Thursday, March 31, 2005

Why I'm Not in Advertising.

I listen to news radio on the way to work a lot - for job reasons, obviously, plus the traffic report.

So I also listen to a lot of commercials.

And every now and then, one catches my ear.

The latest is a commercial for an outfit called "Intelligent Energy." I'm not convinced how intelligent they are, though. Why?

Because their phone number is - and I'm not making this up, I swear to God - 1-877-I've-Got-Gas.

They've even got a catchy jingle for the number.

1-877-I've-Got-Gas.

To me, that doesn't say "energy." It says bad Mexican food. Like the kind I get at work from the Mexicanese place, so named because it's the only place I've ever seen where you get a side of sushi with your tacos. The tacos are great, don't get me wrong, but if you've ever had the jalapeno quesadilla, you'd know why they should buy Intelligent Energy's phone number.

Now, I'm not in advertising, and I've never wanted to be, but you tell me there isn't SOMEBODY at that company who listened to the little jingle and said, "Hey, wait a freakin' minute..."?

After all, that's replaced the reigning champion for "What the Huh?" Commerical, which had been an insurance company (no, I don't remember which one - ad guys, take note) that actually was trying to sell a product "that will pay you even if you don't die."

Even if you don't die???

I've got to find that insurance company and buy its product. Clearly, Joan Rivers already has.

Hey, it's worth a shot. Maybe I won't die - and thanks to that special policy, I'll still get paid!

Links:
Intelligent Energy

Hey, insurance company, whoever you are, if you read this, leave a comment with your link! And tell me and my readers how I can avoid death.

1 Comment:

Nicki said...

I think that's brilliant.

After all, you remember their number, right? You've told your friends about it, right?

It may be absurd, but it works. And in advertising, that's all that really matters, isn't it?

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