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Couldn’t help but note a certain disparity of sophistication between some marketing materials that recently caught our eye, one aimed at women, one at men. The former was for what has to be one of the more tone-challenging categories, tampons. With its direct, intelligent approach to marketing-savvy young women. the “Why are tampon ads so obnoxious” campaign for U by Kotex feels on target, timely, and inspired by the attitude of your smarter viral videos. (Examples here and here, website here.)
And for the men? Well, consider the Beer Institute’s Code, which helpfully states that, among other things:
- Beer advertising and marketing materials should not, claim or represent that individuals cannot obtain social, professional, educational, athletic, or financial success or status without beer consumption.
- Beer advertising and marketing materials should not portray beer drinking before or during activities, which for safety reasons, require a high degree of alertness or coordination.
- Beer advertising and marketing materials should not disparage anti-littering and recycling efforts.
- Beer advertising and marketing materials should make no scientifically unsubstantiated health claims.
- Beer advertising and marketing materials should not contain graphic nudity.
- Beer advertising and marketing materials should not depict Santa Claus. (We kid you not.)
No doubt, the good people of the Beer Institute mean well. And, Bad Santa aside, we can’t take issue with their stands. But this is hardly indicative of a category playing to the intelligence of its audience. Not coincidentally, the beer business has not been booming of late.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the internet and social media revolution, it’s that playing down to your audience might get your video passed along, but it’s not going to win over the hearts, minds, or wallets of consumers.
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