Hello Ladies, Does Your Ad Look Like Me?

Copying the premise and style of a national advertiser for your local business is dumb and lazy. It usually starts with a local advertiser telling the sales rep that the ad for (name the product) is cool. A light bulb goes off in the sales rep’s head and sensing an easy sale says, “Why hells bells we could do that!”

Maybe this scenario didn’t play out for a Miami plastic surgeon, but the end result is the same. I believe that anyone should be able to spend their money any way they wish. But unless you are a plastic surgeon with tons of money to burn, I would strongly advise that you not spend your budget trying to rip off a national ad no matter how cute, funny, or popular the ad might be.

The good doctor uses a look-alike for Old Spice’s spokesman Isaiah Mustafa and starts the commercial by showing what looks like Old Spice Body Wash. The first mental Image? Old Spice. Last mental image? The Old Spice whistle. The Proctor and Gamble folks are probably saying thank you very much as their attorneys start building a copyright infringement complaint.

Every business has a story to tell, good businesses have strong stories to tell. Great businesses know how to bring those stories to life in their marketing. It takes work. Lets talk.

About wizardwalter

After more than 35-years refining the craft of ad writing I know a bad ad when I see or hear one. The majority of my time is split between consulting a select group of small businesses and creating effective ad campaigns for others. I look at the world first as a consumer, then as a marketer. Rather than bringing pre-conceived notions and snap answers to my clients, I bring a lifetime of experience based on trial and error as well as 20 years of successful sales management experience to the table. I have been an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin, has taught at the Wizard of Ads® Academy and speak to groups of business owners on ways to improve their advertising any chance I get. I look for business owners who have a burning desire to grow and a passion to make it happen. Then I help bring out their best. When I’m not working with clients, I’m usually researching, writing, recording commercials and viewing the world in a tree house down the road from Lake Michigan. I travel light and have easy access to Milwaukee Mitchell and Chicago O’Hare. If you’d be interested in discussing your situation let’s talk.

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