How Does Advertising Work? Not Like This!
This is Not How it Works!
The joke's on the ladies
as they stand and peer at their reflections;
Putting on an air of
"this one is...just right."
And dowdy, frowzy,
second-hand they look,
While the designers laugh
in line at the bank.
Now insult to injury add--
these coveted labels, prominently displayed...
On jeans the worst: riding upon your rear
for all behind to see.
Excuse me, Mr. Calvin Klein,
Miss Gloria Vanderbilt et al....
For these duds you charge a hefty price...
and the wearer pays you
to advertise your product ?
Allow me to educate you, designers all:
that's not how advertising works; ads are bought!
So, if you want your ad to appear where I sit,
Then it's I who must be paid to wear your pants!
Thanks, but no thanks, designer crews,
your tawdry fashions I'll eschew.
I'll find my comfortable duds
sans labels sporting designer names.
At the hardware store, I'll buy my jeans...
and once at home,
Still rip those labels off the seat!
About This Poem
Originally written back in 1988, I revised it in October of 2012, and made another small tweak in March of 2018.
This phenomenon still irritates me, and shows no signs of abating.
© 2010 Liz Elias