When Ads Go Bad... Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tom Ford

These days Tom Ford is known as TOM FORD. TOM was born in Texas in 1961, went to The New School in New York City for a while, worked as an actor in commercials and then talked his way into the fashion industry. In 1994 he went to the almost dead House of Gucci and in 1996 sales increased 90%. In 2005 TOM created TOM FORD and has never looked back. As of 2010, TOM is one of the most famous and successful designers in the world.

Most fragrances are apparently bought as presents, so women's perfume ads are created to attract men and vice versa. If this is really the case, then TOM's target group is lonely guys. Hiring a world-class photographer and whoever's next top model does not make a cheesy, vulgar idea any less cheesy and vulgar. But TOM's doing just fine, so there you go.

Answer: Dove

Although women are largely responsible for its surge in sales, most advertising for premium chocolate seems to have emerged from the agency that works for TOM. The 'My Moment My Dove' campaign, in contrast, seems aimed at 'real' women. In 2005 the owner of the agency responsible for the campaign, said, 'We're not saying Dove changes your life, which would be dishonest. It's saying that Dove gives you a moment to escape. It's a conduit to get back to yourself."

You can read all about it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/04/business/04adcol.html

Answer: National Guard recruiting ad

In November 2009 The National Guard launched their 'At This Moment' recruitment video. According to Perry Jenkins, the director, the vision was 'epic'. He explains that the NGB wanted 'over the top' that would 'replicate what the National Guard is doing all over the world'.

Watch the interview here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuCsDWBIxGk

There are a lot of friends of the American Constitution all over the internet who seem to have serious problems with 'I will always place the mission first', and many others see this video as Fascist. Whatever it is, it is dangerously manipulative. If you don't believe this, then show it to a two-year-old.

Answer: Nike

Nike's miserable, mean-spirited 'Search and Destroy' campaign was created to coincide with the Atlanta summer Olympics. Nike CEO Phil Knight is still unabashed, saying the campaign merely reflected the state of total mental pumped-ness of the athletes. 'If we become predictable, that's not waking them up.'

Check Phil here: http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2003-06-15-nike_x.htm

Answer: All these things

Here is another 'moment' ad that implies that consuming a product will offset the hopelessness of your tacky life. Not only that, but it implies is that it is healthy. On their website, Lipton claims that '...every bottle [of Sparkling Green Tea] is full of health-protecting antioxidants, making it the perfect drink for your healthy lifestyle.' But as a fact-finding trip to your grocer's will show you, any antitoxidants are probably pretty much cancelled out by the high sugar and sodium content.

And whenever that smarmy male voiceover urges her to 'Find true love. Enjoy all the goodness of green tea' I always yell, "Dude, she doesn't need love; she needs a raise and some decent office wear."

Answer: The International Brotherhood of Burglars, stalkers and rapists

In 2009 Brink's Home Security became Broadview Security and they launched a campaign to introduce the new name. This has certainly attracted a lot of negative attention.

Feminists hate these ads because they portray women as weak victims who answer phones even when running for their lives. Gun enthusiasts point out that housebreaking into occupied homes is statistically way down because in real life these women wouldn't reach for a phone, they'd reach for their semi-automatics. White supremacists really hate these ads because all the burglars are white.

Yet, judging from what's on the internet, criminals haven't made a fuss. What kind of a burglar runs like a yellow-bellied chicken as soon as a bitty alarm goes off?

Answer: PETA

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) launched the 'I'd rather go naked' campaign in 1991, featuring beautiful, professionally photographed naked top models. Then there were the street demonstrations featuring beautiful naked people, the beautiful naked pregnant woman in the cage, the soft porn ('No one likes an 8 second ride') and so on.

It might be suggested that although promoting a great cause, PETA has a serious priority problem.

Answer: Everything in his room stinks

Febreze Fabric Refresher is a product introduced world-wide by Procter & Gamble in 1996. P&G claim that their product not only scents things, but actually 'eats' odors and that's why they encourage you to spray it on absolutely everything. In the Febreze universe, if it smells clean, it's as good as clean and if your room smells clean, beautiful blonde teenage girls will find you attractive, even if you're a dork. If you look carefully at this particular ad, you will see how the room gets magically neater as Karl and mom spray. By the time the girls arrive, it's in complete order.

There's an interesting look at Febreze marketing here: http://nudges.wordpress.com/how-the-febreze-marketing-campaign-improved-public-health-in-ghana/

Answer: KFC

Oprah posted a coupon for a free KFC grilled chicken meal on her website and approximately 4 million people turned up at outlets all over the country. A lot of people were turned away and a lot of people got angry. Oprah had to exert some damage control and had the KFC manager on her show to promise a rain check plus a free Pepsi (yet another plug) to all disappointed parties.

Oprah is obviously a caring person who really tries to do the right thing and Oprah is also pretty sharp. Why she decided to be party to a company offering free meals in the middle of a recession, meals promoting a healthy choice that were patently not very healthy is really a mystery.

For a complete rundown on exactly why this was a bad idea, read this open letter to Oprah here: http://www.oprah.com/community/message/1050571

Answer: Sex and the City 2

Although it's a toss-up,'Sex and the City 2'(2009) is the right answer because it's the only feature film out of the four possibilities.

The use of product placement (excuse me, 'brand partners') means that the movie makes money and generates advertising. Product placement has been around for at least 100 years, but since the success of Reese's Pieces in 'ET' or the Ray Bans in 'Risky Business' it has became an integral part of TV and feature films. Here's a short history of product placement here: http://www.filmcritic.com/features/2010/05/product-placement-in-the-movies/

Brand partners have become more and more important these days as TV has become obsessed with rich people. No wonder there's a credit crisis when everyone is encouraged to believe that a woman who writes a column for a newspaper can afford 16 pairs of Jimmy Choos and a Halston for every mood. Luxury items most people would never have heard of under normal circumstances become bywords. In a media climate like this, you can't blame people for believing that if they don't have the buying power of Paris Hilton there's something WRONG somewhere.