No, it’s not a joke. On April 1, trans TikTok “star” Dylan Mulvaney posted an Instagram video announcing a partnership with Anheuser-Busch to promote the company’s March Madness contest. In
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Category: Advertising
Candy culture wars: Hershey’s hires trans-rights activist for International Women’s Day
Another day, another candy company melts down in the culture war. This time it’s Hershey’s Canada, who has hired a trans-rights activist to celebrate International Women’s Day. The new “HER
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The real reasons people hate TV commercials
Oh, advertisers. It didn’t have to be this way. Once upon a time, consumers might have liked to hear from you. They might have eagerly awaited your TV commercials to
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LIVE-BLOG: Super Bowl LVII commercials
Tune in TONIGHT at 6 p.m. ET as The Cranky Creative live-blogs all of the commercials from Super Bowl LVII! There’ll be thrills, chills, and no doubt some spills as
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M&M’s retires woke ‘spokescandies’ amid consumer backlash
Weeks after launching its latest campaign to attach social causes to its candy, M&M’s has pulled its cartoon candy characters indefinitely. Yesterday, the company took to Twitter to admit that
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Woke capitalism and the myth of the ‘modern audience’
As brand after brand sacrifices its reputation and sales revenue in the relentless pursuit of “modern, progressive audiences,” one has to wonder: Is it worth it? And do these modern
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Chewy sets the example for brands by connecting with customers
As the world burns and the rotting edifice of civilized society starts to fall in around our ears, let us celebrate pet-product online retailer Chewy for its exceptional and heartfelt
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Why is modern advertising so terrible? A comparison of ads, past and present
The advertising industry has lost its way. It’s obvious every time we turn on the TV or open the mailbox. But what makes today’s ads so bad? Recently, advertising industry
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No, consumers don’t care about your brand’s stand on social issues
We hear it all the time: “Brands need to take a stand on social issues.” “The public demands to know where your brand stands on social issues.” But is it
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LIVE-BLOG: Super Bowl LVI commercials
Heads up, Cranky readers! Tune in at 6 p.m. Eastern Time as I live-blog all of the commercials from Super Bowl LVI. Watch the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Los
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What happened to white people in TV commercials?
If you only watched TV, you might think that white people (including fumbling, bumbling white males) are a minority in the United States. Depending on the commercial break, you might
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