jtherkal: One irateads reader commented that we skew heavily toward rating ads that target males. Since my associate and I are both sport-watching males, we do tend to review a somewhat limited range of commercials. “Why don’t you review that Dove: Fresh Takes micro-series that airs during The Hills?” she went on to suggest. Why don’t we, indeed. Amazingly, I haven’t seen the commercials promoting this or the actual micro-series–even through I’m a closet Hills fan (Lauren = wife).
Then, the very night she suggested Fresh Takes, I came home from a soccer game to find a film crew set up around my building. When I tried to get in, I asked what they were filming…you guessed it, Dove Fresh Takes! Nick O’Shea La Shae and Alicia Keys were hanging out in my lobby. So I watched the first episodes and I have to say, pretty well done. It doesn’t feel nearly as second-rate as I thought it would. The writing is decent (”I’m a shrimp, with monkey arms.”), good production quality and best of all, they don’t force the product into every scene. The plots are a little predictable and kind of expected, but as the series goes on I imagine they’ll get more, um, imaginative.
I know my compadre has a tendency to rate ads that don’t feature the product poorly, but I think this still gets the Dove name out there and makes it seem cool. As some guy I work with says, the brand has to give something back. In this case, they’re giving girls a little entertaining show and not hard-selling anything. This series probably plays better online, where you can watch a few in a row. On the MTV series page, they have a small tout at the bottom linking out to the Dove Go Fresh site.
I bet girls like this. Also, Alicia Keys = wife. A.
sjbooher: All true points. I don’t watch the Hills, but I love teen dramas, and twenty-somethings dramas are close enough to appeal to me. And I love Alicia Keys. Even though she’s supposed to just be “one of the girls” in these, she tends to stand out, in a funny way. Whenever she comes on the scene, it’s like the see-all-know-all guardian angel coming in with priceless advice, and it feels after-school-specialish — but in a good way. It’s awesome. She’s like a ray of sunshine leading young women across the world to the promised land. This is just the type of romantic, idealistic crap that I love. More Alicia!
I am skeptical about the pure advertising value of these, however. Do viewers remember the Dove brand while watching? Do Alicia’s positive vibes translate to the brand? Or is Dove just footing the bill for some quality entertainment, while reaping none of the rewards? For all I know, based solely on this campaign, Dove could be producing some sort of plastic bag that keeps your freezer goods fresh. Miss Keys is definitely a winner here, as she gets to showcase her acting skills and music, but I am not sure if Dove comes out on top. B-.
sjbooher: This makes me feel uncomfortable. I do not know quite the right word to describe this type of ad… pretentious? self-righteous? ostentatious? self-prostenteous? Whatever it is, I don’t like it. When “they” made this ad, how did “they” think I was going to feel when I watched it? I bet “they” did not think I would feel like I was suddenly catching a bird’s eye view of some creepy child molester, carrying his big red umbrella to attract all the kids and take them into the woods… awful.
Onto the more technical side of things, does the average person still instantly recognize the red umbrella? If not, this might just be a monumental failure. I remember the commercials from back in the day, so I knew right away what was going on, but I also had a family member that worked for Traveler’s, and red umbrella stuff was always around the house. Even if they do not, I guess this at least gets the ol’ umbrella back out there. D.
jtherkal: Why does every old man with a giant red umbrella have to be a child molester? I didn’t really know what Travelers was, but I knew that the red umbrella was some sort of icon. It’s strange enough to get my attention and it definitely stands apart from other insurance commercials. Maybe this was just the first of a series, designed to introduce the giant red umbrella so you recognize it when you see it in future ads. If not, this seems a little inadequate. What are they promising? Low prices? Good service? Giant red umbrellas? I guess it starts to establish a personality for the brand. And I noticed it. B-.
Word I’m unable to spell properly without a dictionary: inadequate. inadaquit.
sjbooher: Controversy! This ad has the internet blowing up, as surly red-staters get all in a huff about Mexico/U.S. relations, illegal immigration, etc. And controversy sells, right? Well, maybe. This ad was originally run in only Mexico, where it was probably well received. 20 years ago it could have been marked as an advertising success, and everyone would go on with their lives. But in this digital age, no image is safe from instantaneous worldwide transmission. As a result, this could in fact hurt Absolut’s sales in the good ol’ U S of A, where there is a segment of society that this ad will really piss off. Will the good outweigh the bad? I don’t know, but the fact that there is a bad, hurts the grade of an otherwise provocative ad. B-.
jtherkal: Is Absolut’s target audience the type of person this ad would piss off? Seems to me the people who would get fired up about this are more Smirnoff and Popov drinkers. They don’t need no fancy, fruity vodka drinks. In the end, I’m not from Mexico, so I can’t say I’m a big fan. I guess if they want Texas, they can have it. But we’re keeping California. C.
“In no way was it meant to offend or disparage, nor does it advocate an altering of borders, nor does it lend support to any anti-American sentiment, nor does it reflect immigration issues,” Absolut said in a statement left on its consumer inquiry phone line. Ummmm…seems like it definitely lends support to an anti-American sentiment. And they have a right to do so. There’s no rule that says advertising in other countries can’t make fun of America. I mean, our advertising would never, ever play on a negative stereotype of, say, a Mexican…
jtherkal: What happened to condiment advertising? We went from the tangy zip of Miracle Whip, the elegance of Grey Poupon, and the patience required to get Heinz Ketchup to…I can’t even think of a good one I’ve seen lately. This isn’t great, but a sandwich ogling a hunky jar of spicy brown mustard while her plain mustard husband yaps in her ear? I think it speaks to the target audience: wives and mothers, aka the ladies who make our sandwiches. “Food loves French’s.” It might. B-.
sjbooher: Short, sweet and simple. This seems just about perfect to me. Except, believe it or not, I could read a racial stereotype into this, but I won’t even go there this time! A.
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-.
jtherkal: I’ll try not to let the fact that I briefly worked on the digital side of this project influence my critique. In fact, I didn’t think the project was all that exciting. I thought it would be a flop. But these ads get me kind of fired up about it. Maybe Nike SPARQ is awesome? Maybe people will go to the site and use the training? Didn’t exactly work with the Nike Zoom Training I worked on. And Zoom had a detailed, downloadable, 28-day program. This just has a bunch of drills. I think it would help both campaigns if the advertising actually told you more about the available training program. Or if the ads had the url, so people would know where to go.
My Better Is Better
jtherkal: I love the girl whispering, “my quick smells like french toast,” and “my speed’s already watching the next commercial.” I hate “quicky-von-quick-quick.” It’s cool, but can someone please tell me how this lets you know that Nike SPARQ is a training program? I guess it’s enough to just put up a title screen at the end… B-.
sjbooher: My associate is exactly right. I like the comedy and all the athletes… and I actually like “quicky-von-quick-quick” under the “it irritates me in a way that I enjoy it” premise. And while this is definitely a plus for the Nike Brand, if their goal is to get me involved in some sort of SPARQ training, I’m not sure that this does it. B-.
List Of Demands
jtherkal: YES. I like the weird visuals thown in here, like the frog and the kid skipping across the bridge. But mostly this song gets me fired up and makes me want to bust someone in the chops. Rarrrrrrrr. I’m ready to hit the weight room. And they actually show me people training. A miracle. A-.
sjbooher: If this doesn’t pump you up, then you have no competitive nature or need for athletic activity, and you are not invited to the party. As mentioned previously with various Apple ads, great song choices go a long way. That is the case here. Awesome, but with the same caveats as above. A-.
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
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+
jtherkal: This one is pretty old and backloaded with boring talk about the phone plan, but for some reason I still like it. And by “some reason,” I mean because of the auctioneer talk. If I could talk like that, you best believe I would. B+.
sjbooher: The concept is definitely funny. Get it? They don’t have many minutes, so they have to talk fast… get it? The problem is, what if people don’t think it’s funny and tune out? What if people think it’s so funny that they guffaw their way through the meat and potatoes at the end? Backloading worries me. [In Tim Gunn face and voice] I’m concerned. B-.
sjbooher: This does a great job letting the viewer know it’s Wendy’s, with their logo right up front (and adding the fishing pole is a nice touch), and describing the new menu item with the North Pacific Ocean shot. I don’t know why, but when I see/hear a wintry ocean scene or description in relation to fish, it gets my mouth watering — and I don’t even eat fish! I wouldn’t order a fish sandwich, but this ad does make me want to go to Wendy’s. The only slight problem I have is with this part of the script: “Everybody knows — if you don’t know what it is, don’t eat it.” I can’t quite describe why, but that part just does not feel quite right. B+.
jtherkal: I miss the red wig ads, but this does do a good job of making me want Wendy’s. Although I’m partial to the spicy chicken sandwich, this might persuade me to try the fish. That shot of the wintry ocean scene is subliminal! I never would have noticed it. Of course, now that I’m looking closely, at the :22 mark you can see “limited time only” on the screen. Does that mean that after a limited time they’re going to switch to chopped-up mystery fish? On second thought, it’s probably wise to steer clear of fast food fish altogether.
And should any fast food chain ever claim, “if you don’t know what it is, don’t eat it”? I don’t know what’s in Wendy’s nuggets, frosty dairy desserts, chili, etc. I know they say it’s better than fast food, but come on– you’re not fooling anyone. People in glass houses…B-.
