Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

This type of advertising is a little tricky to explain. Some of it’s funny. Some of it’s just strange. But you know it when you see it. And when it’s off the mark, it looks pretty bad.

 

Here are a handful of winners from the past.

Emerald Nuts, “Robert Goulet”

Edeka, “Supergeil”

Sprite, “Sublymonal”

 

Some of the hallmarks of oddvertising can be seen in the following commercials. They often have a deadpan tone. Everyone is treating the alternative reality they live in as normal. Other important points are that the subject must be relevant to the brand and be appropriate for the target demographic. No Baby Boomer has ever jumped off the couch and yelled, “Grab my car keys! I need a bag of Skittles!” after seeing their commercial, “Sheep Boy.” However, Boomers are not the target audience.

 

There are other broad generalities that can be made about oddvertising. Let’s break down a classic commercial from Old Spice, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like,” featuring Isaiah Mustafa....