Adventures In Traumatic Advertising: Anthony Bourdain Edition

Pity poor Anthony Bourdain. The Travel Channel host was recently recruited as the network’s HD poster boy, as shown in the ad above. People were a bit surprised.

Bourdain was one of them. He writes:

You have to wonder about an ad depicting a dead squirrel–with the caption “Some Things Look Better In HD.” Which is pretty much what the geniuses at Travel Promo have subjected innocent members of the public to. Actually, it was worse: An old photo of yours truly–after a horrifying night of drinking in Iceland, huddled, near naked in the Blue Lagoon, pondering whether to throw up or simply sink beneath the surface and die. Is this enticing? Does this make ANYONE–even longtime convicts–feel compelled to tune in? Some Things May Indeed Be Better in HD. My puffy, drink ravaged face and 51 year old naked torso would NOT be one of them.

For more adventures in cringe-inducing Travel Channel advertising, click here.

Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews.