Orrenson's Paint Store

August's Fake Ad

by Jay Forstner

posted 9/3/2012

We received 105 entries correctly identifying the 50 Shades of Grey-themed ad for Orrenson's Paint Store on page 70 of the August Observer. The entries included several from first-time Fake Adders, including Allison Fredline:

"I am a student at U of M, but I work at a local storage business (InnStorage). I always read the Ann Arbor Observer at work and I always find the Fake Ad, but this is my first time submitting my findings into the contest ... Although I have not read the 50 Shades of Grey book, I hear it is quite controversial and I thought the ad was hilarious! My favorite 'shade of grey' is either misty memories or timber wolf."

And Anne Langendorfer was impressed by the crack research staff here at Fake Ad Central. "Great work on the August ad," she wrote. "The literary allusion to Fifty Shades of Grey, everyone's favorite book to make fun of in 2012, was clever enough, but what really got me was how deeply hidden in the ad Robert Koernke's last name was--as 'Koernke Harbor grey.'"

Our winner was another first-time Fake Adder, Marguerite Grabarek. She's taking her gift certificate to Downtown Home & Garden.

To enter this month's contest, find the Fake Ad in the September issue and follow the instructions in the box at the bottom of the page. The Fake Ad always contains the name of the previous month's winner in some form.   

[Originally published in September, 2012.]