CES 2008 Adwatch: Best of the worst
by Barb Dybwad
posted Jan 11th 2008 at 4:18AM

From the weird to the shameless, from the unintentionally funny to the downright questionable, we've rounded up some of the best of the worst ad campaigns seen around the show floor at CES 2008.
More Best of the Worst
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Zeek @ Jan 11th 2008 4:26AM
I actually like the Headphones as veins campaign.
Joey Schenning @ Jan 11th 2008 8:44AM
Agreed, I actually want to try something like that.
...try to Photoshop something like that.*
Hernan @ Jan 11th 2008 4:29AM
So advanced it will fire up my ride? wha?
stefan @ Jan 11th 2008 4:33AM
worst: definately the stay home servers...
best: implant add
superfresh @ Jan 11th 2008 12:44PM
The stay at home server ad is intended to be goofy -- part of their campaign
superfresh @ Jan 11th 2008 12:48PM
The stay-at-home server is intentionally goofy.
superfresh @ Jan 11th 2008 12:50PM
Sorry for the triple post...Engadget is being goofy
Viscid @ Jan 11th 2008 4:48AM
Is the last one with her arms up in the air listening to an iPod a reference to Abu Ghraib?
http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/bushbeat/archive/images/hooded-prisoner-abu-ghraib-.jpg
mmh @ Jan 11th 2008 5:12AM
I'd say yes. That's not marketing, that's sickening.
Eugene @ Jan 11th 2008 6:17AM
I don't think so. If they wanted to remind people about the hooded prisoner, they'd use some kind of hood. And the woman in the ad is in a different pose.
Eugene @ Jan 11th 2008 6:17AM
I don't think so. If they wanted to remind people about the hooded prisoner, they'd use some kind of hood. And the woman in the ad is in a different pose.
mrpoo @ Jan 11th 2008 2:50PM
And she has no electrodes on her genitalia.
mrpoo @ Jan 11th 2008 2:50PM
And she has no electrodes on her genitalia.
STUD HUNK @ Jan 11th 2008 5:07AM
That one with the ear phones wires turning into views in the torso - was a stroke of genius.
Next year I will convince them to use me.
Eugene @ Jan 11th 2008 6:09AM
"That one with the ear phones wires turning into views in the torso - was a stroke of genius."
Exactly. Yes, it's a little creepy, but that's the point - gadgets are becoming an important part of our lives, and, as a result, an important part of us.
Rboyett @ Jan 11th 2008 5:24AM
Someone actually used Bicentennial Man. I mean geez, WTF!!?!
Gaz @ Jan 11th 2008 5:54AM
Hehehe those veins look puke-tastic but he kinda looks like my ex except more muscly :P
Kenji F @ Jan 11th 2008 6:19AM
My favorite:
"It'g got mirrors!"
(Does it also got electrolytes?
Kenji F @ Jan 11th 2008 10:46AM
Remember: Don't ever type a comment after waking up.
Blaine @ Jan 11th 2008 6:28AM
"Stay At Home Servers" is great, I'm surprised it hasn't been submitted on Engadget yet. Here's the site: http://www.stayathomeserver.com/
It's got funny videos and a great childrens book about Home Servers. The website and this ad are jokes, which (I assume) you didn't get and that's why it's on this list. Maybe you did know it was a joke and just didn't find it funny, whereas I did. If that's the case then nevermind.
mauro reyes @ Jan 11th 2008 9:24AM
wow. those are pretty bad!
j cauble @ Jan 11th 2008 7:25AM
that is just gross.
blade417 @ Jan 11th 2008 8:35AM
THE TASER!!!
FTW!!
p7389 @ Jan 11th 2008 8:42AM
I love the stayathomeserver site! Genius!
joe @ Jan 11th 2008 8:43AM
Some of what was shown was not really an ad campaign.
Most of them were bad but the tagline "Listen to the Future" really trys to embody the futures technology with todays. The veins print was great, music running through your veins kind of stuff really hits the mark with todays consumer. And of course you have to have some shameless sexual references or images for the less creative approach. There is one constant in advertising, sex sells.
prasad @ Jan 11th 2008 12:13PM
If only the names of the company were put, it would have made more sense and more useful to us. Like the veins as headphones. Which company could it be???? I am intrigued.
PRasad
Rose @ Jan 11th 2008 9:48AM
I'm quite partial to "Fits like a *mobile* glove."
I was unaware that we were having difficulties with the portability of gloves...Now, losing those gloves, on the other hand...
Maybe a better campaign would have been "Unlike those crappy Isotoners you get for Christmas every year, you won't want to lose these gloves."
Damn. And I don't even have a degree in marketing, imagine that.
Brian @ Jan 11th 2008 10:58AM
One word...bluetooth!
superfresh @ Jan 11th 2008 12:49PM
Bluepin ad...
Give in Blue
Take in Pink
Superb
TS @ Jan 11th 2008 9:58AM
No one else was freaked out by the girl with the "Porcupine Quill" hair?
I can't help but think what level of pain might be inflicted if you boinked her! (assuming of course that she hasn't been to her 'porcupine quill esthetician' recently and that the carpeting matches the drapes)
Keisha Kornbread @ Jan 11th 2008 10:06AM
He's got a hot bod!!
Keisha Kornbread @ Jan 11th 2008 10:33AM
He's got a hot bod!!
BA @ Jan 11th 2008 10:24AM
Which company uses the earbud wires as veins? Anyone know?
Eugene @ Jan 11th 2008 1:26PM
Neonode
Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 10:31AM
I can't tell which ones are "bad" and which ones are "good".
ByronGman @ Jan 11th 2008 3:00PM
Your suppose to post your opinion here.
Based on that we will know how stupid/enlightened you really are.
hawkeye1977 @ Jan 11th 2008 10:53AM
The Soling one looks to have a nasty skid mark to the right of the company name. That company needs to learn to wipe better.
wesg @ Jan 11th 2008 1:47PM
There were some good ones, but I'm still scratching my head about the implant one.
Also, Tasers: Stylish and Secure
MichaelP @ Jan 11th 2008 1:48PM
"The wall is the new floor"? Say wha?
"Shakes the booty"? :P
KC @ Jan 11th 2008 1:51PM
"240V Worldwide Voltage"... hehehehe
Rajkumar @ Jan 11th 2008 2:15PM
"Shakes the Booty and the Soul" ?? Seriously?? For Real??
grjohnston @ Jan 11th 2008 4:14PM
Rick sucks at bowling. LW was clearly just letting him win at the end.
grjohnston @ Jan 11th 2008 4:14PM
Rick sucks at bowling. LW was clearly just letting him win at the end.
grjohnston @ Jan 11th 2008 4:14PM
Rick sucks at Wii bowling. LW was clearly just letting him at the end.
grjohnston @ Jan 11th 2008 4:15PM
OH DEAR GOD TRIPLE POST!
I'm sorry. Engadget's fault. It froze, I reloaded, I went back to the page, neither was there, so I re-posted.
:'(
roole @ Jan 11th 2008 5:45PM
"Froze?" Oh, that's OK... happens to PCs all the time.....
grjohnston @ Jan 11th 2008 5:46PM
No no, really, the page did. I pressed 'add' and it loaded a blank page.
poos4life @ Jan 11th 2008 5:51PM
Implant FTW!
Unbelievable
Ayrkain @ Jan 11th 2008 8:18PM
Sony's and Kenwood's looked pretty normal. I guess there's no accounting for taste.
Hey, at least Engadget wasn't shutting off presentations.
Ignacio @ Jan 11th 2008 8:40PM
DO YOU WANT IT?
lol
(picture 26)
http://www.engadget.com/photos/ces-2008-adwatch-best-of-the-worst/576124/
As for the rest, one "word" comes to mind: engrish