Winners, Losers of Super Bowl Ads 2015

My review of winners, losers and runner's up.
WINNERS:

Budweiser Lost Dog
Snickers The Brady Bunch
Loctite Glue

FAILS:
Absentee dads from Nissanand dads that are there from Toyota.

Dead children from Nationwide.

Disabled achievers from Microsoft and Toyota with Purdy.

Screaming goats from Discover Card and Sprint.

Nothing topped the Nationwide dead kid ad though..

RUNNER'S UP:
T-Mobile - Sarah Silverman & Chelsea Handler

Supercell/Clash of Clans with Leslie Neeson and a Taken spoof.

Always #likeagirl

Kia Sorento with Pierce Brosnan.


See all the Super Bowl ads from 2015 here: http://adland.tv/superbowlads/2015-super-bowl-xlix-commercials

1-800-Dentists and PS4 get it right

+ In the typical mishmash of boring, forgettable TV ads we are inflicted with daily, here are a couple of the ones that have stood out to me because of their great strategy and insight.

1-800-Dentists - New Job

You've got to love it when a brand that typically does safe ads actually does something that's funny and touches on a truth.

At the end of last year 1800Dentists launched a TV spot that still makes me smile when I see it. Concept is telling the story of a guy who got a new job and needs to find a dentist so he does what most of us do, poses the question to his friends on social media. And the response he tells us about is something a lot of people (especially a younger demographic) are probably familiar with.

Result is simple, funny, and memorable.

PS4 - Perfect Day

This spot from BBH, NY captures the whole point of gaming with friends perfectly. It's great storytelling. In fact, my husband who is into video games, loves this so much he told me I should work for the agency that created it. Ha.

Translate it to dolphin speak

+ What appears to be a new campaign for Clorox Greenworks Cleaners gives folks the ability to have their message translated into dolphin, then it can be shared, etc. For each message shared, they'll donate $1 to the Dolphin Communication Project. A feel good play for the brand, but that's in their wheelhouse. (sorry, couldn't help myself). Site is nicely designed. Like the use of video in full screen type format too. This also speaks to me personally because before I decided on Advertising as a profession, I was planning on being a marine biologist to study dolphin and marine mammal behavior in the wild (yeah, I wanted to hang out on boats and play with dolphins and seals.)

Society of Good Taste

+ Oh Grey Poupon. Its ads from the 80s became pop culture status. In a decade of living the spendy lifestyle, it worked. If you don't remember, here is the original and a follow up that ran a few years later.
 



This week, Grey Poupon launched a digital campaign with an app on Facebook via CP+B that I'm digging. This NY Times article explains the what and why of the campaign, which is targeted at increasing sales with the 18-34 year old demographic. What is interesting about it, is that you're not hit with a traditional "like gate".

After going to the Grey Poupon Facebook page, users can agree to have their Facebook profile scoured to see if their selections measure up to the brand’s parameters. For example, if a Facebook user’s profile lists suitable choices for “newsworthy happenings,” “their place of residence,” “social standing” (i.e., how many Facebook friends they have) and “curiosities and tastes,” he or she can score in the top 20th percentile, which allows membership in the Society of Good Taste. Grey Poupon’s Facebook page has about 20,000 fans, and Ms. Braun said Kraft expected to expand that number with its campaign. Those who are accepted in the society will have a chance to win a cookbook like Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” or a Grey Poupon shopping bag because, she said, “people who uphold high standards should be rewarded.” Grey Poupon is also overhauling its Web site by rebuilding it on Pinterest, which would enable customers to see its visuals and make it easier to pin and share visuals and other content.

We passed this around our creative department. I got in on the first go, although my use of "OMG" in one Facebook post was not received well. Another coworker tried to get in and didn't, so she updated her Facebook to get in. Now, being in the ad biz, part of the motivation for that was to see what it was and did. But will other "average Joes" do the same? There is something to the exclusivity that just might make them behave in the same way. Super smart.

Also, the fact that you can't just like the brand without going through this "approval process", is interesting as well. When brands talk about wanting engaged fans, not just huge numbers of them, this is the kind of thing that creative teams should come back with. But often, you can't sell it in because clients worry about it being "too exclusive" and "what about causal users?". Once you're in, there are also "Tasteful Rewards" which began with an "Eco-curean Tote Bag". More are to be revealed, and it will be interesting to see what those rewards are. Definitely a carrot to some to come back and check it out. We'll see if it helps to grow the fan base too, beyond ad folk checking it out. ;)

Gylne Tider - Let It Be

+ Great TV show promo from a Norwegian TV station for an 80s nostalgia program. Have to say I'm impressed with who they got and how many they got. They stars also cover We Are The World".

+

KFC's 'So Good' Tagline, So Bad

+ I've been trying to get this post written for over a week now, ever since KFC announced their new and first global tagline, "So Good."

So Good, so what? In the world of branding and taglines this one is pretty shite. It's not ownable by KFC - it's not 100% tied to their offerings or related to something exclusive of theirs. Sure, KFC might taste "so good" to some, but they also might think blueberries are "so good".

There is a HUGE difference between a campaign line and a tagline. It's acceptable and usually appropriate to change up the campaign line early every year. But, not a tagline. It just doesn't make sense. It's like changing your logo...it's something that is supposed to sum up your brand, your service, your offering, your mantra. It should be meaningful, tie to a benefit, and be interesting. The only thing this line has going for it is that it's positive and short. It falls flat in every other aspect that goes into developing a great tagline.

For KFC, it's the next step in an epidemic plaguing that company where they change their tagline every couple years, without giving it a chance to work. Sure, sometimes the impact of a tagline can be immediate, but in most cases, it takes years for it to be come the rally cry behind a company.

Just days before the announcement of this new tagline (which I have to say annoys me even more when they spell it out in the ads), that their "Unthink" tagline was a flop and slow to catch on.

New research indicates that the “Unthink” marketing campaign hasn’t broken through with consumers yet, most of whom still associate the brand with its longtime tagline “Finger lickin’ good.” Respondents to a survey conducted by E-Poll Market Research, when asked to identify the slogan of KFC and other quick-service brands, identified “Unthink” only 2 percent of the time, while 45 percent of respondents came up with the old tagline.

“Everyone in the KFC family is very happy that customers still associate our brand with ‘Finger lickin’ good,’” company spokesman Rick Maynard said. “That slogan was born before 1960, so it has about a 50-year head start on ‘Unthink.’ It’s as much a part of our heritage as buckets of chicken and the Colonel’s white suit.”

But also in the article, Gerry Philpott, president and chief executive of Encino, Calif.-based E-Poll, said ““In most cases, time does help. If KFC sticks with ‘Unthink’ for another year, those levels definitely will improve.”

Say what? Stick with a tagline? Oh dearie me, no. No, that just won't do. Over the span of the last 10 years, there have been 6 different taglines.

Here are some of KFC's taglines in the past 50+ years:
1952: Finger-lickin’ good! (Ogilvy & Mather)
1981-1987, 1992: We do Chicken Right. (Original: Mingo Jones Advertising, NY/ Revived: Young & Rubicam New York)
2001: There's fast food, then there's KFC (BBDO New York)
2003: You gotta KFC what's cookin'. (Foote Cone & Belding)
2004: Chicken Capital USA (Foote Cone & Belding)
2004: We do Chicken Right (DraftFCB)
2008: Life Tastes Better with KFC. (DraftFCB)
2009: Unthink (DraftFCB)
2010: So Good (Ogilvy, Sydney; Bartle Bogle Hegarty, London; and DraftFCB, Chicago)

Atletico Makes Short Film Festival Bladder-Friendly

+ Atletico International of Barcelona, Spain was inspired by a quote from Alfred Hitchcock for their recent campaign for MECAL, Barcelona Short Film Festival. Hitchcock said: "The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder." So, from now on, MECAL is to be known as the first bladder friendly festival. It's a fun twist and unusual way to promote the brevity of the films.





Credits:
Advertised brand: Mecal
Advert title: Bladder
Advertising Agency: Atletico International, Barcelona, Spain
Agency website: http://www.atleticointernational.com
Art Director: Héctor Vilar, Cristina Mascort
Copywriter: Alberto García Orte, Marc Sánchez, Marta Caseny.
Production Company: Garage Films
Director: Bungalow
Print: Vice Magazine Spain

Rant: I hate this State Farm spot

+ You've been there. You're sitting there, taking in the news, your favorite show, your indulgent viewing of something you'd never admit to watching...and then, there among the OK ads and the ones you just block out...it hits you. You want to throw something through your slender flatscreen HD TV. But darn it if there's nothing within reach to throw. And then, you think about it...having to fork over more cash for a new TV wouldn't be so bright either.

All this for a crappy ad that some how effects you in a super negative way.

Right now, that ad for me is a spot for State Farm. You can watch it below.


We open on a setting that claims to be a brasserie, a bakery, a boulangerie, bistoit (bistro), cafe...I mean really? Granted, I can't make too much fun of it in relation to this ad because it's a real place in Los Angeles. But it seems excessive.

Anyway, the main character starts the ad off, talking to no one--looking off camera. The camera then zooms in on a guy sitting doing a crossword or something and looks at the main character like he's crazy. He really looks concerned for this guy, and scared for himself. Although, finding a guy talking to himself shouldn't be anything new in Hollyweird.



Then our main character walks into the cafe, getting in the way of the staff. The camera then pans around the cafe--FOR NO REASON--following different workers, while the guy blathers on. What is with the sweep view of the place? It's completely disconnected to anything else going on in the ad. Thankfully this isn't a 60 second spot that makes us endure any more of the weird camera angles and following random staff around as they "do their job" seems even more awkward. It's like they are saying, "We really don't have anything of value to tell you so we're going to distract you with visual randomness." Makes...me...want...to...poke...out...eyes...with...spoon!

< / rant> Ah, I feel better now. ;)

Super Bowl Ad Bonanza

+ That's right. It's only hours away to the "big game". And, that means, it's also only hours away to the Super Bowl Advertising Bonanza.

Of the info we have about the ads so far (see: Super Bowl XLIV Ads Spoiler at adland.tv), I think some of the best ads might be for Audi, Monster.com, and Snickers.

But, that's just from an ad professional. Typically the top ads from the masses don't always align with what us ad folk find to be the best. It makes sense in a way. We have different standards. And, if you're basing best on entertainment value alone, that's not the same as if you're talking about will people remember who it was for, etc.

I am Ram vs I am Jeep

+ The other day while watching some TV after a long day at the office I noticed two ads that seemed a bit similar. One was for Dodge Ram with based off the idea of "My name is Ram". Shortly after seeing this, there was another ad for Jeep using the concept "I am Jeep."

According to Adage, the "My name is Ram" campaign was created by the Richards Group in Dallas.

The first spot, titled "Manifesto," was narrated by agency founder Stan Richards. The theme is "I am Ram," and it uses a montage of photos as the narrator says things such as "I am fueled by optimism and a can-do spirit," and "I will not yield. I will not coast to a stop. My name is Ram.

And, similarly, the general campaign for Jeep (also owned by Chrysler) was handled by Chrysler's multicultural shop, GlobalHue, Southfield, Mich., with the theme "I live. I ride. I am. Jeep."

According to a post on the Chrysler blog, they claim, "We think the ads sum up the brand's unique lifestyle and re-establishes one of the most recognizable brand names in the world with a new look, feel and attitude." Funnily enough, they don't even mention the Ram campaign on their blog.

So I have to wonder. Did Chrysler get pitched one idea that they decided to use for both brands? Feels like it.

Who ever said the jingle was dead?

+ Local advertisers haven't stopped the use of jingles, although in the past 10 years or so, many traditional advertisers have removed the jingle from their arsenal. But now and again we see a jingle pop up, like the FreeCreditReport.com spots by the Martin Agency, and the now popular singing fish for McDonald's Fillet-o-Fish done by folks at Arnold in Boston.

I've heard many say the Fillet-o-Fish spot is hilarious. I really don't see what's so funny about the ad. It's really the jingle they are finding catchy. There isn't much to the spot visually - a man sitting on a couch in a garage eating a sandwich, a singing fish on a wall and the arrival of his friend. My honest opinion is that it's the jingle that's capturing & captivating folks.



I will say that the ad and jingle drives me nuts. Although I do give props for its success, I do wish that the media buyers went with reach, not frequency when doing their planning. When the campaign broke, I think there was one night where I saw the ad 6-8 times in an hour and a half. Seriously.

Crazy "girlie" ad

+ So what do you think of GlaxoSmithKline’s Lactacyd vaginal cream ad created by Grey Amsterdam?

It's different, I'll give it that. But do I really need to see the "kitty" POV? I would say that I'm somewhat surprised that the ad was created by a female creative team. Seems something more that the guys would come up with...at least on first pass. And as someone pointed out, it's not really clear what the benefit of the product is or why you should use it.

This and That: 01.02.09

+ Five Second Test - The five second test is a simple usability test that helps you measure the effectiveness of your user interfaces. So help out a designer and give some good karma :)

Who's Talkin' is a neat metasearch engine that aggregates results from blogs and blog comments, news sites, social networks, video hubs, images, forums, tag sites from over 60 sites such as Technorati, IceRocket, Google Blog Search, Friendfeed, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. Site is currently in beta, but pretty cool and a nice tool to use to keep track of your brands. (hat tip: micropersuasion)

Round up of 2008 ad campaigns from USA Today and the NYTimes

Alton Brown for Welch's

+ My favorite Food Network cheflebrity, Alton Brown, has become the spokesperson for a new Welch's campaign. One of the spots is viewable on Welch's website. There is also a section on the site dedicated to videos where Alton expounds on the health benefits and talks up the "complex food topic". Check the vids out here.

Sadly, one of the best things about Alton's "Good Eats" show is his inventive and fun-loving use of props, which none of these videos make use of. They could have made them much more fun and enlightening by following more of the format that he uses for technical explanations on his show - which seemed to be part of their reasoning for choosing him. Boo.

The campaign by VIA Group launched Monday and runs through March and is intended to reach Gen X moms and push the polyphenol antioxidant benefits of the product.

*Fun Fact: Before going to cooking school, Alton Brown was a commercial director. Wonder if it's funny to him to be the talent in an ad now. :)

Got Band?

+ So, I had thought that the use of bands to sell products and as an attempt to go viral had already jumped the shark. Apparently not.



MediaPost has this on their site today:

The new effort by the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB)focuses for the first time on teenagers with a music and social networking strategy touting the healthful benefits of milk.

The campaign, via Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, introduces a fictive, milk-enhanced rock star, "White Gold," who sings about his love for the (other) white stuff. The star, with a perfect physique, calcium-enhanced hair, nails and teeth, plays a guitar filled with milk and is backed by the "Calcium Twins" on drums and bass.

All of which happens, initially at least, on a White Gold band Web site WhiteGoldisWhiteGold.com, to be launched soon, and music video pages on sites like MySpace.com/whitegoldiswhitegold, YouTube and similar sites. The effort is replete with "hit" single "One Gallon Axe," a song detailing White Gold's evolution from undernourished waif (sorry, Angus) to Herculean guitar king. The second phase breaks this month, with TV spots to hit all California markets.

Steve James, CMPB executive director, says the band site will have behind-the-scenes footage, music videos, biographical tidbits and other live-action features.

He says the effort, which will run at least through the year, will include contests, "maybe around getting your guitar solo on the White Gold site, a battle of bands to join the group for a virtual guest spot.

"We are going to see how many possible offshoots we can come up with," he says. "We feel that it's really almost limitless in terms of where we can take it."

Paul Charney, creative director at the San Francisco-based Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, says the goal is to establish the band and music as tongue-in-cheek. "We started out with five real songs and created music videos with singles and ultimately, a full album," he says.

He added that the campaign will include print ads in youth and music magazines. "I think at this point we are going to let it happen a little organically. We are seeding it with certain Web sites--some music-related, some that scour the Web for weird, wacky things." He says there will also be banner ads.

And of course the user that's posting the videos is WhiteGoldISWhiteGold. Didn't Crispin do this for BK? Haven't we seen this more than enough times already for numerous brands since, oh, 2000?

On the upside, at least it's done well.

Links To Sip 01.03.08

+ Yeah, so while I was hoping to post something a bit more meaty today, too much has gotten in the way. The evil evil evil project server issues that are insane and making me loathe Microsoft even more, working to get the Adland Roundup for 2007 up (it's nearly finished) and actually getting work done for clients.

Check out the Adland Roundup for 2007 (or what is done so far):
2007 Adland Roundup - A look back at the year in advertising
Adland Roundup - The Ads - Part 1
Adland Roundup - The Ads - Part 2

Hoping to get the last two parts up tomorrow.

Now for some links:
Hammer is to be the spokesperson for a dance social network where you can upload your dance videos and win stuff.

Fidelity is shifting some print work in-house, which isn't great for Arnold.

Wired looks at how Facebook's "Social Ads" might make you an unwitting star in those businesses' next Facebook ad campaigns.

Almost overlooked in the Beacon hubbub were the new display advertisements dubbed "Social Ads." These ads, bought by participating businesses, insert your name and profile picture directly into their pitches. Based on anecdotal evidence, the ads started to roll out right before the holidays.

According to Facebook, a user has to take a "social action" in order to trigger the appearance of their name and picture in an advertisement. According to Facebook spokesperson Brandee Barker, that could be almost any activity that the user does on Facebook, "such as the download of an application and the acceptance of a friend request." It could also include becoming a "fan" of a business by clicking a link on that company's Facebook page.

But are Facebook users aware of the results of their so-called social actions? "When you become a fan of Blockbuster, nothing tells the [Facebook member] what that means," says Jeremiah Owyang, senior analyst at Forrester Research. Indeed, when you add Blockbuster's Movie Clique application, there is no notification that you are allowing Blockbuster to use your name and profile picture in a display ad. Owyang suggests that Facebook ought to inform users up front and make it very clear what "becoming a fan" entails, or change the system to an opt-in model. Currently, there is not even any way to opt-out of participation in Social Ads, other than by avoiding associating yourself with any corporate brands on Facebook.

Bad day for car ads

+ Toyota's ad angers Fresno. And in other car/ad news, Bob Garfield at Adage isn't amused at the new Lincoln MKX spot with Harry Connick Jr., which he gives "Zero Stars".

Two Crap Radio Ads Walk Into A Bar

+ Every morning I listen to the radio on my way to work. There have been two radio spots that I've heard in the last few days that I just don't get.

One airs on a hiphop/pop rock station. It's a kid singing in an operatic style about wanting to get a phone. I can't figure out who it is supposed to be appealing to. Moms? Kids? Granted it does catch your attention as it's such a switch from the typical musical genre played on the channel. But it seems odd to me if it's targeted at teens, why they would choose opera. *shrug*

The other ad is for Uno Chicago Grill Restaurants. There's a line in the script that says, "Uno's isn't some made up restaurant". Um. Was that a complaint customers had about the restaurant? I'm still not exactly sure what the hell that means. And yes, I'm serious, it's in there. You can even listen to the spot yourself here (Click on Listen to Radio Ad). To the copywriter that had to suck it up when the client demanded that line was used...I feel your pain.

Get it all in an Audi

+ Oldish Audi commercial - pretty good, although I might argue the "Sportness" use. Granted, it's possible that this was made in a non-English speaking country so that could be why. Even still, the idea is nice.

(via Brandflakesforbreakfast)

Nolita ad & model goes to extremes

+ The WSJ has an article on a new ad by Nolita that's causing controversy. For the last year or two the fashion industry has been working towards improving the model types they have been using in the past - out with the malnourished-looking, skin-and-bones models and in with the more real weight models.

Nolita has done the opposite in a new ad campaign using images of an emaciated 27-year-old woman, nude, with the line, "No. Anorexia." Double-page spreads of the ads debuted Monday in major Italian newspapers along with prominent downtown billboards in cities such as Milan, Naples and Rome, coinciding with Milan's fashion week. The ads will run in national French newspaper Libération next week.

By using stark photos of a longtime anorexia sufferer, the ad campaign cranks up the volume on a debate that many in the industry had tried to keep muted. Luisa Bertoncello, managing director of Nolita's parent company, Flash&Partners, says she too was "shocked" when she first saw the photos, but proceeded with the campaign because it laid bare a hypocrisy that she says still lurks in the fashion world. "If you don't think there is a problem with some of the models working in our industry, then you have blinders on," she said in a telephone interview. "The fashion industry glorifies sickly thin models and it has to stop." Flash&Partners has received no requests to pull the campaign, Ms. Bertoncello added.

However, the campaign has already alienated some of the very people who champion the cause Nolita is trying to embrace. And it has also stirred up controversy over whether the brand is raising awareness about anorexia, or possibly profiting from it.

"This girl needs to be in a hospital, not at the forefront of an advertising campaign," said Fabiola De Clercq, founder and president of ABA, the Italian association against anorexia, bulimia and obesity.

Ms. De Clercq, who says she suffered from anorexia for more than 20 years, called the ads "useless and dangerous." She said the campaign "glorifies a woman who is sick and could lead others to be sickly thin because of all the attention."