Marketing Fail! or a Failure in Marketing?

So my birthday is coming up in a few weeks, and today in my mailbox I got this little flyar from a shoe store.  I'm in one of those rewards programs and so occasionally (like on my birthday) they send coupons saying that I can get $5 off or something like that.  Fine.

But look at this picture for a moment, sent as one side of an advertisement for shoes, sent to a straight man.  Is this picture supposed to make me rejoice?  Will it give me a thrill that my relationships will be as exciting as this?  Do I dream everyday of about having 'my day to sparkle'?  Did (national seller of shoes here) actually commission this picture of two middle-age lunatics thinking that their ecstasy at buying a pair of shoes would translate to me?

Yes, it's marketing.  They want me to come and buy shoes.  But this reminds me that for all the analytics and algorithims that now go in to marketing, this company failed miserably when it came to knowing their audience, ME.  We complain all the time that companies are selling our private personal data (that we have given them willingly, BTW) and that no longer can we make choices on our own.  Surely, we think, this is the end of the world.

But as long as actual marketing campaigns are run by people stupid enough to think that this picture will appeal to a straight middle-aged white male, maybe we shouldn't be so worried that we are losing our souls.  Because this picture almost makes me NOT want to buy from this company, just as the guy selling cars from the local Ford dealer who screams into the camera makes me NOT want to buy Fords.

Of course, I do like a new pair of kicks.  And I do like money off...that should have been their message.  As it is, I've got to hold onto this picture of these orgasmic morons until I finally get around to getting my new shoes.

Commercials For Codgers?

It's no secret that most TV commercials are targeted to the particular audience watching them.  Beer and car commercials dominate sporting events, and I'm assuming tampon and weight watchers commercials during most Lifetime shows (yeah, I know...broad sexist generalization!).

But what about the commercials for shows on networks who target people who watched TV long before I was born?  I like some of those shows, on a network called 'Antenna TV', that features shows like Green Acres, The Burns and Allen show, and Jack Benny.  What seems to be things that companies think old people need?

So, as an experiment, here's the list of commercials during tonight's 6:30pm episode of I Dream of Jeannie on cable channel 674.  

Commercial block one:
1. The "I've fallen and can't get up" help button for seniors, almost a minute and a half.  Philips Lifeline, featuring a lot of senior citizens near tears.

Commercial block two:
2. NordicTrac X9, another long mini-infomercial.  Burn them calories, fat people.  Just get up and walk.
3. OMG Tax, a tax resolution company.  Stop taking my money!
4. Wall & Associates, to get the IRS off your back!

Commercial block three:
5. XOut pimple treatment.
6. ITT Tech.  Scholarships and financial assistance for qualified candidates.
7. FreeHealthHotline.com.  What are you entitled to?  Get the prescription plan.

I'm actually a bit disappointed, I expected a few more prostate pills and portable scooters like I've seen over lunch.  But I guess that's more during the daytime when the older crowd is still awake.  This crowd is more interested in keeping their money, keeping their job, and staying alive after a fall.