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At Last, Truth in Advertising

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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.

introducing robbert, simplisafe's new burglar slash tv spokesman
October 28, 2020 The Cranky Creative

Ad Review: Simplisafe’s ‘Robbert’ commercials sell the product short

I like SimpliSafe. The company’s home security systems are easy to use, effective, and affordable. So I’m a little disappointed with SimpliSafe’s latest TV commercials featuring new spokesman “Robbert,” a

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allstate tv commercial safe drivers save 40 percent
September 30, 2020 The Cranky Creative

I hate Allstate’s ‘safe drivers save 40 percent’ commercial

It assaulted my ears from another room: a rapid-fire series of irritating voices all repeating the same line, over and over. I couldn’t make out the words, but I knew

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copywriting tips for copywriters and aspiring copywriters
September 16, 2020 The Cranky Creative

Writing tips for copywriters and, well, everyone who writes

Writing is hard. Let’s make it easier with helpful tips and a pre-flight checklist. Whether you are new to copywriting, an experienced copywriter, or someone who simply wants to make

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Cranky Creative book review: Bob Garfield's And Now a Few Words from Me
August 20, 2020 The Cranky Creative

Book Review: Bob Garfield’s ‘And Now a Few Words from Me’

Readers of this blog often ask me to recommend good books on advertising. If you have even a passing interest in the ad world, then you need to put Bob

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what's on your work music playlist?
July 22, 2020 The Cranky Creative

What’s on your work music playlist?

Listening to music at work helps me to focus and find my groove. In this post, I’ll share some of my favorite music genres, artists, songs, and sounds to listen

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woman holding up two fingers
July 1, 2020 The Cranky Creative

The Cranky Creative blog turns two

As The Cranky Creative toddles headlong into the Terrible Twos, let’s celebrate by taking a look back at some of this blog’s best and most popular posts of the past

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satirical sad advertising executive shedding a tear
June 13, 2020 The Cranky Creative

‘Adapt or die’: the advertising industry faces painful change

Posh parties. Black-tie award shows. First-class flights and three-martini lunches. As ad budgets shrink, brands move capabilities in-house, and more people realize that the emperor has no clothes, advertising agencies

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Progressive insurance company's new motorcycle mascot, Motaur
June 4, 2020 The Cranky Creative

Progressive’s ‘Motaur’ ads are too clever by half

Racial tensions are rising as American cities burn. Meanwhile, fear of an over-hyped virus ravages the globe. This breaking news is brought to you by Progressive Insurance and Motaur, the

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tonal tv commercial mom
May 21, 2020 The Cranky Creative

Ad Review: Tonal TV commercial shows and tells

In a sea of terrible TV commercials, this ad for Tonal digital fitness equipment caught my eye—not for shouting at me or blithering like an idiot to get my attention,

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diet dr. pepper's character lil sweet rewards people with the sweet taste of diet dr. pepper
April 29, 2020 The Cranky Creative

Dr. Pepper’s ‘Sweet One’ ads hit a sour note

Every time I see one of those Diet Dr. Pepper TV commercials with the twerpy little glam rocker and his annoying high-pitched voice, I wonder: Who is this guy? Am

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screen shot from the all people are tax people superbowl tv commercial
April 16, 2020 The Cranky Creative

TurboTax ad review: When creative trumps strategy

Working in advertising is fun, especially as a creative. We copywriters and graphic designers get paid to think up clever ways to communicate a brand’s messages. The problem comes when

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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?
  • The real reasons people hate TV commercials
  • Yes, the Gillette Venus Pubic Hair and Skin razor ad goes (down) there

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