“The Shack” is Not a Geography Buff

By Matt Van Hoven 

Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners caused a mini-stir when they created a nickname for their client, RadioShack. “The Shack” as the ads claim their friends call them, is being branded across the country &#151 and according to Adland BSS maybe doesn’t know where Scandanavia is.

The spot claims that “The Shack sells more phones than the population of Scandanavia.” As Adland points out,

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“[just] because you have a cool new nickname (AgencySpy note: we’d argue this moniker is not cool, but go on) doesn’t mean you’ll get a pass for failing geography. You’re talking about ‘the population of Scandinavia’ while playing the Swedish bands Discocrew super annoying summer hit Husvagn, yet you show off alps and people (well, phones) in traditional alpine dress, playing alphorn. That’s Switzerland, fool.”

The post goes on to say that maybe the mistake was on purpose, since Americans are (apparently) notorious for mistaking Switzerland and Scandanavia.

BSS, call us if we missed the joke. Batline: 212-547-7935

Here in New York, everyone thinks Minnesota and Wisconsin are the same place. Somewhat ironically, there are tons of Swiss and Scandanavians there, too. But we got Brett Favre so in the end, so…

More: “You Can’t Make Up Your Own Nickname, RadioShack

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