I don’t get it.
Why are companies so anxious to associate themselves with “bad” things these days? Watching a couple hours of television and I am inundated with messages that suggest: ilicit sex, lying (lots and lots of lying), stealing, egotism (paired with its cousin narcissism) and just plain rudeness. The list could go on but it only gets more depressing.
Have we as a consumer pool become so jaded in life that the only way we can get excited is to “live on the wild side” through our products?
Granted, there have always been a handful of products that promised walking with the bad boys such as Harley Davidson. Today however, these messages are pervasive through many product catergories.
Somewhere along the line advertising, especially television, became all about the “ad” instead of the product. Is it edgy enough? Does it shout loud enough? Is the “ewww” factor high enough? (OK I made that one up but it sounds like it should be on the list!)
And people wonder why advertising is becoming less and less important in the overall branding strategy of many companies.