Advertising That Shouldn't Work

Ad for Diesel in NYLON magazine.

Diesel (the clothing brand) has this brand new little catch phrase "be stupid".

I took offense to this the second I saw it. Not personally so to say, but as a the consumer they are targeting. I don't like the fact that they're telling me AND the rest of the world that it is okay to be stupid. It is never okay to be stupid.

So if that isn't reason enough to rant about bad marketing schemes, if you read in the little red box below Diesel's name, it reads their original slogan "for successful living".

Apparently these days you should be stupid to live successfully. I've ran this by a few people and I have received the same reactions from each one; slight confusion and agreement that those together do not make sense.

I understand that advertising is a ways and means to get noticed. I've heard the saying that all publicity is good publicity, but I don't agree with this. I think that this will reflect quite negatively on the brand.

Hopefully I'm not the only one out there who has a problem with this Ad. I'm worried about what the more impressionable consumers will think, but with any luck, they will just keep flippin' and not give a second thought to "being stupid".

Peace

Chalsie