Ad This
The Bone Pile
March 8, 2006
I don't know what has given me the itch to write about this, but for whatever
reason I've been wanting to do this topic for a while now. The topic in
question is Advertising and what constitutes success in advertising.
The Super Bowl is the gala for most companies to advertise their product.
If you watch the commercials (and I know you do), then you know that beer
ads and Pepsi ads are going to be shown frequently. But just how
successful are these?
When given the option between Coke or Pepsi
(or their diet counterparts), most people have
an easy decision because they already have
their favorite. Seeing Jay Mohr and Diddy in
an advertisement for Pepsi did not sway my
allegiance from Coca-Cola. The year before,
Carson Daly driving a Diet Pepsi truck didn't
urge me to put down my Diet Coke and grab
some Diet Pepsi instead. When it comes to
established products, people have precon-
ceived preferences and these commercials
aren't going to change them.
Beer is an even better example because millions of dollars are spent in
beer advertisements. Whether it is Miller and Budweiser poking fun at
each other, Johnny saying "I love you man" to get a beer, Leon talking
about his football greatness, or Coors Light twins, none of it really changes
anyone's mind.
When it comes to the domestic beers, people have pretty much made up
their mind what they are going to drink. The premium beers are the ones
who should be advertising, for when someone is going through the store
and thinking he'll try something different. But with the domestics, again, we
have our preferences already established and hot twins and comedy aren't
going to change that. I can only assume that they are targeting teenagers
so they will know the brands for when they start drinking. That is still a lot
of money to blow on such a small demographic.
Pop quiz, Hotshot! Name a children's vitamin.
Did you say Flintstones? I haven't seen a
Flintstones vitamin commercial in at least 5 years.
I'm thinking it's been longer. But I can still hear
the theme song from long ago when I was
watching Saturday morning cartoons. Ten million
strong and growing. That is an example of great
advertising. Centrum may make a children's
vitamin, but Flintstones is probably the thing I'd
reach for without even looking for something else.
I hate McDonald's. There are some good things about it, but it's
overpriced and in general, the food sucks. I hate their slogan "i'm lovin it".
The incorrect grammar alone kills me. There's no capitalization and
leaving off the "g" makes me feel like the head professor of the Ebonics
department led up the marketing campaign. The
commercials from the early 80's showed Ronald
McDonald and some snotty kids in some sort of
acid tripping playground. How did that ever sell
any burgers? I will bring to mind the "2 all beef
patties and a sesame seed bun..." commercials
were good. They were catchy and they actually
involved FOOD. What a concept!
My friend Jack pointed out to me that he probably wouldn't know how to
spell Bologna if it weren't for Oscar Meyer. How do you think most people
would finish this sentence? "I wish I were a..." I guarantee 50% of the
people you know would try to get cut and say "Oscar Meyer Weiner". So
when you go to the grocery store and you are looking to buy hotdogs for a
nice picnic, are you going to buy the 65 cent Bar S cheapie hotdogs, or
are you going to get the two dollar Oscar Meyer quality hotdogs? Michael
Jordan didn't do enough convincing for me to get Ball Park.
The greatest advertising to me is done right in the PGA. The players are
actually using the equipment that they advertise and are sponsored by.
They have to use this stuff, so if they are playing well and endorsing it,
then why shouldn't I use that equipment for me? It must be quality stuff if
they trust it enough to use it in their jobs.
The Burger King commercials actually work
for me. I wouldn't have known about the
Ginormous Omlette Sandwich had it not
been for those "Wake up with the King"
commercials. I bought one the very next
morning. Some say the King is creepy.
Some say he jumped the shark when he
started playing football. I think it's great.
Quizno's might have had one of the worst advertisements ever with the
singing hamsters, if that's what they were. If you remember this, you know
exactly what I mean. Subway on the other hand found their mark in a time
where people were trying to lose weight. Jarred Fogel had lost a ton of
weight on a Subway diet he created for himself and he became their poster
child.
We can all think back and remember some of the greatest commercials of
our time. Does anyone remember Larry Bird losing a chip-eating bet to
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and getting his head shaved? That was a Lays
commercial, but I still eat Ruffles. Even the Legend couldn't sway me.
Massengil has forever scarred me. I was eating supper one night and I
had just put a bite in my mouth when I hear "Why Douche?". Not exactly
dinner talk.
I'm not saying advertisement is pointless. In fact, I think just the opposite.
Name recognition is the most important factor when you are walking
through a grocery store, looking for a new book, or renting a movie. A new
product gets its fair shake by advertising and not getting buried behind the
established products. I just think that some companies may be wasting
their money (the beer companies, for example) trying to sell a product to a
majority of people who already know what they want. But, they have tons
of money and they can do as they please with it.
I don't want to grow up. I'm a Toys 'R' Us kid. And I'm out of here.
T-BONE!
Larry Bird Scores Points
in New Television
Commercial for Pot Pies
from Boston Market
Frozen Meals; Promotes
National Launch of
Boston Market Chicken
and Turkey Pot Pies This
Fall
PITTSBURGH, Sep 16, 2002
(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Larry Bird is back
on the court, but there's just one
problem - he's lost his shooting touch
in a tongue-in-cheek television
commercial that promotes the national
launch of new Chicken and Turkey
Premium Pot Pies from Boston Market
Frozen Meals.
The toughest NBA defenses couldn't
stop Bird when he led the Boston
Celtics to three championships, but
they didn't have these tempting
heat-and-eat new Boston Market Pot
Pies in the lineup. In the new
commercial, Bird's shooting goes cold
because he's distracted by visions of
the new Chicken and Turkey Pot Pies.
Bird's back in action in his recurring
role as the spokesman for Boston
Market Frozen Meals, the fast-growing
line of premium-quality frozen entrees
and side dishes from Heinz Frozen
Foods. The 30-second commercial
premieres nationally in
mid-September. DDB San Francisco
created the commercial. The brand's
hearty 16-ounce pot pies will be
available in the frozen food aisle of
supermarkets across the United States
in late September.
"Larry Bird is a winner by any
definition. In this creative spot, he
pokes fun at his All-Star image while
scoring points for our winning lineup of
new pot pies from Boston Market
Frozen Meals," said John Carroll,
managing director of Heinz Frozen
Foods. "We're proud to have Larry Bird
on our team. He's generating hoopla
for our Boston Market Pot Pies and
Frozen Meals."
DDB San Francisco has teamed up
with Bird and Boston Market Frozen
Meals before. The advertising agency
developed previous television and
radio spots for Boston Market Frozen
Meals, including the May 2001 "Eat
Like a Bird" television spot. The new
commercial was shot in July 2002.
The marketing campaign to support
the national product launch also
includes a national freestanding insert
drop planned for September 8, 2002,
and floor graphics in stores nationwide.
The pot pies deliver a wholesome
blend of poultry, peas, carrots,
French-style green beans and creamy
Boston Market gravy inside a
delectable flaky crust. The pot pies are
a surefire way to score points with fans
of great food who want to beat the
clock - they can be prepared in the
microwave and are ready to eat in
under 10 minutes. The new pot pies
from Boston Market Frozen Meals also
feature the latest container innovation:
a microvable container that produces
a flaky crust.
Bird has been a most valuable player
for Boston Market Frozen Meals since
May 2001. His first starring role as
spokesperson began in the 2001
season, when he scored a slam-dunk
for the brand's entrees in a television
advertising campaign. This year, the
three-time NBA MVP has reached fans
and consumers in a popular online
media tour and has made promotional
appearances at golf outings sponsored
by Boston Market Frozen Meals for the
benefit of Boys & Girls Clubs of
America, one of Bird's favorite
charities.
|
