You have to love Al Pacino. Only he could deliver this speech for Oliver Stone in the movie Any Given Sunday. I love the sentiment, especially the concept that one second too soon or too late and you might miss it…whatever it is. Think about that.
Opinions And Ramblings By Adam Kmiec On All Things Media
Tag Archive: YouTube
Kia Wins In The Battle Of Car Makers Advertising During The Super Bowl
We saw ads from Audi, Dodge, Hyundai, Honda and others. Usually the Super Bowl is a proving ground for card ads. Manufacturers bring their best of the best to the table so they can outshine the competition. This year’s Super Bowl was just strange. Hyundai was ok…nothing Earth shattering. Honda and Audi were abysmal. Doge was suprisingly strong. But, to me the best ad from a car manufacturer was from Kia. If you have kids, you have to love this spot. Now, let’s see if it moved the needle.
The Google Super Bowl Ad
Of all the Super Bowl ads, the one from Google was definitely my favorite. It’s sorta funny to think that a company grounded in technology, math, algorithms, and 1s and 0s could create such an emotional connection. Well done.
We Always Chase The Unknown
As I’ve mentioned often, Almost Famous, is probably my all time favorite movie. The writing, casting, acting, music, story, etc. are all top notch. Unfortunately, hollywood didn’t let Cameron Crowe show the his version of the movie in theaters. Thankfully, he opted to release a director’s cut version on DVD. While there aren’t a great deal of major changes, the subtle nuances make the movie so much better. But, you’ll have to wait till nearly the end of the movie for the best scene that was added back into the movie. Right after the band is notified that William’s story for Rolling Stone paints them as a bunch of amateurs struggling with their own success, Jimmy Fallon’s character explains to the band that Russel must deny the story…in denying the story he has to lie.
As Jimmy Fallon explains, the reason he needs to dismiss the story is so the band can hold on to their mystique. It’s the mystique that keeps the fans interested. It’s the ambiguity and the unknown that makes them interesting, marketable, and will ultimately make them rich, famous, and successful.
Too often we’re not content with what we have, because the allure of the unknown and the alternative is so seductive. Think about the last time a recruiter sent you an email or called you about a job. Did you automatically say no? Of course not. You’d be silly not to at least listen to the opportunity. Even if you are perfectly content in your current job, you’ll always take the call and listen to what the voice on the other end of the phone is saying. Why? Because…you already know what you have, but what you don’t know is what you might be missing out on.
Oh yes, we love the known. Hey, like the old saying goes…the grass is always greener on the other side. But, as someone who’s speaking from experience, I can tell you, it’s not always greener or better. Frankly, sometimes it rather sucks. Yet, despite the number of times I’ve been burned by the allure of the unknown, I always remain open to it. Why? Because, you never know. You simply never know when the unknown will be better than what you already have.
I’m finding myself thinking a lot about the unknown lately. Not with regards to my job though. For the first time in a long time, I’m completely closed off to the idea of another opportunity. Not since I was at Fallon, have I found myself in a role where I literally look forward to coming into the office. The thinking I’ve been doing is much broader and more centered on everything else not named J-O-B. I’m certainly too young for a mid-life crisis, but I’m definitely old enough to realize that you don’t get too many chances to shake things up and still have enough time to fix it, if you’ve chosen poorly.
2010 is going to be a hell of a year. It’s going to be a year full of the unknown. And I plan on chasing it.
The iDon’t
I love this new campaign from Verizon. It started with this set of ads that focused on Verizon’s superior coverage and AT&T’s abysmal coverage. As a former Verizon customer and a current iPhone owner I can definitely attest to the accuracy of those ads.
Following the launch of the “There’s A Map For That” spots, they then launched this one called “iDon’t.” It’s fun when you’re the challenger brand and trying to take on the brand leader. When you’re the challenger brand you can take bigger risks and be a bit more spunky. This ad does exactly that:
I’m on the fence about what to do with my cell phone situation. I love the iPhone, but I loathe Apple and I hate AT&T’s horrible coverage. The Palm Pre looks damn tasty and as soon as it launches on Verizon next year, I may have to switch. Interesting times ahead and as with all competitive situations, the consumer will ultimately win.
The Social Media Guru
Oh god, this hits so close to home. The best line is when the client asks for qualifications and the Social Media Guru is unable to provide them, but instead references his blog as evidence of skills. Hahah. Freaking brilliant.
Clorox Thinks Men Are Useless
While watching Mad Men tonight I saw an ad from Clorox that disappointed the hell out of me. Men and Dads specifically, never get any respect from advertisers. We’re often characterized as bumbling idiots who can’t do anything except drink beer and drive cars. This new ad from Clorox had me hooked and leaning forward. I loved the time lapse look and the voice over was perfectly in tune with the animation. Then, roughly 13 seconds into the ad, I had a “WTF, are you serious” moment. The copy reads, “Laundry is not new. your mother, your grandmother, her mother, they all did the laundry…MAYBE EVEN A MAN OR TWO.”
Wow. Wow. I thought I had misheard the ad, so I went out to YouTube to find it. Sadly, I had heard correctly. As a dad, I find the line utterly and completely disrespectful. I do 75% of the laundry in my house. I know several men who do their fair share of laundry. To characterize men as people who don’t do laundry and women as the only people who do is insulting to both genders. Clearly, Clorox, hasn’t gotten the memo about the changing American family. Their time laps commercial seems stuck in the 1950s.
Since Clorox obviously doesn’t think I’m useful, I’ll be switching to private label and the competition.
The Olympus Stylus Camera Ads Rock
Talk about one short ad solving both the emotional and rational concerns people have about buying digital cameras. Heck, I’m a Nikon guy, but even I’m sold.
This ad is part of a set of ads that show how the camera stands up to constant abuse. I love it.
You Can’t Give Yourself A Nickname
First Pizza Hut decided they wanted to unofficially – officially go by “The Hut.” Now we have Radio Shack deciding they want to unofficially – officially go by “The Shack.” If there’s one thing we’ve learned from Seinfeld it’s that you can’t give yourself a nickname. In one of the best Seinfeld episodes, titled “The Maid” George is struggling for an identity. He desperately wants to be called T-Bone. But, that name ends up being bestowed upon another co-worker…thus proving you can’t give yourself a nickname. Eventually George does get a nickname, “Koko.” I’ll let this video tell the story.
Pizza Hut, Radio Shack, and every other brand out there, please listen up. You can simply force a name change and expect it to stick. It’s just not going to happen. To me seeing Radio Shack and Pizza Hut trying to go by something “cooler” like The Shack or The Hut, simply shows that they have no idea who they are as a brand. That’s a scary thought.
The Timeless Bacardi Mojito Commercial
When I see commercials like this and the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man work, I ask myself, why can’t all ads be this good? In a short 60 seconds you’ll find yourself tapping your toe and realizing that the Mojito is a truly timeless drink.
