Pam Helps You Pull It Off (Pam Cooking Spray)

"Pam helps you pull it off."

The alliterative P sounds stick in the mind. But it was probably best to avoid "pull it off," which has an unintended meaning.

Mustang Unleashed

I might come unhinged by Mustang Unleashed. A mustang wouldn't be on a leash, not as a car, not as a horse. Your dog might be on a leash, or your girlfriend, maybe particularly if you drove a red Mustang.

Does this theme sound silly to anyone else?

WTF? Where's the Funding?

If the language has come down to texty abbreviations, a billboard is the perfect place for it. Humanewatch questions where the Humane Society's money goes.

Wonders Never Cease (Grandfather Mountain)

Wonders never cease. This saying becomes fresh and feels apt for a mountain whose wonders never cease, except when the fog comes in.

Meat Your Vegetables (Manwich)

Meat Your Vegetables

Is there really a full serving of vegetables in a Manwich, as this ad campaign says? That's hard to believe, but the tagline is tasty.

Albert Dali Brand-Naming Consultancy

This print ad is spare, clever and attention-grabbing. But I think the company does more than come up with domain names.

(Click on the ad to see a bigger version.)

Ballpark Angus Beef Franks

A print ad for these dogs reads:
"All the delicious taste of Angus steak finally in convenient hot dog form."

I like this mild self-mockery. Finally in convenient hot dog form -- as if we'd all been waiting for such a thing.

Time Out Amsterdam

Click on the image for a bigger version of this ad from the Time Out series of travel guides. It shows a guy wrestling with himself to get away from the computer and out the door.

This art concept works well with the Time Out theme, reinforcing the double meaning: "time out" as time outside and time out from the screen.

Blocking UV Rays (Belo)

I like the minimalism. You kind of have to think for a minute.

Just Add Nada (Corona Beer)

An inspired idea for a billboard that was a finalist in the 2010 Obie Awards.

It works in so many ways. First, the Spanish "nada" fits with this Mexican brand. Second, the phrase echoes "just add water," but beer doesn't need water as a cocktail might; so, in fact, your drink needs nada, nothing. And, third, it's a perfect scene—you'll need nothing more. Great multiple meanings.

Enjoy Coke-ness (Coke Zero)

This one is pretty cute. I like the writers' references to the obscure Millard Fillmore and the more obscure Djibouti. A worthy installment in a campaign to appeal to younger guys.

The Man Your Man Could Smell Like (Old Spice)

Smell Like a Man, Man


A snappy, funny update of the brand's longstanding maritime theme. You've got oysters, pearly treasure, a boat and a piratelike man. Well written. Gave me a laugh.

Butter Taste. Better Health. (I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)

Butter Taste. Better Health. It says what it needs to succinctly, with a little word play.

Crisp flavor with a hint of calories. (MGD 64)

"Crisp flavor with a hint of calories." "A hint of calories" works for me. It conjures the language of wine-tasting (a hint of oak, etc.) to promote wine's proletarian cousin, beer. This copy also appeared in an ad with a tall, skinny, female-looking beer bottle. That worked even better with the lite theme.

I go for the gold. (McDonald's)

OK, here's the overlong, uninspired text that goes with McDonald's Chicken Selects:

"I go for the gold.

My taste buds have trained their whole life for this.

McDonald's sends its best to me. And I'm ready. Chicken Selects are juicy, one hundred percent, gold-medal chicken breast strips, perfect for dipping in a range of sauces. My mouth is primed to cheer them on. McDonald's knows I only accept the best. And I give Chicken Selects a perfect 10."

Now, that's a mouthful.

First, what have sports got to do with chicken? And second, why is this language all over the place? The mouth is training. The mouth is cheering. The eater is rating. The chicken wins a medal.

And to think, somebody got paid to write that.

Easy. Breezy. Beautiful. (Cover Girl)

Easy. Breezy. Beautiful.

A tagline of three words linked by alliteration and rhyme and ending with the soft "ful" sound. The words sound great together. This is more a branding than an ad, with a casual feel that fits the Cover Girl product line.

Black Taco (Taco Bell)

Black cat. Black boots. Black eye. Black taco.

On the radio, this ad made me listen. Funny text, funny delivery. Funny Phillies too, crazy fans of the black taco.

The Best of Us: All Together Now (IOC)

"The Best of Us" works by 1) asserting that, physically, these athletes are the best around and 2) evoking the phrase "the best in us," an allusion to the goodwill that the Games may inspire. Love this.