We Don’t Want the Capitol

Recently, there has been some local and national buzz around the notion of moving the United States Capitol to Nebraska.  It’s pretty easy to see why media members and bloggers would run with this idea – it makes for an attention-grabbing (and click generating) headline.

The story behind it is a political ad by Ben Sasse, a candidate for one of Nebraska’s U.S. Senate seats.  For better or for worse (and probably it’s the latter), Sasse has employed some interesting ads in his senate campaign*.

*Sasse’s latest ad has his two young daughters talking about how much daddy “despises” Obamacare.  I’d like to comment more on that one, but every time I watch it, I get creeped out.  Maybe if Sasse wins today’s primary election I’ll take a second look at it.

Here is the 30 second version of the Capitol ad:

Normally, when I talk about advertising on this site, I go into the nuts and bolts – what works and what doesn’t.  But political advertising is a completely different beast.  The genre is known as much for a lack of creativity (here is Candidate X standing in front of a bunch of flags, or looking like a regular Joe at the corner cafe) as it is for an extreme creative license with factual information (read:  they’re jam-packed with exaggerations, half-truths, and outright lies).

Instead of picking apart the ad, let’s focus on the key message:  America would be better served if the Capitol is in Nebraska.

Certainly, there is something to this.  Nebraskans, by and large, are a roll-up-your-sleeves, git-r-done, kind of people.  Our unique unicameral (one house) state legislature is officially non-partisan, and is generally free of the political gamesmanship that plagues Washington D.C.

Nebraska, Our Nation’s Capital (Photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com)

But with all due respect to Ben Sasse (and his stroke-the-ego-of-the-populace move to imply that Nebraskans are above the political fray), I think I speak for all Nebraskans when I say, we don’t want the Capitol here.

Why not?  Let’s look at some of the reasons:

• The majority of the nation (I’m looking at you East and West coasts) would have to think of Nebraska as something other than a barren wasteland of flyover country.  You’d come here, realize how nice it is, and screw it up.
• Being the center of U.S. politics is not a good way to maintain Nebraska as “The Good Life“.
• Nebraska trails neighboring states in the number of operational wind turbines, so we are ill-equipped to handle the hot air 535 senators and congressmen would generate.
• The national media has put too much time and effort into cultivating the national stereotype that Nebraska is nothing but farms, cows, and dudes driving tractors.
• Depending on the month (or the day) it would be too cold or too hot for you here.
• As the only state with a unicameral legislature, we wouldn’t know what to do with the extra house.  Besides, we’d probably just decorate it with Husker stuff.
• Have you ever tried to fly into Nebraska?  It’s not exactly easy.  The four gates at Lincoln Municipal Airport (LNK) would be packed with lobbyists and corporate interests.
• Bringing Congress here would double, if not triple, the number of democrats currently in our very red state.
• We don’t want the Beltway gridlock.  We’re pretty partial to “rush hour” slowing our commute down to 35 mph, instead of the usual 45 mph.
• Washington’s sports teams are a collective train wreck – especially the District’s NFL franchise.  Given that Nebraska football is a statewide passion, we cannot jeopardize it being corrupted by D.C. influences.
• I think the last democratic president to step foot inside Nebraska was JFK.
• 17% of Representatives and 6% of Senators could not find Nebraska on a map.  (Hint:  we’re above Kansas and below “One of those Dakotas”)
• We prefer our manure to come from cows, not politicians.

That said, today is the primary election in Nebraska, so get out and vote for your next Senator, next Governor*, and other local races.

*Oh, you think Nebraska’s Democratic candidates for governor and senate have a chance in November?  You’re so cute!

Ad Review – World’s Toughest Job (M)

Campaign: “World’s Toughest Job”

Campaign Theme in Haiku Format:

Hidden camera
Viral video has a
Surprise twist ending

Visual

Commentary

How long did it take you to figure it out?  How far into the 4 minute, six second video were you when you realized what the job truly was?  For me, it took about 20-30 seconds.  The premise of interviewing for the job of “mom” and referring to the child as “the associate” is rather clever, but it wasn’t exactly an impossible riddle.

This leads to my initial criticism:  who are these people?  Look:  if you are interviewing for a position called “Director of Operations”, I would hope you’d be smart enough to know you’re being had one or two questions into the interview.  If you need to ask if a 24/7 workweek  is “even legal”, that should be your first clue that you are either really under-qualified for an executive job or you are an actor playing the role of a shocked applicant.

As I’ve talked about in past Ad Reviews, I find myself very skeptical of commercials that employ “hidden camera” antics presumably showing everyday folks.  Years and years of reality TV have left me suspicious of any reaction that is presented to me as “real”.  I’m not saying these people weren’t legitimately fooled, but I’ll just as easily believe they were actors demonstrating versions of their “shocked” face into a web cam.

Now, let’s focus on the positives.

First and foremost: everybody loves Mom*.  Hopefully this is a non-negotiable truth.  

*Especially me.  I love you, Mom.  You are truly the best. 

I like the matter-of-fact way the interviewer describes the job requirements of being a mom.  A sampling of my favorites:

• “Constantly on your feet…high level of stamina” for “135 hours to unlimited hours a week – it’s basically 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
• “There are no breaks available.”
• “You can have lunch, but only when the associate is done eating their lunch.”
• “Requires excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills.”
• “Degree in medicine, finance, and the culinary arts.”
• “Able to work in a chaotic environment.”
• “If you had a life, we’d ask you to sort of give that life up”
• “No Vacations…On holidays, the workload is going to go up, and we demand that – with a happy disposition.”
• “No time to sleep.”

And, of course, the kicker:  it pays “absolutely nothing”.

Those lines, delivered to perfection by the faux interviewer, are a big part of why this video has gone viral.  We all know that mom works hard, but sometimes you really need to see it in terms like this to really appreciate it.

 

Then throw in the reveal when the interviewer tells the applicants what they apparently had not figured out on their own:  Director of Operations is a fancy term for mom.  Cue the outpouring of love and appreciation and pass the tissues because it is getting dusty in here.

But…

The version of the video I watched must have omitted the part where the Director of Operations is standalone position with no assistance from the Vice Director of Administrative Duties (DAD).  Maybe this video is all about the single moms – and seriously, can we get some special recognition for the single moms?  Those women are amazing.  However, I’m pretty sure Director of Operations applicants can be married as well as single.

So what about dad?  Can’t he at least get a mention here?  Look:  I consider myself to be an average to above-average dad, and I feel like I’m doing a lot of these things each and every day.  I wear many of the same hats my wife does, including some she does not (director of grounds maintenance, pest exterminator, waste management engineer, in addition to my responsibilities running the morning shift at the home office), but to hear this video tell it, there are zero expectations on me.  Heck, instead of getting dinner ready, bathing the oldest two, and helping out with bedtime I apparently should have been sitting on the couch watching the ball game with a beer.  Or maybe there will be another version of this video in the weeks leading up to Father’s Day.  But I’m not going to hold my breath.

I’m not trying to take anything away from the hard work put in by my wife or any other married mom out there, but every dad I know plays an active (if not equal) role in the “mom duties” listed above.  The era of the 1950’s TV dad is long gone.  All I’m saying is it would be nice to at least get a mention.

From an advertising perspective, I’m skeptical as to how successful this video will be.  As quickly as you probably figured out that the job listing is for a mom, it probably took a much longer time to figure out whose products/services we are supposed to buy*.  

*My first guess on the identity of the advertiser was Proctor & Gamble, who have done an excellent job of  branding themselves as the “proud supporter of moms” through their series of tear-jerker Olympic ads.

In the 4:06 video, the first clue (a URL for www.cardstore.com) doesn’t come on the screen until the 3:55 mark.  But who the heck is cardstore.com?  Some shady website where I create an e-card that ends up snagged in mom’s spam filter?  It’s only at the 4:01 mark that we find out who the real advertiser is:  American Greetings.

In my opinion, this delayed reveal creates two big issues:

1) How many people close the video before the company name is revealed?  Probably more than you think.  The only reason I stuck around was to find out who the advertiser was, but I’m guessing the majority of viewers don’t share my curiosity for these sorts of things.  This is a great example of the old advertising axiom:  It doesn’t matter how great your commercial is if nobody knows about your product.

2) When I read the closing line (“This Mother’s Day, you might want to make her a card”), I definitely do not think of American Greetings.  I think of arts and crafts time with the kids.  Truth be told, on my first viewing, I read “Mother’s Day” and “card” and immediately thought of Hallmark.  I’m guessing that is not what the folks at American Greetings were hoping for.

Overall, this is an amusing video that will likely inspire as many tears as it does views (5.1 million as of this writing).  As a dad, it makes me a little defensive, but I don’t suspect there are too many moms who don’t like it.  Yet, I question how much of an uptick in traffic / sales American Greetings  and cardstore.com will see from it.

Grade:  B-

*   *   *

(Author’s note:  Wondering why there is a random letter in parentheses in the title of this post?  Not sure how this post corresponds to the daily letter in the April A to Z Challenge?  Like clicking on links?  These questions are all answered here.)

Fireworks! Get Your Illegal Fireworks!

Driving around Lincoln recently, I saw a billboard that caught my eye.

It was for the “Fireworks Emporium” in Rock Port, Missouri

The sign describes the Emporium as the “Home of the ‘Really Good Stuff'”.  What does that mean?  While they don’t specify anything, they do hint at it by mentioning their stuff is “NOT available in Nebraska!”  In other words, things that are allowed under Missouri law, but not by Nebraska / Lincoln laws (bottle rockets, M-80s, among others).

I was able to get a low-quality picture of the sign with my phone before the light turned green:

Come get your illegal fireworks!

I am struck by the message, and I admire the balls behind this billboard.

They are saying:  “Look – we know that Nebraska, and especially Lincoln, have some pretty restrictive fireworks laws.  But we also know that you want to celebrate the Fourth by blowin’ up some stuff that is bigger, louder, and more awesome than what you could find in Lincoln.  So take a short 80 mile drive down to Missouri and stock up on some seriously good stuff – the stuff that will impress your friends, scare the neighbors, and risk your fingers.  Sure, much of what we sell is illegal where you live.  But we don’t care.  Just like you don’t care.  So since you’re going to break the law,  you might as well do it right – with us.”

In short, this billboard is saying, “Come buy your illegal fireworks from us!”

I know, I know – the majority of fireworks laws are notoriously under enforced, especially on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of July (as well as the nearest weekend).

However, the State Fire Marshall’s website states very plainly:

“It is illegal to transport fireworks across the state line as stated in Nebraska State Statute 28-1248. Only a licensed distributor or jobber may bring fireworks into the state. You may also want to check with the US Department of Transportation regarding any restrictions or requirements they place on transportation of fireworks.”

But the good folks that Fireworks Emporium in Rock Port, MO don’t really care about that.  Neither do the proprietors of the other big fireworks shops in Rock Port or Watson – two small towns in the northwestern corner of Missouri that are a bottle rocket’s flight away from both Nebraska and Iowa.

I wonder if other businesses employ this same strategy – enticing people with products and services that are illegal where they live.

The numerous casino billboards and commercials in Omaha (just across the river from legal casino gaming in Council Bluffs, IA) are the first thing to come to mind.  But there is a key difference:  For the casinos, you actually have to leave your state to utilize the product.  With Rock Port Firework Emporium, you buy them where they are legal, but then you likely transport and use them in a place where they’re prohibited by law.

Now that marijuana is legal in Colorado and Washington, do you think the legal sellers pot are advertising in bordering states?  Is there a billboard in Corvallis, Oregon advertising the Marijuana Emporium in Bordertown, Washington, taunting the locals with promises of the “Really Good Stuff” not available in Oregon?

For the record, I don’t have a problem with the Fireworks Emporium advertising in Nebraska, nor do I really care if product purchased there is blown up here (I will neither confirm nor deny having used bottle rockets inside the borders of the Great State of Nebraska).  But as a fan of advertising, I can’t remember another ad with a similar message.

Ad Review – Walmart – Steak-Over

Campaign: ”Steak-Over”

Campaign Theme in Haiku Format:

Walmart steaks so good
Restaurant diners are fooled?
Um, I’m skeptical.

Visual

Commentary

Okay…where to begin?

From a creative standpoint, this campaign is a clear and blatant rip-off of the classic “we’ve secretly replaced their gourmet coffee with Folger’s crystals” ads from the 70s and 80s.  I like creativity in my advertising.  I want to see something new and fresh, not a rehash of a 35 year old concept.

That said, stealing the Folger’s idea is absolutely brilliant.

Admit it:  when the guy says they’re replacing the steaks in some high-end steakhouse with Walmart steaks, your B.S. detector went off.  I know mine did.  We’re all thinking the same things:  there is no freakin’ way these people could a) not notice and b) actually enjoy it.  I’m guessing this is the same reaction my parents’ generation had when the Folger’s campaign was new.  The underlying message – if the patrons in these fancy-pants places can’t tell the difference, neither will my family – is tough to beat.

But as brilliant as their concept is, it does not work perfectly.

Things have changed quite a bit in the last 30+ years.  We are more skeptical and jaded then we used to be.  Everybody knows that many “reality” TV moments are carefully planned, staged, and even scripted.  Sure, these folks enjoyed their Walmart steaks, but how many other diners knew their meat was not as good as it usually is and sent their steaks back?  The on-screen disclaimer says “Real customers were shown and compensated for their time and participation.”  What does that mean?  Did the folks who raved about Walmart steak walk out with $500 gift cards to Walmart?  Were their reactions really that authentic?  Are we supposed to trust Walmart, a company that just admitted to tricking about of unsuspecting people?

Let’s focus back on their message.  I know the reaction I’m supposed to have is “Walmart steaks are so good I’d never know them from those served in an expensive steakhouse”.  But here is the reaction I had the first time I saw this ad:

“Man, I’d be so pissed if they did that to me.”

Seriously.  Imagine you’re out on a special date at a very nice restaurant.  This isn’t grabbing a bite at Applebee’s, I’m talking about a fancy place with cloth napkins, where you need reservations and probably dress up a little bit.  The kind of place you’re only going to a couple of times a year.  As you and your lovely date sit down at Jimmy Kelly’s Steakhouse, a well-known Nashville restaurant, you scan the dinner menu and decide that you are going to splurge on the ribeye ($36.75, not including sides, drinks, tax, or tip).  For $36.75, I’m expecting a damn good piece of meat, perfectly seasoned and grilled to my exact specifications.  I’m expecting a steak so good that I would never even consider tainting it with a drop of steak sauce.

Instead, they bring you out a piece of meat from Walmart.  Just typing out that scenario makes my blood boil.  I don’t care how delicious it is, I would be so, so mad.

It raises a question:  Why on earth would these well-known steakhouses agree to let Walmart do this?  It is a lose/lose proposition for them.  You either invite years of scrutiny upon your restaurant/chef/food because you knowingly served Walmart steaks.  And if the ad is successful, potential customers realize they can get equal quality beef at Walmart for $7.98 a pound, and have no need to pay you $36.75 for the same thing.  Essentially you have allowed Walmart to use your business to discourage people from using your business.  That is an interesting business strategy, Jimmy Kelly Steakhouse.  I hope you got some big bucks from Walmart.

I know there are some of you thinking that old Folger’s campaign didn’t hurt the business or reputation of those four-star places.  And you’re probably right, but there is a big difference here.

Coffee, while an integral part of a meal for some, is not why people go to a four star restaurant – the food is the reason.  If I go to a fancy place, my fabulous meal is not going to be ruined because I had a cup of mediocre instant coffee.  But that doesn’t hold true for these commercials.  Great steak is the cornerstone of a great steakhouse.  Jimmy Kelly Steakhouse may give me a free dessert for my participation, but every time I walk in there I’ll think about the time they gave me piece of meat that came from a store where the people watching has its own website.

Put it another way – if Folger’s revived their old campaign, do you think Starbucks would allow them to come into their stores and film people saying “This is really good.  Instead of spending $3.75 here for my coffee, I’ll use Folger’s from now on”?  Hell no.

And that is where this campaign ultimately falls apart.  Look:  I know you can get some nice, quality items at Wally-World, and in my experience, their fresh grocery items (meat, deli, produce) are probably on par with most other grocery chains.  But convincing me that a Walmart steak can pass for one at a great steakhouse?  That is just too high of a mountain to climb.

Grade:  D

Lenticular Thinking

I love successful advertising – the convergence of message and medium that directly hits the targeted audience; inspiring them to buy, to act, or to think.

I also love innovation – using existing technology and concepts in new ways.  In the advertising world, that means utilizing different tools and techniques to break through ad clutter, and pinpoint your audience.

And we all love people who protect children, and work to make the world a better place.

This post is about all of these loves, and how the combination is far greater than the sum of its parts.

*   *   *

There is a picture in my father-in-law’s bathroom.

Technically, there are two pictures.  Let me explain:

Instead of a flat canvas, there a few dozen triangular columns jutting out from the surface.  Those two pictures?  They are each lovely beach scenes, but both have been perfectly sliced into quarter-inch wide strips.  The strips for one picture have been pasted to the left side of the triangles, and the other set of strips is on the right side.  So depending on how you view the picture, you see one image, but not the other.

It is a neat little concept – a lenticular, as I have since learned – and it makes for a pretty and unique piece of art.

But I’ve never considered a lenticular as much more than a nice to liven up a bathroom wall.

*   *   *

The problem is real.

All around us, children are being abused.

The problem is important.

How do you reach a child who is being abused?  How do you let them know that abuse they are enduring is not okay?  That they can get the help and protection they need?

Now…how do you communicate this information in front of their abuser without putting the child at greater risk?

The problem must be solved.

*   *   *

This is where the three loves I mentioned above all come together.

I could explain how they converge, but I’ll let this very cool video do the work for me.  It shows how the ANAR Foundation, (a child advocacy organization in Spain) solved the problem:

Seriously, how cool is that?

I absolutely love this.  A brilliant example of how technology meshed with advertising savvy can do great things.  While it is very easy to reduce advertising down to talking animals or bad “but wait, there’s more” pitches, this shows what advertising can be – the combination of clever thinking and unique ideas that hopefully make the world a little better.

Ad Review – Marines – “Toward the Sounds of Chaos”

Company:  United States Marine Corps

Campaign: ”Towards the Sounds of Chaos”

Campaign Theme in Haiku Format:

When things get crazy
Confusion and chaos reign.
Which way would you run?

Visual

Commentary

Yes, this is an older ad (I believe it came out in early 2012), but it was on my mind as I watched the various videos of the bombing at the Boston Marathon.  Every time I saw those horrible scenes of mayhem and terror, I was struck by the men and women – Boston Police, soldiers, civilians – whose first reaction was to run towards the epicenter of the horror.  Watching this ad again, I am struck by how eerily similar the first ten seconds of this commercial are to the videos in Boston after the first bomb went off.  Especially the screaming.

As for the ad itself, I really like this commercial.  It is gritty, it is honest (or as honest as a commercial for an occupation where death, dismemberment, and/or long-term mental illness are distinct possibilities).  Equally as impressive is avoiding most of the “Oorah” machismo that one usually sees in military advertising.  But the most impressive thing this ad does is speak effectively to two entirely different audiences at the same time.

Which way would you run?  The million dollar question that divides our two camps.

Obviously, the primary target audience are those men and women who would intentionally run towards chaos.  Those five little words (accompanied by the point of view video of a Marine running into some serious action) does a better job of explaining what being a Marine is all about than “The few.  The proud.  The Marines.” ever did.  If you brave enough to run to chaos, the Marines would love to talk to you.  If not, the closest you’ll get to being a Marine is a Sunday afternoon showing of “A Few Good Men” on TNT.

There are not too many ads where I am as far removed from the primary target audience as I am here.  Which way would I run?  This will come as no surprise to those who know me, but I am running away from chaos.  Far, far away.  As quickly as possible.  With Costanza-esque disregard for women and children.*

*More realistically, I’m probably going to curl up in the fetal position and hide or pretend to be dead until the threat of danger passes.  But doesn’t allow me the opportunity to link to a Seinfeld clip.  And I think it is slightly more manly to say that I’d run away instead of playing opossum.

I am a coward who has no desire to ever be anywhere close to Marine-level chaos.  And yet, this commercial still has a message for me.  The Marines would like to remind me (and the other chickens in my camp) that one of the reasons we continue to have our freedom, our rights, and our great nation is because there are people courageous enough to move towards evil and work to defeat it.  As we were reminded of in Boston, not all of these heroes are Marines, but the commercial is a good reminder of the debt of gratitude we all owe to those who serve, defend, and protect us.  God bless all of you, and I thank you.

One nit-pick with the ad:  I like the idea of showing the Marines hauling the boxes marked “Aid”, as supplying aid to people impacted by war, tyranny, and disaster is an important part of being in the armed forces.  But the very next image (around 0:36) is of a gunner in the helicopter, who looks like he about to rain bullets down on the folks receiving the aid.  Probably could have transitioned a little better there.  Otherwise, a very strong ad.

Overall Grade:  A

Green Poupon

One of the highlights from last week’s Oscars broadcast was the revival of the classic Grey Poupon campaign.  Anybody who alive in the 1980s remembers the basic gist:  snooty rich guy riding in his Rolls pulls up along another snooty rich guy in his Rolls.  Rich Guy A utters the timeless line “Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?”  Rich Guy B responds “But of course!” and hands the jar out the window.

The reboot of the campaign starts off the same way, but when Guy A drives off with the mustard jar, Guy B gives chase and they have a chase scene interlaced with several symbols of the uber-wealthy.

It is an absolutely brilliant ad – taking a classic, well-known template and flipping it on its head for outstanding dramatic and comedic effect.  I heard from several people who said it was the highlight of Oscar Night.  Having dissected the ads in the last two Super Bowls, I can tell you that this ad would have easily been among the best in either of those games.

And frankly, the brilliance of this ad bums me out.

You see, I recently learned that one of the key people behind this Grey Poupon ad is a classmate of mine from the University of Nebraska.  We were both advertising majors and had several classes together.  And yes, she was pretty good back then.  But…(and maybe this is just my pride and ego talking) but I remember thinking that I was just as good as she was – if not a touch better.

But 15 years later, she’s making amazing commercials in L.A., and my day job is pretty far removed from advertising.  Her work is being seen by 40 million people during the Oscars.  On Oscar Sunday, this blog was viewed by fewer than 40 people.  (Much fewer, I might add).  When she worked on those Christmas Vacation spoof ads for Old Navy, she worked with Chevy Chase.  I once worked with somebody who reminded me of Cousin Eddie.

So yeah, I’m jealous.  And that is something that I never thought I would publicly admit (even if my low readership means that secret will be pretty safe).  And I should also be clear about my fellow Husker who is creating these brilliant ads:  I always thought she was talented, and I truly liked her as a person.  I am very happy for her well-deserved (and I’m sure, hard-earned) success.  It could not happen to a nicer, sweeter person.

But that doesn’t erase that pang of jealousy I feel when I read an article talking about how brilliant the ad was, or think that somebody I considered an equal is doing ads for the second biggest night on TV.  That would be pretty cool.

This envy cause me to look back and evaluate some of the choices I’ve made (pursue unpaid internships or work retail job that pays the bills and bar tab) as well as the lessons I’ve learned (prospective employers care more about your experience than your stellar GPA).

The feelings of jealousy are definitely subsided by my wife (whom I never would have met if not for the decidedly non-advertising job I took out of college) and our beautiful children.  And the rational part of me knows that I would have been very hesitant to move to Chicago or Los Angeles to pursue an ad career – away from family, friends, my Huskers.  Heck, I would not have done it when I was 23 and single and I definitely wouldn’t do it now.

This all leads to the million dollar “what if” question:  If I could go back and do it all over again, would I do things differently, knowing that it could lead to me being the one writing the awesome ad?

My answer is an emphatic “no”.  I have things pretty damn good in my life, and I know a lot of the blessings and positive outcomes that have occurred for me.

That said, if anybody would like a freelance copywriter I am available.  I may not have the amazing portfolio that my fellow Nebraska alum does, but I know in my heart I can produce the same quality of work – and I’ll guarantee my rates are much lower.

Super Ads II

Last year, I reviewed all of the Super Bowl commercials, and I’m going to do it again.  I’m going to review and rate each of the commercials in the Super Bowl.  I watched the game in real-time (or as close to it as one can get with a wife and three-year old daughter who went to bed somewhere in the 3rd Quarter), compiling notes as I went.  After the game, I went back, using the magic of DVR technology, and took a second, third, and sometimes fourth look.

Let’s get to it…(note – the names of the ads are my own, since I didn’t feel like looking up the names for 50 some ads.  Also, I didn’t link to any of them.  They are all on YouTube if you need to see them again).

FIRST QUARTER

Ad Review – Jack Links Beef Jerky – “Messin’ With Sasquatch”

Company:  Jack Links Beef Jerky

Campaign: “Messin’ With Sasquatch”

Campaign Theme in Haiku Format:

Play pranks on Bigfoot
After eating jerky snack
End up in much pain

Visual

Commentary

For a certain demographic, these commercials have it all:  the great outdoors, hanging with buddies, beefy snack sticks, childish pranks, Bigfoot, and slapstick violence.  For the 16-year-old boy in me, the only thing these commercials are missing is girls in bikinis.

However, I’m not 16 anymore, and the more I watch these commercials, the more I question their efficiency.  Let’s start with the product itself.  What is Jack Links trying to say about their product?  The numerous commercials in this campaign would have me believe one of two things:

1) Jack Links Beef Jerky is the perfect snack for idiots who play childish pranks on freakishly strong, giant woodland creatures

2) Jack Links Beef Jerky makes you do stupid things that end up getting you hurt.

Either way, I’m probably going to pass on the jerky.

I’ll admit the original concept is amusing, but this campaign is quickly running out of steam.  I mean, when you’re out camping with your buddies, do you really pack the gag snakes in a peanut can?

Overall Grade:  C

Thought of the Day – 7/31/2012

Recently, I’ve been seeing a number of commercials for Domino’s new “oven baked sandwiches”.  As far as commercials go, they are pretty bland and forgettable (as witnessed by the fact that these may be the only commercial produced in the last ten years that I cannot find on YouTube).

But during my 31st viewing of the ad, something stuck out.  An actress (playing the role of “Cutest Girl To Ever Work In Fast Food”) tried to sell me on their fancy, schmancy sammiches by telling me they are:

“Made with only our finest ingredients!”

Well, sure.  Call me naive, but when I order food from a mediocre pizza chain, five-star restaurant, or anything in-between I really like to believe that whatever I’m ordering is “made with only their finest ingredients.”

But this raises questions…

• What does Domino’s do with the ingredients that are not their finest?  (Readers, insert your own joke about Domino’s pizza here)
• Does Domino’s have somebody at each store who sifts through all of the ingredients, setting aside the fine ones for the sandwiches?
• What is the definition of “finest ingredients” for a Domino’s?  I’m guessing their bar is a little lower than the chef at that five-star restaurant (or even your local Applebee’s).
• Does Domino’s knowingly purchase inferior ingredients for use in other products?
• If you’re considering buying a sandwich from Domino’s is the quality of ingredients really your chief concern?