Desperate marketing for desperate times.

ABC News has a great take today on the "Top 10 Desperate Ad Tricks in a Recession," and I'm not just saying that because they quoted me extensively (along with my stalwart blogging colleague Steve Hall of Adrants).

Here are their picks:
1. MacGruber/PepSuber
2. Starbucks offers a "value meal"
3. Wendy's 3conomics
4. Jimmy Kimmel's live commercials
5. Burger King's Whopper Sacrifice
6. Miller Lite's one-second ads
7. Hyundai offers to take back your car if you lose your job
8. Dodge offers "buy one, get one free"
9. Las Vegas courts small-town America
10. Spirit Airlines sells ads on flight attendants

So what about you? What are your favorite (or most despised) recession-fueled marketing moves out there?

Comments

[Shane]

As a stalwart Starbucks aficionado, I'm exasperated by the number of erratic moves the company seems to have been making of late. This latest stunt just muddy's the brand's image and it's not working. I go to my local Starb's every morning on the way to work and I'm certain that twice this week the place has been absolutely empty.

Before I come off sounding like a coffee snob - Macdee's do a good brew, but they're marketing pitch is plain patronizing. I'm thinking in particular of those commercials run ad nauseum over the summer where the two guys sitting in the coffee house find out they can quit faking they're intelligent now that McDonald's has good coffee. Because who needs reading as long as you can identify the golden arches, right?

Two things Starbucks can do to improve. Firstly, offer free WIFI. Seriously, unless your wireless signal has been fairly traded with an Ethiopian farmer and flown half way around the world, it's just the same as the WIFI offered for free by all your competitors.

Secondly, and this is something really minor, but it irritates me no end - have a little integrity. Your take-out cups have those thoughtful opinions written on them, but in the small print it says, "This is the author's opinion, not necessarily that of Starbucks." Really? This leads me to believe either you guys don't stand for anything whatsoever, or you're just letting someone right crap all over your cups that you have no control over. So which it Starbucks?

[Shane]

Regarding the above post...

Dear sweet Starbucks,

Wow. I'm sorry. Things were said that I didn't meant to say, it just got a little out of hand. You know I still love you. Look, I've got my $1.88 ready for one of your delicious grande drip coffee's tomorrow and everything.

It being the day of love and romance tomorrow, I may even spoil you by buying one of the many other items you offer that are synonymous with the worlds best coffee, y'know like CD's, iTunes cards, books, board games, teddy bears, etc.

Maybe afterwards we can have dinner together - that's something you've not offered to do with me yet, but give it time.

[bg]

My vote: Move SB to #1. That’s a brand with less of a consistent identity or message now than McDonald’s.

I like Hyundai’s offer, gimmicky as it is more than Dodge’s because giving away a second car for a buck devalues the brand even further in consumer minds.

In fairness to Miller, their effort was undermined by having NBC prevent affiliates from running the spots.

One trend in general though I could live without is the constant use now of “In times like these...” in terms of headline/copy or VO from many brands.

[Gino Cosme]

The low-budget airline industry sure intrigues me. From selling advertising on their employees' uniforms and ads on seat and tray covers to adverts playing on the speaker system before take off and landing and printed on the planes tails - never a dull moment up in the skies.

[Wilguska]

I have to agree with the #1 choice.

This idea of a corky character promoting a product was already done in the 1990s movie, Wayne's World. Actually, I think Pepsi was a product promoted in this movie. Interesting.