They said what? Edgy advertisers pushing the envelope
July 26, 2010 by Bob HillPosted in: communication, In this week's e-newsletter - Sales & Marketing, Latest News & Views - Sales & Marketing
Our culture has changed, and so has the type of message people are responding to.
More programming and products are aimed at a new generation of consumers, who aren’t nearly as offended by strong language, according to a recent New York Times article. For example, one of the top movies in America in the past few months was a film called “Kick Ass,” a title which no major studio would’ve endorsed 10 years ago.
Advertisers are following a similar trend, pushing the envelope in their ads with more double entendres, sexually suggestive visuals and language that may be considered vulgar by some, but often manages to “break through the clutter.”
The internet is now like the Wild West with thousands of bloggers using vulgar — and sometimes even obscene — language without fear of regulation or retribution. Young people are growing up in a world where they’re more desensitized to these terms. In fact, this is often the type of language they use when engaging in normal conversation.
Advertisers and marketers are interested in capitalizing on that trend. Frank’s Hot Sauce, for example, has a new ad campaign and slogan which reads: “I put that !@#$ on everything.” The fourth word is blocked out in most ads by a splash of hot sauce, but the intention is clear.
It’s a shrewd way to market, given the fact that so many ad campaigns go viral these days. In many cases, the goal is to provide a message that’s witty, funny or intelligent enough that people will forward it to friends and colleagues, thereby increasing the ad’s value without any additional costs.
The potential consequence: That the ends don’t justify the means. In other words, companies could be alienating their base by endorsing this type of advertising. Long-term, it’s up to company leaders to determine whether using offensive language should be a real-world concern.
Source: “Bleep or No Bleep, Bolder Words Blow In,” by Stuart Elliott,
New York Times, 5/13/10.
Do you think this type of advertising sends a negative message, or is it an effective way to “break through the clutter”? Share your opinions in the Comments Box below.
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Tags: advertisers, bloggers, Frank's Hot Sauce, Kick Ass, marketers
July 28th, 2010 at 11:52 am
I have been doing art my entire life and while art is subject to interpretation I think the market is being flooded with sexual and derogatory imagery. It makes me sad to see because media and marketing pushes ideals onto society through the messages advertised. Decrease in morale is a worldwide issue; these messages are just making it more socially acceptable, especially in the last 10 years. If you can advertise using creative, striking images and intuitive verbiage then the strong language is not needed. Images and art in advertising should be the main focus; the verbiage backing the message should provoke thought and interest. On the whole, I think you could turn off a mass of consumers by sticking yourself into a niche market targetting only a portion of the consumers. To make advertising effective you need to be able to reach out to anyone regardless of age, race or gender.
July 28th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
I think this is a very creative way to break through the clutter and get your message heard. The name of the game is getting as many people talk about your product/service and ultimately buy it because of your effective marketing/ advertising efforts. If it does not offend race, sex, religion or nationalities, I think it is smart to use witty advertising to cut through all the noise out there.
August 3rd, 2010 at 1:21 pm
As a marketer and communications professional, I think its ridiculous to say this garbage is witty or intelligent. Intelligent communications can do both – break through the clutter and actually refrain from bathroom humor. I think of comedians like Bill Cosby or Bob Newhart – witty, funny, hilarious actually, but generally took the higher road in this regard. And, lest you say they were around in a nicer, purer, more genteel age – they competed for airtime against the George Carlins and Richard Pryors of the world. There’ll always be a portion of the creative set who are lauded for being “edgy” when, in fact, they’re just unoriginal and not very inventive.
Geico spots for example – some are goofy, but most are hilarious, sans crass language.
Having said that – if I were marketing hot sauce, I could see the logic – the focus groups probably are “cool” with that language and would reject a hot sauce marketed like the Harvard Lawn Club – I get it – but, still, find some better adjectives – “witty, intelligent” – not so much.
August 3rd, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Interesting that the heretofore verbal taboos in advertising are now called creative, effective, witty, smart and offend nobody as to race, sex, nationality or religion. As an American with a fair command of my native tongue, English, I am offended by such language regardless of where it is seen or heard. Must we do all possible to see that our children grow up to be trash talking barbarians? Would it not be better to teach the proper use of language, courtesy and manners? It may also be helpful to teach the value of material things such that cutting through the cluttter will be unnecessary.
The rest of the world thinks the U.S. is populated by buffoons. I see little sense in confirming their thoughts.
August 3rd, 2010 at 2:10 pm
I believe that there is a time and a place for everything, that a blanket judgement to avoid vulgarity is as unwise as committing to its constant use. As an educated member of the ‘newer’ generation, I am very comfortable with vulgarity when used properly, and can appreciate it when used effectively. Like any other linguistic device, there is an art to effective employment that can’t always be taught. However there are a few simple guidelines I like to follow:
1) Be aware of your audience. As mentioned in the article, there are audiences for which this language may have negative effects. Preschoolers and their parents top this list. Baby boomers are surprisingly comfortable with vulgarity but are more sensitive to the chance that a minor may be exposed, even if there are none immediately present.
2) Moderation. Vulgarity should be employed like exclamation points. Overuse of vulgarity can come across the same way that overuse of all-capital letters would in email or text. The audience becomes numb to it and the vulgarity becomes vestigial and useless.
3) The blitz. Contrast is one of the most powerful tools in communication. It may be more effective (given rules 1 and 2) to combine and condense the vulgarity for delivery all at once following a refined and vulgarity free period. This preserves and heightens the shock and visceral response that comes with it.