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Take the Plunge

Contrary to popular belief, you use "bad news" to create a successful advertisement. Find out how it's done.

By Jerry Fisher •

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Can we talk toilet humor for a minute? Although it doesn'tusually appear in advertising, if you're a marketer forAmerican Standard (AS), one of the most recognizable names onbathroom porcelain, you have license for some form of it.

The company took that tack in developing the current advertisingfor its "incredible" flushing system. After all, aserious treatment on the subject might be a little dicey: aside-by-side "whoosh-off" with a rival brand? How abouttestimonials from happy users bounding out of the john? Or apicture of all the guys down at Reliable Plumbing giving us thethumbs-up sign? I don't think so.

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