Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Oops on that ad campaign...

Next time you're at a MUNI stop, check out this ad -- questionable even by Hoosier standards !

Ad for Embarcadero Center... Woman in a tattoo parlor, says, "I want one that goes with this blouse." She has a pink purse, a red key chain, and a pink blouse. The shopping bag says something about shopping leading to interesting things... That's not the amusing part. Look a little closer.

In the ads at MUNI stops, the clearest tattoo pictured on the wall is of a pregnant Native American caricature (lower left), and under her reads, "HOW ?" As in the stereotype of Native American greeting "how!" but also "how did I get pregnant?" Refer to another Embarcadero Center ad of different woman in confessional, "You see father, it all started with these shoes."

At the Embarcadero Center website, these various ads are in rotation, but the text under the pregnant Native American is cut off, as is the text on the shopping bag.
http://www.embarcaderocenter.com/ec/

So, uh, what is this inner need that advertisers are trying to arouse?