Advertising Is Good For You

The $5-million billboard. Was it worth it?

This is the billboard behind Woody Allen's lawsuit against American Apparel. The line in Hebrew across the top says, "The Holy Rabbi."

Allen filed the suit last year, claiming the clothing retailer had used this photo from "Annie Hall" without his permission.

American Apparel used the First Amendment argument -- and suggested that Allen's worth as a celebrity endorser wasn't much given the child molesting allegations and all. (The judge decided the evidence regarding the child molestation accusation was "inconclusive.")

Allen and American Apparel settled out of court when American Apparel agreed to pay Allen $5 million -- a settlement American Apparel claims was insisted upon by the retailer's insurance company.

American Apparel obviously wanted controversy, but they didn't get the kind they wanted.

Woody Allen is in his 70s. "Annie Hall" was released in the 1970s. If the young hipsters American Apparel is after had any reaction at all to the billboard and ensuing lawsuit, it was likely a yawn. 

Sources: Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Wikipedia

College students not at all smart about credit

The Consumerist has posted the results of a 2009 Sallie Mae study of credit card use among college students. The news is even worse than I expected.

• Students have an average of 4.6 credit cards.
• 39% of students already have a credit card before they arrive on campus.
• Students graduate with an average of $4,100 in credit card debt with almost 20% having more than $7,000 owed on credit cards.
• A third of students rarely or never discussed credit card use with parents.
• 60% were surprised how high their balances were, and 40% charged items knowing that they couldn't pay for them.

Free coffee in exchange for free advertising

Students can get free coffee by placing a branded CoffeeCompany slide (like the ones below) in the middle of their in-class presentations.

Advertising Agency: Them

Source: Scary Ideas

Mazda ad campaign targeting college students

"Every grad gets $500 off any purchase or lease of a brand new Mazda."

Advertising Agency: Doner Canada

Source: Ads of the World

The most popular inducements used by credit card companies to sign up college students

According to a survey of college students conducted by the Public Interest Research Group, here are the most popular "free gifts" used to entice college students to sign up for credit cards.

Source: The Consumerist

One of the signs foretelling the coming of spring break

Source: Bits & Pieces

Advertising makes free photocopies available to Tokyo college students.

A company called Tada Copy (which means 'free copy' in Japanese) allows students at a number of Tokyo universities to make free photocopies on paper that has paid advertising printed on the reverse side.

The photocopy paper even seems to be a better quality than usual; it's thicker than ordinary photocopy paper to prevent bleed through.

Great idea.

Source: CScout Japan