Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Banvertising: Offensive or Clever?

ban·ver·tis·ing

/ˈbanvərˌtīziNG/
noun
  1. the combination of the words ban and advertising.
  2. banned or banned-worthy advertising.

I believe banvertising can be both offensive and clever. Some may be more offensive than clever, some may be the opposite.

If the advertisement grabs the attention of the viewer and keeps that attention, they've done a good job. However, if the advertisement grabs the attention of the viewer, retains their attention, and makes them feel a positive emotion or inspires them to do/buy something, then they've done an amazing job.

I believe that ads deemed as offensive should not be banned. However, if the ad is considered offensive by a large majority of viewers, perhaps it isn't doing its job effectively.


Who deems ads as offensive or appropriate should vary on the medium of the advertisement. Depending on where or how the ads are being displayed, different parties should be in charge of considering if the ad is offensive. For example, if it's a commercial advertisement, its offensive factor could be determined by the government, the station, or even the show being played might need a say in the matter. A radio station should consider the appropriateness of advertisements based on their target audience.


Because of the overwhelming amount of advertisements the average person witnesses throughout the day, I feel it is important to shock the viewers into getting their attention. This shock doesn't necessarily need to be negative; a positive shock can be just as attention-grabbing, if not more.


I think agencies/brands should be aware of the ever-growing diverse public, but I do not think it is necessary to be more sensitive. If the message is not targeted towards those who are offended, I don't think it matters. Their target audience is what matters.


Agencies and brands must be deliberately strategizing to shock with their advertisements, however they probably didn't think their messages would get banned, nor would they want them to get banned. If their messages are still doing their jobs even after being banned, I feel that they have succeeded.


Just because an advertisement gets banned, doesn't completely mean everyone deems it offensive. If they're still effective and are getting the job done, it shouldn't hinder the agency's or brand's reputation or story. If it conveys the message and is successful, it should boost the brand's reputation.


Advertisements shouldn't be banned. Creativity shouldn't be banned.


No comments:

Post a Comment