Crude Slogan No Feather In Ugly Duckling’s Cap

Advertiser: Ugly Duckling Auto Rental

Agency: DGWB Advertising, Irvine

Challenge: Own the sub-prime used-auto market in the eyes of consumers.

The Ads: Two television spots illustrate the downside of life without a car. One commercial takes place on a lovers’ lane, where an odd sound interrupts the mood of a couple seated in the rear of a car. Turns out the couple are in a taxi, and the sound they heard was the meter. Another ad shows a bus zipping past a woman at a bus stop. The ads end with the slogan, “Life sucks without a car.”

Comment: Ugly Duckling’s vulgar slogan is designed to grab attention. And it probably captures the way some people without cars feel. It isn’t going to boost the used-car retailer’s image. But maybe that’s not important to a company named Ugly Duckling. $$