When Did Adjectives Become Nouns?

We all have our pet peeves, right?  Lord knows I have a few, but I think my biggest one right now is with a particular type of advertising ploy.  (The irony of the fact that I'm employed by a commercial radio company is not lost on me, but I'm referring specifically to marketing firms that come up with product slogans.)  The gimmick I'm talking about is using adjectives as nouns and adverbs.

The first time I really took notice of it was when Subway started their "Eat Fresh" campaign.  It was original and catchy.  Well, of course, that opened the floodgates.  Now there are a whole host of brands using it in ever more annoying ways.

• Nutella--Spread The Happy
• Sears--Where Better Happens
• Fiat--Unlock Your More
• Lean Cuisine--Feed Your Phenomenal

That last one just makes me scream at the TV.  Just like when somebody says to me, "I got to go get my drink on."  Ugh!  When did everything become so contrived?

Well, as with everything in the advertising world, there's a method to the madness. The technical term for it is "bisociation", but basically it's marketers trying to get you to think of their product as a feeling or emotion.  In other words, they're selling the sizzle rather than the steak.  So Nutella makes you happy, and Lean Cuisine makes you feel phenomenal.

All they make me feel is annoyed.