On Super Bowl Sunday just as much action happens during the commercial breaks as it does on the field. Both Dean and Nick will have Super Bowl ad commentary available in their respective media. During the game, Nick will provide color commentary on the ads in real time on Twitter like last year. If you want to join or follow the larger Twitter conversation around the Super Bowl, use the hashtag #SB44. On Monday, Dean will offer a post-game ad wrap-up on 1700 The Champ’s “Out of Bounds” with Larry Cotlar, The Round Guy, & Andy Garman for those of you in the listening area. Also be sure to check out YouTube’s Super Bowl Ad Blitz where you can view all of the ads and vote on a fan favorite. Ready? BREAK! (more…)

In the recent issue of Creativity, modern advertising leaders offer their opinions on the state of the industry. Among the questions asked was should this business still be called ‘advertising.’ This is an especially relevant topic as all of us navigate the sometimes murky waters of consumer engagement via new channels such as social media. While many interesting viewpoints were espoused, ultimately I agree most with David Droga, Creative Chairman of Droga5: “For my own sanity and pride I need to call it advertising. The principal of what we do and why clients hire us is still the same. Technology has changed, consumer behavior has changed, but the fundamentals remain the same.”

If you strip everything down to its pure essence, what we as an advertising agency are charged with doing for our clients is the same regardless of media. Ultimately our goal is to build consumers’ engagement with a brand. And that can take a lot of shapes from a TV ad to a Facebook fan page — even crafting the perfect customer experience. While seemingly small when compared with a large scale mass media campaign, something as simple as providing consistent brand talking points to your sales staff can become an important cornerstone to building brand engagement. When ignored, the consequences can be disastrous.

Case in point: last week while enjoying an after-work Shandy on Dean and Linda’s front porch we observed one such opportunity lost. An unmarked pick-up truck passed the driveway — stopped — then backed up and pulled in. The driver wandered up to us as though he was going to ask directions and suddenly blurted out, “I drive around here a lot selling steaks and I wanted to see if you folks need anything …” Dean explained/exaggerated/fibbed that he comes from a farm background and was taken care of as far as meat was concerned. “We got chicken and seafood …” the driver offered. No. As he drove off we looked at each other shaking our heads. No mention of what made this door-to-door meat business special. Were they price players? A premium brand? Who knows … And more importantly who cares?

This squandered opportunity represents everything that modern advertising/branding/marketing can and should add to the equation of the customer experience. Call it what you will — it’s all advertising.

The red birds debuted the “Play Like a Cardinal” campaign a year or so ago and are wisely continuing it for the upcoming season. It’s pretty easy to be ubiquitous with sports marketing but this campaign really cuts through the clutter. The above video from the Jumbotron is a campaign centerpiece — combining the team’s rich history with powerful images and moving words. It also makes me wish I was at Busch stadium with a dog and a beer. Here’s a link to all of the new 2009 spots. My favorite by far is the discovery of Pujols’ secret identity.

(This is also a little experiment to see how long it will take Dean — Mr. Brewer himself — to demand the removal of this Cardinals-centric post.)

The above scene from The Muppets Take Manhattan is one that Dean and I both hold near and dear for obvious reasons. But there is a very simple truth exposed by Kermit as he helps an all-frog ad agency struggle with the perfect campaign slogan for a soap. “Ocean Breeze Soap Will Get You Clean,” he offers. “Why not just say what the product does?!” the agency frogs marvel. What’s really funny is how often this happens — especially in writing copy or describing your business.  Just say what it does. Tom Peters once said if you can’t say what you do in 10 seconds or less you shouldn’t be in business. And most of all, remember to keep it simple like Kermit.

Like the Reality Coalition needs any help from us — I think I saw this spot between every break last night. But here is our quick take on why it works. First, the ad is good. Every piece works — clever copy, art, and acting. The logo fits to a T, playing on the age-old metaphor of the canary in the coal mine. Simple yet striking in yellow and black. (The x-d out eyes are the cherry on the sundae.) But what really sets off this campaign is the Gestalt effect — the whole being more than the sum of its parts. That is the biggest takeaway. More than being a good spot, this has story appeal as the Coen Brothers directed it. Once that circulated, it gave added impact to the ad itself thus making the whole package — the story — more than the sum of its parts. People might have tuned in to a good commercial. But a good commercial with a memorable story (you have to see what the Coen Bros. would do with this) is clear winner.