The Onion Ran a Huge Adobe ‘Ad’ To Poke Fun at the Software Giant
In this month’s print edition of The Onion (yes, there is a physical printed version of the satirical news website), the historically coveted back of the paper is emblazoned with what appears to be an Adobe ad but is actually a humorous jab at the company’s business model.
For those who are unfamiliar, The Onion — self-described as America’s Finest News Source — is a publication that specializes in satire. Sometimes its satire is so good that it is mistakenly believed to be true, which gave birth to the r/AtetheOnion community on Reddit. The Onion’s “reporting” thrives in almost absurdist humor, typically starting believable before ratcheting up to unbelievable levels (its “about us” page is a perfect example of this).
The Onion‘s reputation is what makes the “ad” it placed on its own print edition work so well. PetaPixel first saw it earlier this week when it was shared on Reddit. At first glance, it appears to be exactly the kind of advertisement Adobe would place in a newspaper. The bright colors, logo, and top-line phrase “experience the magic” are all fits for Adobe’s brand.
The top comment on Reddit perfectly encapsulates its effectiveness: “It’s so on brand I went ‘ugh’ then 5 seconds later ‘wait a minute.'”
“It is an incredibly competitive market for Creative Software. Adobe knows the best way to stay relevant in a space with so many options is to provide their customers with incremental adjustments and AI-powered conveniences to improve their birthday invitations on a monthly basis, all at a fluctuating yearly price point,” The Onion tells PetaPixel in an email.
“This is the kind of ingenuity and integrity we are proud to advertise in America’s Finest News Source.”
Back in the 1990s, The Onion had a physical print edition of its satirical content that it published for 25 years before it stopped printing it on December 12, 2013, in favor of a fully digital publication. However, last August — just a few months after G/O Media sold The Onion to Global Tetrahedron — the company returned to print and it has been a massive success. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, The Onion skyrocketed to nearly 54,000 paid subscribers in just one year, making it the 13th largest print paper in the United States.
“People like getting something in the mail that’s not f–ing awful,” The Onion executive Ben Collins said to the Wall Street Journal in August.
A $99 annual subscription is one of several options The Onion offers for its print edition.
Image credits: The Onion
