manny villar's "itik" tv ad - a good lesson in continuity errors, itik or no itik

on january 26, 2009, we posted at 2010 presidentiables villar's ad at youtube that had a continuity error - villar at the middle of the ad was shown wiping his dirty hand on his shirt but at the end of the ad, villar's shirt turned miraculously clean. continuity is a very basic production and editing watch out. committing it is a mortal sin.

this version has the continuity error and is proof of what can happen if you don't do a comprehensive and exhaustive pre-production meeting.



they have now revised the ad to correct the continuity error. read about it here : http://2010presidentiables.wordpress.com/

windows 7 originally had 7 versions, took out 1 to simplify, now 6 versions

what was microsoft thinking? i bet they originally had 7 SKUs of windows 7, then they decided to cut it by one, so now they will sell 6 SKUs of windows 7.

thought they had learned their lesson with vista? one of the complaints on vista was they had too many versions that consumers found it difficult and confusing to choose what is best for them.

we also thought microsoft will make an effort to recover from the vista failure and do better. looks like they also forgot that part.

of course, the idea behind proliferation of SKUs is aside from wanting to confuse consumers, it allows them to sell some versions at a premium and therefore bigger profits. profits versus consumer confusion? we know which one won here.

IF they need to have several SKUs, then we think all they need are 3 versions : (1) starter edition for netbooks, (2) premium version for everyone and (3) professional/enterprise/business would be the last.

the simpler, less number but feature packed versions is also a way to make amends, make peace with the consumers they angered and frustrated with the failed vista.

super bowl XLIII (200) tv ads: pepsi refresh, my memory

i don't get this ad. is this supposed to be like an intro to pepsi's new logo and new thinking? the jingle is about the new generation but it has bob dylan in it who very few of the youth, who we assume is pepsi's target market, know about. wil i. am is there, they know him but what is the point of being sentimental when only a portion of the audience can relate to? sentimentality works with the old, but not the youth.

the coke ad that started the super bowl tradition

Gold Derby
By Tom O'Neil
Los Angeles Times

Super Bowl ads draw almost as much attention as the game itself, and this year was no exception. After all, the right ad can make a lasting impression. In 1980, the Pittsburgh Steelers were making their fourth Super Bowl appearance, and while that was memorable enough, a first-quarter ad featuring their defensive tackle — "Mean" Joe Greene — became an instant classic. The spot featured a limping Greene coming off the field and given a Coke by a young boy who is rewarded with an unexpected smile and the player's game jersey.

The commercial went on to win a Clio Award— advertising's highest honor — and even spawned a TV movie. And that 60-second spot launched a Super Bowl tradition. Four years later, the Apple ad depicting "1984" come to life raised the bar even higher. Now, with the eligibility period for the upcoming Clio Awards extended, which if any of the 2009 ads will make the grade?

read in full here: http://goldderby.latimes.com/awards_goldderby/2009/02/could-super-bow.html

super bowl XLIII (2009) ads : bud light's joke during a meeting

the intensity and passion that they have on their bud light is very much like what security officers have at airports where if you so much as say the word "bomb" inside an airport or inside an airplane, security officers will certainly arrest you and kick you out of the plane or the airport.

that is what this ad is trying to say. we all know it's hyperbole at the extreme, but we buy into the story and we like it.

super bowl XLIII (2009) ads : bud light's conan o'brien's sweden tv ad

hilarious! conan is a great fit for this. they could have made the conan routine just a bit more edgy but it's ok the ad got out a laugh from us. beer is about light moments and just silly fun. this ad fits very well into that brand character.

Super Bowl XLIII (2009) ads sold out, NBC makes $208 Million

we are of the view that even in times of economic crisis such as the one we are having one, spending in advertising and marketing is very much needed. in fact, we argue that it is in times like these that brands need marketing and advertising the most.

the only difference between now and during times of plenty is that you need to be much more selective in what you do. and more importantly, if you decide to do something, make sure it works. or at least your confidence at success is extremely high.

NBC being able to sell out all their ads, worth $208 Million, at $3 Million per 30 second spot is perhaps one of the more eloquent statement that demonstrates the virtue of our position.

we will be posting in the next days what we think advertisers should do and how to do advertising in these times of economic uncertainty.

NBC Sells Out Super Bowl Ads

TAMPA, Fla.--NBC has announced that it has sold all of its available ad spots for the network's Super Bowl telecast Sunday.

The network generated a record $206 million in advertising revenue for the game telecast and $261 million for the entire day, NBC announced."These advertising milestones show the power of the NFL brand and the strength of the Super Bowl as a TV property in this economic climate," Jeff Zucker, the president and CEO of NBC Universal, said in a written statement released by the network.

"The Super Bowl has become one of our country's biggest holidays, a uniquely American day, and advertisers recognized the value in being a part of it, as their commercials are nearly as big a part of the day as the football itself. This is an extraordinary story for NBC against the backdrop of this economy."NBC sold 69 ad spots for the game telecast, according to a network spokesman.

http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/nflnewsfeed/2009/01/nbc-sells-out-super-bowl-ads.html?hpid=topnews

super bowl XLVIII (2009) tv ads : bud light and the porno man

budweiser has been my all time favorite during the super bowl. and this one is not an exception. it's simple and simply funny. it scores!



beer is an every man's drink. and most every man watching the super bowl will most likely be drinking beer. that is the reason why this ad will work.

one question that comes to mind is - does a brand want to have a brand character of being a sleeze who buys porn? while that's a legitimate question, what trumps the concern is the point that this is an ad that every man will most likely find funny and something, while not really exepriential for most, it is a situation every man can relate to.

it's the humor that will get you in this ad. the humor that portrays the life and times of every man. that's empathy that makes you laugh and that is why this ad works very well.

super bowl XLVIII (2009) : coke's sizzling tv ad

just gorgeous production values. well lit, great colors, just simply well done. it's not the coke ad we are used to seeing but this one gets you to pay attention and appreciate nature.

what is the song that they have in this ad? i could not care less for it. they should have used a more familiar song/melody as music bed. a great music would have improved this ad twofold.

super bowl ads - how and why doing the best needs to be at the super bowl

 this is a great article to read for any marketer who is looking into advertising at this time of economic downturn. this will tell you why advertising at this time is needed and how to do it.

the cost of a super bowl ad, reportedly at US$3 Million per 30 second commercial and set within the context of uncertain business gains has made getting it right on the kind of ad to air at the super bowl as a most important goal.

Marketers face pressure to deliver with Super Bowl ads
By Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY

For most Super Bowl advertisers, there's one sure thing about being in the game: the pressure.


And thanks to the imploded economy, this one on Sunday may be the all-time pressure cooker. The decision to spend $3 million — $100,000 a second — to air a 30-second Super Bowl ad seems almost indefensible.

It is a particularly sticky wicket after a week in which 70,000 layoffs were announced and labor statistics set a couple of firsts: Unemployment was up in every state in December, and people getting unemployment benefits has hit a record. The quiet question: How many jobs could be saved by not running a Super Bowl spot?

"This is the first Super Bowl of the Great Depression 2.0," says Steve Hayden, vice chairman at Ogilvy Worldwide perhaps best known as the co-writer of the "1984" Apple ad that set off the Super Bowl ad frenzy 25 years ago. "Being on the Super Bowl this year is like driving around in a Duesenberg in 1929."

Don't tell that to 30-some brands that bought the 33.5 minutes of ad time in the NBC game broadcast, including veterans such as Budweiser, Pepsi and Coke and first-timers such as Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Pedigree pet food and Denny's.

The common goal: $100,000-a-second worth of ad buzz. Buzz means Web hits after the game and, in good times anyway, that translates into sales.

There's no telling what it means in the worst of times, which is why NBC had two ad slots left Thursday. "I'm not going to tell you it hasn't been a tough slog," Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Sports, said early this week. "But we have not crashed price in any way, shape or form."

Advertisers who bought in are rethinking what to air. They're doing more research. They're focusing on hallmarks such as heritage. They are even alluding to the economy — some seriously, some with a chuckle.

"The biggest danger every Super Bowl advertiser faces is being ignored," says advertising research guru Don Bruzzone.

That's a real danger this year, says data from researcher Gallup & Robinson. Record low consumer confidence is likely to result in record-low consumer recall of Super Bowl ads, says Scott Purvis, president.

For 12 years, he says, there's been a direct relationship between people's confidence in the economy and the attention they pay to Super Bowl ads, so advertisers face "an additional headwind."

"More than ever, it's a desperate move to buy time on the Super Bowl," says ad guru Carol Moog. "Some are going to feel stupid. Some are going to feel guilty. Some are going to feel they've done what they have to do, since being on the Super Bowl presents an image of health."

In fact, some Super Bowl advertisers bought in this year not to sell products but to prove to consumers that "we're still around and always will be," says Martin Lindstrom, author of Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy.

For others, the cost of the image boost is too high. General Motors and FedEx, two Super Bowl ad regulars, passed this year.

"As a country, we are in unprecedented economic waters," explains Steve Pacheco, FedEx ad chief. "Being in the game simply sends the wrong message to employees and FedEx constituents."

GM has no major vehicle to launch and has been slashing ad spending. "It made more sense to pass," says GM spokeswoman Kelly Cusinato.

Those who didn't pass have been scrambling to justify their supersize marketing investment.

"Advertisers will wake up the day after the Super Bowl and say, 'That was a big red herring,' " says Robbie Blinkoff, a cultural anthropologist. "They need to focus on the next 10 years, not the next 10 minutes."

Pessimism angers some

Such pessimism infuriates NBC executives and Super Bowl advertisers — particularly those who have been at it longest and invested many millions of dollars to methodically build brand images around the Super Bowl.

Anheuser-Busch has been at it since 1989. "We're long-term committed (to the game), through recession, boom or bust," says Bob Lachky, chief creative officer of the beermaker, which will air 4.5 minutes of ads. "It's the best way for us to reach the largest number of adult beer drinkers. There's not one meeting have I sat in where anyone questioned it."


Massimo d'Amore, CEO of PepsiCo Americas Beverages, says an imploding economy won't dampen Pepsi's Super Bowl ad plans. "It's an historical opportunity to bring a moment of joy to consumers who have been squeezed."

Then there are first-timers who insist the opportunity was too enormous to pass up.

"We have to be really smart about the decisions we make in this downturn," says Nelson Marchioli, CEO of Denny's, which promises an ad with an "unprecedented deal" on its Grand Slam breakfast. The point, he says, is to get people to reconsider Denny's. "Not only do I want to survive this downturn, but I want to take back share."

As never before, Super Bowl advertisers are putting extra time and effort into preparing for this game within the game by:

• Upping research. Advertisers are testing and retesting ads "within an inch of their lives," says Hayden.

Even in the downturn, A-B is doing its usual intense "battery of testing," says Lachky. Ads have been prescreened by up to 600 consumers in three cities, and about a dozen possible ads have been whittled down to a handful.

• Eyeing return on investment (ROI). "In an environment like this, we are even more so looking for return on investment," says Richard Castellini, marketing chief at CareerBuilder.com, a job-hunting site jointly owned by Tribune, McClatchy, Microsoft and USA TODAY parent Gannett.

Advertisers are factoring in ROI because employees, shareholders and viewers will ask hard questions, says Linda Sawyer, CEO at ad agency Deutsch. "This year, consumers will not only weigh in on whether it's a great ad, but whether it's a good investment."

• Creating extra spots. Hyundai shot nine commercials, from which it selected two for the game, says Joel Ewanick, vice president of marketing. The carmaker also is the title sponsor of the pregame show.

CareerBuilder ordered four TV spots from which it will pick one or two. It's all about ads that get response, says Castellini.

• Scrutinizing agencies. "Our clients are being much more careful about overseeing us," says Jeff Goodby, co-founder of Goodby Silverstein & Partners. The agency has spots for Hyundai and Denny's and is overseeing Doritos' online Super Bowl ad competition for video by consumers.

• Being mindful of the times. Advertisers are thinking extra hard about what they're saying — and why — says Goodby.

Client Hyundai will air a spot promoting its recently created Hyundai Assurance program, which lets Hyundai buyers who lose their jobs return cars without damage to their credit. The Assurance ad replaced a spot for a new Hyundai Genesis coupe, explains Ewanick, because "there's no better place" to broadcast the message than on the Super Bowl.

A lighter A-B ad shows what happens to a corporate bean counter who suggests one cut too many: No more Bud Light at budget meetings.

• Exploiting rivals' absence. Audi knows most competing luxury car brands will not be in the Super Bowl. "If competitors are hitting the brakes, we think if we can accelerate now, we can post a lot more gains," says Scott Keogh, chief marketing officer. The Audi ad features a Hollywoodlike car chase with a twist.

In fact, brands that invest in marketing during a recession tend to gain market share when the recession ends, says author Lindstrom. "Even though it sounds absurd to see brands advertise at a $3 million price tag, it may pay off very well in the long run."

• Listening to retailers. Audi has had "exhaustive" conversations with dealer groups, says Keogh. "They said they want us to keep our foot on the gas in this market and return to the Super Bowl."

• Tweaking Web strategy. Last year, about 300,000 Super Bowl viewers who saw Hyundai's ads went online before the game was even over to leave their addresses to get more information, says Ewanick. This year, Hyundai expects an even larger online response during and after the game with its "Assurance" spot.

• Trying to make ads that get talked about. Two Super Bowl spots — for PepsiCo's SoBe Lifewater and DreamWorks movie Monsters vs. Aliens— will air in 3-D. This increases the cost of the spots and complicates viewership — Pepsi has given out about 125 million pairs of cardboard 3-D glasses needed to get the full effect.

"We are convinced our brand has to move at the speed of culture," says d'Amore.

•Avoiding negative imagery. Many Super Bowl viewers have been affected, directly or indirectly, by job cuts. That made online broker E-Trade more careful about poking fun at traditional big brokers, which have seen huge layoffs and even liquidation, says Nicholas Utton, chief marketing officer. E-Trade's ad again features the talking baby.

•Cutting back on ad time. E-Trade will air one ad instead of its usual two. "We've got shareholders and investors out there," explains Utton. "At the end of the day, one ad is just right."

•Focusing on brand values. A-B will be represented by its familiar Clydesdale horses in a record three of its ads, says Lachky. "Consumers are looking for a message that reinforces certain values, tradition and heritage."

http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2009-01-29-super-bowl-ads-marketers_N.htm?csp=usat.me

Super Bowl XLIII is here and so will the great new tv ads

there are many american traditions associated with the super bowl and one of it is advertising related. not only is the super bowl full of american traditions, is also traditionally a big event for the advertising industry with many of the ad agencies and clients producing and airing the best ads of the industry during the super bowl.

many of these ads are produced only for the super bowl and some are aired only in the super bowl, meaning they get aired only once. some brands and most notable is steve job's apple macintosh has used the super bowl as a successful launch pad for new products and new advertising. (read about the successful apple macintosh launch in 1984 here: http://the-wawam-file.blogspot.com/2008/03/this-apple-tv-ad-started-it-all-for.html; we have also featured many super bowl XLII ads in this blog.).

but fame and glory comes with a hefty price tag. that is another tradition in the super bowl. the rumor is an ad at super bowl XLIII will cost US$3 Million per 30 second spot! that to a lot of many brands in the philippines is the whole marketing budget for a year!

it's not just the price tag of a 30 second ad that has a lot of numbers in it, the audience is also huge. the super bowl is one of the most watched event on tv in the US. super bowl parties in many american homes are organized for the purpose where the whole family and friends gather to watch the whole thing. so, the $ amount may be worth it.

but for WAWAM!, we're not in it for the tail gating parties, and not just for the game, but for the ads.

manny villar's itik tv ad - dirty hand or clean hand?

senator manny villar has a new tv commercial - with mr. pacifico de la cruz, an itik (duck) farmer. it's a continuation of his advertising strategy but executionally, it had lost the single-mindedness his ofw ads had. there are also other things in the ad - like his hand. is it dirty or not? and his shirt? dirty or not?

read about it here : http://2010presidentiables.wordpress.com/

mcdonald's "burger! burger!" tv spots

hearing "burger! burger! burger!" has become common. we were imagining that reading this copy line off a storyboard would have sounded weird and boring, but the line has evolved to be a hit for users when viewed in the mcdo ads.

it's the power of the context by which it was said and the tongue-in-cheek treatment of the ads. the teen ad has a feel of being a home made video and looked very much unrehearsed. and that is where the appeal of the ad lie.

the lolo and lola (grandfather and grandmother) ad is a surprising twist to the series of ads. and taking the whole gives it a good mix of fun and reinforces memorability of the ads.

the ads puts mcdo cheeseburger as the meal of choice for celebrating the mundane, cheap thrills and the unexpected. this gives mcdo an everyday, anytime meal positioning but with a twist of fun and wholesome craziness.

mea culpa : The 10 Most Embarassing Award Winners in Automotive History

this is a most interesting article not only for car lovers, but also for marketing practitioners. this is the first time i have read an article of this sort and it is quite refreshing to read something where an "authority" admits to being wrong. it's a great read for all of us, but it is stomach churning if you own any of these cars.

Dishonorable Mention: The 10 Most Embarrassing Award Winners in Automotive History


Don’t tell anyone, but we’re not always right. Neither are those other magazines.

By The CARandDRIVER.com Staff


Here and now, in vivid HTML, Car and Driver formally apologizes for naming the Renault Alliance to the 1983 10Best Cars list. For the last 26 years, it’s been gnawing at our collective gut like a shame-induced ulcer. The car was trash. We should have known that back then, and it’s taken us too long to confess our grievous mistake. Let this frank admission be the start of our penance.

It’s not the only blemish on our record, and we’re not the only publication to recognize a few stinkers with its highest honor. The history of automotive journalism has seen flaming piles of poo named “Car of the Year” even as they attract product liability lawsuits by the acre-foot and hunks of crud honored as “All-Stars” at the very moment buyers are seeking reimbursement under lemon laws.

It’s always a risk making judgments based on the initial exposure to a car, and sometimes a vehicle’s ultimate crappiness only reveals itself with the fullness of time. We’re all subject to hype for something that seems new, different, and maybe even better, and in this business, we all feel the crushing pressure to be timely, amusing, and authoritative. Being wrong is always a risk. Still, here are ten award winners for which somebody needs to apologize.

read article in full here: http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/846/dishonorable-mention-the-10-most-embarrassing-award-winners-in-automotive-history

hot ideas for tHe idiOts proMo

holistic dog food

• 50% price discount on holistic dog food - some fantastically wild price discount would have been the best promo they could have done for holistic. not being in the market for 3 months meant all their previous buyers have shifted to other brands and they have earned the hate and anger of these disappointed buyers. the best way to win them back to the brand is a huge price discount. they could have done this for at least one month to make sure they are able to capture the purchase cycle.
• letter of apology - this should have been done on week 2 from the time they knew they will not have stocks for 3 months. of course they knew this - they import the brand from the US and it takes anywhere from 6 weeks to 8 weeks to get the goods from the US to arrive at philippine ports. the letter of apology would have also included an explanation on the stock outs and announce a hot line number that buyers can call to get up-todate information on availability. this is the least that they could have done. dog owners should have been given accurate information to plan ahead.

speed babad detergent powder

• piolo pascual detergent container - a container where labanderas can store their speed babad powder with of course piolo's face on it.
• piolo pascual batya (wash basin) - with piolo pascual's face at the bottom. the labanderas can stare at piolo's handsome face the whole time they are doing their soaking.
• piolo pascual bangko (small chair) - with piolo pascual's face on the chair. you don't do a lot of seating down when you soak clothes but we are sure its a titillating thought for labanderas to be seating their butts on piolo's handsome face. whew! hot!