Cryptic ads urging me to "silence my rooster" have been receiving heavy play during the convention coverage. In the 15-second spots from Saatchi & Saatchi, people are woken up by noises only to discover … um, a big fat cock. View the short spots "Drum Kit," "Basketball," "Car Alarm," "Hair Dryer," "Pay Phone" and "Vacuum." At first, I thought they were selling a pill that prevents nocturnal emissions. Then I saw a woman in one of the ads and figured I had misinterpreted. Eventually, I was curious enough to check out their slow-loading Web site, SilenceYourRooster.com. I was greeted by the heading "Tired of morning coming in the middle of the night?" Once again, I should point out that the product has nothing to do with nocturnal emissions. Apparently, it’s for the sleep aid Ambien CR. I’m not the only one who’s confused. DeadRooster.com has seen its traffic jump since the campaign started. By not telling us anything, the campaign is indeed driving traffic—just not necessarily to the right place.
—Posted by Rebecca Cullers