Let's talk about relevance. When you think about bathroom and kitchen fixtures, what comes to mind? Smooth, comforting, shiny, clean, spotless, civilized additions to our homes? Or a Barbarian wearing SM gear and brandishing an axe? Even the word BLITZ doesn't make sense in this context (and could a measly 20% Off be considered BLITZ-like anyways?). I'm no historian, but wasn't BLITZ more of a WWI and WWII word? Didn't Barbarians invade and pillage? Do we want our bathrooms and kitchens invaded and pillaged? This is a full-colour ad that (other than our rather threatening friend) respects the brand with its use of colour, type, and soft, flowing shapes. But ruins it with an image inconsistent with the store, its products, and audience. I enjoy a clever juxtaposition in ads but they have to make sense. This one just made me ANGRY!!!!!
I wonder...if it was a buxom maiden in S&M gear rather than a great hulking barbarian, would you be as angry? Would it seem as out of context? After all, we buy cars because buxom maidens tell us to. I would argue that's no more contextual or appropriate, but we've been conditioned to accept an out of context busom more than an out of context ... um... ax.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, John (do I know you from someplace?). You may not believe this, and you may think I'm simply saying it because my students may (unlikely) be reading this blog, but I get equally, if not more, angry at the sophomoric, inappropriate, and far-too-lazy use of boobs in so many ads. Really.
ReplyDeleteBarbarians need to wash off the blood from time to time ... do they not deserve a shiny, clean and civilized room in which to do it?
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'.