Now Insight Communication gets it all wrong. Perhaps, it’s her clients- Bank PHB.
I consider it rather hilarious that an agency with such a high-class status as Insight Communications can be charged for the most inexcusable offence as fouling a simple rule of the English language in an ad whose copy is meant to be a formal one.

The focus here is the currently running print ad depicting a basketball player who leaps as high as the topmost end of a skyscraper to dunk a ball in a basket placed at that very peak. Hummmh, brilliant one.

The head copy reads,
“PHB (noun): a person; one unrestricted by any form of challenge.”

The subhead reads,
“We help you PHB your dreams by ensuring that you not only achieve them, but surpass them. And that’s only possible because we think ahead of today’s challenges. Whether you are just starting out or you need support to grow your business, come in and take advantage of our futuristic thinking. Discover the PHB factor and accept no limitations.

Shall it be asked of the agency how the PHB, used as noun in the head copy, suddenly assumed a verb status in the subhead? Is consistency of style/word not part of the conditions for copywriting?

Besides, will it not be better if the basketball player’s kits bore PHB instead of the Air Jordan logo? If it had, it could have hinted that the player is a PHB, “a person unrestricted by any form of challenge.” But, it is preferable if it had no other brand other than the advertised brand except if the other brand is deliberately sponsored.

However, the graphical illustration, I’m moved to say, is a brilliant one especially considering the city landscape against which the ad is backdropped.

GOOD, almost BETTER… BANK PHB (ad)

Aloofaa ©

Hehe. What do you have against poor bank PHB?

Hey Seun, did I sound harsh?
it was just my opinion. Don't you agree with my observation?
I was more particular about the agency responsible for the ad than its client.

what's new?

@ Aloofaa
good shout, great spot,
we expect better from ad agencies of such repute

@all
it is a world of free expression any how or whatever what, the bottom line is to coerced and have more customer for the bank.

Naija lo wa ooooooooooooooo

Appreciate good things instead of criticizing.
You sound as if you `ve been waiting something to capitalize on.

well I've always admired that advert without noticing he flaws you pointed out.I sincerely hopre they will read this and take note of their mistakes in view of making appropriate corrections in future.

@ aloofaa:
You have made a good point: consistency in style is proper.
Perhaps Insight just deliberately made the mistake so that folk like you could start a thread like this? Perhaps.
Are you a copywriter?

i think agree with u. i tot i was the only one who hated that ad. jumping and slam-dunking wasn't called for in that ad and it doesnt protray what the bank was supposed to be advertising.

@ topic:
I believe you still understood the message communicated. If you think it's flawed you could contact the agency in question. Things are getting better and we should appreciate that fact.

bla bla bla bla bla bla bla
the message was the most important thing and the people got the message and the billboard is not an english language classroom mr. proffesor, i am sure you are in nigeria. what you need is a little bit of exposure to understand that language is only for communication and not for showing off

i am sure people like you are the ones that wait for a friend to make a mistake in English language for you to feel superior, man just get a life and find a better topic to post next time and not running down an agency because of satisfying your spoilt ego

people speak 7-8 languages and we don't see that as an achievement, so go and chill in one corner with your english language and let us understand the bank's message (without looking out for verb and noun here and there)

biko okwu agwula m na onu

Such pedantry,

yes ,your cricism is in place and very correct.dont understand how we are going to be world class if simple things like this are ignored.in fact i hear most of this adverts are foreign and are only adapted to suit our local needs.am not mentioning names but many of so called top adverts are not original but copied or adapted and we want to win int'l awards.for where?psst.where has our creativity gone.though i will say the php ad was ok but dont trust our people about originality again.cheers

Guess what? that advert is a copy copy of Nike Air Jordan some years back

The only difference is that Jordan did not fall or jump down from the basketball ream, rather he was afraid like :

"what did I just do, how am i gonna get down"

maybe we should employ RUGGED MAN to help us beef the advert

I will post u links for nike video advert later!

By the way u guys should be talking about Glo who got infected by this PHB advert and now started their own advert

where they stab people with recharge cards

on their neck and afterwards u hear their dry RULE YOUR WORLD slogan

I think BabaBlue adverts make more sense than these so- called world class adverts

thats the problem we re havin in this part of the world;thats why we would never develop.Why do countries like india,China and USA are now controllin the world economy?Is because they decided to adopt mother language as their means of communication and way of life.
Now here in the third world countries,we re still using foreign languages as a means of communication,which most of the populace are finding it difficult to communicate wit.First,we go to school to learn this english language and still,no matter the bnumber of years,er re still havin difficulty to pass messages sometimes.
Would u agree wit me that ordinary nigerian understands BABABLUE advert nore than Bank PHB advert?Why?because,a local language was used to pass a message and is quite understandable.
So,pls lets forget about all those foreign methods of passing a message to the general public.
Proudly nigerian

I really get bothered when people drink panadol for anothers head ache.That is the case of some of us  here. Wether PHB was used as adjective or adverbial clause or  Rule ur world should have been world ur Rule, the basic fact remains that communication between the Outdoor and the target audience has been achieved.That is the A-Z of ADs.

Next Topic?

Don't be surprised if this sam advert gets an award tomorrow! Just watch out

The ad isn't bad afterall, the message has been sent and purpose achieved. who doesn't know bank PHB for quality, educative and inspiring ads, so my bro forget about the parts of speech you are trying to exercise abi you are just learning English? pls lets support our own and be proud of our country.

It's a very nice initiative. I like the ad but truly i haven't or willi say i didn't notice those mistakes. But all we know is that they are sending a message and it is left for us tgo accept it or not.

It's a very nice ad but those mistakes should be corrected.

It's a good observation. Professionals should be professional in doing their jobs.

i am very sure none of you can spot that mistake in your respective mother tongues ENGLISH MEN LMAO

I don't know about the Noun thing , i am sure we all got the message but the basketball player sucks anyway .

LOL @ PHB

@ Aloofaa

If "I will Tyson you"  can idiomatically mean I will bite your ear and "don't maradona me" can mean don't dribble me, methinks "we help you PHB your dream" may mean we help you realise your dream.

Or what do you think?

Beauty of the internet forum. The smart get to mix with the mediocre. It's all good.

Spora,
Perhaps, u should look at the copy again. The emphasis is not on the choice of words. It's about the inconsistency in the noun/verb usage. The head copy had defined PHB as a noun, only to find it used as a verb in the subhead. U get it now?

Nice rejoinder, though.

Hello Mr Romeo,

I'm sure this portal was not launched to make room for the mudslinging of its members. I'm wondering why an ordinary topic that is meant to allow for constructive (as opposed to destructive) criticisms of the subject-matter be exploited by some "over sabi" nairalander to achieve whatever shady intent they nurture. You don't know me, I'm sure about that. What is the personal jabs about? Can you be modest please!

, What's igbolandia about?

BlackMamba,

How do you mean?

TeeZero,

I hope to become a great one sometime in the not-too-distant future. Are you one?

Nice comment.

No cause for alarm.

This is English Language and it is semantically ok.

If Tyson is not defined as verb but Noun and can still be used as a verb, Phb can.

Bros, it is correct!

@Aloofaa,

Bros tak am easy. Freedom of expression has not been banned yet.

Abi u no wan make we contribute for this thread

Oya, guyz i don do for this English 101.