Filed under: Comment
A while ago, I wrote about UK motorway service station toilets.
Well a few weeks ago, I found myself back in one – not because I’m a pervert – but because I needed to use the ‘facilities’.
So I walked in, walked up to a urinal and as the ecstasy of ‘mid-flow’, I looked up and came face-to-face with this:
Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against penises – hell, I [allegedly] have one – but having a mans cock in his underpants at my eye level is not something I really find comfortable.
Almost as uncomfortable as being caught by a guy walking into the toilet and seeing me taking a photograph of this poster.
Apparently it was trying to communicate an incontinence product – and that’s all well and good – but I don’t know if this ‘execution’ is the best way to connect to the audience.
No, not because it is insulting, demeaning or a cause for unleashing your own inadequacies – but because I don’t think it communicates the audiences issue [or how they feel about the issue] or even the products benefit.
Now even though I’m 43, I am not incontinent [yet] … however, I have experienced times in my life where I’ve been literally bursting for a wee [yes, I said ‘wee’, deal with it] so I have some sort of appreciation regarding how stressful and confronting that is.
That sense of ‘danger’ or ‘fighting to keep control’ is horrible, so I can’t imagine how someone who suffers from incontinence must feel experiencing that situation every day.
And that’s why I find this ad so bad.
Not because they’ve put a man’s ‘package’ at the eye level of its audience … but because it doesn’t come from a place that demonstrates they have any understanding of the feelings of discomfort or confrontation people with incontinence [probably] go through, which has resulted in an ad that doesn’t communicate this product can give these individuals the confidence they seek.
In short, they’re shouting rather than communicating.
Or said another way, they’re craving attention rather than giving meaning.
What a load of pants.
[Boom Tish]
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Cocks. Piss. Danger. This post is going to rate so well in golden shower internet searches. They’ll be disappointed like we always are.
Comment by Billy Whizz December 12, 2013 @ 6:24 amthats not an intimidating cock for a normal man campbell. but youre not normal are you. you might not even qualify as a fucking man.
Comment by andy@cynic December 12, 2013 @ 6:30 am@Andy
Sarah just read this and said if no one knew better, they would think you were enemies not friends. I thought you would like to know.
Comment by Pete December 12, 2013 @ 6:50 amfriend? hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
hahahahahahaha.
ha.
Comment by andy@cynic December 12, 2013 @ 6:56 amhaha.
hahahahahahahahahahaha.
Comment by andy@cynic December 12, 2013 @ 6:57 amand this post is fucking weird even for you. from you talking about a cock being pushed in your face to trying to capture (which you dont by the fucking way) the emotional turmoil of your average pissfree incontinent sufferer to fucking how to do advertising. not many people could link that shit together which is why you should be a fucking tv program segueway announcer not a fucking planner. i could turn you off permenantly then as well.
Comment by andy@cynic December 12, 2013 @ 6:36 amGold.
Comment by DH December 12, 2013 @ 6:41 amYou seem to be more interested in public toilets than George Michael.
Comment by DH December 12, 2013 @ 6:37 amthats almost funny dave. congratufuckinglations.
Comment by andy@cynic December 12, 2013 @ 6:58 amOK, that made me laugh. Dammit.
Comment by Rob December 12, 2013 @ 7:54 amI’m almost as funny as your job.
Comment by DH December 12, 2013 @ 8:09 amDear soldiers in Iraq. Can you settle an argument for this blog author. Is living in an environment where you could be killed every minute of every day by bullets or bombs as “dangerous” as needing to piss but not being close to a toilet? Thank you.
Comment by DH December 12, 2013 @ 6:40 amHey, danger is relative. If memory serves me well, you were once scared to go in a room where a cockroach was. I’m not blaming you, I hate the things, but you still cried like a little girl.
Comment by Rob December 12, 2013 @ 7:57 amIt’s a rather unconventional way to get there Rob, but the point you make about that ad is a good one. On first impression, it looks like it is trying to sell male underwear and as the average person spends less time analysing an ad than you, it fails as a piece of effective communication on that fact alone.
As you say at the end of the post, they’re craving attention rather than giving meaning. Did TBWA do this then?
Comment by Pete December 12, 2013 @ 6:49 amMischievous Pete, but I like it.
Comment by Rob December 12, 2013 @ 7:58 amIs it media arts? That explains a lot
Comment by Northern December 12, 2013 @ 4:17 pmThis wouldn’t happen in China.
Comment by John December 12, 2013 @ 6:59 amThis blog is in China.
Comment by Bazza December 12, 2013 @ 7:04 amThe collapse of communism.
Comment by DH December 12, 2013 @ 7:06 amI’m not going to comment on the post, that’s too weird. I am going to say that after Rob’s 30th holiday of the year, everyone seems determined to bring back the best times of this blog. Especially Andy, who is the reason I keep coming back.
Hope it continues, it’s ridiculous to read and when Andy makes his relentlessly harsh comments, I assume it means Bonnie’s health is continuing to improve. Good news.
Comment by Bazza December 12, 2013 @ 7:04 amIt could also be because Bonnie and mother are away. But I’m only saying that because I already know she’s doing very well. #andygenes
Comment by DH December 12, 2013 @ 7:08 amyoure both fucking right. theyre away but shes fucking awesome. when theyre back this blog becomes shit again as ill be living a wonderful life where all you have is this miserable piece of hell. except baz, who will be locked away making the next ipad thats the same as the last ipad, just in neon fucking pink or something.
Comment by andy@cynic December 12, 2013 @ 7:24 amShe’s tougher than all of us put together. And prettier, but that last bit isn’t too hard to achieve.
Comment by Rob December 12, 2013 @ 8:00 amIt does seem there’s been a new lease of errrrm, life [definitely not the right word] but I also know it can’t possibly last … you’re just all in the Christmas/drunken spirit.
Comment by Rob December 12, 2013 @ 7:59 amBloody hell, you’re all busy. I haven’t read the comments yet but I’m impressed at how many there’s been. What a shame I won’t be impressed with the content of them. Boom Tish.
Comment by Rob December 12, 2013 @ 7:54 amNow you know how we feel.
Comment by John December 12, 2013 @ 8:00 amBoom Tish indeed.
I’m thankful you commented though because I’ve realised that when I come on here and make a comment, most of you bugger off. I feel like the person who walks into a party and then within 10 minutes, everyone leaves. Story of my life.
Comment by Rob December 12, 2013 @ 8:05 amIt’s not a coincidence.
Comment by DH December 12, 2013 @ 8:06 amYou’re the bucket of cold water.
Comment by Billy Whizz December 12, 2013 @ 8:30 amTruth hurts Rob.
Comment by Bazza December 12, 2013 @ 9:43 amMore male
Comment by Northern December 12, 2013 @ 4:26 pmGenital obsession. I was worried
On Tuesday you were overly interested in mine but now I realise it’s male
Wedding tackle. I’m amazed you saw the ad when you were undoubtably copping an eyeful of your fellow urinal users
On another note I’m in an 8th circle of hell well beyond Dante’s imagination. Bloody Christmas party’s bloody alcohol bloody trains and bloody media arts (media arts is nothing to do with how I feel this morning but it’s very existence is a stain on the crotch of
Humanity (not real crotch rob keep your eyes to yourself)
I am not interested in men’s penises thank you very much … well, not as much as I am talking to prostitutes. And for the record, I wasn’t interested in yours when I commented on that photo … I was just concerned there didn’t seem to be anything of note in your cycling shorts.
And stop complaining about your Christmas party, anyone who is so knackered they fall asleep on the train, miss their station and end up in another city means they had a bloody good time.
Got to go, got to check the video footage of the mens toilets. [Dear HR and Jill. That is a joke]
Comment by Rob December 12, 2013 @ 4:42 pmWhat was even worse was I was woken up in York by a drunken teenage urchin -and then found I had developed the worst case of hiccups ever
You had to be looking to notice there wasn’t anything of note and the only reason you came to that conclusion is because you’re overly obsessed with shaking hot white coconuts from your best friend’s massive veiny love treem, against which normal organs seem branchlike
Comment by northern December 12, 2013 @ 9:22 pmAre you still drunk?
Comment by John December 12, 2013 @ 9:33 pmThat is the best comment you’ve ever written Northern. Maybe the best thing you’ve ever said. Andy will be proud. Your wife maybe less so.
Comment by DH December 12, 2013 @ 10:12 pmHangovers improve your spelling Northern.
Comment by Pete December 12, 2013 @ 10:20 pm[…] course, some try and break the ‘taboo’ by doing something very different … but most of the time, it’s done more for the ad agencies ego than the good of the brand or […]
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