Some Semblance of an Introduction

I've always been fascinated by advertising. I was never the type to be bothered by my favorite shows being interrupted by a stream of little short productions. I've always been intrigued. The challenge of putting everything you need to say into a short 30-second to 1-minute video clip, and make it interesting enough for people to pay attention is nothing short of awe-inspiring. I find that some advertisements are better than others, as some movies are better than others. You could say I'm kind of rare in my field of advertising expertise.

You will all recognize the art, too. That is, if you watch TV enough to know advertising, and I'm assuming that if you're reading this blog, you must watch TV. There are characters you've come to know and love, or hate. You just don't realize it. If I showed you the familiar face of the Snickers Viking you'd recall an image of him hurtling a garbage can into a Cadillac over the prospect of not getting his Snickers bar. Or the really annoying clerk at the "Progressive.com" store. Surely you would recognize the Verizon guy with the big horn-rimmed glasses, walking around on his cell phone, asking the ever-predictable question "Can you hear me now?"

Advertising is such a huge part of culture. I feel the art of advertising is overlooked in terms of its impact and prominence in not only American culture, but universal culture. I find it odd that nobody feels like emblazoning every advertisement they make with their name declaring "This is mine! I made this!" The symbols they create are so universally recognized as the Snuggle teddy bear (I used to have one when I was little), and nobody knows their names.

This isn't a blog trying to get advertising creators recognized. I feel that's up to them. It's simply a critique on the design of advertisement. What works. What is recognized. What is entertaining. What is annoying. What is just downright lame.

I am and advertising critic.