Absurd Marketing

I have observed various bits of ridiculous marketing, even outside of the world of hifi. Here's a couple of examples that struck me as particularly silly. Feel free to add ones you've seen.

Colgate Professional Toothbrush

I am a professional. I use various software and hardware tools in doing my job, and as such these tools could be described as professional.

A professional camera might be such as used by someone who earns their living from photography. A professional monitor is one that might be used by a graphic designer or type-setter.

But a toothbrush? Who's job is it to brush teeth? It's something we all do, a tool we all use. I think a Ford Mondeo has a stronger claim to the "Professional" tag because reps and taxi drivers use them in their jobs.

Hewlett-Packard Office Paper

The packaging boldly proclaims "Outperforms ordinary paper!".

How?!

For starters, what are the performance metrics of paper? By what test method did they determine that HP paper is better? Was the testing independant or double-blind? Does it give cleaner paper cuts? Make longer-lasting origami? Will letters printed on it be sure to get you that job you're longing for? The possibilities are endless...

 

i believe the term you require is oral hygenist.

 

I worked for Lexmark for a year in their technical support centre.

There are definately different grades of paper and paper of different types.

They take different inks from different types of printers in different ways.

My knowledge is 15 years old, and it was boring so I've forgotten most of it - so I can't illudicidate much.

 

Sure, I understand that, but to say "outperforms other papers" without stating any metrics by which it does so at all.... it's like saying that my car "outperforms other cars" without saying why, at what, etc. And the whole ink thing is fairly irrelevant to laser paper (I'm well aware of differences between different inkjet papers, particularly for photo printing).

 

maybe it really is the fastest,cheapest, more colourfast,least ink absorbing paper ever made. for laser and ink jet, wouldn't that be something?

 

Advertising is a farse !

How many times do you see turbo used ???

Gillette Mach III Turbo razor - As far as I know, it does not travel that fast, nor do I hear the turbo spinning up and a sudden boost of extra power when shaving !

MMmm, perhaps mine is faulty !

 

yeah, and talking of colgate - how many types of toothpaste have they got out..?

 

The most annoying advert of all time, my vote goes for the Hyundai one; How? Why? When? How? When? Why? Where? Why? When? How? etc etc Lord help us.

 

I now drink Guiness daily in the hope my hands will go funky!

 

I bought an i-pod the other day and i still can't dance.
What a swizz

 

I actually think that the current Mac advert is absurd. I for one wouldn't associate myself with either of those 2 dorks.