The Advertising Graveyard

Art: 1960s vintage pictures of the four Beatles, starting with John.
Copy: "They said it would take 3 more bullets. The Beatles Reunion starts Sunday, ABC."

Where do bad ads go after they've been killed? Apparently, to ad copywriter Jeffrey Zeldman's secret online resting place for spots too naughty, too stupid or too weird to make it past the censorious eyes of creative directors, newspaper editors or TV programmers.

The site is an amazing collection of stifled talent; it's both gratifying and irritating how many of the aborted ads are funny, or effective, or both.

One ad, for Alteon (the server switching company) features a big, color picture of an adorably happy baby just about to clamp down on a large, gorgeously perfect nipple. The copy reads like this: "Did you ever think you could be this happy again?"

Offensive? Arguably. But once you've seen it, it's hard to forget Alteon, and it's hard to not reflexively wish oneself back to infanthood. Since that's impossible, the natural urge is to do the next best thing: go switch some servers around, and pay Alteon for the privilege.

Or maybe not. But Zeldman's collection of dead ads deserves perusing, regardless. The commentary that accompanies the ads is eye opening, cleanly written and well-informed without being overbearingly insiderish. The ads are a gratifying mix of the appalling, the bizarre and the insidiously clever.

And the copy is always fresh.

— James Norton (jim@flakmag.com)