Postings From Superbowl-ads.com Readers (part 3)
It seems to me I have seen Green BayWatch shown on our cable access in Green Bay Wisconsin…shown as a skit on a television show made locally. It aired about 5 times, over a year ago.
How much work was it for the ad men to come up with that…seeing as it has already been done. Did they buy the rights from the original writer?
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The one for fed ex where people are being shot out of their homes through the roof
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BEST SUPERBOWL XXXV AD: Running with the squirrels!!
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Didn’t Cingular have an ad with several little clips and images one of which was an african amreican holding a ruler with words saying, are you envious.
Why isn’t that one up?
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I did not see the Southwest Airline Commercial on the voting roster. That was the funniest thing I’ve seen in I don’t know how long!!!
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I’ve got to say – Cingular completely blew it. I don’t think I would ever even consider using their service after seeing the “Unbelievably Lucky” superbowl ad. I was very touched by that commercial and figured it was going to be for some amazing charity, community organization, school, or technology breakthrough. Instead, its for a wireless phone company?!?? I thought their other commercials were amusing, but the beautiful message that this commercial showed was wasted on an amazingly stupid product.
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I liked the Bud Lite commercial with the guy in the kitchen, dancing while shaking the beer then openingit all over his girlfriend. My next favorite was the etrade one where the monkey cries when picking up the Pets.com puppet.
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Why isn’t the AIG commercial listed?
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This was probably the best ad of the bowl game – had no clue what was going to happen until WHASSUP!! I am probably jaded – I have enjoyed Bud commercials during the bowl games for many years.
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levis jeans VERY POOR TASTE> INSULT TO ANY AND ALL RECEIVERS OR GIVERS OF ORGANS> THE GIFT OF LIFE……………………………..
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Can’t stand Bob (Dole), but thought the ad was hilarious! Next time put him in front of a huge car parked in front of a gigantic log home, etc.
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Etrade: Etrade started their ad series at the beginning of the pre-show schedule around noontime. They had two very memorable ads that were clear to the point, and funny.
1) ‘Ha, Cha, Cha, Cha’ security guard was amusing, but let people know that there are new types of banking services,- online which are changing the way people think about personal banking.
2) ‘Dot.com Failures’ featuring the chimp. This was great. It just captured the essence of what has happened economically in the Internet field this past year, but let people know that Etrade is still here. And when it played off Pets.com‚s ‘Sock Puppet’ (that was his official name), that was killer.
3) And then there were the ‘Halftime Show Sideline Officials’ which just teased Etrade’s name in front of everyone- who were just waiting for the half-time show. Good teasers- good tactics.
EDS ˆ Electronic Data Systems: EDS (Electronic Data Systems) finally brought full-circle its ‘Herding Wild Cats’ theme of the past year, with the new ‘Herding Wild Squirrels’. This time EDS let people know in their text just what they are here for. Their services will allow even the largest competitors compete with the more nimble, smaller competitors. EDS was known for big business. Now, EDS is changing its tune, and probably business strategies a bit. Note, that at the beginning of the ad in the background was a sign on a wall with the word ‘Urgencias’.
Accenture: Accenture is the new name for Andersen Consulting, one of the big Œaccounting firms‚, which has branched out into many areas of management consulting in the last 15 years. They ran a series of mostly Œimage‚ ads. I have read that they hired some big firm to help in developing the new name for the firm- for the 21st century, but Accenture/Andersen is strictly a high-end business accounting and consulting firm. They ran four spots, and even though the Super Bowl is a Œconsumers‚ advertising haven- plenty of executives watch it, and THIS is what Accenture was after. Interestingly, while their spots were memorable, they were so because they didn‚t make a lot of sense- in a creative manner.
Schwab: Schwab finally came out with an artistic ad with the Sarah Ferguson ‘Fairy Tale’ theme. Yes, Schwab backed it up with their usual informational ads, but they did break new ground, and they did so in a way as to truly reach out to more of the middle class. In some new Schwab ads Charles Schwab is seen speaking about the need for people to plan financially for 30 years of retirement funds. This is the first ad I have seen them do where they are really reaching out to the middle class- and reaching for Œwomen‚. Good strategic move, with a creative tactical implementation.
Cingulair: Cingulair Wireless [Last year it was Verizon; this year it is Cingulair] also ran a number of spots, though while image-based, they did get their point across as to what they intend to provide customers- 21st century wireless services. However, I really feel that the creative was a little too distracting and took away from the message. Memorable, but didn‚t really introduce and reinforce their produce / service lines as could have been done. They has a ‘Ballet’ ad- ‘Express Yourself’- the ‘Goof-off Dance’ ad- ‘Self-Expression’, the ‘Free At Last’ ad with some kind of ŒHomer Simpson cameo at the very end, all of which were the least effective. However, the man ‘Painting with His Head’- ‘I’m Unbelievably Lucky’ was a great ad. This ad really touched my soul. This is the kind of ad that makes you proud of advertising.
Volkswagen: Volkswagen had three ads, creative, and well targeted to target audiences.
1) ‘GTI Up A Tree’, is touting the power of the car. Really clever and memorable- reaching to touch the soul of their target audience for this particular vehicle.
2) ‘Late to the Wedding’ ad, which really left you hanging in suspense. Was the guy- or the girl going to say something, or not!
3) ‘Fasten Your Seatbelts’- excellent suspense. Finally there was the guy I guess wrestling with the bear for the Jetta Wolfsburgh special edition. Less memorable, but it worked.
Ever since VW came out with their ‘Drivers Wanted’ theme, they have had a lengthy series of successful ad campaigns.
Budweiser: Budweiser again, as always, has a Œblock‚ of time all to themselves.
1) Self-mockery of their own ‘What’s Up’ campaign series, which I thought was kind of lame‚.
2) ‘Beam Me Up’ ad- this really was a very good creative concept and left me laughing. A very good take-off of ‘What’s Up’.
3) Bud Light ad with the ‘Puff-Dog’. Typical Budweiser, and yes, it worked because it was memorable- and it did reinforce what a light beer is all about.
4) The Bud Light ‘Pencil’ ad just didn’t go over as well.
I noticed that Budweiser ran several very tasteful ads, just featuring Regular People- ‘Big Green Combine’. Nothing quirky, just regular people- Having a Bud. I liked what they did here. They were comfortable ads, succeeding in making Budweiser- comfortable. Overall, I liked their tactical use of creative and just plain talk ad theme tactics. A good mix for a firm with many products.
And then there was the PSA with ‘nsync. I thought this was very probably one of the best drink responsibly ads I have ever seen, and I am glad they came up with the idea and ran it. In addition, the web site cited in the text, www.beeresponsible.com goes directly to Anheuser-Bush’s consumer awareness site. [It is a shame that the cigarette makers are not as forthcoming as this firm].
A site highlighting the Anheuser-Busch Department of Consumer Awareness and Education‚s programs and partnerships to prevent alcohol abuse, drunk driving and teen drinking.
Anti-Smoking: And that brings up the series of anti-smoking ads that were run, three altogether. The second ad, ‘Man with the Tracheotomy’ was definitely effective- as startling. The third ad featuring ‘I never thought of 23 as being middle age’ really leaves you thinking about life expectancy. It is nice to see clever PSAs in this prime time environment.
Monster.com ran two ads touting their Œonline job line‚ services. First was ‘You Da Monster’ with the young guy [with probably his first real job] Œsmelling his new company business card- the ‘sweet smell of success’. It worked. Next was the ‘Smiling Man in the Coffin’. This was good. It let people know that if you are in a career that you like, you’ll die smiling. Creative, yes. Thought-provoking, yes.
Pepsi: Pepsi’s ad themes were kind of disjointed.
1) The ad with ‘Bob Dole’ was their only real ‘winner’. It really was light and uplifting. Tongue-in-cheek. And the way they said, ‘Ask you local Covenience Store Clerk’ like you were going to ask information from a pharmacist was ‘cheeky’, but cute. If you caught the relation- the ad would be even more memorable.
2) ‘Subway Train’ where the couple ends up looking across the pool at the other riders- was a letdown. You would think that focus groups would have brought that idea to an end quickly.
3) ‘State Correctional Facility’ though was funny and memorable.
Levis: Levis ran one ad, ‘He’s A Donor’. This ad while memorable, I think played upon an area that is too serious to be toyed with. I really think that they made a mistake to run it. There is too much negative connotation with regards to organ donation.
Accura: I really liked the concept of using the ‘Spotlight Tracks’ to mimic the relation of traveling to far-off locations. This Œimagery‚ was very effective in letting you know that this SUV was one Œto count on‚. I did note that here Acura used the same tag line as was later seen in a Toyota Landcruiser ad- ‘We’ll Get You There and Back’.
Doritos: This was a take-off of last year’s scene where the girl meets the guys in the Laundromat. In fact, last years spot was shown in Saturday night’s reviews of the best of last years Super Bowl ads. However, this ad just didn’t cut it. It left a negative impact, which kind of overshadowed what they were trying to say, that ‘Cheese Doritos Now Had More Cheesy Flavor’.
California Cheese: This spot was just choreographed and edited beautifully. It really worked as though two guys were just talking about girls. This ad worked. It was light-hearted, and worked to get the message across.
Anyhow, if I did rank the first three they would be in this order:
Etrade ‘Ha, Cha, Cha, Cha Security Guard’
Schwab ‘Sarah Ferguson Fairy Tale’
Volkswagen ‘GTI Up a Tree’
Budweiser ‘Beam Me Up’
Anti-Smoking ‘Life Expectancy’
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Maybe Levi’s and Beneton should team up next year to produce an even more insensitive “ad”. Unfortunately, as offensive as it was, it still will produce their desired outcome….people will remember it. I wonder what jerks are sitting around the creative table thinking these things up. Perhaps one day they may be faced with a donor situation……bet it won’t be so funny.
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The bad taste of the game award goes to levis with the “doner” ad! Did they think of the thousands of “recipients” from true doners ??? At the party I was, most looked at each other and had a comment regarding the ad.
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It was nice to see a commercial directed toward the over thirty/forty audience.
I am referring to the black couple listening to classical/opera and the young man gets carried away listening to some rap music and shakes up the beer. Nice slam on rap music.
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