Mark Irving: When advertising becomes a victim to trends

There was a time not so long ago that every second ad seemed to include a budgie smuggler reference. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Opinion

Mark Irving, advertising company director on how advertising, like fashion can fall victim to trends.

It's interesting to note advertising can at times follow a particular trend or theme on TV, radio or in the papers. In the last six months I've noticed a predominance of ads centred on all things manly - mantrol, man pack, how to be more of a man etc.

Advertising at times is a little like the fashion industry as a number of clients and agencies pick up a particular style or theme of advertising and run with it. That's just how things seem to roll on planet advertising.

I find some of these ads quite amusing, but I also think as an industry we have to be a little careful that these ads don't become too cool and ironic. They need to appeal to the general public rather than become the equivalent of an in-joke for agency staff.

This occurred to me listening to a "man-centred ad" on the car radio, when a mate (it's got to be mate as friend sounds a little lame) asked: "What the hell was that about?"

Now my mate (I can't stop myself now) is no student of popular culture but he's also a pretty intelligent and practical sort of guy. It's a little worrying that he's not getting it. It's almost like the ad is a bit too clever for its own good and is going over the heads of people it really shouldn't.

I don't think we need to be reminded of the fact that Kiwi males are a different beast from our counterparts of 30 or 40 years ago and that somehow the male population needs to be reminded of the fact that they're not "real men" who build retaining walls and gut pigs.

Another trend in advertising about a decade ago seemed to be the quirky and excitable character that was a little too quirky for his own good.

An ad for the NPC springs to mind, with a gentleman in his knitted Nelson Bays jersey acting way too over the top for his own good. This was advertising the supposed world's leading domestic rugby competition.

In my opinion it made our national game and competition look small time and something to laugh at. Where was the tension of a tight shield challenge or the disappointment and drama of losing a final? It was an ad that was crying out for excitement and yet I found it almost belittled our national game.

Was this really what rugby had become and was this the ad that would get people watching rugby, with so many other leisure pursuits competing for our time?

Another trend from three or four years ago were the budgie smuggler ads. For those of you not in the know, budgie smugglers are another name for Speedos, those particular swimming briefs that highlight the distinctive male form.

It becomes embarrassing when you have to explain to older members of your family what budgie smugglers refer to. Every second ad around that time, (a slight exaggeration maybe) seemed to refer to budgie smuggler this, budgie smuggler that, as if this new term was the very reason for the ad existing.

I don't agree with everything David Ogilvy, the author of "Confessions of an advertising man" and founder of the worldwide Ogilvy advertising group said or wore for that matter (think red braces). But when he wrote: "the consumer isn't a moron; she is your wife", I think he was raising a good point.

Mark Irving is the Director of Range Advertising and Communications.