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So I did it. I bought a pair of TOMS shoes. After hearing about them on an AT&T commercial, and through several other charity groups, I decided to further their cause by buying a pair of my own. For those of you who don’t know, TOMS Shoes has made its name with its ‘One for One’ campaign. What sets them apart from other shoe companies is that for every pair of shoes they sell, they give a pair away to a child in need. They’ve been following this strategy for about 3 years now, receiving acclaim and press from dozens of outlets in the media world. It’s interesting how TOMS has incorporated charity into their business strategy. It allows the consumer to purchase and actually feel good about spending money. Genius!

www.TOMSShoes.com

I came across a low budget commercial for a fireworks warehouse in Alabama and I was immediately reminded of the WAY popular Montgomery Flea Market ad that blew up a year or two ago. If you don’t recall the ad, here’s a little refresher:

It became highly popular around the office and has several version on youtube (this version alone has over 4 million views). I’m not going to lie, the song is pretty catchy and I find myself randomly singing it every once in a while. I can only image how popular it is in Montgomery….

Well, as I was watching the firework outlet commercial, I was reminded of this spot. It’s very entertaining, but not necessarily for the right reasons. Oh yeah, and the fireworks outlet is called the “Band Bang Lady”. Check it out.

WARNING: Your head may explode while watching this, literally.

As tacky and terrible as the ad is, it may actually work. It almost feels like an SNL skit it’s so over the top. At the same time, we’re talking about a local fireworks outlet in Alabama. They don’t need to come across as highly professional and polished. It’s a highly flammable warehouse Seale, Alabama. If anything, this commercial will help to actually put this unknown city on the map by making the Bang Band Woman’s warehouse a staple - a tourist attraction. My question is whether this approach was actually intentional (doubtful) or if they really think the ad is as HHAAAWT as they say it is.

More Bang Bang Lady Spots:

I’ve seen this spot several times over the past week and decided to note it in the blog. It’s a very fun spot with a lot of color and great artwork all-around. It’s one of those rare spots that comes around every once in a while that makes you say “wow, that was a cool spot” once it’s over. I really enjoy it, but will it sell cars?

Here’s a cool “The Making Of…” video I found for more details into how much it took to make these :30 spots.

I was out to lunch with Dave and Wendy last week and pointed out a SportsCenter commercial that was playing on one of the TVs in the restaurant. It sparked a pretty entertaining conversation about how consistent the ESPN commercials have been over the past decade or so. It got me thinking that I should post a blog about the spots and highlight a few here. So here ya go, my Top 10 ‘This Is SportsCenter’ Commercials (as usual, in no particular order).

1. Y2K Test

This is one of the most memorial spots in my mind. I love Steiner at the end…”Follow me to Freedom”. Mark McGwirer smashing computers is a pretty nice touch as well. (Guess it’s not too soon to say it, but, Roid Rage?)

2. D. Patrick

Dave’s personal favorite.

3. The Complete Show

4. Betrayal

Great spot that highlights the Yankees/Sox rivalry.

5. Good Luck. Finding. Your Chair. Lebron

Good ole King James and Van Pelt.

6. The Perfect Show

Love the old Dan Patrick/Kenny Mayne spots!

7. Yahtzee!!

8. The Conditioning Coach

How can you not laugh at Richard Simmons?

9. Slumps

10. Three of a Kind

I’m sure I’m leaving some great spots out, but all of these really crack me up. They never seem to run out of ideas up there in that ESPN creative department. Post any other funny spots here in the comment section!

Until 1 week ago, I had never even seen an Ikea. I have several Swedish friends who always talk about it, but their national pride has them talking up anything that happens to be of Swedish decent - thus allowing me to discount the praise they had for Ikea. Man, was that a mistake.

Last week I was in Orlando meeting an old friend and had some downtime before meeting him. For some strange reason, I decided to check out the Ikea that everyone raves about. As I pull up I remember laughing to myself. I pulled into a parking lot that I’m 95% never ends and parked next to a gigantic, concrete Swedish flag:

After getting out of my car I waited for tram to come pick me up from my section of the parking lot. After about 5 minutes, I realized they don’t offer tram service (which - by the way - I can’t determine if that’s very-European or un-European of them). I walked in, was greeted by several staff members and stumbled my way to the lone elevator - completely unsure where it was leading me. After walking through some double doors I found myself in a massive showroom. As I walked I found room after room, each with its own set of hip decor and furniture. After seeing some of the cool designs I decided to look at the desks. (Actually, it was a miracle that I found them. This place is huge!) After browsing the desks, I finally found one I wanted and spent about 5 minutes trying to figure out how to buy it. The tag instructed me to go to the self-service area and it had a few numbers that I had to remember until I got there. I decided to keep walking when I got a call from my friend who was calling to let me know he was ready to be picked up.

I briskly walked through the halls of the showroom trying to hurry to the checkout. After about 10 minutes of near-jogging through I found the self-service area/warehouse: a huge room the resembled a Sams Club. I sped past the loading buggies and searched for the desk I picked out. Once I found it, I realized I couldn’t do much without the loading buggy and decided I’d have to call off the purchase. If not for the time-crunch though, I would have a brand new Ikea desk.

So it’s been a week since this venture, and I can’t remember how many people I’ve talked to about the visit. I’ve come to realize a few things about the brand and what really happened last week. I remember blogging a while back about Starbucks and how they use experiential marketing work wonders for them. If you missed it, I argued that by creating such a intimate and comforting atmosphere in each Starbucks store, they connect the brand with all five of the consumer’s senses. It becomes The Starbucks Experience, instead of just going out for a cup of coffee. Well, Ikea has done a very similar thing.

I’ve never been too big into decorating - and after living two years in a fraternity house I’m definitely not too picky when it comes to furniture. So why have I been speaking so highly of Ikea; a furniture and home decor store? Why did I feel like I needed to buy a brand new desk when I have a functioning desk at home? Think about it, I almost made one of the largest impulse buys of my life just because of the rush I got after walking into this showroom. The design and layout of the multi-room setup got me excited from the get go. I was excited enough to say - ‘What do I need?…Well, it’d be kinda cool to have a new desk.’ I was so impressed that my Facebook status became “Nick is obsessed with Ikea” after being inside for FIVE minutes. (And I received several comments on that very status update supporting my newly-formed Ikea obsession.) When it comes down to it, if it weren’t for the time crunch I was in, I’d have that new desk set up in my room right now.

So do it - check out Ikea. It’s a very impressive place with something for everyone - and even more for homeowners. The Tampa store opens in a couple weeks and it’s supposed to be nutty. Pay attention to the news, I’m sure they will be all over it. Why? I’m pretty sure hundreds of people are planning on camping out overnight (and it’s rumored they may camp over several nights) just to be there for the grand opening. Anyone have an extra sleeping bag?

1. Scum Bob Square Pants

I usually love Burger King’s edgy work, but this is an idea that seems to have just gone too far. If you’re going to pay the royalties and go through the trouble of getting Sir Mix A Lot’s infamous Baby Got Back worked into your campaign, let’s try and make it clean. The ad certainly targets children - think about it - it is promoting Kid’s Meals and the new Sponge Bob toys available in them. I just wish they would have done more with such a classic song - at least save it for a brand like AXE.

2. Shameless Signatures

Arrogant? Boastful? Hip? However you take them, the wireless email signatures are showing off and showing up more and more. I wonder how many people fake emails with the wireless signatures. Or how many actually use them as power-moves. Interesting trend in the way business is conducted these days.

3. Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood

Sorry Applebees - you can’t compare to these local faves. The owners of the Ciccio & Tony’s restaurant chain know what they are doing. They open restaurant after restaurant and continue to deliver success. Mmmmmm.

4. Raysball

Tampa Bay is buzzing about the Rays. Great media coverage, much higher ticket sales, player celebrities and wins have Tampa Bay residents buying into this team.

5. In the Running

Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT). After denying Colbert the naming rights of a room on the space station (which was to be named by a popular public vote), NASA compromised and agreed to name a treadmill after him. I dig it.

6. Don’t Be Stingy

I just got back from a lunch with Lewis Williams from Burrell - an agency in Chicago that specializes in minority targeted advertising. One of his examples was the above video. They created it to appeal to the loving side of African Americans and created a R&B song to facilitate the message. McNuggets sold, their videos have a million+ hits on youtube and people actually thought it was a real song. I particularly dig the last line of the spot Girl you gotta 10 piece please don’t be stin-jayyyy.

7. I’ll Take a Double Texican Whopper….of a Bad Idea

I thought this post would only slam one of Burger King’s campaigns. Nope. A Mexican ambassador described it as, “improperly us[ing] the stereotypical image of Mexicans.” You’d think somewhere along the line of advertising flow within the agency and Burger King itself, somebody may bring up the notion that depicting the Mexican race with a short, lucha libre character could be a little offensive. It also doesn’t help that the tagline reads: the taste of Texas with a little spicy Mexican. They’ve released back to back campaigns that have brought the company negative press. It’s like a game of limbo: how low will they go?

8. Mastering Mobile Media

Most sports buffs know a good amount about the Masters, which concluded this past Sunday. It’s arguably the most prestigious tournament in the golf community. This year, the Masters made some great strides that I wouldn’t really expect from a sport with a higher-aged target demo. The first image is a screen shot of the iPhone application they offered for free. It kept me in touch with leaderboards, updates and even streamed live footage of the tournament (amazing). The second image shows the Masters’ social media front on Twitter. Updates, insights and news were constantly being fed to Twitter pages and mobile devices - constantly reminding people to watch and follow. They’ve earned a bravo and one well-done.

9. Putting the Rad in Radio

Pandora radio is a lifesaver. It’s a web player that plays music that you should like based on the bands and genres you select. Usually, it’s right on the money. Most clutch while at work, when your current playlist is getting a little old or when at the beach/pool (yes, they have mobile capabilities). Having Pandora radio on my phone has changed the way I lay by the pool forever.

10. My Guilty Pleasure of the Week

I remember not too long ago referring to social media as “new media”. Boy, does time fly! It’s hard to remember life before MySpace.com, Facebook.com and of course, my current favorite, Twitter.com.

How did we manage before we could let people know what we were doing or thinking every single moment of every single day? It’s very easy to get caught up in a world of self-importance, which makes it even more refreshing to see how Trinity Wall Street Church based in New York City has chosen to use Twitter.

With only 140 characters per tweet, they are telling the Passion Play in a simple, yet powerful way. If you aren’t familiar with a passion play it’s the story behind Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. The church is telling the story from the angle of the people who were there as the drama unfolded.

You can follow the dialogue at http://twitter.com/twspassionplay or read more about how the church is using Twitter at http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/10/what-would-jesus-tweet/ or http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,514024,00.html.

Happy Easter, Passover or other assorted holiday you might be celebrating. If it’s none of the above, then let’s go with a simple, “Happy Spring!”

After writing and discussing last week’s blog - especially its format - I’ve decided to commit to contributing more list submissions. It’s really a win-win situation. I’ll be more inclined to write more often, and you won’t have to read any more of my rambling, babbling submissions that usually lose their way about half-way through the post.

Enough dialogue, on to this week’s list - Hot Ad Angles. Campaign strategies, taglines and brand philosophies all contribute to the success of a product/service. These are some Ad Angles I currently dig.

Ballin’
(Ad Angles that have been successful or pleasing to me - in no particular order)

1. PC < Apple
-'Maybe I'm just not cool enough to be a Mac person'. Lauren is a sweetheart. A youthful chick who's just out to buy a new laptop that's hip and affordable. Sure, everyone knows Macs are so much cooler, and allegedly better, than PCs. Unfortunately, the price point reflects this belief. I like the fact that Microsoft is making a point that you can buy a PC that does everything majority of us need our computers to accomplish at a fraction of the Mac price. In the end - and especially in today's economy - this is arguably Microsoft's #1 selling point - I'm glad they've put out a spot that highlights this.

2. AXE
-The spots don’t hold anything back. They target us M16-29 and pretty much say to our faces, “We know you”. Every ad and campaign for the past few years has screamed, “We know all you guys want to do is impress the ladies”. Spots with Boom-Chicka-Wah-Wahs, Nick Lachey tallying looks from girls and the new, college montage have defined the AXE user over and over. Sure, they are a little over the top and kinda crude, but something about how shameless the campaigns are makes the brand more fun in my eyes. Besides, they’re key demo likes that stuff in a brand. Bring on the shamelessness.

(I included this video which is what I meant when I referred to ‘college montage’ above. This spot just kinda takes me back to that old lifestyle and mindset. Crazy nights that you need to clean up the next morning….or afternoon. This is an uncut version that’s actually pretty awesome.)

3. The April Cover of ESPN The Magazine by Gatorade
-Pretty cool concept if you haven’t seen it. It’s the usual ESPN mag, well, half of it is anyways. The front cover is split down the middle. The left side is half of a picture of Manny Ramirez making some weird ‘Manny’ face. The right side is white with bold lettering that reads, “Your wouldn’t settle for an incomplete cover”. You realize this white side is actually a flap that unfolds to show a Gatorade ad suggesting that it is the complete sports drink. I thought it was pretty clever and much more impressionable than a static ad lost somewhere on page 43 (no offense to whoever owns page 43 of this issue). Leave it to Gatorade to provide a refreshing use of an allegedly dying medium.

4. Apple > PC
-How can he write about how the PC campaign is so good and then go and write about how awesome Apple’s ad angle has become? It’s actually really easy, Apple rocks. Their ads are clean and crisp. They’re so simple, and yet, they feel sooo good! That coupled with well-designed products that even look superior to their competitor’s products make the Apple brand one of the strongest in the marketplace. According to Interbrand, Apple’s brand value has grown by 24% since 2007 - second only to the Goliath Google. Sure, PCs are cheaper and capable, but Apple portrays that added value that PC has lost over the years.

5. Old Spice has Swagger
-Swagger has become quite the buzz word in current pop culture. It’s referenced in several rap songs and has a unique and appealing feel to it. Old Spice has recently introduced the Swagger brand to its line of products. The commercials that have carried the product to market are great. In fact, I like all Old Spice spots. ‘Two things in one’ is a pretty good spot, and I enjoy the classy middle-aged man who sings, whistles and plays piano. They take on a different approach than the aforementioned AXE. More guy humor oriented than sexually suggestive. Here’s the ever popular Sword of Urlacher commercial.

6. Spaghetti Jimmy
-I’m sorry, but a little kid covered in spaghetti asking what’s in my wallet in one of those cute kid voices makes me smirk every time. I say smirk because I’ll automatically be docked several man points if I slip up and call it cute.

7. Domino Effect: Bailouts
-Domino’s is running a spot now where the CEO claims to be giving a bailout to the hard working man rather than the wall street scammers. The bailout…$5 pizzas. I’m pretty sure they’ve been running the $5 pizza deal for a while now, but I like the idea of Domino’s playing Robin Hood here. Somebody needed to give Joe The Plumber a bailout, looks like Domino’s beat everyone to it. Unfortunately, this bailout isn’t millions or billions of anything being given away….maybe they should have done a Domino’s Pizza Bailout day where they gave out millions of pizzas. sounds like the perfect campaign for 4th of July…now that’s a bailout I’d be interested in…even if it is Domino’s.

8. You Can’t Say Nobody Makes Money From Twitter
-I read a short but great article today that cited Twitter as the source for Mark Cuban’s latest NBA fine. Cuban was fined after complaining via Twitter about the referees in a recent game. After he was slapped with a $25,000 fine, Cuban posted another tweet reading, “can’t say no one makes money from twitter now. the nba does.” Regardless of his constant fines, Cuban is a good thing for the NBA…and social networking.

9. Agency TV
-Mad Men and now Trust Me are two recent sitcoms about life in ad agencies. Mad Men was an instant classic with me, but I was much more skeptical with Trust Me. After watching several episodes and really bombarding myself with the question, Do I really like it - or do I just like the fact it’s about an agency?, I think I actually like it. It’s kinda fun seeing a show about people who are supposed to be like me. Sure, the agency portrayed in the show is much larger and much different than Affari - but the concepts and challenges are similar. Maybe they should put out a new sitcom about smaller agencies….something I could really get into.

10. I Told You So?
-Last week I said Tiger Woods’ return to golf was a great thing, especially for advertisers and sponsors. After his great comeback win yesterday, NBC posted it’s highest numbers for ‘overnight golf TV’ since last year’s US Open - a major tournament. Just had to boast about that one a little bit.

Not Ballin’
(A quick rundown of Ad Angles that aren’t quite cutting it for me)

-1800DUIGUYS. They have a big budget here in town. Billboards, radio. Probably a pretty good company. If I hear the radio spot 1 more time, I may lose complete control of my car…

-I’m not lovin’ it. I just want McDonalds to change up their creative once in a while. Turn the old Big Mac song into a rap or something.

-Why do blimp ads still exist?

-I’m not sure there is anything more toxic to a brand than spam. Not only do your continuous messages get blocked, but the recipient also blocks your brand from contention - thus, never allowing you on his/her Ballin’ list.

More lists to come…send me suggestions for future Hot Lists.

So, we’re about to wrap up the first quarter of `09 and I feel inspired to write a Top Adthings of `09 blog. I think I just want to highlight some things I haven’t had time to blog about, but we’ll just call it ‘Nick’s Hotlist: 2009 Adthings‘.

Ballin’
(Adthings that have been successful or pleasing to me this year - in no particular order)

1. HIGHLIFE!
- My last blog entry was about Miller High Life’s one-second ad that was rumored to run during the Super Bowl. After it ran, my entire living room lit-up with laughter. It was perfect. Literally two commercials before it ran, a friend of mine shouted, “Hey Nick, has that one-second ad run yet?” I replied, “I don’t think so, guess we could have missed it - if it’s even real.” Literally one minute later, with this dialogue still fresh in everyone’s mind, the screen switches to a warehouse with a large man screaming “High Life”. Then it cuts off. Two seconds pass before we realize what just happened…then we erupted in laughter. The timing couldn’t have been better - love it!

2. Twitter
- Yes, I have a twitter account. Yes, everyone I know has a twitter account. Yes, every media outlet, TV show and retail outlet has a twitter account. That’s why it makes this list - I just cannot deny its buzz. Unfortunately, I’m not sold. I’m a facebook guy so updating my status on facebook is like tweeting to me. I’m not sold on the search features of twitter - it takes too long to find everyone (again).

3. Five, Five Dollar Footlongs
- Don’t act like you don’t know the song. It’s catchy - catchy like the F-R-EE-CREDIT-REPORT-dot-COM-BAY-BE commercials. It works, too. I’ve ordered more footlongs from subway in the past few months than I have in the past 5 years. Is it lunch time yet….

4. Because We’re Aliens and That’s How We Roll
- Hulu is huge. It’s awesome. Remember when you couldn’t find that scene from SNL or The Office on youtube to save your life? Those days are over. Hulu has some of the best internet content, ever. Pretty much any clip or episode of any TV show. Check out some of the SNL Digital Shorts if you get a chance. Plus, running commercials featuring Alec Baldwin and Seth Green are automatic hits.

5. Tell Me Who’s Watching
- Oh, that? That’s just the money you could be saving with Geico. You know those weird commercials with two stacks of bills with a pair of eyes on top? Those commercials made my list. Mainly because I like the techno version of that “Somebody’s Watching Me” song that they use to tag out each spot. I also like thinking about the process of selling that idea. In my head I see somebody at the agency playing around with a few stacks of bills, eventually putting eyes on it and sarcastically saying ‘we should just pitch this’….I guess I love how fun and playful it seems.

6. iPhone lite Apps
- The iPhone apps really make the phone a toy. Some of the games they have on there are impressively detailed and complex. Usually they end up costing 5 or 6 bucks. These apps usually offer lite versions that allow you to play a fraction of the game…just enough to get you hooked. I know people who purchase $5 games on the reg after playing lite versions. I’ll stick to the lite versions for now, but I love the concept: Bait `n Trap.

7. Cash4Gold.com + HammerTime
- MC Hammer has a sledgehammer made of solid gold in this commercial. Enough said.

8. Tiger
- Tiger Woods returns to the PGA tour just in time for the Masters. PGA sponsors and ad buyers can breathe easy again.

9. The NBA’s MVP Race
- Superstars are assisting the NBA as it inches back on the radar. Amazing seasons by Kobe and DWade are propelling the league while Lebron is posting one of the best seasons in NBA history. I think it’s a good thing - just not sure if it’s really an adthing…ratings are up, there.

10. PoP. oHLALA. Yo. HoWDY. ALL FoR oNE. HoPE. XoXo.
Pepsi word play is one of the most recognizable campaigns out there right now. These brightly colored ads are stamped throughout cities across the nation. You know - the outdoor campaign with hip and inspirational words that insert the new Pepsi logo for every ‘o’. I like them. They’re a fun and a quick way to roll-out the new logo (which I also like). My personal favorite? Fo SHo.

11. woot!com
- woot! is probably my favorite website > especially shirt.woot!com. woot! is a webstore that sells one item everyday. The item is usually listed at a very good price and most days items sell out. shirt.woot!com sells one tshirt each day…they’ve become a niche-guilty pleasure of mine as of late. Visit: shirt.woot!, woot!com.

Not Ballin’
(quick list of my least favorite Adthings of `09)

1. The World Baseball Classic
- Boo.

2. Sobe TV Spots
- I guess I just don’t like dancing lizards.

3. Esurance Campaigns
- I don’t think I want to buy car insurance from Kim-possible. I’d rather hang out with two stacks of cash or even that guy with the deep voice who does the All State spots.

4. Myspace
- Everything I wrote above for Twitter applies here, only the lag and creepy Live Chat ads bother me. Facebook is better at everything Myspace does. In fact, I only use myspace these days to keep up with bands I like. Myspace should just dump a bunch of money into Myspace music….or lose the HUGE, creepy ads.

5. The Word ‘Bailout’ used in the Media

Yey for Adthings. Step it up Q2!