In a shocker, it was found a Columbus, Georgia-based car dealer engaged in deceptive advertising practices. Bill Heard Enterprises Inc. has agreed to a $188,000 settlement following an investigation by the Georgia governor's Office of Consumer Affairs. The settlement includes four area dealers: three Bill Heard Chevrolet dealers and Tom Jumper.
The state cited the dealers with telling customers they were pre-approved for a loan when they were not, making claims that vehicles were available for sale when they were not, making claims that all vehicles came with limited warranty when they did not, making claims that cars were available in repossession sales when most of the vehicles were not repossesed.
A group called the Society for the Prevention of Misandry (hatred of men) in the Media has launched a campaign against New York advertising agency McGarry Bowen, creator of the Verizon "Homework" ad that shows a bumbling Dad attempting to help his daughter use the computer. We offered some commentary on this campaign earlier. While hatred of men surely isn't the intent of the Verizon spot, the Society's website provides information on how those who feel men get a bum wrap in advertising can contact McGarry Bowen, their clients and the press.
Founded in 2003, the Society was created "in response to the increasing prevalence of negative representations of fathers, husband's and men in mass media." The group hopes to use McGarry Bowen clients as leverage towards their cause and has provided contact info for the agency's clients: Crayola, Marriott, Pfizer, InBev, JPMorgan and Reebok.
While we do think there's no need to portray men as blithering idiots as is the case in the "Homework" commercial, it would, at the same time, be a bit hypocritical to complain after the many years woman have been relegated to subservient roles and sexual objects of desire. So guys, before you get all bent out of shape about this, call it fair trade. Do you really want to stop seeing women portrayed as sexual objects in advertising, magazine spreads and your favorite porn sites?
Consulting group Classified Intelligence said newspapers have lost between $50 and $65 million in employment ad revenue along with millions more in real estate and other classified categories. Together, online job boards bring in $217 million in recruitment revenue compared to newspaper's $1.1 billion. Classified Intelligence predicts online job board revenue will eventually surpass newspaper recruitment advertising revenue.
