Nasty is the New Nice

January 24, 2009 - Nasty is the New Nice - Is it just us, or has the tone of advertising gotten colder, nastier, more rude? This week Terry O’Reilly shows how the tone of advertising is taking on a new meanness. The humour of some campaigns is taking on a decidedly sharp edge. Broadcast ads are becoming more heavily laden with violence and bodily functions. Ad copy is developing a case of potty-mouth. We’ll trace some of the sources of this trend, and explain why the earnest, innocent ad copy of the 50’s just won’t cut it today.