Ads for monkeys: sign of the end times?
June 28, 2011 by Amara D. Angelica
Monkey trades a coin for grapes, picking the better deal (two grapes) (credit: Laurie Santos/Yale University)
This is not an Onion story. No, really.
Turns out Laurie Santos gave a TED talk last year on “monkeynomics” — the realization that monkeys understood an abstract idea like currency. Unfortunately, two advertising executives happened to be in the audience, New Scientist reports today.
The result: a monkey ad campaign (shown at the Cannes Lions Festival) to see if they can change the monkeys’ preference for Jell-O flavors. The ads were images hung outside the monkeys’ enclosure. One billboard shows a graphic shot of a female monkey with her genitals exposed, alongside the brand A logo. The other shows the alpha male of the capuchin troop associated with brand A.
I say give them access to an eTrade account and let ‘em go for the big bucks.
Comments (3)
by Brian H
The fact that these “irrational strategies” haven’t vanished in 35 million years of selection suggests that they aren’t actually irrational in reproductive terms. Her premise is irrational.
by Hminus
In a better world, this would show everyone how idiotic commercials are.
by jbsanders
As someone who works in advertising… this is dumb. I guess I’m failing to see the relevance. Further, it is not sex that sells. Sex that sells is pornography. In advertising, it is the PROMISE of sex that sells. A subtle but important difference.