"adcampaign" news and stories

While perusing the food blogs tonight, I came across this post from So Good. I really like So Good because it generally focuses on the more humorous food related news. I'm not sure if this latest Papa John's ad is funny or creepy.

The original story is from The Fire Wire, which tells us about the direct marketing campaign the Papa John's is planning on putting into action. The ad is actually a small sticker that is stuck to your front door right under the peephole. The sticker creates an optical illusion that there is a pizza delivery person holding up a box with the local Papa Johns' delivery phone number on it.

I personally think this campaign is really creepy. I don't even like it when businesses leave fliers on my door handle or tucked in the screen door. This is going a bit too far for me, but then, I'm generally not a big fan of marketing in the first place. What's your take on this: creepy or cool?

As a company, once you find a marketing strategy that works, you usually stick with it. Nike had the swoosh, milk has the mustaches, and PETA? Well, they have naked women.

Over the years, PETA has used women celebs like Alicia Silverstone, Eva Mendes, and Cindy Crawford to encourage the masses not to wear fur or eat meat. And while they've gotten a lot of flak, they continue to pay women to drop trou for the good of the animals.

Today in Philadelphia, PETA's "lettuce ladies" (women wearing little more than lettuce-shaped undergarments) will be handing out soy turkey sandwiches to promote the company's "Turn over a new leaf: go vegetarian" campaign.

A few points that should be noted, here: PETA rarely uses men to advertise its messages. It did use MTV Jackass' Steve-O, who was nude, but the ad a) only showed his backside and b) was quite obviously in jest, poking fun at the typical oversexed PETA model and keeping in vein with the show's brand of humor. Casey Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix have also done commercial spots for the organization - fully clothed. Somehow, I wonder if the effectiveness of the message is lost when we're too busy ogling Pam Anderson's generous chest to worry about what she's promoting.

Now, I'm all for soy products, either as meat replacements or as an addition to a healthy diet. Isn't it fascinating how, in campaigning to stop exploiting one living thing, another is exploited in its place? Maybe PETA should stop pointing its fingers at others for a second and turn the magnifying glass on itself.

Food for thought.

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