There's a Chrysler commercial running now that annoys the shit out of me.
It annoys the shit out of me even though Wieden and Kennedy did it and they seldom make a misstep.
For whatever reason it has a lot of silver balloons in it. Which has a nice artistic effect. I guess because they're celebrating something like Chrysler's 90th Anniversary.
I guess what irks me is not so much bad advertising but when advertising leads with a lie.
Somewhere in the copy the gritty VO says something like "celebrating 90 years of quality and innovation."
I don't know about you, but Chrysler and quality--at least if you lived through the last 50 or 60 years of American manufacturing go together about as well as Ted Bundy and Mother Teresa.
Yet there they are.
Balloons artfully wafting to the top of the screen.
Announcing their celebration of 90 years of quality.
Everyday, and I wish I were being funny here, I get about three or five emails telling me I've been chosen by something I think is called the Women of Distinction to pay some fee or another and become part of their organization.
As an industry--as a culture--I think too many people, companies and institutions are willing to lead with lies. They're too willing to assume that their "audience" are susceptible dimwits who will fall for such lies.
I think the reason blogs like this one, Dave Trott's two blogs, Rich Siegel's, Bob Hoffman's, Sell Sell's! have such followings is that we tell more truth than the "trade press."
When Adweek and Ad Age went into the re-printing press-releases business, they lost their reason for being.
I think the same is true with much of advertising, politics and interpersonal relationships.
In 60 years it's happened.
From We Try Harder.
To We Lie Harder.