Positively Giddy

Apr 13 2007 Published by under Football, Marketing, Politics, Television

I somehow missed this in my daily deluge of news yesterday morning, but someone pointed out the possibility that two of my favorite things, politics and Super Bowl ads, may be coming together in one of the coolest Mash-ups of all time.

As states line up to hold presidential primaries on the first Tuesday in February, the Feb. 3 Super Bowl could look super inviting and super expensive to presidential campaigns eager to deliver a knockout punch.

“That is a very ripe and timely target,” said Mark McKinnon, chief media strategist for President Bush in 2000 and 2004 and now an adviser to Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign. “It would reach a huge audience at a very critical time. I think campaigns will look very closely at that.”

The downside, of course, is that the Presidential message machines will never risk being fun and creative with an ad like that. The ad would undoubtedly look more like Bear or Morning in America than When I Grow Up or the Budweiser Frogs. I’d love to see a candidate with the cojones to do a riff on the Budweiser ad. Imagine the three toads sitting and belching out “Mitt-Rom-Ney! Mitt-Rom-Ney!”

I know… I know… Never. Gonna. Happen.

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The SuperProposal

Jan 08 2007 Published by under Craziness, Football, Marketing, Self-Promotion, Sports, Stuff That Sucks, Television

A friend of mine sent me a link to the SuperProposal. It’s the effort of some guy to get a corporate sponsor for his proposal to his girlfriend during the Superbowl.

The Goal – To Propose to My Girlfriend on National TV During the 2007 Superbowl in Miami

The guy wanted to raise enough money to buy an ad, and was asking for contributions, but only hit the $100k mark (versus a $2.5 million ad). So now he is hoping a corporation will help him out and he’s going to donate the dough already raised to charity. So he gets credit for this grand romantic gesture, and also gets credit for this grand philanthropic gesture.

On behalf of men everywhere that a) now feel inadequate for their own minor league proposal b) feel guilty because the most generous thing we have done lately is pre-order girl scout cookies, and c) also have to face a wife who says “why can’t you be more romantic like that guy”, I hope and pray that someone kicks this guy really hard in the junk.

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Fascinating

Feb 08 2006 Published by under Marketing, Technology, Television

TelevisionTechnologyDid the FedEx Super Bowl spot fall flat? Did Sierra Mist’s Airport ad not suck after all? It appears that may be the case according to brain researchers.

Researchers using brain scans taken as subjects watched the ads found there was one thing in common – all the ads repelled viewers. They triggered a response in the part of the brain charged with detecting threats.

For me, that’s not a real surprise.

What is interesting is the ads that caused the most reaction in terms of desire, fear, and reward were the Disney ad and the Sierra Mist ad.

I can almost understand both of those. The concept of Disney on it’s own evokes pleasant childhood memories, so I imagine it may elicit a more visceral reaction. And people hate going through airport security, so that probably triggered a response as well.

Given we’re millions of years removed from our prehistoric selves, I don’t think the dinosaurs freak us out as bad. But FedEx, I still loved that ad.

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Live Blogging The Super Bowl Ads

Feb 05 2006 Published by under Football, Marketing, Miscellany, Sports, Television

Super BowlSure the game is fine, but the real reason anyone would watch a game between the Seahawks and Steelers is the Super Bowl ads (and maybe to catch an occasional glimpse of Hasselbeck’s sister-in-law).

So I’m blogging the ads, and calling it like I see it. You can’t stop me, you can only hope to contain me. I’m not sure how long I’ll keep this up, but for now…

Bud Light, Office: Amusing, but not great.

Burger King, Stage Production Thing: Awful with the possible exception of the appearance of Brooke Burke.

Sierra Mist, Security Guards: Dumb. Kathy Griffin just isn’t funny. I like Jim Gaffigan, but he’s a better comic than this ad would imply.

Bud Light, Revolving Wall: Very clever. I need a magic fridge. I had seen the first half of this the other day, but the guys on the other side of the wall were a nice addition.

FedEx, Cavemen: I think I worked for a direct descendent of the boss in that ad.

Bud Light, Bear: Is it me, or did Bud Light’s ads used to be funnier?

Diet Pepsi, Diddy: Lame. Seriously Lame. Jay Mohr should be ashamed of himself.
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