"People are smart" - Ridiculous Ditech slogan

Quote from Red_Ink_inc:

Makes sense to me. I guess some people enjoy being spoken down to as long as it's in a nice manner.

As far as ridiculous ads go it's still doesn't compare with that UBS ad. ..... "UBS, you AND us." Talk about an ad directly marketed to imbeciles. Every time I hear that I can't help but think to myself 'Yeah right You and Us, but mostly YOU.'
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LOL! I wrote a little commentary on that last year.
As a matter of fact, I consider it some of my finest work...
:D

http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&postid=1164913&highlight=UBS#post1164913

8-13-06
Quote from Rearden Metal:

You can tell when a company, like UBS, is dog shit by the commercials they choose to air.

Cue announcer with smug, deep base voice:

"Wherever you are, we're right next to you.
We just call it 'You and Us'.
You and Us. UBS."

What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!
Did they expect potential clients not to notice this obvious barrage of words that say nothing?

Advertising Executive: Alright, what are the positive features and advantages of banking with UBS, which you'd like us to convey to the public?

UBS: Um... well.... Scheissa. To be frank, there really aren't any. We kind of suck, actually.

Advertising Executive: OK, No problemo. We'll just throw a bunch of empty words together, and have it all read by a guy with a nice deep voice. People aren't generally too bright. The ad will still work, trust me.

UBS: I'm so full of anticipation that my genitals have sucked into my body cavity! Would you like to touch my monkey? Touch him! Love him! Rühren mein Affe. Lieben meine Affe-monkey! Now is the time on Sprockets when we dance...
 
Banks are notorious for stupid slogans. Who doesn't love the happy family slogans, making dreams possible! Only Us!

I guess people are indeed stupid... I had asked for an overdraft the other day and the teller said that there's interest AND a fee, I mean come on.

This is as stupid as these "administrative fees", I don't give a shit what costs come into the service you're offering me, it's up to you to manage them. I guess they hired a few psychologists and figured out people would go like "oh administrative fees, I have no problem paying that, someone has to do the admin work and get paid!" stupid mental accounting
 
Quote from Rearden Metal:

Therefore, the slogan 'people are smart' is a way to filter out smarter potential clients (who find the slogan absurd), while bringing in dumber potential clients (who readily agree with the slogan). Does that make sense?
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sure, it makes sense, appealing to the ignorant and intellectually lazy as their target market.

my first thought was along a pop-psychology praise/reassurance angle. sort of like the authority figures going on oprah to proclaim that, yes, every loser in the audience is misunderstood and really is special and wonderful inside, despite evidence to the contrary.
 
"...every loser in the audience is misunderstood and really is special and wonderful inside, despite evidence to the contrary."

The alternative is to throw in the towel and say there's "no hope".

What a grind, despite evidence to the contrary to never give up hope. They are losers in a broad sense of the term, they are seeking help or advice of some sort (at least). What comes naturally to us, is like a foreign country or we are speaking a foreign language to them.

Suppose you are an honest person, never stole a thing in your life. Your parents never stole, you didn't associate with anyone who ever stole anything. How long would it take and what would it take for me to convince you that the "right" way, was to steal? I probably couldn't.

Didn't mean to get off on a rant.

Regards:cool:
 
i disagree with your hypothesis. Businesses cast their marketing net to capture great numbers of potential buyers. They want smart people..they want dumb people.. they want MORE people. They want qualified people... dumb or smart. They don't wish to exclude anyone.

The slogan "people are smart" panders to all.. its a positive message repeated to evoke a pleasant warm fuzzy subliminal feeling. Smart people know they are smart .. their message is "we are not going to try any tomfoolery with you. your too smart for that."

Dumb people don't [like to] think they are dumb .. but deep down in the recesses of their mind they may suspect it. They are ripe for any positive message that may give them a temporary reprieve from their anxiety. They eat it up.

The slogan is a positive message, which is always good for business and everyone is happy. Ditech wins with all.

Quote from Rearden Metal:

Coolweb came the closest.

Generally speaking, intelligent people think that most other people are stupid (and they really are, by comparison).
Dumb people think that 'people are smart' (and they really are, by comparison).

So according to my theory, the top suits at Ditech realized that their mortgage terms were so uncompetitive, only a dumbass would sign one of their contracts. They also found that dealing with intelligent potential clients is mostly a waste of Ditech's time, as the smart potential client usually realizes it's a bad deal, and goes away to shop elsewhere.

Therefore, the slogan 'people are smart' is a way to filter out smarter potential clients (who find the slogan absurd), while bringing in dumber potential clients (who readily agree with the slogan). Does that make sense?
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ya that commercial drives me nuts too... "people are smart"...

people are smart... whatever...

yeah and trading is easy right?

geez...

- mnx
 
Therefore, it follows that if they should ever decide to cater to, and attract, the intelligentsia they should adopt a more subdued "People are doorknobs."
:D
 
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