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A Higher Rate of Lip Service

I was strolling down the street a few days ago and noticed this sign for MidAmerica Bank:
MidAmerica Bank - paying a higher rate of attention

Look at that slogan: “Paying a higher rate of attention.” That made me scoff. Oh sure, I thought. How like marketing: to promise some intangible/immeasurable quality, some perceived difference. Rather than paying a higher rate of interest, which costs money, they just give empty slogans.

Except then I remembered why I like my (Chicago) bank:
WaMu ad with joint checking account, two male names

(Also available in lesbian!)

Sometimes I suppose it’s just a matter of using the right slogan:
WaMu ad detail: Thanks for letting us be a part of your community.

Oh, by the way, about that address:
Detail of checks, address is 3639 Elaine Pl

I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise that there is no “Elaine Place” in New York City. But I wonder if there was an Elaine involved in the production of the ad… I remember a time when I was putting together some ads for a magazine, and the sample address I used was “Perkins Lane”.

You gotta leave your mark somehow…

This entry was posted on Friday, June 30th, 2006 at 2:02 am and is filed under Advertising, Team Pink.. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

2 Responses to “A Higher Rate of Lip Service”

  1. mjg Says:
    June 30th, 2006 at 5:27 pm

    I had to squint a little, but it looks to me like their actual slogan is “The WaMu Way.” Wtf is that supposed to mean?

    After some fruitless sleuthing I can only suppose WaMu is short for WaMoola (also amused the WaMoola website is copyright 2007 – didn’t realise they could do that).

  2. Joel Says:
    July 1st, 2006 at 2:58 am

    WAshington MUtual, I’m guessing. Because the feeling is mutual.