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  • Puma's AI-generated ad puts the advertising industry on notice
    April 15, 2025 The Cranky Creative

    Ad Review: Puma’s world’s first fully AI-generated ad

    Sporting goods brand Puma released the first-ever AI-generated commercial on March 18, 2025 — and

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  • A new-breed marketer doing the work of 10 specialists using AI apps for unprecedented productivity
    March 26, 2025 The Cranky Creative

    Vibe marketing: the future is here, your job is not

    If you’re a marketer still plotting campaigns (and your career) like it’s the “old world”

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  • Liberty Mutual's branded idiocy: the future of advertising?
    February 6, 2025 The Cranky Creative

    Liberty Mutual’s branded idiocy: is this the future of advertising?

    I admit, I didn’t used to “get” Liberty Mutual TV commercials. From the intelligence-insulting “Truth-Teller”

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  • robot from the movie terminator 2 attacking humans (and taking their jobs?)
    June 7, 2023 The Cranky Creative

    Is AI coming to take your job? Yeah, it probably is.

    The explosive growth of generative AI (artificial intelligence) programs such as ChatGPT and Midjourney is

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  • 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

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  • Today's blog post talks about the top 10 reasons why people hate TV commercials
    February 28, 2023 The Cranky Creative

    The real reasons people hate TV commercials

    Oh, advertisers. It didn’t have to be this way. Once upon a time, consumers might

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CRANK·Y

[kran-kee] adjective
ill-tempered; irritable; grouchy
These stupid TV commercials are making me cranky.

Hershey's Canada hires trans-rights activist to celebrate International Women's Day
March 5, 2023 The Cranky Creative

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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Today's blog post talks about the top 10 reasons why people hate TV commercials
February 28, 2023 The Cranky Creative

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

Continue reading
How I got scammed out of $75 and a free 30-day trial from Vidgo
February 22, 2023 The Cranky Creative

For live TV streaming, don’t go Vidgo

Consumer alert: Are you a cable TV cord-cutter looking for a reliable and affordable live TV streaming service? After getting scammed out of $75 and a free 30-day trial, I

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LIVE-BLOG: Super Bowl LVII TV Commercials
February 8, 2023 The Cranky Creative

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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Mars candy company is retiring its cast of M&M's spokescandies
January 24, 2023 The Cranky Creative

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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J&B whisky ad for modern audiences featuring a grandfather and his transgender grandson
January 2, 2023 The Cranky Creative

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 bests other brands by connecting with its customers
December 11, 2022 The Cranky Creative

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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Raise your freelance rates easily with this free rate increase email template
November 22, 2022 The Cranky Creative

The best damn freelance rate increase email on the net [FREE template]

Need to raise your freelance rates? Soften the blow for your clients with this free rate increase email template. Last year, one of my dear graphic designer friends contacted me

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vintage photo of epic train wreck
October 25, 2022 The Cranky Creative

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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Frame from Pepsi's controversial TV commercial showing Kendall Jenner giving a Pepsi to a police officer at a Black Lives Matter protest
October 13, 2022 The Cranky Creative

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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virgin-atlantic-tv-commercial-woke-or-no
August 30, 2022 The Cranky Creative

Ad Review: Fly the freaky skies with Virgin Atlantic

As brands and advertising agencies continue to get woke, Virgin Atlantic and its new advertising agency Lucky Generals join the fray with “See the World Differently,” a 60-second ad that

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Posts pagination

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Today’s Top Posts

  • My short-lived career as a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier
  • Liberty Mutual's branded idiocy: is this the future of advertising?
  • Subliminal messages in advertising ... and Disney cartoons?
  • What happened to white people in TV commercials?
  • Yes, the Gillette Venus Pubic Hair and Skin razor ad goes (down) there
  • The Great Creative Layoff: why finding your next job feels impossible

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