There is something about a television ad that doesn’t have words that intrigues me. Does it have a song, or sound, or is it strictly visual and silent. As one who totally subscribes to the “less is more” idea wholeheartedly, it’s fun to see these types of commercials in action. Television commercials that don’t have words have to work harder at drawing a viewer in to pay attention to the message they are trying to relay, and I think it’s this very limitation that drives them harder and farther to get that message across in an interesting and memorable way. The marketers have to make sure that without a doubt you look up from you newspaper, magazine or at the screen when walking for a snack and are intrigued enough to pay attention and take their message away with you or it fails. I think this ad succeeds. I won’t reveal what it’s for because it’s a nice surprise, as it shows the product in a new and unexpected way, which helps keep their brand in your brain.

Posted: September 30th, 2008 under Advertising/Marketing.
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These ads put out by Russian Bear Vodka started in South Africa to help curtail drinking and driving. They have this propaganda/dictatorish feel to them and appear to be in the russian language, but upon closer inspection (looking at them in a mirror) they reveal their true message. Does this clever trick make them any more/less effective in actually slowing down drinking and driving? I’d be curious to know, but would probably bank on not really. But they do ad a fun twist to the ads and deserve a nod here.

Posted: September 26th, 2008 under Design, Advertising/Marketing.
Comments: 2

The Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates Vista commercials have been scrapped. Already. Before you could even figure out what was actually happening in them, and from what I hear they weren’t really leading to anywhere are done. (Seinfeld make a commercial about nothing? What?) 2 weeks and a lot of money out the “window”, here are the newer commercials from Microsoft that try to identify with you, the user. And like borrowing ideas from Apple for their operating system, they have a dead ringer for PC guy John Hodgeman kick off this 30 sec spot. Do these work? I’m not sure, but they are better than the unfocused meanderings of Gates and Seinfeld. And why is Microsoft scared of Apple? They have 80% of the market, (In desk-top operating systems anyway) So why are they reacting this way to Apple’s campaign? Could it be the not so successful Zune? Apples growing brand and now new phone market? Well at any rate it is fun that they now care more about a company, they could care less about before.

Posted: September 19th, 2008 under Advertising/Marketing.
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Things have changed a bit since Snow White, especially when it comes to soap. This Axe commercial from Argentina shows what can happen when you accidently use a bar of woman’s soap… So if my wife uses a bar of Irish Spring, does she get visited by leprechauns or drunken irishmen? Does this go both ways? I guess if you don’t want to take any chances, Axe is the way to go. Or Dial, or Irish Spring, or Old Spice - maybe just skip bathing all together.

Posted: September 12th, 2008 under Advertising/Marketing.
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I think it’s fun sometimes to see the progression of a brand through the years. Here is a Doublemint commercial that ran pretty heavy back in the 80’s and here’s one that is being shown now. These are just 20 some years apart age wise, but miles apart content wise. Remember that this commercial is just for gum. The stuff you chew. Not Hubba Bubba, Bubblicious, or even Big League Chew, this is the 5 stick Doubleminty Big Reddy gum, that I guess is a little more adultish, but the spots are on MTV. I must say though the effects are pretty sweet. (pun intended) Between this and the Redvines commercial I put up a couple of weeks ago, this just helps illustrated a lot of money is spent on candy commercials. Or none at all. Go figure.

Posted: September 10th, 2008 under Advertising/Marketing.
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This is a recent ad for a new Harvey Nichols store in Bristol England. It uses Bristol’s Local claymation personalities of Wallace and Gromit, wearing designer clothes. Cross promotion doesn’t always work, but I think this is successful because it combines a local (known) element and the new store in a fun and unexpected way.

Posted: September 2nd, 2008 under Design, Advertising/Marketing.
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