Think About It

This is a full-color ad that appears on the back cover of a 70-page technology magazine. Ok, I'm all for unexpected or even mildly shocking imagery to grab one's attention, but the image should at least communicate the desired concept, convey positive brand attributes, speak to a targeted audience or make a point that supports the copy.

Even if we allow room for disagreement over the visual and the message, is it too much to ask for some adherence to good design principles? Or is bad design part of the creative strategy as well? I can't figure out if this ad is trying to be so wrong as to prove a point (although I'm not sure what that point is), or if it's just one big hot mess from start to finish.

If I have to ask myself these questions, then my guess is the only thing this ad accomplished was to confuse others who had the misfortune of viewing it as well. Would it have cost any more, or been any less effective to create a more positive message? At the very least, the ad could have been more purposefully designed as "tongue-in-cheek" as I suspect was the goal.

Instead, not only did I lose my taste for this company, I lost my appetite too.