I came across this ad in the book Contemporary Advertising and thought it was very witty.

At first you think Gold’s Gym is just being environmentally friendly and simply positioning their name in a place where people who care about their physical appearance are likely to be. Then you read the line “And pick up the trash, too.” What a great double meaning for the first line!

I love it when a company can cleverly put a double meaning on something that is actually relevant to their business. There may be a small percentage of people who read it and never notice, or don’t get it. But I’m willing to bet that the majority will understand it rather quickly if not after a few seconds of thinking. And isn’t that what you want? Get your audience to not only see your name, logo, or slogan, but to get them thinking? This means that they are spending and extended period of time dedicating their thoughts to your company’s message and your message only. It’s a winner!

Do you have any favorite ads that use a double meaning?