It’s the season for holiday adverts and so far none has done it better worse than J C Penny. Apparently, inappropriate gift giving is now a privilege only enjoyed by children, women, parents, friends – basically every fringe group except men, 18-49.
Just in the previous post, I was lamenting the inherent sexism in advertising of lore. The turnaround has been complete for the past 20 years or so when grown men act like boobs and is taught life-changing lessons by an all-knowing wife or a girlfriend. Yikes! It’s nauseating.
Cultural streotypes can be a deep-well for branding if the humor works. There really is no formula except that famous Potter Stewart quote ‘I know it when I see it’. He said that about pornography, but it works just as well for advertising.
Like this one…
and maybe, just maybe this one too…
