Advertising Promises

In the factory we make cosmetics; in the drugstore we sell hope. Charles Revson

In advertising we’re hired to make promises.  To fill a void in people lives. If you buy XYZ, you’ll be smarter/faster/envied/ thinner/ better/ happier/prettier/whatever.  And so it goes with the ads we see for Thanksgiving…happy families together, sitting at a beautifully decorated table, the perfect turkey. LOOK! Buy THIS Turkey and your family/life/house will be just like this.

The reality is: You’re with your clan, most of whom have traded their booze and brains for a bible and Glenn Beck. A mother who fills every space with incessant chatter, Uncle “Pull my Finger” Paul, neurotic Aunt Opal, Grandmother who can’t hear and host of cousins who wear too much flannel. (You start frantically searching for the adoption papers because you’re certain these are not your people.) UGH.

I’ve always wondered what would happen if a company got REAL with its message for once and said what most of us are thinking. Maybe Southwest Airlines could offer the DFD: a Dysfunctional Family Discount. Wanna getaway? YES!

But advertising is about hope, isn’t it?  Maybe this year will be different. So if you’re fortunate enough to celebrate the holiday with a family who is least tolerable, then enjoy your feast and count your blessings. And the turkey? Here’s how to ensure a perfect result:

Tags: advertising, advertising promises, Butterball Turkey, dysfunctional families, Thanksgiving, Vintage advertising