jtherkal: My first instinct is to hate any commercial that makes up its own song. But maybe that’s changing. For some bizarre reason I am fascinated by the Optimum Online Spanish rap and now these. The lyrics are clever, the songs are catchy and I remember the name of the company. Something about them confuses me, though, as they don’t always seem like credit check commercials. And currently, nothing about these inspires me to actually go use the website. I suppose that when I’m ready, I’ll remember where to go. I already know that I have terrible credit. Maybe I should write a song about it. Overall: B-.
sjbooher: My first instinct is to love any commercial that makes up its own song. I love jingles. I love singing along with them. From an advertising perspective, it seems like a great way to your brand or product in somebody’s head and keep it there. For this particular instance, based on the fine print and the voice reading that fine print out loud at the end of each ad, I’m guessing they just want to drive people to the site and then upsell them something. Well, they do a great job of getting the website name out there; it is both featured prominently in all of the songs and displayed on the screen for the duration. Most of all though, I love the songs and the comedy! There was a lot of attention to detail in these, from the lyrics, to the background actors and the sets. Overall: A+
Crappy Little Car
jtherkal: This one seems like it might be for a car dealership. But f-r-e-e, that spells free, credit report dot com baby! B+.
sjbooher: This has great subtle comedy… the lyrics… they guitarist in the back… and my favorite part — the singer mugging at the end! Awesome. A+.
Pirate Costume Job
jtherkal: Job search website? I don’t see the connection between having your identity stolen and working in Long John Silvers. D.
sjbooher: Maybe you can get a criminal record if someone steals your identity? It is slightly confusing, but it details another feature of the site and the comedy is outstanding. The star of this show? Definitely the drummer. A.
Bad Credit Girlfriend
jtherkal: Hey, if the bitch has bad credit, you gotta cut her loose. We all know that. Oh, wait, I have bad credit. That sucks. B+.
sjbooher: For the first 10 seconds I am terrified… where’s the band?!?!?!? There they are! YES! More creative genius here… notice the pirate hat sitting on top of the stereo. A
jtherkal: When the iPhone launched, I initially resisted the gadget-lust I was experiencing, sticking with my current phone and avoiding the $400 hit I’d take for switching. Not even Apple’s iPhone advertising could convince me I needed it. But fate has intervened. This weekend, my phone was on the blankets of my bed and when my girlfriend rolled over, the phone flew off the bed and landed…wait for it…in a full cup of water. The only cup of liquid within 50 feet of the bed. Bullseye. So it’s broken and thanks to that little cup of water, I now own an iPhone. Boom.
jtherkal: Who needs advertising when you have a product this awesome? This series of “how to” type ads do a good job of showing the iPhone in action. But they lack some of the sex appeal you get with other iProduct advertising. In light of that, the iPhone sells itself. B.
sjbooher: In related news, my cellphone was once sitting on a ledge, in vibrate mode. I received a call, the vibrations knocked the phone off the ledge… into a bowl of milk. Game, set, match, for the phone. I agree with everything he said, but I will say this — those “perfect” hands/fingernails make me feel uncomfortable. B.
The Teaser Ad
jtherkal: This made me want an iPhone before they were released. Apple did a great job creating hype around the phone, partially because of the PR and advertising, partially because the phone was so dramatically different from anything else on the market. A.
sjbooher: I love this ad. Usually I am anti-”product at the end”, but I think the flow of this one is enough to keep the viewer locked in. Great. A+.
We would be remiss not to mention that Warren Sapp also retired from football on the same day as Brett Favre. So in honor of Warren’s departure, we’re going to do the same for him as we did for Brett. So here, in all their glory, are the two Warren Sapp commercials we found on YouTube. See ya, Warren. Now you can eat all of the cheeseburgers you want.
ESPN Football Video Game
jtherkal:Warren, just sit there and look confused. Not hard direction to follow when you have Tracy Morgan yapping in your ear. Morgan is best in small doses, and this is just the right amount of him to be good. That “wanawanawaaaaww” kills me. Warren: A ESPN: A
sjbooher: To be fair, though, Warren has a ton more personality than they used in this spot. That being said, this is classic material. The words “Every day I do!” have passed through my lips countless times as a result of this ad. Classic material. Warren: C+ ESPN: A+.
NFL Network
jtherkal: Holy lord, he looks fat here. Boring and lame. Warren: D NFL Network: F
sjbooher: Jesus, that’s one big man. A decent setup, as I’m thinking: “What’s he smiling about?”. The punchline was awful, though. Warren: C+ NFL Network: D
I also remember some sort of Nike Boing ad, where perhaps someone was wearing a giant football helmet? I couldn’t find it, but the fact that I remember it earns Warren and Nike both A’s.
In honor of Brett Favre’s retirement from professional football, we here at irateads.com are taking a moment to remember him and thank him for all the years of hatred and joy he has brought us by rating every Brett Favre ad we can find on YouTube. I grew up a Lions fan, so for most of my life I hated Brett Favre with the intensity of 1000 suns. Then he got old and flawed and gristled. And I grew to love him for his passion and the way he played the game of football. Just a good ol’ boy out there having some fun on a Sunday. It’s a shame no one every harnessed his pure goodness in the perfect advertising campaign–some came close…
Mastercard Ad
jtherkal: The Priceless campaign seems to always have pretty good work and this is no exception. Monday morning quarterback, get it? You know Brett would’ve double bagged it. Brett: A. Mastercard: B+.
sjbooher: Love it. What he said. And I love consistent campaigns that work and brand your product… although I still don’t understand credit card advertising in general, really. Brett: A+. Mastercard: A+.
Rayovac Batteries
jtherkal: You’re Brett Favre, you are America, you are football. And you choose to endorse Rayovac? If you’re Rayovac, every endorsement wet dream you’ve ever had is coming true as Brett reads your shitty tag line to the camera. If you’re Brett, you have to be thinking: where’s Energizer? Brett: F Rayovac: C-
sjbooher: Ho-hum. It’s a good effort by Rayovac to get their name out there, and I like the football-themed, “Laaaaaaabeau Fiiieeeeld”-esque voiceover guy that’s really just an employee. And it’s true, Brett is simply a pretty face, in this one. I have to ask this, though. Do people really get suckered in by moneyback guarantees? Is any consumer buying Energizers and Rayovacs then taking them home to see which one powers their flashlight longer? If it makes people buy your product, it’s genius, as probably about 0% of people ever pull your card. The jury (meaning my opinion) is still out on that aspect of this one. Brett: C-. Rayovac: C+.
Nike
jtherkal: I guess it’s from 1997, so the fact that the music feels all wrong might not be accurate. Maybe in 1997 it was perfect. The fact that this was from over 10 years ago and would still work as an ad today is a testament to Brett Favre and to Nike. Brett: A Nike: A-
sjbooher: To me, this would still work because it’s boring as hell. Maybe that’s because it’s been drilled into my head over and over again how much of a loose cannon Favre is on the field. Maybe this worked better during that time, but I hated Brett Favre then, so I probably would have liked it even less. And what is Nike even advertising? Are they selling Brett Favre figurines? Just the overall brand, I guess, but it’s more of a Favre ad than a Nike ad. Brett: C-. Nike: D.
Bergstrom
jtherkal: Ugh. I guess Brett is a hometown hero, so you’re bound to get some of these. This was played at Lambeau field during a game. I’m sure thousands of drunk Packer fans stopped in their tracks to watch Brett deliver this boring-ass endorsement. But fresh cookies? That’s worth something. Brett: D Bergstrom: D
sjbooher: The fresh cookies alone makes this a great ad. In a town like Green Bay, I’m not even sure if the consumers have much of a choice, when it comes to auto dealerships, and they definitely do not after this ad. Maybe it’s preaching to the choir, but it’s a slam dunk. Brett: B. Bergstrom: A+.
Bergstrom — Smart Car
jtherkal: 16 years? Well, Brett, that’s a commitment to your sponsors. That’s the kind of All-American leadership and dedication we like to see. But Smart Cars? In Wisconsin? I can’t think of a worse place to have a smart car. I’m sure those handle great in a foot of snow. What, did the dealership accidentally fill check the wrong box on their order form? Brett Favre is not the man to be selling Smart Cars. Brett sells trucks, idiots. Brett: D Bergstrom: F
sjbooher: Yeah, this is just plain weird. Brett puts in a fine effort though, as we works with what they give him, just like he did every Sunday for the Packers. While I question Bergstrom’s decision to sell this car in the first place, I’m here to rate the ad, and it’s pretty good. It’s informative and they use their ace-in-the-hole, Brett Favre, in an attempt to sell a possibly unsellable product. And that jingle is quality work — Berrrrg-strooooom They can give a great deal more!. Brett: B. Bergstrom B.
Prilosec
jtherkal: Brett driving some sort of bulldozer? Brett walking in the woods with his dogs, Brett sawing logs! Brett cookin’ crawfish for the boys Brett chillin’ on the dock with his daughter (I assume) Brett throwin’ the pigskin. Yup. That’s just Brett being Brett. Prilosec understands, Brett Favre IS AMERICA! It doesn’t really matter what the product is. Brett: A Prilosec: A
sjbooher: Chalk this up to an ad that worked for at least one consumer. This ad aired right around the time I figured out that I have acid problems and, thanks to Brett, I went out and gave it a whirl. So I guess I can’t too critical, but I do have some issues with this one. While it’s awesome to have Brett doing all that stuff… WHAT THE HELL DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH HEARTBURN? Only one activity is relevant — the crawlfish eating. “Day 5, I just chilled”. And you can’t do that with heartburn? Weird. Brett: A+. Prilosec: C+.
Edge Pro Gel
jtherkal: If you can shave Brett’s man-face, you can shave anything. That’s the selling point here. Edge missed it, you still have Brett shaving. Brett: A Edge: C+
sjbooher: Now that way know “5 o’clock shadow” Brett so well, it’s hard to think of it as a good thing he’s shaving. Also, maybe Reggie forgot to look in the mirror, because he has a goatee, so he sorta didn’t shave either! Anyway, this a fun, playful ad that gets the point across, although it is a bit dated now. Brett: C. Edge: C+.
3-A-Day Dairy
jtherkal: Can we even count this? Was that Brett we saw at 00:28? I think it was. So let me say this: shame on you 3-A-Day. Brett Favre is the face of Wisconsin, the home of cheese. And all you can do is slip him in at the end? No one even cares about those other people. Unless they’re somehow famous people with strong bones and healthy bodies from states known for their diary products, why even bother? Brett: A 3-A-Day: F
sjbooher: It’s not completely Brett-centric, but good nonetheless. Look at those tasty dairy treats. What my cohort may be forgetting is that Favre was not always the picture of wholesome goodness. He went through some painkiller and alcohol addiction days when companies may have shied away from him a bit. Brett: Incomplete. 3-A-Day: B.
Wrangler
jtherkal: I can’t even begin to explain how disappointed I was to not find Brett’s Wrangler commercial anywhere. This is the best I could do. In its original form, the Wrangler commercial is the 100% correct usage of Brett Favre. You walk away with a crystal clear message: Brett Favre is America, Wrangler Jeans are America. For some reason the ridiculousness of pairing this with Mims makes me laugh. Hilarious. Someone spent an afternoon cutting that together. Wild. Strange Video: B- Brett: A+ Wrangler: A+
sjbooher: This is easily my favorite all-time Brett Favre ad. It nails the Wrangler brand image 100%. Perfect. Brett: A+. Wrangler: A+
NFL
jtherkal: How apropos. It is hard to say goodbye. We’ll miss you Brett, even though we sometimes hated you. Brett: A NFL: A
sjbooher: Every cloud has a silver-lining. Now we won’t have to endure another year of “Will he retire? Will he comeback?” debates. Brett: A. NFL: A+
sjbooher: Although not on the national scene, as the chicken being shilled is only sold on the West Coast, these characters are some of the best in the advertising game. For more background info, visit this site.
The whole idea is that Foster Farms chicken is all natural, and that is highlighted by the fact that these two “Foster Impostors” are definitely NOT all natural! This particular ad is very funny — I love: “So long suckers!”. And the nacho cheese version of a keg stand? Awesome. A+.
jtherkal: Let it be known: I LOVE MUPPETS. I do. Maybe it’s too many hours spent watching The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, but something about those lovable puppets and the way they talk and move gets me. So it’s hard for me to figure out where this goes wrong. The basic idea, two muppet chickens tooling across the country, is outstanding. So why don’t I love it? Maybe they didn’t do enough to set up that these were “foster imposters.” Or perhaps it’s the montage–I want to spend more time with the chickens and see more of each scene. It’s still good, just not as good as I imagine it should be. The website is fun. B+.
sjbooher: These are funny, get the point across, and are very likely to reach the target audience. The person in charge of doing the menial post tasks? Check. The guy not making enough money to get out of that apartment without on-site laundry? Check. The comatose office worker going to the vending machine for that cheap pleasure? Check. A+.
jtherkal: I’m glad to see you rating campaigns that aren’t on TV. So much good (and terrible) work shows up in other places and I think we need to look for more of it. I agree that these are clever and do a good job getting the point across. I haven’t ever seen one in real life, but that doesn’t stop me from liking them. A.
For your viewing enjoyment, one YouTube user has pieced together eight of the Jackie Moon commercials. Enjoy.
jtherkal: Many thanks to the one person in a meeting at Weiden who blurted out, “wouldn’t it be funny if we had Will Ferrell do our deodorant commercials in his Jackie Moon character?” The answer is yes, it would. Ferrell is almost always on his game, and I would say 80% of these result in laughter. Promote your movie, promote your deordorant, split the cost. It’s the strongest street-legal idea outside of Mexico that’s not poison. A+.
sjbooher: How lucky did Old Spice get? Jackie Moon was genetically engineered to fit the quirky, off-beat humor schtick they have been using to peddle products. A match made in Heaven… or at least Hollywood! A+
sjbooher: I absolutely love this ad. I start dancing and cheering for those dogs every time I see it. Get the beer guys, get the beer! Eat it Clydesdales! What a perfect song, and perfect visuals to go with the song. Now, if only the beer didn’t suck… A+
jtherkal: Mostly, I love that you love this. I didn’t think there was anything all that spectacular about it and probably wouldn’t have even thought to rate it. When I see it, I find myself thinking that it must have been wild getting all those dogs to run around like that. Dog party! All dalmations are invited. Tell your friends.
Plus, you make a good point about it being the perfect song. B.
Update:sjbooher: This is ad is so good that I now rewind on DVR during commercial skipping to watch it. Sony should send Miller Lite a check, as well, as I was inspired to download Thin Lizzy’s “Jailbreak”, which led to a rockfest, which all resulted in the purchase of Guitar Hero III for PS3!
jtherkal: I like everything about this. They really nail a powerful insight with this campaign: it’s fun to win things. You’re damned right it is! The commercials do a great job of telling that story and getting you excited about it. There are a bunch of pretty good spots, including a fox hunt, the hail mary, and a state fair ad. In reality though, does ebay even need to advertise? I guess you can’t sleep on the competition; but in this case, who is the competition? Amazon? When was the last time you saw an Amazon ad?
My only criticism is that it doesn’t seem like they could decide on a tag line. When I think of these commercials, I always thought the line was “It’s better when you win it.” Which they do have as a super near the end. But they also slap up “Shop Victoriously.” I can see why you would like both, and I guess it doesn’t really hurt, as no matter which one you remember, you’re getting the message. A-.
sjbooher: I agree almost 100%, so I will use this opportunity to speak on a topic of great concern for me — the propensity to make black men look ridiculous in commercials. Why does the black guy have a ridiculous 70s outfit on, an afro, and all that facial hair? None of the other characters are dressed circa in 1972. None of the other characters look so foolish. And none of the other characters pull a hamstring at the end. Pay attention, and you’ll see this trend in more ads than you might expect.
jtherkal: If you ever want to see me dance like a robot and speak in robot voice, just play this commercial. If you’ve ever doubted the power of robot voice, your doubts should end here. And if you’ve ever wondered if there’s a keg out there with a futuristic delivery system, now you know. This gets in my head and even though I typically dislike Heineken, I always think about getting a draft keg. Innovate. Draft keg. Robot voice. Heineken. A.
sjbooher: I like it. They make the fembots seem as if they come from the essence of the keg, or vice versa, since everything is green and silvery. Also, they’ve had me ever since the “Liquid Gold” spot, which received the ultimate seal of approval — I’ve purchased this product strictly because of the advertising! In fact, a friend and I now have a tradition of buying one of this mini-kegs every time he comes to town. Do I particularly enjoy Heineken? No. Do I love Liquid Gold? YES! Unfortunately, I could not find that spot online, for your viewing pleasure. A+.
