There’s a new ugly dress in town. Or maybe I just don’t like yellow prints. I know, I know, it’s branding; trademark teal and yellow are prominent throughout the commercial. And the teal outfit is reasonably attractive. So why not an attractive yellow dress?
Yet the dress is not what bothers me most about this particular commercial (all commercials bother me). It’s the line “Jardiance is really swell.” Swell!? When was that writer born? Nothing’s been “swell” since … when? the Twenties and Thirties? The usage is so old, so dated, that I wonder if today’s Gen Xers even know what it means. It’s so old it even predates me, and I’m 80 years old.
But to continue, yellow, of course, can be very pretty. It’s warm, bright, sunshiney. I just don’t understand why, if you want to feature yellow in your commercials, you choose such ugly examples. And yet I am talking about them … and good or bad, that’s what commercials are all about. Ugly dresses, hot cars — whatever the hook (the failsafes being cute kids, animals, and pretty women, according to my advertising instructors), all advertisers are seeking attention. As P.T. Barnum supposedly once said, “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.”
And a reminder, my previous “ugliest dress” nominee was this gem back in May:
It may still be the ugliest, because it introduces orange, and orange is my least favorite color. Can’t say much for that print, either. But what do I know. I haven’t owned a dress since I retired.
You don’t mention what the devil ‘Jardiance’ is – should I know ?, or is it an American thing. I shall consult Dr Google, hang on ..
“What is Jardiance?
Jardiance (empagliflozin) is an FDA-approved tablet used to help control blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes and is also used to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems in adults with heart failure or cardiovascular disease with type 2 diabetes. Jardiance lowers blood glucose levels (HbA1c) by helping the kidney increase the amount of glucose passing into the urine. Jardiance should be used together with diet and exercise when prescribed for type 2 diabetes.”
Good GRIEF !! [falls back in amazement]
Well, you asked! LOL. But I didn’t think its purpose was relevant.
Here in the US we’ve been awash in new drugs to treat diabetes. Then people discovered they were also great for weight loss. Now the drug companies are hawking great “new” weight loss drugs that are nothing more than different doses of those same diabetes drugs. Anything to make a
buckmillion.Big Pharma, one of the deadliest power groups in the world.
… with lots of help from their willing accomplices in Washington.
Have you noticed that both of these so-called “ugly dresses” are advertising diabetes medications? By the way, I think the print in the dress is not the best, either. They could have picked a more flattering dress. ~Nan
I had to go back and watch the video again, but the second ad noted above is for Breztri, a COPD drug. I couldn’t remember the name of the drug or its purpose, which generally means an ad has not been very effective … unless the advertiser wanted me to remember the ugly dress. “The Infamous Ugly Dress Commercial!”
Thank you! Every time I see that commercial, I wonder who thought that dress was a good idea? Seriously? If she loses weight and gets her diabetes under control will she get a nicer dress?
That would be a good idea for a follow-up ad. Slimmer, better dressed. “See what Jardiance did for me?” Otherwise it looks kind of like they’re saying something like “If you’re an overweight diabetic, you can’t wear pretty dresses.” I dunno. I don’t know how you can make a positive out of an unnecessarily ugly dress. The teal pants outfit was attractive. I don’t know why they had her change. Then again, look at all the attention we’ve given this ad.
Yes. Swell, not.
“Swell.” Seriously??