Advertising Is Good For You

'Hey, mortgage company, thanks for scaring the crap out of me' said no one ever

A very official-looking envelope arrived in the mail yesterday. I knew it was probably junk mail but I opened it anyway. Just in case.

This is what was inside:

For a split second I thought the IRS was was after me.

But, no, this was an offer to refinance my mortgage. To an adjustable rate mortgage, no less.

The folks at Residential Finance designed their direct mail solicitation to look like something from the IRS.

Look at the box in the top right-hand corner of the blue letter, then look at this sample 1099 from the IRS:

The similarity was just close enough to fool me into a momentary panic. 

Once I realized what it really was, I scanned the solicitation to use in this post. And then I put it through the shredder.

Scaring people is not a good advertising strategy.

Grumpy Cat rewrites State Farm's tag line

Last cat post for today, I promise.

Dikembe Mutombo for Geico

I'm not a fan of Geico's most recent TV campaign. But I love this spot featuring the very charismatic retired NBA player Dikembe Mutombo.

Click here to watch Dikembe Mutombo star in a Geico commercial.

QR codes that make sense

Yesterday, I saw a QR code on a local bank's online ad. The ad was promoting business loans and scanning the QR code would allow the user to immediately phone the appropriate person at the bank.

Smart.

I'm also noticing that some very savvy folks are adding QR codes to their email signatures. Again, it gives their email readers a quick way to phone them back.

Click here to see an award-winning QR code.

May have just heard the stupidest line ever spoken in a TV commercial

"Couldn't help but notice you applied your brakes smoothly and evenly."

Spoken by a man with a microphone to a driver, in a Progessive insurance TV commercial that ran during CBS News Sunday this morning.

8.5% return guaranteed, come hell or high water

Ad campaign for Banco Financiero.

Click here to see two different campaigns for a Brazilian financial journal.

Via Dark Roasted Blend

Watch Tommy Lee Jones overdose on Botox before your very eyes

Click here to watch the frozen, waxen face of Tommy Lee Jones in an Ameriprise commercial.

Bruins goalie Tim Thomas meets Peggy in Discover spot

This Discover Card commercial has fun combining a Stanley Cup-winning goalie, a questionable customer service representative and a Boston cabbie.

Click here to watch Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas star in a Discover TV commercial.

LA artist Alex Schaefer makes a statement about the banking industry

Via LA Times

Effort: A+, Execution: F

This is an incredibly ambitious TV commercial for a local Boston bank.

It's got hip music. Computer graphics — the flock of birds is a nice touch. They've got diversity covered; looks like there's an African-American woman, a couple of Latin people and a Muslim woman along with the typical assortment of Caucasians. There's a white-collar customer and one who looks like a construction contractor.

It even has a concept: the small business customer is the star, honored and respected by bank staff.

The creators of this spot tried really hard to make it something special. And I have to applaud anyone who doesn't settle for the expected and instead reaches for the stars.

Unfortunately, I think they overreached. The end result is very odd.

Click here and see what you think of this TV commercial.

Very odd, indeed.

 

SEX! Now that I have your attention...

This is a digital ad for a site that helps consumers find attractive mortgage rates.

The babe in the bra, daisy dukes and ballet shoes is just there to get your attention. The theory being that once the babe catches your eye, you'll feel compelled to read the copy about refinancing.

If this approach sounds ridiculous, it's because it IS ridiculous.

Fingerhut grillz

Years ago, when I was much younger and still living with my parents, Fingerhut catalogs would regularly come in the mail. They were full of welcome mats, salt & pepper shakers and poly/cotton sweatshirts. Unicorns, kittens and bowling were popular themes.

Today, Fingerhut's business model apparently includes extending credit to people with poor credit scores -- and using questionable imagery -- as the banner ad above indicates.

In case you were wondering, THIS is the screen where I saw this banner ad.

The Kardashian Kard: if only it were a joke

The Kardashian Kard is a Prepaid MasterCard and "a fast and convenient way to manage money."

Not to mention that it's an easy way to identify yourself to salespeople as a total idiot who can probably be convinced to buy anything shiny.

The tag line:

Learn more at the Kardashian Kard website.