Comments on: Who Cares Advertising

By: Matthew Snodgrass

Matthew Snodgrass — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:00:57 +0000

Seriously, man. You hit the nail on the head. I’m sure you’ve developed that brain filter that doesn’t even see these words and phrases anymore? Like the learned ability to view Web pages without even digesting the banner ads. Oops, did I say that?

By: Rufus

Rufus — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:55:15 +0000

@Angie no words on your comment, just a photo.
http://rufus.posterous.com/high-paw

By: Angie

Angie — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:43:33 +0000

I’m a visual person. I didn’t even notice the #1 on the pkg till I read your post. A photo speaks a thousand words for me. The steak-umms photo made me hungry, and I wondered if I had any in the freezer; but the corned beef made me want to gag. People don’t read anymore… take better pics!

By: Brian Clark

Brian Clark — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:09:25 +0000

Social proof… and in this case, if you’re the sales leader in a commodity market like this, that’s about the absolute best thing you can say.

If you’re *not* the sales leader and make that specific claim, the FTC will come pay you a visit. :-)

By: Karim

Karim — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 01:11:03 +0000

This all part and parcel of the legacy world we live in. So many systems put in place decades ago are totally irrelevant to our lives, choices, needs today, but yet they persist.

By: Bongoramsey

Bongoramsey — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:09:13 +0000

Sales of Spam (the gelatinous canned pork/sugar product) are w-a-a-a-a-y up. Read about it at http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2008/11/spam_isnt_so_ba.php
If you have time, follow the link to the NY Times article that this page cites. Interesting story about the popularity of canned meat.

By: Another Way to Look at Cutting the Fat « Erin McMahon: Possibly Related Posts

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:24:33 +0000

[...] Brogan wrote a great post on “Who Cares Advertising,” reminding and encouraging advertisers to remove “your superfluous words and [...]

By: LadyOTrout

LadyOTrout — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:03:47 +0000

How about #1 selection of lips and a$$holes, and anything else that you sweep of the floor.

Others knows as: Vienna Sausage, Scrapple, Creton, etc.

By: Me

Me — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:01:51 +0000

I think for many shoppers, especially those who aren’t dedicated label/ingredient readers, that these “number one” or “favorite” labels work subconsciously. They don’t see it and think that this is a reason for buying it, but on a subconscious level it affects their buying decision and can result in them purchasing the product.

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:57:46 +0000

Chris:

This is a bit naive. People may say what they like or don’t like about advertising, packaging or anything else, but then they behave quite differently. We say we don’t want to be fat but we keep eating cheeseburgers and not exercising. We say we want new thinking in politics but we keep voting for the same type of person (and I include Ivy league mainstream Democrat Obama in that group).

CPG companies test their packaging. And we find that small (sometimes silly) differences in claims or graphics can have a big impact.

I have no position on the packaging examples in your post.

But I do find the notion that asking people to simply report what they think would motivate them to be a bit naive.