I am taking a page out of Salt's book today with an Open Letter Thursday. I haven't done one since the Urban Active debacle. I think I'm due.Dear CVS Advertising/Marketing Department,
Last Sunday, I was perusing the Jacksonville Sunday paper, enjoying the French Roast my sister has started brewing and wondering what sales you all would be offering up to the mostly unemployed public this week when I stumbled across this:
Let's get past the fact that 50 prints for $6 is a pretty good deal...at 12 cents per photo. Even Sam's Club has a difficult time competing with that. I would, instead, like to draw your attention to the small print, especially the part that says "(like 12 cents each)". I am more than just a little appalled that we are now accepting Valley Girl Speak in our marketing campaigns. I just did the math...it is not like 12 cents each...it is 12 cents each. And even if it was sometime thing like 12.43 cents per photo, there are roughly 27392 different ways to indicate that the price is just slightly over 12 cents. Like is really not an option for print advertising. Or it shouldn't be. I don't mind to see like littered around blog posts, Kindergarten assignments, and the screenplay for Clueless...I am, however, adverse to having it posted on the 1st page of a Big Box sales flyer. We are already fighting a losing battle with the invention of text language and spell check. Perhaps you should refrain from caving to the peer pressure, even if it does cost you your target audience. This is not a deal breaker for me. I will still buy my Chia Pets from you at Christmas and sometimes you do have the best deal on Halloween candy. I would just appreciate a little more care taken in the production of your newspaper ads...even if you think no one reads the newspapers anymore.Sincerely,
M&M
