A lot's been said about the Old Spice guy. A lot of awards won. But Old Spice also perpetrates this affront above.
I know, I know...I'm not the demo.
But this just sucks.
An armpit that smells like Fiji.
Please.
George Orwell, in his great essay "Politics and the English Language" had 6 rules for decent writing. They apply to advertising--and the last one applies especially to this ad.
(i) Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
(ii) Never us a long word where a short one will do.
(iii) If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
(iv) Never use the passive where you can use the active.
(v) Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
(vi) Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
3 comments:
Quoting you:
"But this just sucks."
What's with "sucks?" Aren't there better, more accurately descriptive words that you could use pejoratively in your daily posts?
I agree with George Orwell:
(i) Never use a metaphor, simile, or OTHER FIGURE OF SPEECH which you are used to seeing in print.
Your posts are brilliant, but why the lazy high school language?
Kevin, you're right. I was lazy and running in for lunch.
The ad is banal and ugly.
I want my armpits to smell like Fiji. And my balls to smell like Brazil.
Post a Comment