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Super Commercials XLV
It’s that time of year again… Super Bowl XLV. The more things change, the more they stay the same. After seeing the commercials, I have to wonder, has advertising gone downhill or as consumers (and marketers) are we expecting too much from Super Bowl ads? The interesting piece? It seems like we’ve turned back time. This year, there were no crazy specials (remember Dockers free pants), no reason to visit a YouTube page to see the long version of a commercial and very few strong calls to action to visit a website. Sure, this year, some companies had paid search running – kudos to Coke, Chevy and a handful of others. And, you have to love that the Google ad from last year’s Super Bowl popped up as the #1 video search. Coincidence? I think not 🙂
All around best. Honestly, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Weiden+Kennedy
The one that pulled on your heart strings. Kudos to VW for clearly putting some additional pre mainstream advertising around this commercial. With 16.4MM views, it’s outpaced even the best (i.e. Chrysler only has 7,783 views)
Telefora’s ad cracked me up. Sadly, Telefora didn’t even upload it to their YouTube channel. Luckily, someone else uploaded it to theirs and are reaping the rewards.
Posted in Advertising, Creative, Sports, Video
10 Scares, 100 Discoveries: Scare 4 – Facebook Friends
For me, 2011 is about a year of change, fun and new experiences. With that in mind, I decided to create my own adventure, 1 Year, 10 Projects, 100 Discoveries. This post is part of that project. You can see all 10 Scares here and the entire project here. Enjoy the experiences, I sure am!
The debate on this one is never ending – should you or shouldn’t you be Facebook friends with an ex? I’m of the camp you can be friends many years after your relationship has ended and neither of you have romantic feelings for the other. For the record, I’m friends with all my ex’s except for one. This one also happens to be my high school sweetheart and my first relationship. You know, the one that forever colors all your other relationships.
For a few months, I’ve thought about friending him on Facebook. I searched his profile, found it and while I wasn’t curious (I already knew everything that would be there), part of me still wanted to be connected. A piece of me felt that if I could be the bigger person and be Facebook friends, then maybe the things that are potentially coloring my relationships would be resolved.
So, tonight, I did the thing that I’ve been scared of for months – I requested his friendship on Facebook. Silly, I know. But, the meaning behind it is so much greater than just being digital friends. It’s so much scarier then just the possibility of digital rejection.
The outcome? Well, I’m not sure, he hasn’t accepted my friend request yet 🙂 But, Facebook friend or not, I finally made the move. I’m finally okay with being friends with ALL my ex’s. And maybe, I’m finally okay with having a real relationship. No more running. No more hiding what I want.
Posted in 10 Scares, 100 Discoveries
10 Cities, 100 Discoveries: 2 – Mardi Gras
Someone famous said, “Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” For me, it’s a new way of seeing things, or as Carrie, from Sex and the City said it’s reminding myself that, “[Everything] is just a plane ride way.” Besides, what would the journey, 1 Year, 10 Projects, 100 Discoveries, be without travel, or more specifically, 10 unique cities. This post is part of that project. You can see all 10 Cities here and the entire project here. Enjoy the ride, I sure am!
While my second time to New Orleans aka NOLA wasn’t better than my first, it was just as good. I mean, you can’t really get any better then perfection 🙂 I can’t decide if I love the quaintness of the city or if I just love it because my two best friends in the whole universe live there. And, let’s be honest, I’d love anywhere they were, even if it was hut in the middle of the African desert. Nevertheless, the WHO DAT loving town holds a special place in my heart.
Admittedly, my second time to NOLA was slightly more subdued. On my first trip, we did the touristy Bourbon street party and so this time, we skipped it, opting for an Abita Pub Crawl and fancy dinner. But fear not, both times we took in lots of amazing fried doughy goodness at Cafe Du Monde.
The best part of the trip? Mardi Gras World. Wow! What an experience. Here, you can learn the history of Mardi Gras parades and see the floats being made. We spent several hours taking pictures with the floats and giant props – everything from King Kong to Nemo to a giant bathtub of bubbles. We also learned that to ride a float costs anywhere between $2,000 and $50,000+! And, if you want to be “king” of one of the floats, that costs upwards of $50,000. Even before that, we wanted to ride on one. After hearing the costs, we were determined to do it. So… we did (even though you’re not allowed). 🙂 Luckily, there were three of us – one to play lookout, one to take pictures and one to ride the floats. The three of us took turns doing all three “jobs”.
The outcome? An unforgettable experience in an unforgettable town with unforgettable friends.
Posted in 10 Cities, 100 Discoveries
10 Foods, 100 Discoveries: Food 5 – Lebanese
Is it true? You are what you eat? Growing up, my dad was always a plain meat and potatoes kind of guy. Thus, my taste buds have never strayed far… until now. In 1 Year, 10 Projects, 100 Discoveries, ten of the discoveries are different types of food. This post is part of that project. You can see all 10 foods here and the entire project here. Enjoy the flavors, I sure am!
Far and away, this has been my favorite food experience to date. Half way through our New Orleans Abita Pub Crawl, we got hungry and ended up stopping outside Byblos. There, we met the owner and after I told him about the merits of businesses on Foursquare, we stopped in to eat. Oh my, did we eat. Cheese fingers, gyro nachos, chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, lamb, baba ghanouj, stuffed grape leaves and rice pudding all graced our table. Surprisingly, I LOVED every. single. bite. If you really knew me and my eating habits then you know that this is an extremely rare occurrence. Besides being a plain eater, I’m a picky one. I’ve become even more selective from being spoiled by eating at so many highly acclaimed Las Vegas restaurants.
At Byblos, every dish was cooked to perfection. The spices were spot on and the service was good. Although, having never had more than a Greek Gyro at a State Fair, I suppose I wouldn’t really know whether or not the dishes were cooked correctly 🙂 Honestly, I can count the number of restaurants that I’ve deemed “B’s 5 Stars” on one hand. Byblos has been added to that list! And, more importantly, I’ve discovered a new type of cuisine that I absolutely love. I’m counting the hours until my next Lebanese / Mediterranean food adventure.
Cheese Finger & Gyro Nachos. And, no, that is not me, but my beautiful friend, L!
Posted in 10 Foods, 100 Discoveries
Does Age Really Matter?
Today on twitter, several people were taking pot shots and talking negatively about a 27-year-old being named Chief Digital Officer for New York City.
Kudos to NYC for not caring about age or being smart enough to realize her youth and that she was qualified anyway. To the people taking pot shots? I think they’re jealous and closed minded (although $115k for a CMO gig in NYC doesn’t seem like something to be jealous over). Or, as the article states, maybe NYC was wrong in their choice. As I’ve said before, promoting yourself through social media doesn’t always translate to being able to promote a brand through social media.
In today’s world, all you hear about are the people under 30 who are driving innovation. Facebook, Groupon and Foursquare were all developed by individuals under 30. Sure, maybe the “youngins” don’t have your “worldly” experience, but they also don’t have a closed minded attitude or the cynical boredom that comes from being (or working with) corporations for too long. Furthermore, career minded folks under 30 are hungry and passionate as hell, more so than you’ll ever be again. I’ve worked with some amazing rockstars under 30. In fact, if I was building an A-list team, my #2 pick would be a girl who’s 24 and blows my mind daily. My #1 pick? Someone who’s barely over 30 and has more passion for the interactive space than I do.
In today’s digital world… Actually, in the world in general, be open to learning new things from ANYONE, no matter what age they are. Who knows? Your five year old niece might spark the idea for your next big innovation.
Posted in Advertising, Marketing, Work
10 Foods, 100 Discoveries: Food 4 – PB&J
Is it true? You are what you eat? Growing up, my dad was always a plain meat and potatoes kind of guy. Thus, my taste buds have never strayed far… until now. In 1 Year, 10 Projects, 100 Discoveries, ten of the discoveries are different types of food. This post is part of that project. You can see all 10 foods here and the entire project here. Enjoy the flavors, I sure am!
Are you sitting down? Ready for it? You sure?
Okay, here goes… I’ve never had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Seriously. Never, ever. Growing up, my mom thought PB&J sandwiches were unhealthy cop outs to making a real meal. Then, growing up it was one of those gross looking things. Granted, being a nanny I’ve made 100’s of PB&J’s, but I’ve never taken a bite. While I was sometimes curious, it was just gross looking/smelling enough not to.
Until, tonight.
In my fridge was homemade strawberry jam. It was calling my name. So was the peanut butter. Instead of making two separate sandwich halves like usual, I decided to smush them together. Tada! PB&J with a healthy dose of both jam and peanut butter. I didn’t skimp on either one… I went all the way.
The verdict? While I LOVE PB&J martinis, I think I’ll pass on the sandwich. Jam and peanut butter on bread separately aka alone aka not together, are much better in my opinion.
Posted in 10 Foods, 100 Discoveries
It Begins
Verizon’s commercial for their release of the iPhone is a fun one. In addition, like many companies these days, the whole commercial focuses on thanking the consumer for their loyalty. Will we start to see more and more companies changing to more consumer focused advertising?
Posted in Advertising, Video
10 Experiences, 100 Discoveries: E2 – Bubbles
Albert Einstein said, “the only source of knowledge is experience.” With that in mind, as part of my adventure, 1 Year, 10 Projects, 100 Discoveries, ten of the discoveries are about experiences I’ve always wanted to have. This post is part of that project. You can see all 10 Experiences here and the entire project here. Enjoy the moments, I sure am!
This one was entirely unexpected, but something I’ve been wanting to do for years. Albeit, not how or why or with whom I necessarily wanted this one to go down, but amazing nonetheless. The best part? I didn’t even have to ask, it was suggested to me… just how I fantasized. The lesson? If I hadn’t broken my #3 rule, it would have never happened. I guess it is true what they say – you have to know the rules, but more importantly, you have to know when it’s okay to break them.
For the record? It’s nothing without the bubbles.
Posted in 10 Experiences, 100 Discoveries
10 Cities, 100 Discoveries: 1 – Lincoln Park Zoo
Someone famous said, “Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” For me, it’s a new way of seeing things, or as Carrie, from Sex and the City said it’s reminding myself that, “[Everything] is just a plane ride way.” Besides, what would the journey, 1 Year, 10 Projects, 100 Discoveries, be without travel, or more specifically, 10 unique cities. This post is part of that project. You can see all 10 Cities here and the entire project here. Enjoy the ride, I sure am!
Originally, I wanted the ten cities to be places I’ve never been. But, I’ve modified it slightly to be experiences never had in each city as I wanted to include Chicago, New York and New Orleans. Admittedly, I have grown to love Chicago and thankfully, the cold is still a novelty to me 🙂 Besides, you lose more fat in the cold, so I don’t mind the frigid temperatures!
The Lincoln Park Zoo has been on my list for several months now. On this cold Wednesday, I took the 2.5 mile trek there. While fun, because of the cold, most of the animals were hiding. But, I did get to see the seals being fed, the polar and black bears and some really fugly looking beavers. The coolest part of this zoo? The children’s center. Here, you can climb a tree just like a bear – you even put your hands in mitts that have claws on the end. In addition, you’ll find the world’s coolest jungle gym / climbing structure. Sigh, if only I was a bit shorter and lighter, I’d climb to the tippy top.
Posted in 10 Cities, 100 Discoveries