The Theory

I* have long had a theory about what makes for a good advertisment.

It's a simple equation really.

A good idea + good production = good ad
A good idea + bad production = bad ad
A bad idea + good production = bad ad
A bad idea + bad production = a good ad

If you look at the word good as being positive and the word bad as being a negative, then the double negative of the last scenerio (A bad idea + bad production = a good ad) means the ad is so bad, it's good (but probably not in the way the ads creative team had wanted it to be)

Having decided to plot all the reviews on a graph, Your Ad Is Bad has come up with a scatterplot...

Telecom Mobile Broadband advertising is excellent example of a bad idea done well, therefore it is a 'Bad ad'.

The L&P World Famous In New Zealand Since Ages Ago campaign is a good idea done well, which sees it placed firmly in the 'Good ad' rankings.

As the first exception to the rule, THE HARD SELL is a bad idea done very VERY badly, and is still an incredibly awful ad. That makes it twice the failure.


*theory is not actually mine. I stole it from this guy.