PR junkie

Which do you prefer: The original or the parody?

In the heated marketing battle between UPS and FedEx, there is an unlikely victim caught in the middle: advertising executive Andy Azula.

You know Andy. He’s the guy with the long hair in UPS commercials drawing all over a white board. Well, Andy is also the creative director at the Martin Agency in Richmond, Virginia, according to a story in The Wall Street Journal.

On the FedEx Web site, brownbailout.com, which is part of the company’s effort to prevent new legislation making it easier for its workers to unionize, there is a parody video of Andy.

I never really liked the UPS ads. Mr. Azula seemed a little too, I don’t know, earthy for me. But the guy in the parody on brownbailout.com looks smug.

I’ll take earthy over smug.

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Posted by Michael Sebastian on June 23, 2009 8:29 AM | Permalink

Comments (8)

Brown Bailout:

Check out the June 23 edition of the Washington, DC publication - Politico -
http://www.politico.com/blogs/anneschroeder/0609/FedEx_Is_Fuming_.html#comments

Posted by Brown Bailout | June 24, 2009 11:58 AM

Posted on June 24, 2009 11:58

Anonymous:

Wow. Thanks for the clarification TJ. I am guessing you work for FedEx. While boring ole UPS keeps delivering packages, FedEx has decided to take a page out of the political campaign ad manual and go low. Not quite Willie Horton but...

There is no reason on earth why the UPS driver should get benefits and perks while the FedEx ground guy tells me that he is paying his own taxes, health insurance, fuel and truck costs. Sounds like FedEx is not taking such good care of those families to me.
This is negative advertising at its political worst. Nasty spin to divert the attention from the real issues at hand.

Posted by Anonymous | June 23, 2009 2:26 PM

Posted on June 23, 2009 14:26

Michael Sebastian:

TJ, thanks for the clarification.

Posted by Michael Sebastian | June 23, 2009 1:18 PM

Posted on June 23, 2009 13:18

TJ:

FedEx employees are allowed to unionize now if they like. This law would make it much easier, however, nearly mandating it, not unlike the effect Card Check would have on that other villain of American industry Wal-Mart. It's odd how non-union success in this country breeds contempt in progressive circles.

Posted by TJ | June 23, 2009 12:39 PM

Posted on June 23, 2009 12:39

Anonymous:

This is funny because I always thought the UPS campaign looked like a creative brainstorming run amuck, flattering only the vast ego of the creative director and the egos of the creative team. But that's just me.

As for the message, this is not about marketing by putting a competitor down. It's about taking a dry government affairs issue and popularizing it in terms the public can understand. UPS and the Teamsters are lobbying in Washington (successfully) to get a law passed specifically designed to make FedEx Express (the air freight company) less competitive. In other words, if you can't win in the marketplace, use your political clout and $ to get lawmakers to change to law to hurt your competitor. That's what's going on here, and that's the message.

All of a sudden, negative advertising is evil when it seeks to preserve a non-union workplace that has done right by thousands of FedEx families, created many, many jobs and served as a model for business excellence. UPS can't even come close, so it's changing the law to destroy a competitor and ensure mediocrity. Is that change you can believe in?

Posted by Anonymous | June 23, 2009 12:33 PM

Posted on June 23, 2009 12:33

Jake:

I'll take building up your own over putting someone else down any day.

Advantage, UPS

Posted by Jake | June 23, 2009 12:10 PM

Posted on June 23, 2009 12:10

Mike:

At least Mr. Azula can draw.

+1 for UPS

Posted by Mike | June 23, 2009 11:44 AM

Posted on June 23, 2009 11:44