An ad for LG’s new TVs.

What makes the print ads for LG’s new TV good?

According to some commentators – who feel the concept has been done before – not a lot.

But just because something has been done before, it doesn’t mean it’s no longer able to sell stuff.

If anything, it probably means it’s more likely to sell stuff.

But that’s not what makes the ads good.

What makes them good is the fact they highlight the prospect’s problem, quickly and simply.

Be honest, can you tell the difference between HD and normal TV?

If not, then you’re certainly not going to be able to tell the difference between HD and ‘ultra’ HD – which is what LG claim their new TV has.

So instead of highlighting the benefits of their new TV, Paulo Monteiro, Pedro Cavalcanti and the rest of the team at Young & Rubicam have chosen to highlight the shortcomings of existing models.

“Most TVs are of inferior quality. If you need a new TV, you could do worse than buy ours.”

It’s just a shame about the name. The LG Ultra HD 4K TV is a bit of a mouthful, isn’t it?

At the other end of the spectrum, we have this…

A still from the Minerals Council of Australia’s ‘Coal is Amazing’ campaign

The Minerals Council of Australia’s ‘Coal is Amazing’ campaign attempts to highlight the benefits of coal.

Sadly, though, it was met with hostility from social commentators, who simply refused to believe the campaign’s #coalisamazing strapline.

Promoting coal was never going to be easy… which is why a savvier campaign would’ve instead aimed to highlight the drawbacks of alternatives.

No, coal isn’t great. But as things stand it’s the best we’ve got.

When you can’t position the product, reposition the competition.

[Update: Since writing this, the Minerals Council of Australia has attempted to remove all traces of its campaign.]