#FAILS: Marketing Done Wrong

So much of marketing out there influences how we think and feel about product placement and buying. Periodically I will try to upload some examples.

Here's some examples of items that caught my eye and personal thoughts: 

Product: Storage Units
Placement: Train / Public Transportation
#FAIL: Too political

Notes: Regardless of how you feel about the GOP, recent U.S Government Shutdown or what party you are associated with this add is not funny and here is why:

• Highlights recent negative political sentiment
• Assumes consumer knows what GOP is
• Highlighting prices dropping fast no ideal
• Ph# has letters which most phones are now smart phones making it difficult to understanding what the actual contact number is.

Overall this add is very poorly executed. There should have been more branding and coloring similar to company the ad is representing. Good keywords around positivity and highlight the value of storage, "Keep your things safe while on the go" or "Store your stuff through life changes" "Unlike your rent, our prices are going down"

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Product: TV Show (reruns) 
Placement: Train / Public Transportation
#FAIL: Self Depreciating 

Notes: Seinfeld is a known TV classic, reruns can often generate revenues as they can draw in new and old viewers. The problem here is that it highlights "nothing" and is confusing about the times:

• "Nothing" bolded and highlighted as the keyword
• The time of the shows are the same "time" that there is "nothing" on, implying also that the show is nothing. 
• While on a local train, the channel or additional information is missing.
• No other branding or "funny" items to remember

PIX 11 should be embarrassed by this ad that's almost worse than just putting a picture of Seinfeld and saying "Now on PIX 11" or "Twice a night in case you missed it."

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Product: Corporate Campaign
Placement: Train / Public Transportation
#FAIL: Too wordy

Notes: The images and coloring schema of this Ad is fairly nice, however its in response to a corporate campaign and has too much explanation. 

• Length story mid-ad takes away attention
• Introduces "Lucy" as a character though reader doesn't have the personal connection yet 
• No contact information easy to remember like FFAC or #SaveLucy or a website

While its unknown why the BART or train system has a partnership with a "Factory Farming Association" there's no action item here for the consumer, contact information or even "feel good" purpose of the ad. All in all its a fail. 

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Product: Art of Shaving
Placement: Train / Public Transportation
#FAIL: Sexist

Notes: The product is placed perfectly in the middle. Logo and branding could be more prominent however the Ad is sexist as it implies that men being taken over by their wives with a undertone enough to make men and women both uncomfortable 

• Implies men have to "ask" for the product
• Implies Wives steal spouses items
• Could highlight Art of Shaving better by showing more shaving products

Overall purchasing power tends to come from the wife or female head of household and perhaps this ad could be appropriate for an area that had a higher concentration of married men, placing it on a commuter train that is likely to have as well women (read: working women likely to purchase this product) it does not give a compelling message around purchasing. 

Most women I know found this ad to be sexist at worse, odd at best. A couple male friends of mine thought it was either odd or "okay." My suggestion would have been to phrase the ad something like  "All the power you need for a real shave" or "Your weapon this holiday season."

The most popular suggestion: 
"if the ad wanted to market to women they should have shown a man laying his head on a women's lap saying, "be ready" and a image of a shaving kit." 

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