to all ad wizards: stop the insanity!

i went shopping today. for things that i need as i settle in to my new apartment. as i stood in the middle of an aisle in our local target, i was suddenly very, very angry. in my right hand i held a tube of "icy blast" toothpaste. in my left hand, a bar of "icy blast" soap. true, they are probably made by the same company and i have heard of toothpaste or mouthwash referred as this, but SOAP? ICY? i don't know about you, but "icy" is the last attribute i want in my bar of soap.

so, i did a little research. and after 2 hours roaming the aisle ways, i discovered that there are a ton of "ice-related" non ice related products. laundry detergent, soft drinks, deodorant, no fewer than 425 different varieties of chewing gum and my favorite, corn chips. but, it doesn't stop with consumables. there were electronics, cd players and cameras that were labeled "ice blue." why the sudden influx of "ice?" it really makes me despise any product that is labeled "ice" or "icy" "or "cool" when it's not.

i've had similar reactions to word choices in the past. in the late 90's i would literally punch the first person i came in contact with every time i saw the word "EXTREME" in front of something. or even worse, "X-treme." a camera that takes 2-inch polaroid prints is not extreme. the only word i hate in advertising more than "X-treme" is "fresh." if it's not food, it's not fresh. or, have you ever heard a certain colorless soft drink referred to as "crisp, clean, and refreshing?"

clean? as opposed to...?

i guess what i am saying is two-fold. first of all: advertisers, think carefully before you throw an unnecessary label on some random product that doesn't fit the description. and second: just because someone else uses an adjective, doesn't mean you will lose your job if YOU don't. if it does mean that you will lose your job, then quit and do something else because that is a terrible existence.