Turbo Walking: Badvertising

I was watching TV at the dentist, trying to distract myself from the, and saw a McDonald's McCafe ad. The folks in the ad went in reverse - from being in a group on the beach to being a group in the parking lot with a lot of uncovered smoothies.

I'd like to point out that if the ad didn't feature models drinking high calorie beverages, carrying open drinks while running, or a group of grown-ass ladies on swings, then I'd believe this product could be something I could have in my own life. Evidently, this is how you would properly run with a beverage (note NO STRAWS). As of now, there's nothing realistic or even interesting about the ad. At least Dairy Queen's Blizzard ad explains all the recipes' inspirations... mmm s'mores. Not for a minute do I suspect that DQ includes fresh marshmallow (whatever that means), but a fast food treat that tastes vaguely like a s'more? I'm in!!

Let's be clear... I'm at the point in my life where ads only draw me in when I'm roused by something (or someone - if Christian Bale called me up for money, I wouldn't be able to resist). But I'm no marketing genius. The problem is that I don't pay attention to many ads, even if marketing gurus think they are tempting me with their products.

In Charles Duhigg's The Power of Habit, it was mentioned that Target in particular was one of those companies that tracks customers' purchases, address, spending habits, and lifestyle choices (see how they figured out when women are pregnant here). Each booklet of coupons sent to my mailbox are individually chosen based on my previous purchases and stereotype. Despite all the tracking however, the little coupons printed fresh from the receipt machine usually end up lining the kitchen trash bag. I have no interest in buying stuff that is off-brand, not necessary (like another pair of jeans), or isn't fresh.

No coupons please.

Recently I was in the Honda dealership waiting room overhearing a conversation between a daughter and what I thought were her parents,

"I ended up getting the blah blah SUV in Alabaster Silver."
Pause, which I assume was the person on the other line asking more questions.
"Yeah, with the zero percent financing, I could sell my old car and have the payment lowered with blah blah interest to less than my old monthly payment."

I vaguely wondered if she was a robot, specifically a parrot robot that could remember all the advertising she was recently bombarded with. "Alabaster silver" was just 'light' silver, right?

No matter. She seemed happy, I suppose.

I guess it's a blessing not to get sucked into normal advertising (I'd probably be much more broke buying all the junk that's constantly hawked at women, alumni, people who own their car, people who eat food, and others...

Some examples: