The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]


When An Ad Agency Is Morally Incompetent …
September 19, 2006, 11:50 am
Filed under: Comment

These are M&C India’s fucking tasteless ad’s for a beauty company. [They ‘claim’ to be scam-ads, but regardless, they demonstrate an alarming lack of taste]

Sure shock tactics can work – but only when there’s an intelligent reason for it and cleverly executed. 

As far as I am concerned, these are some of the most disgusting examples of advertising ever … though Bennetton are probably happy as it makes their ads seem almost tactful.

M&C – and VLCC – be ashamed, be very, very ashamed.


22 Comments so far
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fucking cockmunchers. m&c have always pissed me off and this doesnt change my opinion one jot.
have to remind you of the time you tried to get boddingtons as the sponsor of the a.a. not your best moment eh? i presume the usual ‘i was young’ excuse applies.

Comment by andy @ cynic

The fact its there at all is bad, the fact that there is THREE of them is worse, the fact that its for a beauty company is worse…

Possibly the most midjudged, mistimed, badly thought out campaign in the history of the world.

Comment by Rob Mortimer

Self-indulgent shite … and you’ll be happy to know that a, ahem, ‘friend’ has spoken to Maurice Saatchi about them.

No one wants to get people into trouble but this just deserves it.

Comment by Robert

Bush will probably declare war on them now. And I would support him. For once.

Comment by Pete / CP+B

And for creating something that makes me side with Bush…they should be beaten with an IPA stick.

Its too far, its too tasteless. Even the Benetton ads had a positive meaning underneath the shock value. This has nothing.

Comment by Rob Mortimer

Hello Pete … how are you? Love the VW work, so glad you got it through. I hear you’re meeting the mob this week – hope you survive better than last time. In the US soon, catch up?

Hi Rob … yeah, the Beneton ads did havesome sort of positive meaning but I always had massive arguments with people because I think they mainly did it for themselves than to ‘right’ Global wrongs. I mean, they never actually created a ‘fund’ to help the people/topics featured in their ads, they just leveraged off it. [Though a bunch of people told me that by communicating the issues, they were doing more than many of the organisations supposidly there to help. Still don’t agree with them though]

Comment by Robert

Rob: Run for government; you’ll either turn it into the best place on Earth or bankrupt the country, but it’ll be fun, interesting and involving. Ta for the VW nod. Took ages but worked out in the end. Hope it sells some bloody cars now. Saw George last night. He is the only Dad who seems to look younger because of kids. Told me about the MTV win, great news and yeah, let me know when you’re here and we’ll catch up. Send me an e

Comment by Pete / CP+B

New VW work from CP+B…sounds interesting. Anywhere I can see it?

Was it their place to be funding these causes? As a kid when they came out, they certainly informed me about the causes they were promoting. Their material was certainly the first “black and white people being friends” stuff I can remember seeing; and living in a town full of racist idiots that had a big effect on me. I think that maybe they didnt do enough behind the ads, but they still did more than any other company at the time.

Comment by Rob Mortimer

I second the RC for government idea!

Comment by Rob Mortimer

Pete: Stop talking ‘life’ on my blog – we have something called V-I-D-E-O C-O-N-F-E-R-E-N-C-E or even the T-E-L-E-P-H-O-N-E. See you soon, happy hangover.

Mr Mortimer … hmmm, I do understand your view but I still totally disagree with you, haha.
I will always feel what they did was self-interest-driven ‘Cause Marketing’ where they got far more out of it than the ‘issue’ they were raising. I’ll send you one of the VW ads … get it soon.

Comment by Rob

Rob, you know our rules. Don’t upset Alex please, it will only make my life horrible.

Comment by Pete / CP+B

I don’t feel like I disagree with you though!:

I agree that they got more out of it than the causes; and that it was self-interest driven. But my point was that it still did more for those causes than any other ad/company at the time.

Thanks, i’ll look out for the ad in my inbox!

Comment by Rob Mortimer

Pete … don’t worry, I think your fucking security thingy will stop the ad being seen. How do you guys do that????

Rob – you’re right, they did do something more than many other brands, I just hate they think they are ‘Cause Pioneers’ when they just used ‘attention seeking content’ to sell their shitty, colourful jumpers, ha!

I have to go and have dinner with an ex-client [never had it when they were a client, mental!] so till next time.

Comment by Robert

Ah, I didn’t realise it wasn’t out yet. No worries, i’ll find it when it’s out.

Bright neon jumpers, how very early 90s!

Comment by Rob Mortimer

Don’t you know Rob?
We sold our souls to the Devil; we can get away with anything until we die, even making mpeg files unviewable by wanna-be thieving creatives.
Of course this means my pennance will be having to work for Grey in my next life, but I think it might just be worth it.
Have fun with the client. Is it because they want you back, feel guilty or want to rub your noses in it?

Comment by Pete / CP+B

Mate, I don’t give a damn about why – I just aim to eat our ‘fee’ in food.

Comment by Robert

If you could do that it would be mightily impressive, if not a little dangerous!

Maybe you could have 10 tonnes of Freddy Cake…

Comment by Rob Mortimer

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Are these real? Image two has got to be the most shocking image ever used in an ad…

I’d love to know how these ever got to press

Comment by Doug

Have a look at the UPDATE!!! And yes, it is a shocking, shocking image – that should never, ever be mocked by an ad agency idiot wanting to try and create a name for him/herself

Comment by Robert

[…] From Media Magazine: M&C Saatchi Asia-Pacific president and CEO Kim Walker has issued a comprehensive apology for three mock ads created by an art director at its New Delhi office, which have drawn fierce criticism on the internet. […]

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[…] Of course sense, decency and consumer understanding should prevail [otherwise you’re just as bad as the M&C India idiots I talked about] … but my ultimate view is that whilst communication/media has the power to influence negative individual actions, ultimately the responsibility HAS TO be with the person undertaking the acts otherwise life will stop.As my Father argued – if Musicians and Video Game Producers are to be held responsible for all acts of violence [by individuals who claim their ‘inspiration’ came from other peoples ‘creativity’] then the bible should also be banned. […]

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