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The Cranky Creative sits down with The Daily Telegraph to talk about why today's ads are so bad

January 9, 2024 The Cranky Creative

Why TV ads are so bad: Cranky sits down with The Daily Telegraph

Last week, I was contacted by Stephen Armstrong, a journalist for The Daily Telegraph who wanted to speak with me about the quality of today’s TV commercials as Netflix, Amazon,

Chevy's new Christmas ad, A Holiday to Remember, Shamelessly Exploits Alzheimer's Syndrome

December 23, 2023 The Cranky Creative

Merry Christmas? Chevy plays the Alzheimer’s card in viral holiday ad

Earlier this month, Chevy set the world alight with a “must-see” five-minute ad titled “A Holiday to Remember.” Billed as “heartwarming” and “a tear-jerker,” the ad garnered rave reviews from

Cranky Ad Review: I couldn't take my eyes off this ad for Medicare

November 22, 2023 The Cranky Creative

I could not take my eyes off this ad for Medicare

Someone at QualifyNow Medicare wanted my attention — and by God, they got it. I don’t know if it was the giant word ATTENTION emblazoned in all capital letters across

November 16, 2023 The Cranky Creative

Peloton TV commercials are ESG gold

Luxury stationary bike company Peloton must have gotten really freaking spooked by the backlash it received from professional agitators and perpetually offended amateurs for its holiday 2019 “Grace from Boston”

GM says it's Earn a Living ad is a celebration of its employees

September 30, 2023 The Cranky Creative

What is the point of GM’s ‘Beautiful People’ commercial?

It’s a valid question. I myself wasn’t aware of the ad until just now when I noticed someone had found my blog with a Google search for the words in

September 23, 2023 The Cranky Creative

Apple’s cringey ‘Mother Nature’ ad gets climate science hilariously wrong

Apple debuted a new iPhone last week, but that’s not what’s got people talking. No, what’s got people talking is a five-minute video shown during the company’s annual keynote event

A typical commercial break on Amazon Freevee

September 6, 2023 The Cranky Creative

What a typical TV commercial break looks like today

As we’ve been catching up on some popular TV shows we missed from the early 2000s, I’ve been struck by the commercials on free streaming platforms such as Tubi, Pluto

The Cranky Creative blog on marketing and advertising turns five

August 21, 2023 The Cranky Creative

The Cranky Creative blog turns FIVE

A lot has happened since 2018: I left in-house and agency marketing to start my own freelance copywriting business; I found success and satisfaction working directly with clients (and not

July 29, 2023 The Cranky Creative

Hollywood films reflect the decline of Western culture

Modern movies, much like advertising (and especially TV commercials), attempt to reflect — or, some would say, shape — the culture. So it is a searing indictment of these times

Nick Cage running from an exploding building

June 29, 2023 The Cranky Creative

Why I’m calling it quits after 30 years of marketing copywriting

Well, I’m doing it. After nearly 32 years in marketing and copywriting, I am moving on. It’s a strange feeling, leaving a job I’ve done for so long. Interestingly, I

In 1957, researchers experimented to see if subliminal messages could be used to increase sales of popcorn and Coca-Cola

May 8, 2023 The Cranky Creative

Subliminal messages in advertising … and Disney cartoons?

A phallic shadow. The word “SEX” etched in ice. The American public has been bombarded with subliminal messages for decades, and the practice continues to this day. In 1957, researchers