Gallery of the Absurd

More Fun With Banner Ad Makeovers

After the Gallery of the Absurd Deluxe Makeover

 

Before the Gallery of the Absurd Deluxe Makeover

The world of celebrity gossip hasn't inspired me this week, so I went back to messing around with some of the absurd banner ads floating around out there.  First up (above) is the ad for an acne cream called IQ Clear. A young model is shown with a face full of acne and then magically, the acne is erased to reveal clear smooth skin.  What's odd is that when the animation is finished, it looks like a before/after ad -  the before showing smooth clear skin, the after showing a full-blown acne disaster.  It's as though they're saying the cream makes you look worse.  No thanks!

After the Gallery of the Absurd Deluxe Makeover

Before the Gallery of the Absurd Deluxe Makeover

Second up, we have the ad for Real Age. You click on the ad and are taken to a free test to find out if you're biologically older or younger than your calendar age.  The people in the original ad all look youthful and fresh for their age, but that's not a compelling enough reason to click the banner. What is compelling is the trend toward teen starlets looking 20 years older than they really are.  There's a freak show appeal to a fresh-faced young girl having the appearance of a middle-aged woman, thus the banner is apt to attract a higher click-thru rate.  Medium: above image done with ink on paper, digital color. below image photoshop composite.

Britney Spears and Paris Hilton Make Appearance in Political Ad

The Ghost Chipmunk dangles the taint of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton in his newest anti-Obama political ad. I like how he stoops to using the Cult of Celebrity to make his point. Now all Obama needs to do is round up McCain loving Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt to star in his retaliation ad. Shudder.

Banner Ad Makeovers

BEFORE the Gallery of the Absurd deluxe makeover:

This is an actual banner ad I found on some hapless gossip blogger's site. I'm sure the advertiser anticipated a high click-thru rate when combining a photo of Angelina Jolie's lips with the thought-provoking and deeply philosophical query, "Whose Lips Are These?" Throw in a chance to win a Chili's gift card (Oh boy, deep fried objects on a platter!) and sit back and watch the clicks come in. Wrong.

AFTER the Gallery of the Absurd deluxe makeover:

Pump the celebrity gossip factor up several notches with the always entertaining trout pout reference. Sure, Angelina's Jolie's lips are a big draw (see Brangeloonie post below), but trout pouts are far more compelling. Add the words "free booze" in large font, along with non-readable small print stating there is no free booze, and you've got yourself web advertising gold!

If any of you come across a ridiculous web ad that needs a Gallery of the Absurd deluxe makeover, send it my way and I'll revamp it.