22 Comments
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Joe la Pompe's avatar

What's the worst and the best copycat ad you've ever seen?

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Copyranter's avatar

Hey Joe, well give me some time to look through my archives. But I'm sure you've already covered them.

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The Unhingement of the Masses's avatar

What is the cleverest ad you’ve ever created and why?

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Copyranter's avatar

OK, after thinking about it, I did some cheap-ass TV spots for Pay Half clothing stores (a chain here in the NYC area, at least it was) back in the 90s. Their production budget was ZERO, or so. So I searched the free or near-free video archives from the entire 20th century and found some "half"-related clips, added deadpan v/o and we created a pretty darn funny campaign that cost nothing and won a few national awards. I only have VHS copies of the spots and they ain't online anywhere. Sorry.

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Copyranter's avatar

Shit. Gotta look through my shit. BUT I will get back to you here.

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Jamie McCann's avatar

Hey Copyranter--

What's up with that toilet paper TV that shows animated bears wiping their ass with their product... is that a dig at the ol' "does a bear shit in the woods?" rhetorical question. I'm thinking it is.

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Copyranter's avatar

Yeah I guess. I hate the Charmin Shit Bears.

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Jereek Espiritu's avatar

Your favorite TV ads that aren’t English?

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Copyranter's avatar

Jereek, I can't even begin to answer this question, it's so broad. I can tell you that most of the best TV/video ads I've seen in the last 20 years have not been American, or in English.

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Joseph Antenucci's avatar

Did Ocean Spray take a page from that Fruit Smash spot?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayUJCN1GLXQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Fr1bCRkBzQ&list=PLZ-kv9zalSscfS6AdD2EV7JMhdzqyQ720&index=2

Not like it is anything too original, just that's where my head went.

Side question...is this Ai trend going to die down anytime soon?

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Copyranter's avatar

No, I don't think so. The Ocean Spray spot is much better.

I don't think AI is going to die down, though it ain't gonna replace intelligent creatives.

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Copyranter's avatar

Thanks, will look at this later, heading to Dr.

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Stewie's avatar

Every now and then I think I sense a slight sense of bitterness about the advertising industry.

Any specific memorable event that is worth a retelling?

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Copyranter's avatar

I'm gonna write another "horror stories" article soon, look out for it. Here's a previous one:

https://copyranter.substack.com/p/more-true-advertising-horror-stories

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Copyranter's avatar

"slight"? LOL. Let me think on it. Getting a lot of ?'s emailed at me.

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Carlos's avatar

Best example of a niche brand that went to broad appeal / mass market... how did they do it and why do you love it?

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Copyranter's avatar

Sorry, can't think of any. I don't cover marketing that closely, mostly ad creativity.

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Carlos's avatar

All good, thanks anyway!

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Jeff Houwen's avatar

What is your favorite recruitment campaign/ad of all time?

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Copyranter's avatar

I can't find any. Do you mean ad agency recruitment?

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Jeff Houwen's avatar

No prob! I meant great campaigns of all sort of companies, not necessarily ad agencies. Like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUf9_rS1fYg or this one https://www.behance.net/gallery/77669069/Ostenders.

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Copyranter's avatar

Don't know if I have one, but I'll look.

If you've got one, send it to me, and I'll comment.

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