Hotels have prompted a couple of my rants lately – like HERE and HERE.  Both of these posts posit that hotels seem to talk a lot about things that aren’t the things guests most care about.

Unfortunately, Extended Stay America has taken this trend to a new low.

The chain’s new advertising emphasizes the idea that you will be “so relaxed,” you’ll feel comfortable farting anytime you like.  I’m sorry:  should I have given you some sort of lead-in to that??  See for yourself:

Why, why, why?

It’s particularly funny to me that Bob Garfield thinks these ads won’t generate much awareness not because they’re disgusting, but because – assuming Extended Stay was going for gross – they didn’t go far enough!  Ah, so tragic. And ironic.

Lesson: if you’re going to deliberately take it to the edge, make sure you push it all the way over.
 
Extended Stay America    Advertising Age    Bob Garfield advertising