So we have to say at first we felt a little ignored then today we spotted one... yep, that's right Kensington got a Virgin Mobile ad. (Honestly, it could have been there a week for all we know. We seriously didn't look around for them until all the hoopla). Lots of people were offended by the Bed-Stuy ad and Chelsea and Murray Hill ones were just plain dumb. Regardless we got one. Of course its a generic 'Brooklyn, You Rule' not 'Kensington, You Rule' (guffaw). We can't expect that the ad execs to sit around and develop an idea for every freakin' neighborhood (even if Kensington has been around long before many other cooler nabes and named in the 1800s). Here's what we're proposing... lets come up with one! We came up with something very quickly but go on discuss and make it real good so we can forward to the execs at Virgin.Kensington, You Rule
So you're not Park Slope but you don't want to be! You're a good mix of all things when we know most of New York City has thrown away the pot (melting pot that is!). You're not just Moms or hipsters or yuppies and you're not part of the commercialization of Brooklyn... you just are. We know you're experiencing a bit of a resurgence and even though some people don't like it you'll be psyched to get a few more trees! Kensington the world comes to you and our cell phone plans can help you get in touch with those left in other places, be it Fort Green or Bangladesh or Mexico. [insert V mobile plan logistics]
17 comments:
isn't it ironic to talk about the neighborhood's "resistance to commercialization" when you are precisely asking us to collaborate on some pointless corporate ad?
why should we write ad copy - for free no less - for some marketing firm? ad copy that would stupidly soundbite and stereotype kensington and inflame tensions already present. (for ex. read closely the brownstoner debate on the bed-stuy ad.)
and is kensington less of a neighborhood because it doesn't have a devoted virgin ad all to itself?
OH GOD 947
She's having some fun, bringing good exposure to our hood! In fact, I think this blog, is the best thing that's happened to Kensington since it was started.
(Channel 9 News reads this blog, according to the reporter who I spoke to regarding the Peeper) and has brought exposure to someone obviously out of his mind-
Must everything be politically correct on this board? Loosen up, people!
this is not about
being "politically correct" - but acknowledging that we have a politics, and often times, divergent ones! so the blog can't speak uniformly for all of us - i take more offense from this granted "fun having" post - than from the tags on lightposts or trash on church.
i guess the point is also where we individually stand on what "exposure to the hood" means.
THen you're obviously offended by stupid shit. Get over it.
These virgin ads are manipulative (if you're a dope) and condescending and many people are disgusted by them. But then again most people in advertising are disgusting.
pala
I hate the uptight liberals on this board who take offense to everything..I work in advertising and guess what? Whether you like it or not, you buy based on our marketing plan, whether you realize it or not.
actually i do realize what i buy and i hate to break it to you there are those who aren't zombies who buy based purely on marketing plans. there might be people who do but there are plenty of us who buy what we want when we need it when we can. sure marketing plays a role in our choices but you advertising people start getting focus groups together and pool people's interests into the lowest common denominator and then sell crap by way of manipulation. Don’t justify sleazy marketing.
no shocker here, but at very least, ads like these - smarmy, hopping on the hip - turn some people off.
Hey Ad guy - you got a job to do, and people certain are able to be influenced, your ages old thriving industry is a testament to that. But, there are SOME people, many who are just the type to live here, who don't give a flying fuck about ads beyond telling us a product exists.
Remember that company that had the absolute best product ever made but decided not to market it because it sold itself? Yeah, neither do I.
Oh, and I like this website. If, however, I was one of these people who uses it to voice the fact that they don't like it, I'd probably start my own website. You know, market my opinions...
Here's my take on the Kensington Ad:
So if you're at a party and you say you're from Kensington, you might get a few blank stares. But so what? Who cares? You know your 'hood is cool. Where else can you buy Halal goat meat, get a manicure/pedicure for $13.99, get your shoes repaired by a Russian family, and then buy 2 Carvel sundaes for the price of 1 (Wed only)? Nowhere else! That's why you need a cell phone plan that's as original as you are...blah blah blah.
what do you think? Do I have a career in adverstising? LOL
You forgot the tailor on Cortelyou at E.3rd!
He could use a marketing plan.
Seriously, though, he's a genius, and a prince.
sorry, E4th.
noisejoke--
So, the tailor at Cortelyou and E4 is good? I've been taking my pants to be hemmed at one of the local dry cleaners with mixed results. I'd be happy if there is a really good tailor in the nabe. Also, what are his hours?
11218 - you got that zip and you haven't been down there?? He's done wonders for my wardrobe wrecked by my expanding waistline in terms of repairs. And he's done incredible hem and inseam jobs on both fancy and unfancy pants.
He brought my wife's old motorcycle way way back from the dead.
I think I once gave him a twenty buck tip cuz the work was so amazing and the prices were criminally cheap. Oh yeah, he did a crazy rush job on my friggin' wedding suit.
He probably opens around 8am. Closed Saturdays. Not Hassidic, but Orthodox.
geez..motorcycle JACKET. Her bike is long gone.
Why do people think that just because you voice some sort of disagreement with the blog- on the discussion board no less- that it means you hate the blog?
I really enjoy this blog. I think it's great for this neighborhood. I love hearing the summary of all the meetings, and knowing to send out a call for action to DeBlasio for RWA. The channel 9 peeper thing is a great example for why this blog is excellent.
That does not mean, however, that I have to agree with the blogger's opinion on anything. Also my disagreement does not mean I dislike her; I don't know her and she doesn't know me- we're just discussing opinions here. If you don't want to talk about it, don't comment, but don't call people uptight for thinking differently than you.
BTW, I thought the ad jen came up with was funny and cute- completely non-offensive. I don't think a call to make up an ad is offensive, although I do see the point about inflaming tensions within neighbors like the Bed-Stuy ad. Definitely take a look at the comments about that ad to see that not everyone looks at their hood in the same way. These Virgin mobile phones are pay-as-you-go, no contract, no credit check phones, so not surprisingly their market is lower income people, and the Bed-Stuy ad is just trying to appeal to that market's mentality.
the ad's been up for weeks... and, um, everyone should stop being all up in arms about it. 'cause even hating is adding to the publicity.
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