CES 2008 Adwatch: Best of the worst

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.

Gallery: CES 2008 Adwatch: Best of the worst

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More Best of the Worst

• CES 2008 booth gimmickery: Best of the worst
• CES 2008 product names: Best of the worst
• CES 2008 Crapgadget
• The fugliest laptop you'll see all day
• CES 2008: Fugliest headphones awards

[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