I wish we were able to deliver something half this amazing for a “Dont Text and Drive” campaign we’re working on in Hooterville. This is simply genius stuff and talks directly to the target audience with substantial impact…for virtually no budget. Click the link and be impressed.
Posts Tagged ‘TV commercials’
Talking to your audience
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011Are YOU Dog Enough?
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010Thanks to sullieseverything for this find. Such a sweet spot. I love the British.
My Political Year
Thursday, October 28th, 2010If you’re in advertising, in any size market, you gotta be excited when November 3rd arrives. Political Ad Season is despised by just about everyone I’ve met…in and OUT of the business. The money spent is a testament to the size of the egos and amount of power to be had … no matter what level – even a small town. It makes me sick considering my local women’s shelter has just had to cut two more beds and turn away more women and their kids.
This is the first time in 28 + years we’ve been deluged by politicians. Media buying, copywriting, video shooting, audio taping, meeting, checks flying, e-mailing, phone calling, pre-empting (“You got bumped. Would you let us put you in Monday Night Wrestling?”)…it goes on. While none of the ones we worked with are bad people, I wouldn’t want them as regular clients.
The political marketing process on this level (and maybe others, though I doubt it) is “shoot from the hip, last minute decisions, a large amount of posturing, and waaay too many Indians.” Ya know, guys, if it’s that important, then why didn’t you spend more time planning….it’s not like you didn’t know when it was going to be November 2nd.
We don’t formulate the “message”, we just make it look good. We didn’t have anyone as titillating as Christine O’Donnell, (what an opportunity-this is my FAVORITE one) but we hope our guys win Tuesday. Then we can get back to work.
Small town political
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010I havent posted lately due to a) overwork b) charity wine tasting events c) a sudden rush of local politicians wanting our services d) all of the above. I’ve always assumed there is a special voodoo when it comes to political advertising. But is there?
Many politicians are attorneys. I sat in a room with three of them, listening and watching as they reasoned their way to each conclusion. It was interesting for a minute, until I realized none of them REALLY knew what they were talking about. Like all clients, they were basing marketing decisions on their own personal experience, rather than looking at a broader, objective and researched view. (Yes, even in Hooterville we’re a Nielsen market and have data to drive SOME decisions.) And I understand the “sale” in politics is a person, an ego, and subsequently, power, money and control. So it’s important….although no more important to our furniture client than selling that sofa. But I digress.
Anyway, their critique of the first pass was hysterical.
“His delivery was too light and airy…it needs to be more of a hemorrhoid moment. Why is he smiling? He’s running for JUDGE, for Gods sake.”
“We HAVE to reshoot. The sagging bag under my neck is awful…can’t you adjust the lighting?”
“My wife doesn’t like the shot of me walking up the stairs.”
“Didn’t the shot of me walking the dog work out?”
“We’re in GO MODE. When can we be on the air?”
Settle down, gentlemen. My meter is running.
Braininajar
Thursday, September 16th, 2010This is better than the Ray Lewis effort, which I thought was waaaay lame.
“Unspeakable horror.” HA!
6 1/2 weeks
Thursday, August 26th, 2010We want the billboards back. They were such a good morale booster for our salespeople.
After 6 1/2 weeks of primarily television (with two different offers), peppered with some radio and gratuitous small town (weekly) newspaper ads, the client wants his billboards back in the media mix. At our meeting today, we discussed this.
I was taught that the first person who talks after the question is asked loses. So I asked “Why?” and kept my big mouth shut.
“Our sales people are on commission and they’re used to seeing us on billboards. It helps us boost morale, and it shows we’re “out there” with our advertising.”
OK. What else? (Morale booster? Really? Buy ‘em lunch-it’d be cheaper.)
“Well, they haven’t seen our TV commercials. Sales are flat and it’s such a big change for them to not see our billboards.”
How are sales now compared to a year ago?
“About the same.”
It’s been 6 1/2 weeks since we were asked to place your media. If we could make a significant shift in that amount of time, given your product, budget and competitive set, we’d have the Budweiser account and I wouldn’t be sitting here fucking with you. (I didn’t really say that.)
“Well, maybe we didn’t explain it very well to them up front, about our shift to more television and no more billboards.”
Welcome to the mentality of small towns clients who allow their staff input in areas that are not remotely in their field of expertise, who think that their target audience is “everyone”, and who expect instantaneous results.
This is a small, regional cellular service. They can’t offer the iPhone. Their coverage area is spotty. They offer too many plans and have a history of changing their message with no consistency every 60 days. When their new Marketing Director was hired recently, she asked us to present a plan and their old agency to do the same. (The budget was reduced, and rightfully so. They were spending a fortune.) The old agency refuses to participate (WHY?), we present, we win the work, and the Big Cheese who wasn’t at the initial presentation-and should have been-comes back 6 1/2 weeks later and wonders where the billboards are. Huh?
Who is your customer? Why you and not one of the big cell carriers? Let’s secret shop your retail outlets and see just how good your “experts-at-everything” sales people really are. Let’s get the research you’ve commissioned (Thank God) in here to give a peek at what the regional market really thinks of you, and THEN plan accordingly.
It’s like you gave me one shoe, asked me to run the race and wondered why I didn’t win.
This is a LOT more than billboards. It’s a tangled mess of dysfunction. It’s gonna be interesting.
And you wonder why mommy drinks.
Making a call in Hooterville.
I Love Sushi
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010Who thinks this stuff up?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQwk2Ty7yeU&feature=player_embedded
(Discovered at The Browser.)
Come as you are…indeed.
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010Here’s a spot we won’t be seeing anytime soon here in Hooterville. And I would agree it begs the question why would McDonalds feel the need to address the gay population so directly, yet, I loved it and now I think I want to move to France. Via Prostituted Thoughts, a blog I always read.
Not too shabby…
Thursday, May 6th, 2010The following commercial didn’t require a story board, long creative sessions, gobs of research, a big time director or producer, union electricians, best boys or girls, sound engineers, or craft services. It took good listening, absence of ego, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to meet a deadline. Problem is, now the Camera Guy only wants to fly in corporate jets. Watch for it nationally on Swamp Loggers and Ax Men. Not bad for a small shop.
The Construction of a Commercial
Sunday, March 21st, 2010In my sports crazed household, this spot really caught our attention. Beautiful imagination at work, using the metaphor of construction, “building” young people. In a maybe too-short interview, hear how they made it…then you’ll see the final effort. Nice!