I've always said "either be unique or great...or both."
So you're probably asking, why am I saying that now? Well, while doing some research for an upcoming university project, I came across a section on a college website which highlighted how much it likes “diversity and inclusivity."
First off, congrats on being proud of your very high standards that most colleges and companies couldn’t possibly reach, even with a brilliantly-written mission and diversity statement. Really, it makes then very exclusive (the opposite of inclusive, duh!).
And yeah, it’s great that you’re attracting more minorities and people of color, but at the same time, your faculty gets more and more liberal, with conservatives being increasingly rare birds.
What the heck am I speaking about? you ask...
It means that you like diversity when it’s about stuff that shouldn’t matter (gender, skin color, sexual preferences), but less so when it affects something that should (intellectual and political diversity).
But of course, the university can’t admit this, or else there’d be all kinds of trouble. It’s such a rabbit hole, I doubt anyone could avoid the land mines he said, shamelessly mixing his metaphors.
Maybe the university would be better off valuing “uniqueness” rather than “diversity”?
Just thinking out loud.
Speaking of thinking out loud, in 2016, I introduced my "You Should Have Called the Media Guy" column where I call out tone-deaf advertisers who would have been wise to call me before running some of their ill-fated ads. So far, I've tackled:
The American Red Cross
Pepsi
Kellogg's
Anaheim Ducks
I write these columns opening wondering how advertising like this could have possibly made it past their high-paid teams teams of creatives and then when they do, they double down by spending millions of dollars in ad space to brag how clueless their ads are, tarnishing their brands along the way.
Despite my soapbox pontification, companies from McDonald's to Dove to Pepsi produced some tasteless advertising decisions last year. I mean, really? A simple phone call and a small consulting check made out to yours truly could have saved all of these companies a lot of bank.
And no, I am not always the smartest guy in the room, but yes, I AM somewhat of a savant as to why your silly commercial will or won't work. So, like the classic 1970s Fram Oil Filter commercial told us, "you can pay me now or, pay me later":
A small five-figure check to the Media Guy will save you seven figures down the road...yet I digress.
Bottom line of all of this? Don’t do what they did! So while I covered some bad campaigns already, here are three of my newest inductees into the Media Guy Hall of Shame:
T-Mobile
I hated this commercial so much, that I cannot believe I'm actually putting this in my column and subjecting myself to potential hearing the signature T-Mobile audio cues again, and again, and again. Serious, it's great that new T-Mobile users could now access Netflix as part of their subscription. But telling me again and again, and again? I just wanted to punch my TV:
Model and John Legend worshipper Chrissy Teigen may have said it best, "The T-Mobile commercial with alternating Netflix and T-mobile sounds puts me into an anxiety inducing personal hell.” On a side note, I cannot believe I am using a Chrissy Teigen quote to validate my hatred for this ad.
Dove
How in the world would you pay money to put an ad on television that could best be described as "racially insensitive" and at worst be cased "downright racist'? Dove did just that in October. The soap company posted an ad on its Facebook page that featured a black woman taking off a shirt similar to her skin tone to reveal that she had turned into a white woman wearing a shirt similar to her skin tone. What? Whaaaaaaaat?
Dove quickly pulled the ad and apologized: “In an image we posted this week, we missed the mark in thoughtfully representing women of color and we deeply regret the offense that it has caused. The feedback that has been shared is important to us, and we’ll use it to guide us in the future.”
Regardless of their ghost-written apology, hashtags like #DoneWithDove and #DoveIsRacist have gained traction. Such a shame. One call to the Media Guy would have solved their problem. In 2017-18, you don't take chances with people thinking you aren't diversity inclusive.
McDonald’s
In May, McDonald’s U.K. "Dad" spot shows a boy asking his mum what his dad was like. After a series of anecdotes and walking around the English countryside, the duo arrive at their local McDonald’s where it’s revealed the son and father both shared a love for Filet-O-Fish.
I'm sure you noticed that that the boy is clearly hoping one of the descriptions will line up with something that would describe himself. Alas, the boy and his dad seemingly had nothing in common, except that fish sandwich.
After the harsh criticism of the ad, McDonald’s yanked the spot and apologized. Sigh...
First off, congrats on being proud of your very high standards that most colleges and companies couldn’t possibly reach, even with a brilliantly-written mission and diversity statement. Really, it makes then very exclusive (the opposite of inclusive, duh!).
And yeah, it’s great that you’re attracting more minorities and people of color, but at the same time, your faculty gets more and more liberal, with conservatives being increasingly rare birds.
What the heck am I speaking about? you ask...
It means that you like diversity when it’s about stuff that shouldn’t matter (gender, skin color, sexual preferences), but less so when it affects something that should (intellectual and political diversity).
But of course, the university can’t admit this, or else there’d be all kinds of trouble. It’s such a rabbit hole, I doubt anyone could avoid the land mines he said, shamelessly mixing his metaphors.
Maybe the university would be better off valuing “uniqueness” rather than “diversity”?
Just thinking out loud.
Speaking of thinking out loud, in 2016, I introduced my "You Should Have Called the Media Guy" column where I call out tone-deaf advertisers who would have been wise to call me before running some of their ill-fated ads. So far, I've tackled:
The American Red Cross
Pepsi
Kellogg's
Anaheim Ducks
I write these columns opening wondering how advertising like this could have possibly made it past their high-paid teams teams of creatives and then when they do, they double down by spending millions of dollars in ad space to brag how clueless their ads are, tarnishing their brands along the way.
Despite my soapbox pontification, companies from McDonald's to Dove to Pepsi produced some tasteless advertising decisions last year. I mean, really? A simple phone call and a small consulting check made out to yours truly could have saved all of these companies a lot of bank.
And no, I am not always the smartest guy in the room, but yes, I AM somewhat of a savant as to why your silly commercial will or won't work. So, like the classic 1970s Fram Oil Filter commercial told us, "you can pay me now or, pay me later":
A small five-figure check to the Media Guy will save you seven figures down the road...yet I digress.
Bottom line of all of this? Don’t do what they did! So while I covered some bad campaigns already, here are three of my newest inductees into the Media Guy Hall of Shame:
T-Mobile
I hated this commercial so much, that I cannot believe I'm actually putting this in my column and subjecting myself to potential hearing the signature T-Mobile audio cues again, and again, and again. Serious, it's great that new T-Mobile users could now access Netflix as part of their subscription. But telling me again and again, and again? I just wanted to punch my TV:
Model and John Legend worshipper Chrissy Teigen may have said it best, "The T-Mobile commercial with alternating Netflix and T-mobile sounds puts me into an anxiety inducing personal hell.” On a side note, I cannot believe I am using a Chrissy Teigen quote to validate my hatred for this ad.
Dove
How in the world would you pay money to put an ad on television that could best be described as "racially insensitive" and at worst be cased "downright racist'? Dove did just that in October. The soap company posted an ad on its Facebook page that featured a black woman taking off a shirt similar to her skin tone to reveal that she had turned into a white woman wearing a shirt similar to her skin tone. What? Whaaaaaaaat?
Dove quickly pulled the ad and apologized: “In an image we posted this week, we missed the mark in thoughtfully representing women of color and we deeply regret the offense that it has caused. The feedback that has been shared is important to us, and we’ll use it to guide us in the future.”
Regardless of their ghost-written apology, hashtags like #DoneWithDove and #DoveIsRacist have gained traction. Such a shame. One call to the Media Guy would have solved their problem. In 2017-18, you don't take chances with people thinking you aren't diversity inclusive.
McDonald’s
In May, McDonald’s U.K. "Dad" spot shows a boy asking his mum what his dad was like. After a series of anecdotes and walking around the English countryside, the duo arrive at their local McDonald’s where it’s revealed the son and father both shared a love for Filet-O-Fish.
I'm sure you noticed that that the boy is clearly hoping one of the descriptions will line up with something that would describe himself. Alas, the boy and his dad seemingly had nothing in common, except that fish sandwich.
After the harsh criticism of the ad, McDonald’s yanked the spot and apologized. Sigh...