Wednesday, May 16, 2007

A Few Random Notes and Stories

I'm going to post a few odds-and-ends while I wait for the Spurs-Suns game to start (go Suns).

The degree to which this country is polarized is remarkable, and I saw an excellent example of it on my way to work this week. I stopped at a Tiger Mart, which is Exxon's version of a gas station/convenience store. Once inside, I saw a bag of dougnut holes.

They were being advertised as "Swamp Holes." [insert your punch line here]

Less than five minutes later, I was getting a Diet Coke at a Barnes & Noblesse. I turned around and saw a sign about how they made coffee. I saw the phrase "our handcrafted beverages."

Um, good grief?

In the Mother's Day post I didn't mention that we were watching a syndicated episode of The Shield when the jewelry commercial came on. Somehow it seems like these advertisers might do a better job of picking their spots. In this particular episode, an undercover cop had just been advised to seek counseling after reporting that she'd both done coke and had sex (under duress) with the criminal she was shadowing to avoid blowing her cover--when suddenly we see a man in a pirate outfit swinging through an IHOP restaurant yelling "TREASURE!"

Something about pancakes, I think.

I saw an ad in this week's Sports Illustrated while I was eating dinner. I never really read the ads, just kind of glance as I'm flipping the page, so I saw this ad heading:
Treating Bipolar Disorder Takes Understanding

Then I saw the name of the drug: Amplify.

Now THAT is the worst marketing idea ever, I thought.

It wasn't Amplify, actually--it was "Abilify." I'm not sure if that's any better, though.

Oh, and if there's any justice in the world whatsoever, the Suns win tonight.

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