were able to get it back to the rental agency before any of our friends saw us driving the craptacular conveyance. 

Now, to be fair, the article goes on to say that “The original 1986 Taurus saved Ford from failure.” This may be true, as 1986 wasn’t exactly 1968 in terms of inspired auto design – and the Taurus was a very affordable 4-door. We are also sympathetic to the Free Press’ desire to rescue Ford from failure. But cheerleading doesn’t help a dumbass corporation like Ford. It only enables their dumbassery.

You want to make a bold move, Ford? Adopt CAFÉ’ standards. Pioneer cellulosic ethanol vehicles. And quit listening to yes-people. You guys need better products. Not a lot of bull.