Even Upscale Ads Tone it Down

Many advertisers are changing their tunes to accompany the trying economic times. Where aiming at "aspirational" customers with visions of luxury was once the norm, marketing campaigns are toning things down and emphasizing value.

The New York Times today notes that advertisements that once used mansions as backgrounds are now going downscale with more frugal settings. Coupons are being featured in display ads that once emphasized exclusivity. And even high-end items such as furs have been seen listed at 50 percent off.

"As the economy rapidly deteriorates from flourishing to floundering," the Times reports, "marketers are scrambling to remake their advertising so products seem affordable and sensible rather than indulgent and fabulous."