The Super Bowl is a special event in the advertising community. It’s the one time of year when the general population stops hating on our life choices and looks forward to what 30-second bits of fun we’ve created for them.
But anyhow, without further ado, my breakdown of some of the best and worst from last night’s Ad Budget Palooza 2012.
A sampling of the best (in no particular order):
Audi “Vampire Party”
This was the only spot that actually surprised me. Even the other good spots were a little predictable, but “Vampire Party” really utilized the ‘twist’. With the first shot of vampire fangs, I already hated this commercial. I mean absolutely 100% loathed it. Who in America, besides any 13-year-old girls you may know, isn’t sick of the vampire craze? Five seconds in, and my arguments for hatred were already flowing through my brain.
I was also annoyed because I really like Echo and the Bunnymen.
However, this quickly changed. When those first vampires exploded into dust, I instantly loved and admired this spot. Less than 60 seconds to go from hate to love. The idea was almost cartoonish, but still very smart. Audi was able to showcase its body design slightly, the awesome helical-ish shape of its headlights (seriously, those things look rad at night), and use vampire lore to show us just how bright those new LEDs are. Too bright for Nosferatu’s sun-sensitive skin.
Chevrolet “Happy Grad”
No one has ever surprised me with a brand new Camaro, but I’d like to think I would be this excited. Because boy, everyone is out-of-their-minds excited about that new Camaro.
The level of excitement in this spot is so over-the-top, and it’s so great, because we get to be in on the joke. And it’s not like the Grad would be that excited for any old car. Put a Chevy Cavalier there, and he probably would have kicked a dent in the side and walked back in the house. But it’s a Camaro. A car with a history that runs deep being awesome and cool. And that calls for screaming and cheering. Because a new Camaro is something to be happy about.
So, I’m happy for Mr. Johnson.
Doritos “Man’s Best Friend”
This dog reminded me of a Mafioso Tony Soprano canine. Bribing with gifts, instead of threats of violence. Crisp, cheesy, delicious tortilla chips go a long way.
This is another spot where the absurdity of television goes a long way in executing a simple message (“Doritos are really good.”). It’s totally acceptable on television that this dog killed his fellow housemate, the cat, buried the body, then bribed his owner into silence with bags of Doritos. Because Doritos are just that good. And that’s all you need to know: They’re good.
I also like to envision this dog as a serial cat killer, because of the Missing Cat sign and the disappearance of the owner’s cat, and because I watch a lot of crime dramas.
THE WORST:
GoDaddy.com, any of them, ever.
These spots are so horrible they manage to be insulting to men, women, paint, clouds, racing, leather jackets and the Internet.
You almost have to give GoDaddy props for being original, because no one else is trying to create anything this horrible. Year in and year out, they first try to lure you in with the sexy, which isn’t even that sexy. Then, if/when you visit the website, they try the diversionary twist, and now this sexy situation becomes a funny situation. Except it’s never funny, so GoDaddy.com manages to spend $3.5 million+ failing. Good job, guys.
Obviously there were other good spots: I also enjoyed Honda’s “Matthew’s Day Off” (but everyone did), Chevy’s Apocalypse spot, and the continuation of VW’s Star Wars love was cute. Not as awesome as last year, but I did love that Greyhound in the Imperial Walker costume.
Coke’s Polar Bears are over done, plus, it’s been, like 50 degrees throughout the entire country. Samsung kept trying to convince us how awesome that phone is, by featuring a stylus and the ability to draw on pictures and maps. Apparently Apple is suing.
And I’m pumped about the upcoming release of The Lorax, especially since the real-people versions of Dr. Seuss books are usually nightmare-inducing.
There was good, average and the worst. So until next year, you can now go back to hating advertising.
Some of our Redheads looked back at the past year and wrote about their favorite professional moments. We thought we’d share.
I love a good story of people who do good.
The George Washington University School of Business attracts a different breed of business students who share a commitment to use their business education to transform society. They’re out in the world doing extraordinary things –interning at the IMF and World Bank, growing successful businesses while in school, juggling a military career and an MBA. Shoot, when I was in business school my biggest concern was which bar had the cheapest wing/beer special. My favorite professional accomplishment of the year is the series of 1 ½ – 2-minute videos we are creating for GWSB. I love that they’re not your typical talking heads set in front of a bunch of dusty encyclopedias. Our creative reins were let loose and the result are stories that feel very real, dynamic, spontaneous, and fun. Check out the first two here. http://youtu.be/ofPe_g7QjBw
Erin Sarro, Writer
My professional highlight for 2011: I have been able to expand my role in the agency to include art direction for some of our clients. I have had a lot of fun designing and creating The 10 Great Things page for MedStar’s publication Inside. I was also able help create trade show booth signage for the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau that highlighted their icons with imagery, which has been used thought out the year on many other pieces.
Carey Christie, Design and Production
I think my highlight was being in Park City, Utah moderating some workshops during our client’s (Results Companies) annual conference for their clients and prospects. It was a new part of the country that I’d never seen and it was just a beautiful place to be. They were a fun (and slightly crazy!) group of people to hang out with for a few days. The workshops were very well received and our clients were very appreciative. We felt good that we could help them look good.
Jane Stelboum, President
Change has been the highlight of my year. And I’m not always comfortable with switching things up but somehow change actually worked for me this year.
Big changes have taken place at the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau in the last few months. Some have been unexpected from the client and have revolved around their infrastructure. Others have been planned for changes we made on the account such as utilizing new media tactics. Regardless of purposively making the changes or having them pop up unexpectedly – all have worked out very well. The team at the Bureau has been switched up greatly. Many people left the organization, some moved into new positions and new employees have joined. All of these changes have proved to be exciting and positive. They have opened the door for new insights and possibilities to take place. I have been able to forge closer relationships with people I have known through the life of the account but in the past have not had the opportunity to work as closely with as I am currently.
Redhead hired a new media director who approached planning for the Bureau with a fresh set of media eyes. Interactive tactics like email blasts and pay-per-click are being utilized for the first time in a year-long methodical fashion. Great results are already developing. Visits to the PRCB website have improved by 3% already and the PPC campaign has only been running for one full month.
Change can be scary – at least that was always my prevailing thought on the matter. But my opinion has been swayed – for the better. Change is exciting, can bring great things and opens up a multitude of possibilities.
Juliet Gilden, Account Management
Hmmm.. My highlight… nothing has really changed in my department other than fewer vendor calls! The year was looking brighter as it went on. Actually, now that I think about it that is totally my highlight ;’)
Amber Wilson, Accounting
I stepped out on a limb this year while planning the Puerto Rico Convention Center/Bureau media. I realized it was a big risk to dramatically alter the media plan but was convinced it was the right direction to take. Moving 45% of the advertising budget to digital media (Search engines, email, e-newsletters, banners) literally kept me up at night. But the reaction from the client was overwhelmingly positive. A very validating moment. And you can’t argue with the strong (and trackable) response the campaign is having. Big results and a happy client equals a big win for Redhead and for me personally!
Dave Rehkemper, Media
For me, there were a lot of highlights in the world of design and corporate identity. One of my favorite moments was sitting in a meeting with the executives at the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authorities. We were discussing how to brand the organization moving forward and I was excited to not only learn the depth of the project, but also to hear that they agreed with our strategy of how to most effectively get the job done. Maybe that will be part of my 2012 blog!
Cindy McPhail, Art Director
Sending an email to a Chinese audience in Chinese and having a 27% open rate with an 8% click through!
Kirk Lutz, Interactive
This is my first time interning at a company like this, so it took me a while to adjust to a work environment. It’s been really great so far; I got to meet a lot of awesome Redheads, and I am so grateful that they are all so friendly to me.
Cheers to a new year. woohooooooooo
Isabel Yu, Intern
The highlight of the year for me actually lasted the whole year. It was watching this Redhead team put their collective shoulder to the wheel and push together through challenging times. We asked more of ourselves and one another, as individuals and as an agency, than sometimes seemed fair but, as one of my mentors used to say, “Where in the rules is it written that life is fair? Just do what needs to be done.” And we did, and I take great pride in seeing that happen and being a part of it.
Jeff Hankin, COO/CFO
I’m very excited that we’ve established Topdown Leadership Development and Coaching. This service fits neatly with our Inside-Outside marketing strategy and will help our clients even more firmly establish their brands and accomplish their business goals. Topdown is about leading as if you’re driving a convertible – open, accessible, connected to the world around. Call us in 2012. We’ll go out for a test drive.
We recently shot a corporate video at Centric, our client in the document imaging industry (smart copiers and technology solutions), and what became abundantly clear is that this is a company who absolutely, positively, without a shadow of a doubt knows who they are.
I found that amazingly refreshing.
Kind of in the way that Apple knows exactly who they are: sleek, simple, cool, creative, smart, user-friendly. Or Google: revolutionary, progressive, resourceful, clever. They are the same companies inside as they are out. At Centric, every pore of their being is about being smart, professional and the very best at what they do.
We saw it in how they dressed. I haven’t seen that many suits on men and women (with hose and heels!) in one place in years. Granted, I’m in advertising and marketing and yes, I’m writing this in jeans and flats, but our clients are bankers and educators and healthcare institutions and they dress perfectly fine. Yet we were struck by the sheer numbers of dark blue suits and ties gathered on, of all days, an internal training day. They oozed professionalism. They were committed.
We saw it in their new corporate headquarters. Not flashy, but top of the line. Smart with technology everywhere to keep people informed and to show off products and services. They built a wellness center, showing care and respect for their employees and appreciating balance and health. And not just LEED certified — GOLD LEED certified, to show their commitment to the planet.
We saw it in the mantra, Customer First, which is not just a vision on the wall but a way of being. It’s also the name of an internal rewards program where employees earn accolades from customers or colleagues. It’s an active program. And every executive we interviewed talked about customer satisfaction.
And we saw it in Rick Bastinelli, CEO, who drives these quality standards. Always well-dressed, always making sure things are being done right. One executive told about his own experience as a newcomer to the company. He received a call from a customer who wanted to return a copier. It was clear the customer had abused the machine and wasn’t really entitled to return it. The executive went to Rick, expecting Rick to adhere to terms. Not Rick. In his eyes the customer was unhappy so new machine it was. Customer satisfaction on a whole new level.
Why am I sharing this? The truth is I’ve been sharing it with everyone, even in my yoga class where we talked about being true to one’s own self. I was struck by it. Knowing who you are enables you to have a strong brand inside and out. Employees understand their role in portraying that brand. External audiences feel it at every touch point. A strong brand enables you to have a powerful marketing message, which in turn helps bring success. And that’s why Centric was able to move into a new, larger headquarters in the midst of this lovely economy.
Seemingly contradictory? Perhaps. But bear with me.
Growing up as a kid with red hair is never easy. It’s the most obvious target for embarrassing questions, nicknames and cracks about aversion to the sun. Life becomes about attracting the least amount of attention. That is until one day redheads realize having red hair is different. It makes them unique. They embrace their inner redhead; a humbly bold acceptance of outside mirroring inside. A day comes when they realize that standing out for who they are is powerful. And isn’t that what marketing is all about, anyway?
So what makes a redhead? Well to us, companies and the redheads who work inside those companies display a mix of guts, honesty, integrity, sincerity, creativity, boldness, humbleness, perseverance, openness, passion and compassion. It’s an attitude, a perspective, a mantra. It’s a commitment to speak up, to listen and to not be afraid to make and admit to the occasional mistake. One thing that’s not required: red hair.
The best companies and leaders stand out for being who they are. Their pride stems from a passionate charge for integrity in their work and working relationships. They are businesspeople that value the bottom line but also seem to know that the bottom line is not the final answer. And with the right leadership, whole companies can become Redheads. That’s when they’re able to bring out the best in others. That’s when they realize that caring and succeeding are not mutually exclusive.
So, welcome to the world as a Redhead. Whip those metaphorical ginger locks around your head and take your first step in to the world of outstanding standing out.
Check our blog frequently for insights about branding, marketing, advertising and leadership for you and your company from the Redheads themselves.
