Animals in advertising - Horses: Donkeys
Often the message is very direct in telling the reader that he is a stupid fool. You wouldn't accept it from your boss, but the approach is so slap in the face that the brutality is felt as amusing.
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Animals in advertising - Horses: Donkeys |
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| Donkeys aren't very popular and when they are called upon,
it's almost always to impersonate stupidity and stubbornness.
Often the message is very direct in telling the reader that he is a stupid fool. You wouldn't accept it from your boss, but the approach is so slap in the face that the brutality is felt as amusing. |
| © | Published: II.2006; updated: VI.2006 | Nederlands |
What a stupid ass you are if you do not wish to comply with
something mentioned in the advertisement. Our examples on the first row (ad 1, 2, 3) all follow
this approach in a more or lesser degree. You are a stupid ass (1) strips
the donkey without shame. Here comes the text. People with a less than exceptionally good
health should skip the next few lines. The original is in Dutch and sounds worse than the
translation!
You are a stupid ass if you won't come by during our open house days. And we can't keep stupid asses on stock, unfortunately. That would be difficult, you know, because with the exhaustive choice on offer it's certain that even an ass shall not make the same mistake twice. But our business is more than only stones ...This is priceless. People are actually getting paid for this. |
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| (1) 199? - Stupid ass - tiles | (2) 2004 - He's not interested in discounts - furniture | (3) 199? - Some people don't like to save on heating |
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Théofiel is not interested in discounts
(2) is part of a series with a donkey in several situations. The name of the character
varies and is choosen to sound a bit old-fashioned. This minimizes the risk of ruffling
the good-humoured reader. It wouldn't ease his conversion into buyer.
Some people don't want to know how much they can save on heating (3). Some people, not you, of course. The first paragraph makes sure that you don't feel offended by the opening statement. Intelligent people will follow the suggestions of the advertisement. |
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| (4) 2003 - Working for best results - congress | (5) 2004 - Even the best jockey needs a good horse - asset management |
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Thank goodness that not all copy-writers have a
rude pen. A touch of humour in your announcement is something to strive for. It makes
the message easier to swallow. Each of our funny examples (that's all I have.) takes
a different approach and not one of them walks the obvious stupid ass path.
Refreshing, that is.
Working for optimal results (4) stresses the importance of being able of making the difference between essentials and lesser things. Our jockey got the attire right, but better had had a closer look to his horse. The donkey isn't the main actor in this play. A good asset management requires tools which are as good as you are (5) and that is underscored with Rule 7: Even the best jockey needs a good horse. So far so good. But the closing sentence sounds like ... a way to stay upright in the saddle and obtain good results. and that isn't entirely right. The guy is perfectly safe in his saddle. A horse is unlikely to be an improvement on that. |
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| (6) 198? - Cleopatra was addicted to ass's milk - bodymilk | (7) 1995 - Porters used to be recalcitrant - roof-rack |
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The roof-rack advert (7) is relating towards the behaviour
of the species. Take an ass to carry your luggage and you will know the
meaning of recalcitrant and unreliable. You had no choice in earlier times, but that's over
now. Just consider our userfriendly and safe roof-racks.
Donkey's milk was Cleopatra's pick of the bag (6). It was rather awkward though. Today it's much more convenient to rub in some bodymilk (only if you want the best there is). |
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