Poor Grammar

In my continuing quest for perfect use of the Queen's English, I report that I have found yet another example of poor grammar in retail signage. This image was taken in one of those healthy fast food stores that I hope know more about making fresh food than they do about grammar.

The error in case you can't pick it, is the lack of a comma after the word 'and', as underlined in red. Without the comma, the sentence implies a stronger link between the words fatigue and confusion. The intention of the writer is to give equal weight to all three words in the list; depression, fatigue, and confusion. To give a stronger link between the latter two would simply not make sense.

Mike Biggs

An Example of Poor Advertising?

Is this an example of really low quality advertising? The production values are poor. It's low tech. It doesn't have much reach OR cut-through. But is it good advertising?

Of course it is. This ad has all the elements of great advertising. It's media selection is highly relevant as the likely customer is able to stop, or lives nearby. The only people who see it are able to purchase. It clearly and concisely gets the message across.

What more do you need in an ad for second hand bricks?

Mike Biggs

International Thinking Conference

Thinking is such an important skill to the business mind, but equally the individual in everyday life. There are experts in the field of thinking who have devoted much time and effort to understanding the way we (the human brain) thinks and sees the word.

The international Thinking Conference is held almost every year and this year will be in Sweden. If you are interested in the subject of thinking, do yourself a favour and go to the Conference.

Dr Edward de Bono will be there along with many other though leaders from across the globe. See the website for more information.

McDonalds are way off brand

In their effort to desperately keep up with current health trends, McDonalds are continually re-inventing their menu. The new products appear to be an effort to make more money by offering more product lines, however it is also a retention exercise aimed at keeping tradditional customers who are thinking of lapsing due to the health issues.

The lates addition to the menu is a range of Heart Tick approved meals which on its own has cause a little controversy. Coincidentally at the same time McDonalds introduced their Heart Tick meals, the Heart Tick Foundation began its own campaign. The campaign (executed via TV ads and lots of PR and even current affairs shows) tells us that a Heart Tick Approval can not simply be bought. The message is that even though there are costs to be paid by a brand to have the tick, these costs are for running the organization and not to buy the tick, the approval, must be earned, they say.

Talk about paranoia. But can you blame them, I'm sure they are happy to have the revenue from the McDonalds Corporation, but what about the bad image for the Heart Tick Foundation? Even though the burgers were approved, people still think they are complete junk.

Now onto McDonalds.

What are they thinking introducing these meals. The most recent step in their march toward politically correctness for the fat ass industry, has taken them even further from their true brand.

They are a fat, fast food brand. Healthy meals for the health conscious adult is not part of it. Can they get any further from their core brand? Sure. Take all the Big Mac's, Quarter Pounders, and deep fried Fries of the menu. There you go, we're now McFresh. If so, you might aswell drop the Mc part because it offers no brand value, or relevance to a healthy fast food chain.

If they become healthy, they are not McDonalds anymore.

Mike Biggs

Finally an Outdoor Ad that offers something in return.

Outdoor advertising is the most selfish of all advertising media. It forces you to look at it by blocking the 'would be' beautiful scenery, and gives you, the viewer, nothing in return.

I have found the first example (that I have seen), of an Outdoor ad that offers a fair exchange. That is, it gives you something in return for looking at it.

You simply point your phone at it and send a picture message to your friends or loved ones.

Useful. Fun. Fair.

There is a close runner up as the most useful exchange in an outdoor ad. A few years back now, iPod installed a headphone jack so that passers by can plug in their iPod headphones and listen to a new release song that is, you guessed it, available for download on iTunes. It iStinks but in fairness does offer something for the exchange, kind of.

Mike Biggs