Today marked the release of the first trailer for the Clash of the Titans remake. Yes, you read that right. We’re remaking films from the 1980s now. It won’t be long before we see remakes before a film is released on DVD.
What’s most interesting to me is the apparent tagline of the film, “Titans will clash.” Really? In a film titled Clash of the Titans we’re going to see titans clash? I suppose they’re only promising what they can deliver. Notice they didn’t tag it, “The best film of the year,” or “Better than Transporter 2.” Honesty is a virtue, even in advertising.
But is it a virtue worth embracing? Don’t we welcome some lying in advertising? When I see a Budweiser ad I hardly want to see sad, overweight men crying to another disappointing performance by the Cleveland Browns—no matter how accurate that may be. I know beautiful women are not going to pop out of a swimming pool when I crack open a can, but isn’t it more comforting than the truth? And I don’t even drink!
I would hardly ever call for more deceptive techniques in advertising, but would it be so wrong to ask advertising executives to at least maintain the status quo?
