jtherkal: First, A+ for the entire Truth campaign. After years of corny, terrible anti-smoking advertising that kids and adults alike dismissed as over-the-top failures, they found a way to really reach people. There’ve been countless great Truth ads; they never fail to get your attention or deliver a relevant, important point about the harms of smoking and the calculating callousness of big tobacco. After a few years of brilliant ads, it’s probably had to come up with the next one without feeling like you’re really forcing it. While I don’t necessarily love this one, in recent focus groups with teens, they almost always mention this as one of their favorites. You can’t argue with the truth. A.
sjbooher: Agree, agree, and agree. After learning that this ad really gets the attention of teens, I’m even going to have to the up the grade. Stopping people smoking before it they start is the most important time. A+.
sjbooher:Previously, we gave this ad a mediocre rating. Well, the people have spoken (and my stomach), and this must be revised. Here is the evidence:
a) This ad has the internet going nuts, like Paul Wall. It is by far the most popular on our YouTube channel, with 24k+ views as of this writing.
b) People all around me are talking about it, and are addicted to the jingle. I got a random text from a friend, that simply read “$5.00 footlong!!!!!!” My wife’s 8th grade students sing the jingle and talk about it incessantly. This past Friday, a large number of them even purchased $5 footlongs before they arrived at school, to save for lunch. A comedy radio talk show that I listen to, Two Jacks In The Hole, had an entire segment about it, and even mentioned their propensity to wake up in the morning singing the jingle and craving the food.
c) Finally, this ad is the first to make the IRATEADS.com, “Ads That Work”, list. Yes, playas and playettes, I myself, spurred on by the ad, purchased and ate a $5 Footlong on Friday. In fact, how about that for their next promotion? $5 Footlong Fridays?
sjbooher: Remember how I mentioned that the dialog in the NBA split-head ads seemed scripted and forced? This is the exact opposite. Did MJ write this script while smoking a stogie and playing cards at the 19th Hole? I wouldn’t put it past him… but probably not. Does it sound like it could be an inspirational, from the heart speech he might give at the end of some camp for high schoolers? Definitely. Jordan Brand gets it right over and over again. They convey an image of superiority… of greatness… that you just want to be a part of. A+.
jtherkal: It’s hard to go wrong when Jordan is the voice of your brand. And your brand is actually his brand. He’s a proven winner and you instantly associate greatness with the product (except for Hanes, which somehow has managed to develop a “silly underwear” personality with Jordan and Cuba). It’s a good reminder that behind every great player is determination and drive and hard work. I sort of understand using the imagery they used, with no footage of him actually playing, but couldn’t they have found some training footage? Shooting free throws after hours in the gym? Anything? We want to see Jordan in action. A-.
sjbooher: I do not have the facts on this, but I am fairly certain these ads could not run while the awful Cavemen tv show was airing. Not only was that show’s cancellation a sign of Allah’s enduring love, but a nice little bonus is that we once again get to see the phenomenon that started it all. This was one of the later ads in the campaign, but it might be the best. I love it. The song is awesome, with a subtle comedic aspect to the lyrics, and it makes me want to see this one over-and-over again. The ad takes advantage of the viewer already being familiar with the “So Easy A Caveman Can Do It” tagline, as it gets creative, while still incorporating the big picture. Love it. In the ultimate advertising victory, I will be moving soon and in need of a new renter’s insurance policy. I’m checking with Geico first. All-time favorite, and that really goes for this entire campaign. I am glad they started making new ads. Ad guys 1, Sitcom writers nothing. A+.
jtherkal: I can’t argue here. They did a good job. Geiko is a good client to have. They buy smart, subtle work. And they don’t limit themselves to one campaign. They have 3-4 campaigns running at once, so they blanket the world with different Geico messaging. Have a campaign with a lizard? Good. And cavemen? Bring it on. If it’s good, they make it. I will say that because of the gecko lizard, which I spell “gekko” in my head, I can’t ever spell Geico properly. Geiko. A.
This post is dedicated to our attorney, who is getting closer and closer to being this guy every day…
jtherkal: This is an example of how advertising for a seemingly average product can be great. For years, every diaper ad has simply shown babies crawling around, scientists pouring liquid into diapers, etc. Very rarely has anyone stepped outside the established formula. But here, someone realizes there’s a) an untapped market for diapers and b) people like potty humor. People like to laugh. They found a funny, memorable way to deliver the “our diaper is super absorbent” message. That pee spray cracks me up, but again, like most great ads, the real genius is in the details. The look on the baby’s face after the first blast is classic: Oh crap, did you see that? Plus the setting–in someone else’s bedroom at a party of some sort–make this one.
The untapped market here is dads. No one ever thinks about the fact that sometimes the father has to stop on the way home from work and grab diapers, not to mention single fathers and gay daddy couples. As men, our thought process goes something like this: Hmmm, what kind does she [the wife] buy? This one? Ummm…it could be this or that one. Or that. Shit, they all look the same. Huggies. They had a funny commercial. Sold. Also, women like funny things as well, so this works for them, too. A+.
sjbooher: You know who does not like potty humor? Me. Any 3 year-old could up with the idea. Bodily functions just aren’t funny to me. Sorry. Also, this is for Huggies? Really? I hadn’t noticed. Guess that didn’t work. I don’t think people remember, or even watch, the end of this style of ad. Commission a study. I would love to be proven wrong. Is it so horrible to put the word “Huggies” at the bottom of the screen for the duration? I don’t get it. It’s like they try so hard to hide the fact that they are advertising a product, that they forget to advertise it. “Let’s make this cool music video.” “Let’s make this cool short film”. How about you stop trying to reinvent the wheel, and make an ad? F.
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to our newest category… All-Time Favorites. Enjoy.
jtherkal: This hasn’t run in awhile, but it’s one of my all-time favorite ads. Whenever I’m feeling uninspired or stumped, I take a minute to watch this. The grand scale of the water balloon fight and the feelings it invokes does a great job representing the online gaming capabilities of the XBOX. But the details make this one. Kids in masks, old men and dogs getting pelted, and the song–how on earth did they choose this song? It’s perfect. A+.
sjbooher: I tuned out 8 minutes ago. I’m sorry, is this an ad? Maybe if chaos is the product for sale. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy watching this, but if it’s presented to me when commercials usually run, I would have paused the DVR 5 minutes ago and taken a piss. Or I would have returned to the popcorn line. When does this air? Is there a 30-second version that the ADD generation this product appeals to might actually sit through? Do these actually work? Maybe this was the greatest viral internet campaign and I missed the boat, or maybe I’m just plain ignorant, but I don’t see the point of this, other than a bunch of ad makers getting their rocks off. F.
jtherkal: Hater in the hooouuuse! This is pure joy.
jtherkal: This review isn’t about this specific ad so much as it is about the branding of Scrubbing Bubbles as a whole. Due to the name of the brand and those little scrubbing bubbles, this is by far, without a doubt, my favorite cleaning solution. I would use it on everything if I could. When I spray it on something, I can hear those little bubbles scrubbing away at the dirt. In reality, that “sizzle” I hear is probably some harmful chemical reaction releasing toxins into the air. But it doesn’t matter! In my head, there’s an army of hard working cartoon bubbles cleaning my toilet. Thanks fellas. A+.
sjbooher: Can’t argue with that. Those little guys will get the job done. And I love any cleaning ads where they show grime on a wall, and then the cleaning product cleans it right up. Awesome. If I see one of those Action Scrubbers anytime soon, I’ll buy one. A+.
sjbooher: Awesome. A simple and clever idea, executed brilliantly. Coke seems to generally do a good job of showcasing the beverage itself in their ads. As a Coke fan, I often find myself salivating after seeing their spots, and this one is no different. A+.
jtherkal: Nice and simple. An ice cold fountain Coca-Cola classic is refreshing and delicious–this does a perfect job reminding us. The term sip-stealing could find its way into popular usage; I know I’ll use it next time I’m stealing sips. But the other line “not a felony in all 50 states” is kind of dumb. A-.
sjbooher: We previously reviewed Naomi’s “Dances With Lizards” moment, giving it mediocre to negative reviews. Part of my issue with the ad was the choice of serial slapper, Naomi Campbell, as the dancing model. Campbell is not even THAT recognizable… they surely could have found some other hot-ass model, without a criminal record, to dance with those lizards. Well, now Miss Campbell is back in the news for yet another another assault! This time she allegedly spit on a police office at London Heathrow Airport. Amazing. Genius selection, team! I say that sarcastically, but it may actually be the truth. This ad has BLOWN UP on the internet… it’s everywhere. Everyone rants and raves about it, giving Sobe Life Water untold amounts of free press. And you know what? I really love it now. I can’t get enough. SO BAD IT’S GOOD!!!! There’s something about that “reach for the sky move she does” near the 38 second mark, that I just can’t get enough of. This is my first official grade change… A+!
jtherkal: We had a focus group with teen girls yesterday and they brought this ad up as one of their favorites. I’m still not buying it. Maybe they should team her up with NFL wide receiver Chris Henry for a second ad in this series. The role model dream team. They can smoke dope, slap people around, buy alcohol for and spit on underaged girls, carry guns, and generally just raise a ruckus. I don’t remember what my grade was, but I’m not changing it. It’s not quite bad enough to be good.
sjbooher: Classic material. At first I was thinking… “hmm… Spy Hunter, people these days probably don’t even know what that is.” But then the voice in the sky says “Your love for car has never been more real…” acknowledging that Pontiac is targeting the 25-35 year olds of the world that remember the game from back in the day. I remember playing this for hours on end at Salerno’s Pizza in Eldersburg, Maryland, while attending various birthday parties and other celebrations, so right away I’m feeling good. Then the outstanding live-action recreation of the video game, furthers that feeling. Then I hear “Pontiac”, and I think, “Oh, that sucks”. But that’s not the ad’s fault. A+
jtherkal: I somehow made it out of my formative years without in-depth Spy Hunter experience. Maybe it was too much Techmo Bowl. I guess this is entertaining enough, but it doesn’t do anything to change my “Pontiac is not a good car” opinion. And Pontiac Is Car…stolen from Honda’s “the fit is go”? My sister bought a G6. B-.