Two stories today from the wonderful world of marketing.
Just noticed the new tagline for Gippsland Dairy.
Made slower to taste better.
I love it. Because I believe it. And I don’t care if it’s true or not. It does taste better (probably because of some added sugar or something) – it’s creamier and I love it.
Even the website mirrors the idea of good things taking time.
And it’s an immediate thing.
I get it. I believe it. I like it.
Mirror this with a recent offering from Corona
I’ve been a fan of the Corona campaign since it began over 5 years ago.
It was the first beer poster I’ve ever seen that made me want a beer at 8am on a summer morning. My mouth wanted a beer. My. Fucking. Mouth.
They’ve stayed pretty much true to the path since then.
Hats off.
Then this.
I think I hate it because I’ve loved everything else they’ve done.
What’s with the fucking fridge in the bottom corner?
Why would you put a fridge in the corner and not explain it?
I can only imagine the conversations that occurred in the build up to this almighty turd being foisted on the driving public.
Did the client forget they had a fridge promotion on until the posters were almost up?
“Can’t we just put a fridge in the bottom corner?”
Did the agency agree because – I don’t know – because they wanted to help or they didn’t want to change the campaign or they ran out of energy or one of the creatives threw a hissy fit and no-one could be bothered slapping them or the original art director wasn’t there and no-one gave a toss or they figured they had four other posters so rooting the fifth wasn’t going to hurt or they just couldn’t be bothered?
Did the client want a specific, stand alone ad for the fridge – which could have been a great opportunity to make more friends for the beer – but the agency forgot, in their haste to book tickets for an all-the-salsa-you-can-eat Mexican junket?
Did the client’s boss just make one demand too many and belling that cat just isn’t an option?
There are bound to be a hundred reasons.
And each one doesn’t stop the fact that I’ve gone from being a fan of the Coronas to just another beer drinker. This poster actually made the beer taste like cheap Mexican plonk that needed a lemon in it to mask the flavour.
Why on god’s green earth did they do it?
It wasted the good vibes the beer-drinking part of the ad gave me by confusing me with a “why the hell is there a fridge on the damn beach?”
And there’s no hint there to make me understand why my happy place is suddenly a dumping ground for cast-offs from some stoner’s kitchen.
Yes. I’m too close to it.
But couldn’t someone have said, somewhere along the journey from “We have a fridge thing” to “There’s a turd on my beach” – “Just because we have their attention, doesn’t mean we have to tell them everything.”
You’re like a boring bastard with a party trick.
You had earned more than my attention.
Now you’ve lost it.
Shame on you.
Originally published by The Dark Grey Man, January, 2014
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