Archive for June, 2009
Flashback Series: 1971 Ford Pinto Advertising
my grandmother drove a ford pinto – quite possibly the ugliest car ever made. but any loss of cool points i suffered while being carted around in this beast pales in comparison to how ford must have felt when they first launched in the brazilian market. as it turns out, pinto is brazilian slang for tiny male genitals! look it up, i’m not busting balls here (no pun intended). so how did ford reverse this embarrassment? they renamed the line corcel – which translates into horse. click on for subsequent innuendos in the pinto advertising.
click to enlarge
Truth in Advertising – What Does it Really Mean?
here’s a link to the federal trade commission’s definition of truth in advertising. topics include express vs. implied claims, the types of claims that grab the ftc’s attention first, and much more. this is a must-scan for all small businesses!
Accessibility Standards for Websites
i’m amazed that more marketers can’t talk intelligently on the subject of accessible website design. it’s been 12 years since the white house endorsed the website accessibility initiative. there are a slew of reasons why accessibility matters, but here are two for marketers – 1) those with disabilities and seniors with visual/motor limitations may struggle to make online purchases in a non-accessible environment; 2) search engines prefer accessible websites! if you normally fake it ’til you make it on this topic, then this post is for you. i provide several wiki links, since the subject is a bit technical. click on!
Weird Ad at Congressional Baseball Game
attended the congressional baseball game at nationals park last night thanks to my new friend and client, greg berger of berger video. when i wasn’t trying to distract nancy pelosi’s security detail, i was busy laughing at an ad on the back cover of the program for the game. check it out for yourself below. beer is the face of american jobs? because alcohol is different? i know there’s a healthy message in there, but i’m not reading the rest to find it. not exactly the kind of partnership i’d explore for a charity event!
click for ad headline
click for ad footer