Advertising

“And This Button Annihilates the City” (1965)

We’ve looked at many advertisements that use the push-button future as a way to position products as cutting edge or innovative. But when the Future is used in this ad from the August 19, 1965 Marion Sentinel it just seems lazy. Where is Father looking, and what —oh gawd, WHAT?— will pushing those buttons do…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 28

From the Department of Clueless Advertising . . .

If you’re suffering from ringing in your ears, why not try a new product called Quietus? Yes, that’s right, a company has named its medication after the suicide ritual in Children of Men. You’d think that product developers might try Googling a little bit before giving their ear drops a name that will invoke images…

Movies Annalee Newitz Jan 19

Behold! The Terrible, DVR-Proof TV Ad

Watching this ad for Grasshopper phone systems, you might not notice anything amiss. Watching this ad for Grasshopper phone system while fast forwarding, you still probably won’t notice anything amiss. And that’s the whole point. The ad foils commercial-skipping DVR users by planting a brand icon—that grasshopper there—in the middle of the screen throughout the…

Television John Herrman Jan 19

Dry Yourself Out With The Complete Collection of Apple’s ‘Get A Mac’ Adverts

If you’ve got nothing better to do between now and the 27th of January, head over to AdWeek where all 66 TV adverts starring John Hodgman and Justin Long have been saved for posterity’s sake. [AdWeek] https://gizmodo.com/apple-january-27th-come-see-our-latest-creation-event-5451005

Tech News Kat Hannaford Jan 19

An Ad For Apple’s Original Tablet, the Newton

The Newton might be in the valley between an iPhone and Apple’s upcoming tablet, but it’s essentially Apple’s first stab at the form factor. And here’s how they promoted it. Setting aside the ’90s taint on the ad, it’s strange to see how much Apple pumped the faxing angle on the Newton in its subsequent…

Tech News Jason Chen Jan 18

Lego Short Film Makes Me Want to Play With Legos Immediately

CL!CK is a short film made by Lego about how Legos can inspire you to come up with great ideas. It’s a fancy ad, to be sure, but a truly lovely one. [YouTube via NotCot]

Tech News Adam Frucci Jan 13

Google May Insert Real-Time Ads Onto Old Billboards in Street View

All those outdated billboards in Google Street View aren’t just an eyesore; they’re a waste of a money-making opportunity for the big G, apparently. But not for long. Google’s filed a patent entitled “Claiming Real Estate in Panoramic or 3D Mapping Environments for Advertising,” and it should allow them to automagically cut out billboards shown…

Tech News Adam Frucci Jan 12

Problems Tramping? You Need a Separate Sack Suspensory!

So what is tramping? It’s a popular 1920s sport in which the player’s testicles are launched back into his pelvis like water balloons, “just as nature intended.” I think. [Modern Mechanix via Copyranter]

Tech News John Herrman Dec 30

Best Buy Offers Free iPhone App For Free, If You Spend $10

Bundling a free Twitter iPhone app preloaded with your label’s artists with CDs: fine. Advertising said bundle: also fine! But pitching this app as an “exclusive” deal, as if it isn’t always free? Come on, guys. But hey! Maybe this custom version of TweetDeck is really really good, and since all iPhone apps have to…

Tech News John Herrman Dec 28

A Surprisingly Meme-Savvy Health Care Company

I want to believe that Medica really did try to cut health care costs with the light saber app, waving their humming iPhones over financial statements while wearing robes. Now that would be a board meeting. [Thanks DaSazonator and Sam]

Tech News Chris Jacob Dec 26

How Will We Look Back On Today’s Gadget Ads?

Looking back at vintage advertising can be a sociological horrorshow. It could never be printed now. But it also seems inevitable that some of today’s tech ads will eventually seem utterly backwards, too. The question is, which ones? I’m not talking about obvious screwups like Microsoft whitewashing their Polish advertising campaign (which they apologized for),…

Tech News John Herrman Dec 18

Commercials Show the US Air Force’s Science Fiction Side

If Stargate SG-1 is to be believed, the US Air Force‘s Space Command hides fantastical technologies and runs space-bound missions. A new ad campaign paints the US Air Force as straight out of science fiction — without the aliens. The latest round of commercials for the United States Air Force play on the theme “It’s…

io9 Lauren Davis Dec 14

Totally Screw Up Gadget Ads by Changing One Letter

Here’s one for all my pun-loving friends out there: let’s make gadget ads that are fundamentally and irrevocably changed by adding, changing or dropping a single letter from the name of the device. Send your best entries to me at [email protected] with One Letter in the subject line. Save your files as JPGs or GIFs,…

Tech News Adam Frucci Dec 11

Seven Taglines You Can’t Repeat Without Sounding Like an Asshole

There’s hardly a spokesasshole in the world of tech who doesn’t throw around some kind of tagline. And that’s fine because it’s his job, but there’s no reason for you to repeat those taglines. Especially any of these seven. https://gizmodo.com/the-top-spokesassholes-in-tech-5340360/ Droid Does Verizon’s Droid commercials haven’t been around very long, but I already keep seeing…

Tech News Rosa Golijan Dec 11

New Iron Man 2 Poster Reveals Villain Whiplash

Mickey Rourke wants to kill Iron Man but is doing his part to save print journalism in this new teaser for Iron Man 2. Hold tight—every day that passes is a day closer to May 7. [io9] https://gizmodo.com/in-new-iron-man-poster-whiplashs-weapons-look-more-dan-5423635

Tech News Kyle VanHemert Dec 10

A Victoria’s Secret Ad By Michael Bay. Your Unmentionables Will Explode In 30 Seconds…

Helicopters, flames, explosions, cars… and cheesecake. It can only be Michael Bay‘s unique view of women’s sexuality. Michael Bay has done Victoria’s Secret ads before, but this new one is the purest expression of his vision. Here’s the new ad: And here are his previous contributions to the Victoria’s Secret advertising ouevre:

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Dec 8

Brutally Honest Ads: A More Honest Luke Wilson Shills for AT&T

The original Luke Wilson AT&T ads always struck me as a bit sketchy, like they weren’t really telling the whole truth. So I fixed that. Here’s the original for reference if you’re lucky enough to be unfamiliar. https://gizmodo.com/headless-luke-wilson-continues-the-great-at-t-verizon-a-5420022

Tech News Adam Frucci Dec 7

Droid Commercial Paints iPhone as “Digitally Clueless Beauty Pageant Queen”

Ohhh shit, y’all. This is getting dirty. Motorola/Verizon’s newest Droid ad not only depicts the iPhone as a tiara-wearing, Sandra-Bullock-worshipping Barbie doll, it actually shows a clearly identifiable iPhone. It’s both inflammatory and in your face. Right up in it! I have a Droid, and like it a lot, but I’m a little concerned that…

Tech News Dan Nosowitz Dec 4

The Art of the Space Race

Over at Berg London, Megan Prelinger has an amazing essay about the design of advertisements for defense industry companies during the mid-twentieth century space race. Interestingly, socialist-inspired designs were used to advertise anti-commie missile systems. About this particular advertisement for Los Alamos Labs (which worked on weapons systems), Prelinger writes: The blue spot disrupts the…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 1

Spectacular Stop Motion Book Ad Make eBooks Seem Downright Soulless

This stop-motion ad by the New Zealand Book Council makes me glad I don’t own a Kindle or a Nook, and it makes me want to go grab a book immediately. Preferably a gritty New Zealand western. [Arbora via TDW]

Books & Comics Adam Frucci Nov 25

“And This Button Annihilates the City” (1965)

From the Department of Clueless Advertising . . .

Behold! The Terrible, DVR-Proof TV Ad

Dry Yourself Out With The Complete Collection of Apple’s ‘Get A Mac’ Adverts

An Ad For Apple’s Original Tablet, the Newton

Lego Short Film Makes Me Want to Play With Legos Immediately

Google May Insert Real-Time Ads Onto Old Billboards in Street View

Problems Tramping? You Need a Separate Sack Suspensory!

Best Buy Offers Free iPhone App For Free, If You Spend $10

A Surprisingly Meme-Savvy Health Care Company

How Will We Look Back On Today’s Gadget Ads?

Commercials Show the US Air Force’s Science Fiction Side

Totally Screw Up Gadget Ads by Changing One Letter

Seven Taglines You Can’t Repeat Without Sounding Like an Asshole

New Iron Man 2 Poster Reveals Villain Whiplash

A Victoria’s Secret Ad By Michael Bay. Your Unmentionables Will Explode In 30 Seconds…

Brutally Honest Ads: A More Honest Luke Wilson Shills for AT&T

Droid Commercial Paints iPhone as “Digitally Clueless Beauty Pageant Queen”

The Art of the Space Race

Spectacular Stop Motion Book Ad Make eBooks Seem Downright Soulless

The ‘Mass Effect’ Show is Getting Rewritten to Get Greenlit

See the Early Stages of How ‘Project Hail Mary’ Brought Rocky to Life

‘Cognitive Surrender’ Is a New and Useful Term for How AI Melts Brains

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Marshall Acton III Home Speaker Drops to a Record Low, the Deal Countdown Has Already Started

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

I’m Worried About the Helpless AI Disruptors of the Future

Russia Allegedly Swung at VPNs but Accidentally Hit Its Own Banking Sector Instead

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

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