Maybe I’m a bit predisposed to focus on anything remotely related to advertising (studied it in college, spent my entire career in the biz in some way, shape or form), but I had to laugh when I caught a recent Simpsons rerun (“My Fair Laddy”). While the main story line was Lisa’s science project to make Willie (the school gardener) into a proper gentleman (a la My Fair Lady, Pygmalion, etc.), Homer’s grassroots marketing campaign was center stage in the subplot. After ripping a major hole in his favorite blue pants, he discovers the company (Worldwide Pants) has quit making them due to lack of interest (unfortunately, their Super Bowl ad didn’t drive demand….). In a stroke of alternative advertising genius, Homer decides to single-handedly build the market for blue pants by placing an ad on his head promoting his favorite britches.
As a result of Homer’s non-traditional campaign, demand skyrockets and the company resumes blue pant production. Ah, the power of a good marketing campaign!
