Brand Advertising Tag

How do this year’s Super Bowl ads stand up to an all-time top 10?

First of all, know that this post is not a review of this year’s Super Bowl Ads. We’ll leave the comparing and critiquing up to you. Instead, this is about embracing the originality, creativity and boldness of previous spots which have left a lasting impression.   The latest compilation of this year’s ads, which you can view here, have some standouts for sure with one being Michelob’s The Ultra Hustle. But compared to the classics below, don’t expect to see this year’s crop of ads to show up on a future top 10 list (or even a top 100). Today’s marketers and their agencies should jump into our wayback machine and see what it takes to land a spot in the hall of fame that exists in our collective memories of Super Bowl Ads.   Reminisce with our top 10 favorites in chronological order: Coca-Cola "Mean Joe Greene" (1979) One of the most heartwarming commercials...

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As Gen Z’s income rises, will your marketing ride the wave?

The latest generation to enter the workforce has long been pursued by youth-oriented brands. And now that Gen Z is growing up, it’s time that everyone from insurance marketers to carmakers pay more attention to this demographic’s preferences.   First, a quick refresh on Gen Z:   Currently 11 to 26 years old   68.6 million live in the U.S. (20% of population)   Grew up with multiple screens, always connected   Experienced a global pandemic during their most formative years   Represent about 20% of the U.S. workforce       Being the first generation to grow up with multiple screens connected with web, Gen Z very much prefers the feeling of being in control – even when it’s the plot of something they’re streaming. What does this mean for marketers?  We need to create more interactive content where the user is in the driver’s seat. Even if you already think you know them based on gobs of data, ask...

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5 reasons why Super Bowl LVII marketing was like no other

With most of the Super Bowl ads hype in the rear-view mirror, we decided to take a dive into what made this year’s marketing push different. Even if you didn’t find the ads themselves to be creatively unique or powerful, there are trends and tactics in here that have something to say about how our culture and our marketing landscape is changing.   #1 The appearance of Jesus: This year, the sea of alcohol and crass consumerism parted to make way for a brand re-fresh of Christianity. What does is say about our culture? The post-game banter says that we are as curious and skeptical as ever because we immediately wanted to know WHO was behind it. According to Christianity Today, the ads are partly funded by the family that owns Hobby Lobby, plus other evangelical groups.   #2 The end of Anheuser-Bush InBev’s 33-year+ alcohol exclusive: While we may miss the Clydesdales and the likes...

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Brand Advertising and Direct Marketing – aka Beauty and the Beast.

by Bill Rogers   Many years before joining Direct Choice, I strolled into a creative presentation with Progressive.com weary from an early flight but emboldened by the solid direct mail concepts my team had prepared. This was before Arnold Worldwide had crafted the beloved Flo character. At the time, Progressive.com was the new kid on the block, smothering the airways with a bold offer: get the best quote on auto insurance even if it’s not ours!  It was a novel approach, not to mention an offer that was built for direct mail. The presentation was going exceptionally well until I presented a mailing which removed the Progressive logo from the envelope in favor of what I called an “urgent, under-the-radar” approach. They didn’t get it.   The argument I heard against the “under the radar” approach was the same one I hear today. Quote the client, “Why would we mail un-branded envelopes when we’re...

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