A few choice words can make a powerful image. If you have any doubt, just check out the new ad campaign Mars just launched. In fact, in this case, the image and the words are just too much, in my opinion.
The ad campaign is for the first new candy bar Mars has launched in 20 years. Called the “Fling,” it is being marketed to women. The ad campaign is using plenty of double entrendres, including calling it a “chocolate finger.” I don’t know about you, but instead of making me say, “Yum, give me some chocolate,” that image in relation to a chocolate bar makes me say, “Yuck.” I doubt that that was what Mars wanted when they launched this ad campaign.
Take a look for yourself at one piece of the marketing materials for this ad campaign:
a promotional mailer for Mars' new candy bar, the "Fling"
I’m not the only one who thinks this campaign goes too far. NPR’s “All Things Considered” ran a story yesterday about the ad campaign. Here’s an excerpt from that story:
“The overall campaign feels weird,” Lisa Johnson says. “It feels creepy.” Johnson is the co-author of Don’t Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy — and How to Increase Your Share of This Crucial Market. She describes the marketing as a “full-frontal attack.”
“The language of it has so much sexual innuendo, you could pack it into a trashy novel.” Johnson says marketers are taking the connection women often make between chocolate and sensuality too literally. “There are other things you can do that can hit this note without banging on it.”
It remains to be seen how effective the ad campaign will be, of course. But I would definitely like to see toned-down copy for this ad campaign. And my guess is that such a toned-down version would be much more effective.
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