Jocelyn Lam's Blog

Recently, a viral ad campaign was brought to my attention because of its buzz created on the internet. L’Oreal started a new promotional campaign for one of it’s smallest brands, Dermablend. In the video, it featured Rick Genest, also known as “Zombie Boy”, that recently became known for his tattoos from head to toe.

Dermablend is known for producing cosmetic products that are specialized in coverage, wearability and skincare. Using their promotional mix of advertising, Dermablend is using a pull strategy to directly pull in consumers towards their product. Dermablend uses this video to inform consumers that their products are available and about its amazing coverage ability. They do this by hiring Rick Genest to take part in this “Go Beyond the Cover” campaign, and have a team of professional make up artists on camera covering up his tattoos with Dermablend Pro products only and the results was amazingly natural and flawless.

The video idea is very creative and unique. It definitely caught my attention with the small shock factor it consisted, and with the inspiring underlying message it has.

How do you judge a book?
Go beyond the cover to reveal the inner beauty.

Reading Ellen Tsang‘s blog post got me thinking about the advertisements we are exposed to. Everyday we are bombarded with thousands of advertisements, that is why companies try to use unique and eye-catching techniques to stay in consumers’ minds. But many companies cross over the line and promote unhealthy concepts such as sexual content and illegal substances. These advertisements are exposed to many young audiences and are sending them wrong messages such as thinking it is morally correct to be under the influence of illegal substances. It is beneficial to be ‘out of the ordinary’ but is creating these negative images and messages to young audiences really worth it?

SISLEY is a fashion company that sells clothing to young adults. The image used in their advertisement promotes the act of using illegal substances. Marketers may think this image will attract consumers because of their shocking element, but in return, I believe this type of provocative advertising will just damage the company’s reputation and image.

Another unethical advertisement example would have to be this Burger King ad for their seven inch sandwich. This advertisement involves sexual innuendo. Burger King is a fast food company that has wide a range of audiences, which include young children. This ad promoting sexual behaviour to young children is not right, and to add on to that, I’m quite positive that this ad will offend a portion of the women population.

Companies should really be careful with their way of reaching out to consumers and be ‘over the top’ in a more ethical way.