Creative Korean Advertising #25: Change Your Emoticon!
Regardless of your feelings about cosmetic surgery, hopefully this will still bring a smile to your face this weekend. Thanks to reader Tobi for passing it on!^^
Update: Fellow blogger 아름답다, ah-lum-dahp-dah also noticed the ad.
(For all posts in the Creative Korean Advertising series, see here)
This idea was used some years ago in France some years ago, stirring some debate because it tested the limits of a law banning cosmetic surgery advertising. I remember pink billboards focusing on one pair of before/after emoticons a time, but I can’t find images of it any more.
Thanks for passing that on, and yeah, I would have been surprised if the idea was truly original to Korea.
I’m not accusing anyone of anything either, they might have come up with the idea on their own, only to find someone beat them to it…
But I don’t think advertising for cosmetic surgery is a good thing to begin with, so…
I have mixed feelings about cosmetic surgery, but if the service is not illegal in itself and if its practitioners comply with all safety and training regulations etc. etc., then I think it’s quite hypocritical to disallow a legitimate business to advertise its services.
By “not good” I didn’t imply t should be banned.
I’m in two minds about this too. You’re right, a ban would be hypocritical, “regulations” and “rules” can amount to euphemisms too. However, I feel lauding the merits of surgery and the merits of yoghurt shouldn’t be treated the same, or be available to every public…
I think this ad is hilarious XD even if the idea is not original
Oh, don’t get me wrong: I still like it too!
Haha, I think it’s cute advertising. I guess they’re trying to keep plastic surgery light hearted. Like, “Look! It’s not such a big deal!” But, if I were someone actually considering a procedure, I don’t know if i’d be able to take this seriously.
I understand that reaction. But like Brian in Jeollanam-do pointed out once, the default option in Korea is to make a product cute (whereas in Western countries it’s to make it edgy or too cool for school or whatever), so probably Koreans in general have would have less qualms.
The best part about this ad is that it takes a couple seconds of staring to *really* get it. And then, you get it :)
Life is short. A few of you need to lighten up a little.