My take on Super Bowl XLIX Commercials

 

This review is my personal opinion and does not reflect opinions of my agency, SMZ. The spots listed are in order viewed. Nature call may have required missing just a few.

Overall, good game generally negatively correlates with good commercials. This year’s line up had the usual mix of serious, funny, trying to be funny, borrowed interest from celebrities, music and animals and just plain “huh?”

I’m using basic letter grades.

Reebok – “More human” felt more like a spot for CrossFit. B-

Chevrolet – TV signal goes out, want a truck? I knew it was a commercial. And I knew that NBC wouldn’t go dark on the biggest night of the year. Those folks on Twitter who “nearly had a heart attack” should see a real doctor. B

Esurance – Lindsay Lohan driving. Let me get this straight the selling proposition is more personalized auto insurance ratings. So we promote it on the most watched, least personalized program in our nation. Am I the only one seeing the irony in that. Lindsay was fine in her use. C

Toyota – Redesigned Camry with a Paralympian in action and the champ, Muhammad Ali as v/o. Inspiring, yes! Just not sure what it had to do with the new Camry. B

Turbo Tax – the modern take on the tea party (the other tea party) and free filing. This spot had as long a way to go to get to the point as the British did to sail over and be part of the action. Grade of E for E-file.

Tomorrowland – I didn't rate all of the movie trailers as it felt like a long movie trailer with a football game tossed in for fun.  This one for a Disney property on one of the few non Disney-owned channels looked cool. A-

BMW i3 – Katie and Bryant from then and now. Stiff. Guess I have to ask celebrities to do spots as they seem to ok any script as long as it’s a Super Bowl spot. C

Minions – I didn’t see Despicable Me 1, 2 or 9 so can’t comment.

Snickers – Despite all brand’s obsession with the Millenials nice to see the Brady Bunch, a Gen X staple, used to further their smart campaign. Didn’t even need Mr. Buschemi and Marsha, Marsha, Marsha ... A

Carnival – we cruised into the second quarter scoreless and this surprising spot (brand video) for the Carnival conglomerate had a real idea. Not sure JFK ever did a voice over before? This one cruised to an A

Skittles – arm wrestle spot was bleh. Best for the brand was Marshawn Lynch downing a handful of Skittles right before kickoff.

Lexus – SFX spot was slick. Didn’t anyone find it reminiscent of Honda – Choir from 1997? (Honda - Choir) Grand B

T-Mobile – "Hi, I’m Kim" was funny. Liked that she made fun of herself and I didn’t even know the references. A

Budweiser – Lost Puppy was lost to me. Sure he’s cute, but not enough to save the spot. C

Nationwide – Invisible Amy and Matt Damon. If you’re going to use Matt Damon, see Jimmy Kimmel. D

Terminator – this trailer for Terminator: Genisys felt like a parody but was real. Let me know when it’s streaming for free. D

Coca-Cola – a little spill (remember SNL’s 70s Pepsi Syndrome?) makes the world a little happier. Fun to watch. B+

Mexico Avocados – Draft in the desert. D words. D grade.

Furious 7 – Haven’t seen the first six. This one doesn’t look much different. Cool Dubai effects. B-

Dove – Love real women of beauty. And I’m a caring father. But this spot could have been signed off by any number of brands that support strong dads. Why Dove. Another D word. D

Doritos – Guy saving the middle seat. Nice misdirect. B+

Nissan – Another spot with a “geezer rock” soundtrack, Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle". Very long way to go to say this Dad has been a no-show but all is ok because he showed up in a Maxima. F

Nationwide – another that I just didn’t connect with. D

Weight Watchers – Jessie from Breaking Bad is talking to me about the world’s greatest buffet as I’m eating Super Bowl food. Beautifully edited. I have enough guilt in my life. Others in their campaign on “help with the hard stuff” are better spots. C

Weather Tech – I know this brand from their multi-page ads in every car magazine. They make a great product. I just didn’t learn anything new in this attempt on an epic spot. C

McDonald’s – seemingly everybody is haitin’ on the lovin’ it brand. Yet we always say the agency’s job is not to present ideas that give away the client’s product. Couldn’t imagine doing so for the Super Bowl. Forced emotion. D

Esurance – spot #2 in the series. See above.

Fiat – First off, I drove this new vehicle as a rental in Dallas. It had more wind noise at 40 mph than anything I’ve ever driven. Yet, this Viagra trip to “enlarge” the vehicle was worse. That concept made it out of the agency, out of the client conference room and into production. Really? An “F” word. Grade F.

Go Daddy – they went straight instead of mysogonist. Pretty dull. C

Blacklist – first of thirty promos for the show, this one to Sinatra’s “I’ve gotta’ be me.” Fun. A

Microsoft – driving technology for prosthetics taught me something in a glorious, uplifting way. Really nice design into their logo. A

Squarespace – I love Jeff Bridges but didn’t get it at all. F

-        Halftime and the Katy Perry show –

Clash of Clans – I haven’t seen Taken 3 yet but wasn’t “taken” by this use of Mr. Neeson in the coffee shop. C

Sprint – confident enough to use one of their pointed bill-cutting spots. Straightforward and powerful. A

Lexus – nice product demonstration for a new vehicle. B+

Microsoft – a second commercial that shows Microsoft as “good people doing good things. Haven’t always thought of them that way before. They were a top performer to me in this advertising showcase. A

Kia – Pierce Brosnan in an ok spot. Another where Twitter users abused the word “great.” C

T-Mobile – Sarah Silverman and Chelsea Handler having a conversation. G-rated dialogue, too. Let’s think about this: they could use AT&T or Verizon but they play Annie Oakley’s “anything you can do ...” with T-Mobile data. I believe it. Too complicated. D

Ted – preview for the sequel with Tom Brady. It was funny and movie looks funny. A

Mophie – using God to sell your product. No. D

Loctite – everyone at worked loved it. I didn’t get it. Didn’t “stick” with me in any way. F

Bud Lite – Real life Pac Man. Now I know why craft beers are hot. B-

Mercedes – Three days on ESPN of Tortoise & Hare and that’s what it was all about. I saw that new car at the NAIAS and it’s awesome looking. This mess cheapened it for me. C

50 Shades preview – I’ve read the book. In no hurry to see the movie. 50, doesn't that score earn a D?

Doritos – Making pigs fly. Saw this one coming for way too long. Cute kid, though. B

Wix.com – best use of retired, NFL hall-of-famers. I thought it was fun and explained what they do. A-

Victoria’s Secret – I am in the mood for love. Except when the game’s on the line in the final two minutes. Bad timing ladies. B

NASCAR on NBC – last spot in my notes. Simply energetic and fun. A

Going ... going ... gone to our new SMZ offices at 1200 Kirts in Troy, MI

A BRIEF HISTORY 

In 1929 two young Detroiters, Leonard Simons and Larry Michelson struck out on their own and started an advertising agency. Simons-Michelson Co. as the agency was known made their home in downtown Detroit, primarily the Lafayette Building in Mad Men-esque offices for nearly 50 years.

Second generation owners Mort Zieve and Jim Michelson pioneered the move out to the shiny mirrored glass buildings of Troy, Michigan in the fall of 1977. For 10 years the agency was in space at Sheffield Plaza on West Big Beaver next to what was then Kmart’s active world headquarters.

900 Wilshire Building exterior

In 1988, bursting at the seams, the agency relocated down the road in Troy to a then-new building at 900 Wilshire Drive.   

After 27 years at 900 Wilshire, we took a hard look at the way we do business. Naturally that extends to how our office space looks, feels and operates. We decided to move for a number of strategic reasons. 

Following a thorough process we found new space that is welcoming and fosters collaboration with multiple group work spaces, a great deal of windows and natural light and neat gathering places.

Blueprints for our innovative new space

We believe our new offices are functional today and - in an ever-changing industry - will remain flexible and functional into the future. 

For those who visit, our offices will fairly reflect an energetic, creative company. We are doing our best to make this a positive change for agency personnel and clients alike.   

PLEASE ENJOY THE PHOTOS OF THE NEW OFFICES. Click each to see in full size.

Dramatic exterior shot of the new SMZ offices at 1200 Kirts (we have a sign)

Our reception area and a look into the main conference room (those doors are "riveting")

 

Here's a wide view of our very colorful open space (awaiting colorful characters)

Our break area - the new SMZ Cafe is quite welcoming

Another view of the colorful open space

We have a garage door to open on nice days!

We will make the (short) wait in the lobby comfortable

The view if you drop your pen and look up

Our new main conference room is round-on-round

 Key partners in this project were CBRE Real Estate Brokers, Davis & Davis Interior Design, Ari-El Enterprises Real Estate, Airea Furniture and Ashmark Construction. Thanks to all of them for what is truly a "home run."

What's the difference between an insight and an observation?

For the past week I was working on a post about insights vs. observations. Before publishing my draft I did a quick search on the topic only to discover this post from More About Advertising. In all honesty Mr. Simons (no relation to our agency founder) nailed it.


I was sitting in a meeting the other day with an advertising agency in London and one of the agency team said they had a really good ‘insight’. After further discussion it seemed to me it was more of an observation than a flash of inspiration.


It got me thinking a bit more about that particular word because I have seen it used in job descriptions more frequently recently, both on the client and agency side so I thought it was worth a bit of investigation.


My conclusion to date is that the word ‘insight’ is a fad and an over-claim. [READ MORE, CLICK HERE ...]


And one more from Farrah Bostic's Blog PLH (prettylittlehead.)  http://bit.ly/jYjnaw

Get the door please

Joe Louis Arena is preparing for the Detroit Red Wings 21st straight playoff appearance. Here's how we've helped our client dress up the place for the show. The idea was to decorate the Joe doors. All 69 of them. I'll leave the Franzen captions to my readers. Go Wings!

We all learn from "The Boss"

"Rumble, young musicians, rumble. Open your ears, open your hearts. Don’t take yourselves too seriously and take yourself as seriously as death itself. Don’t worry. Worry your ass off. Have iron clad confidence. But doubt! It keeps you awake and alert. Believe you are the baddest ass in town and ... you suck. It keeps you honest. Be able to keep two completely contradictory ideas alive and well in your heart and head at all times. If it does not drive you crazy it will make you strong. Stay hard, stay hungry and stay alive."

— Bruce Springsteen at SXSW in his keynote address. As a leader of a creative company I certainly took this to heart.

NHL Announces 2013 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic is Coming to Michigan!

If you're a hockey fan. If you ever skated on a frozen pond or a backyard ice rink, you know why the NHL was able to call the Winter Classic a "classic" on day one. Should 2012 not be the end of the world then on January 1, 2013 two Original Six rivals are going to play hockey in front of a crowd equal to five straight sell outs at Joe Louis Arena. 


As a member of the Detroit Red Wings family I couldn't be more excited. Move over Rose Bowl, the Big House is in the spotlight on New Year's Day 2013! 

Continuing a TED discussion on "Starting with Why."

 Every agency wrestles with self-positioning. In our case it has revolved around what we do, how we do it, and even for whom (escape brands). Until we got energized about WHY we do what we do. It doesn't start with the almighty dollar! (Or somewhat mightier than the Euro dollar.) 


No, it centers on the fact that for 83 years now clients have TRUSTED us to develop ideas for their business. Ideas we believed would positively impact their brand and business. Sounds simple. But that's what excites us every day. Not awards. Not page views. Not short-lasting false buzz. 


We earn that trust through a straightforward and proven approach we call Listen. Think. Do. 


Thank you to Mr. Sinek and his TED talk for inspiring us and for boosting our confidence in how we present SMZ. As the video says, "the believers will find us." Let's hope!

Sherlock Holmes movie with whole agency

We had a very nice agency event last night. Our social committee arranged dinner and a private screening of the new film, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Guy Ritchie's modern interpretation of Holmes played by Robert Downey Jr. is rapier smart, fearless, and kicks ass. So why this movie for a companywide event? Well it's "elementary" my dear reader!

Cellphone Courtesy at the Table

Sometimes a family meal just looks wrong. I'm not talking about the food. Rather when you look at the table and see everyone holding cellphones and no one talking to each other. Now we have to be magicians to get our smart phones to become "dumb." Enter the phonekerchief. This innovative, service-blocking hanky made with silver fibers effectively blocks incoming calls and texts. "My phone is off for you," it says.


The Phonekerchief fabric is conductive because it is partially made up of silver fibers. When the fabric creates an unbroken enclosure (when it is wrapped tightly around a phone without any gaps), it creates a phenomenon that is known in science as a "Faraday Cage". This means that any external static electrical field, such as a phone signal, will cause the electrical charges within the conducting fabric to redistribute themselves so as to cancel the field's effects on what is inside. In order for the Phonekerchief to work effectively, the fabric must be wrapped tightly around the phone and create an unbroken enclosure.


Napkins at our dinner table just got a bit more interesting ...

Playing with playlists

Consider this an interactive post all started when, during the long (long) drive from Detroit to Florida, my daughter piped up from the back seat, "hey, got any music from this century?" She was right to ask. Between my iPod filled with 70's classics and The Bridge on Sirius/XM we should have been driving in an Olds Custom Cruiser station wagon. In all fairness I did sprinkle in a few current tunes. And our family playlist competition spanned 50 years worth of music. Unfortunately I finished last.


To my mighty throng of readers I ask for one recommended song to add to my music collection. Only rule is that it must have been released in the past two years.


Move over Steely Dan, I can't wait to blast the "new stuff."

What I'm getting for the holidays

I'm getting nothing and I'm quite happy about that. I'm extremely lucky in that I really don't need anything. My birthday was last month. I got good books, a blue sweater (it's in the pile with other blue sweaters), and a pair of winter running briefs that keep key parts from freezing. Without those running briefs I could find myself in need of something that's quite hard to buy at the mall.

This isn't about simplification, sustainability, religion or anti-consumerism. It's just reality. Judge Smails was right, "you'll get nothing and like it!"

First one to name the film gets ... yep, nothing. Happy holidays.

What makes a great client?

As our agency is active in a couple of parallel new business efforts we got around to talking about what makes a great client. We all tossed out some buzzwords and then I recalled an article from the November issue of Harvard Business Review. In the article celebrated architect Frank Gehry provided an excellent response to the question and to balance in the creative process. Here's an excerpt from that article.

You’ve said that one of the reasons the Guggenheim Bilbao is a great building is that you had a great client. What makes a client great?

It’s a collaboration. I’d say it’s 50/50. The client has got to be willing to talk to you. Imagine you get a job with IBM, you’re working with an executive vice president, and he shows the model to the president, and the guy says, “What the f--- is that? That won’t work with my work.” So I only accept jobs where I work with the decision maker.

How do you balance your clients’ desires against other concerns?

The client hires you, so the client is the priority. But you can’t just build a building based on what the clients say, because their vision is based on what’s normal. How do you get out of the normal? You’ve got to question everything. Spend time with the user group. Glean all the information you can. And then throw it all away and begin to play.

How do you go about solving design problems?

I’m like a pussycat with a ball of twine. It goes over there, and he jumps over there. It falls on the floor, and he goes there. I’m opportunistic. Once I understand the problems, I try things. I see what works and what doesn’t, and then I try again. When it looks like something I’ve done before, I abandon it. I have learned to trust my intuition.

Thank you Mr. Gehry for helping us think about and "build"  great client relationships.

SMZ Wins Big at the 2011 "D" Show

Last evening was a special night for the advertising community in Detroit and for SMZ as well. The fifth annual "D" Show took place down at The Max in Detroit. The D Show is the yearly creative showplace for agencies big and small.

This year the show received over 400 entries. After a first round of judging done by the D Show committee, the finalists are then reviewed by a jury of our peers from around the country. Last night, those judges recognized our work for the Detroit Red Wings as being some of “the best of the best” in this year’s show: 
· Outdoor: “Zamboni”
· TV—Consumer under $75,000: “Pre-Game”

London, Ontario Outdoor

Not only were we recognized for those ideas, in addition we were honored by receiving one of the top awards, “The Joe,” for “Zamboni.” Unlike other awards that are judged by our peers, The Joe Award is judged by a panel of distinguished journalists. They see the best the world of advertising and marketing has to offer. Those journalists were given access to the top-scoring entries from all of the categories for judging. They then scored the entries based on their assessment of the creativity, concept, production value and the overall merit of the entry.

Congratulations to everyone at SMZ and to our clients at the Detroit Red Wings!

Swift and surprised

My daughter is a huge Taylor Swift fan. When I heard a local radio station discussing a video by Vh1 Blog Editor Rich Juzwiak this morning I had to check it out. This is a surprise to Brooke showing how Ms. Swift is so often, like at last evening's American Music Awards,  "genuinely" surprised.

BlogThis!

Black Thursday?

Black Thursday, doesn't that mean you burned the Thanksgiving turkey? Not anymore. After 15 years of working on mall marketing - watching Black Friday go from a retail industry term to a consumer selling message - the calendar has been broken.


Last year our client, Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Auburn Hills, MI pioneered the midnight opening. Still technically on Black Friday. This year an hours arms race began. Retailers like Target, Macy's, Kohl's and Best Buy announced they'd be opening at midnight on Black Friday. Now Walmart has announced it will be opening at 10 pm on Thanksgiving night.

"Our customers told us they would rather stay up late to shop than get up early," Duncan Mac Naughton, chief merchandising officer of Wal-Mart United States, told the New York Times.

Not sure where this goes next? Although Thanksgiving in brunch form is starting to make some sense. Enjoy your doorbuster circulars on November 23.

ChapStick® and silly social media reaction

In every pocket of every jacket I have a ChapStick®. When my lips get sensitive I apply some moisturizer. Simple as that. Today a client shared with me how a number of people's sensibilities became "sensitive" about a seemingly innocent ad posted by ChapStick brand.

Click the ad image for a link to the full story and let me know if you get "chapped" about the whole thing?

Should we drive a Lincoln or Listen to Lincoln?

“You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. 
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. 
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. 
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. 
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. 
You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence. 
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.” 
― Abraham Lincoln

Advertising Agency Searches and the RFP Process

Our agency is active in three RFPs. That's nothing to complain about. Instead I'd like to applaud the work of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and the Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's) on their recently published guidelines for Agency Search. The following is a trade article and link to the White Paper outlining how to conduct an effective search and selection process. (Note: any client prospects reading this, we welcome opportunity to talk without there having to be a formal RFP process.)
==

How to Conduct Agency Search: ANA, 4A's Offer Guidelines

After Spate of Long, Unwieldy Reviews, Agency and Advertiser Associations Give Advice to Head off Trouble Before It Bubbles up

By: Rupal Parekh Published: October 03, 2011

   

After years of marketers marching to the beat of their own drum when it comes to picking agency partners, the industry's two leading trade groups, the Association of National Advertisers and 4A's, are now weighing in with a jointly recommended agency-search procedure. The move marks a first-ever attempt to rectify a process that can be highly inconsistent, and often unnecessarily expensive for both marketers and agencies.

In an 18-page document out today, the ANA and 4A's outline steps for how to conduct an effective search and selection process -- from how to determine whether a search is required in the first place to what to consider during contract negotiations. Two themes repeatedly touched on are the need to make the process simpler by casting a smaller net that includes just a few shops and eliminating paper-pushing when possible, and the need for companies to more carefully evaluate cultural compatibility.

Debra Giampoli, Kraft

ANA/4A's Guidelines for Agency Search White Paper

Some might say it's too little too late, since reviews have already become far too unwieldy. Recent examples include those that drag on for over a year -- such as Accenture or Exxon -- or cattle-calls that involve more than 100 agencies like the Zappos' review did.

For the 4A's, it's an attempt to address a spike in complaints received this year from its agency members.

Those who compiled the document -- a team of marketer and agency representatives from the likes of Visa, Pfizer, American Express, Kraft, EuroRSCG, Merkley & Partners and the Richards Group -- say a series of factors has altered the dynamics of the client-agency relationship, making the guidance timely. Among them: procurement is sitting at the marketing table and is involved in agency reviews; media fragmentation is leading to more reviews for specialist shops; and a weakened economy is placing more burdens on marketing departments.

"Pitches can be really time-consuming for marketers to lead and very expensive for agencies to participate in," said Debra Giampoli, director of global strategic agency relations at Kraft Foods. "Because of the economy we're in, agencies and clients are pressured more than they ever have been before to make every dollar of spending count and it's more important than ever to make the right decisions. Mistakes can be very distracting and costly to the business."

Per the guidelines, the ideal agency search process should last three months with just one week used to identify which shops to invite, and six weeks granted to prepare and present ideas. "If the review drags on, the entire process is at risk as agency talent that was originally available during the review may be reassigned, or the agency may even decide to back out of your search and participate in an agency RFP with a competitor."

It also suggests a cap on the number of shops asked to participate, saying that no more than six to eight shops should be invited to fill out a request for proposal and no more than three should be invited for a final round. Further, the document calls for companies dropping bulky questionnaires whenever possible, urging them to pick up the phone instead.

The ANA and 4A's even go so far as to say that marketers might want to do away with a formal search process altogether: "You may also want to consider skipping a formal RFI/RFP process in favor of a fast-track, closed-search process where specific agencies are invited to discuss their capabilities."

Said Diane Fannon, principal, new business development at Dallas-based Richards Group: "The fewer agencies you have, the more in-depth time you can have with them. The worst reviews are where agencies don't have any interaction with the key clients, and the best relationships are the ones where you have more than one date before you marry."

"Cultural conflicts will almost certainly sabotage an advertiser-agency relationship, regardless of how well an agency's core competencies and administrative processes match an advertiser's needs," the guidelines say.

To that end, the 4A's and ANA say that agency visits during a search should be required, and marketers should take note of details such as the amenities a shop offers its staff, and the emphasis it places on titles. It's also important to know whether the agency will be able to collaborate with shops already on the marketers' roster.

"It's not a vendor relationship; you are putting your brand and business in the hands of marketing professionals said Ms. Fannon. "The worst thing is when you go through this process and it's really not a great fit ... and the client has to do it all over again."

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS IN 4A'S/ANA GUIDELINES

1. If procurement is going to be involved, decide if its role will be as a facilitator or driver, and be clear with agencies about fact.
2. The ideal amount of time for a search process is three months, and the ideal number of shops who answer a request for proposal is no more than eight.
3. Decide whether a formal search is necessary or whether you can identify a select number of shops -- internally -- or with the help of a consultant to participate in a streamlined, closed process.
4. Have a discussion about compensation early on, not at the end of the process. Agencies should bring up the topic even if a marketer doesn't.
5. Agencies shouldn't do a bait-and-switch, bringing in one team to secure the account, and assigning another to do the work. Ensure the client meets the people who will work on their business.
6. Agency visits are a must and cultural compatibility should be weighed just as heavily as capabilities. Clients should understand how the agency behaves overall and should select the whole agency, with its values and staff, not just the handful of people who pitched the business.
7. An agency's culture shouldn't only be complementary to a marketer, but also to the other agencies on the marketer's roster.
8. Speculative work presented by an agency during a review frequently doesn't translate into a campaign, so decide if it's really a necessary part of the process. If it is, allocate enough time for agencies to deliver the assignment.
9. Offer non-winning agencies a debriefing phone call and give them honest feedback.

My name at Smith & Wollensky

For more than 20 years, Smith & Wollensky has been one of my favorite restaurants. As they opened outposts outside of the original on 49th and Third Ave. in New York, I've been there. A decade ago when I stopped eating meat, I simply embraced the seafood portion of the menu. (And the wine list, too.) Speaking of their menu, fans know it's framed in glass.

I have a confession to make. My sister-in-law swiped one of those framed menus for me. It was many years ago judging by what is now "reasonable" prices on that menu. The menu proudly hangs on the wall of our kitchen. Over time we also received a Smith & Wollensky umbrella and set of steak knives. I sincerely hope the gift givers paid for those items.

This morning I came across a banner ad promoting a contest at the restaurant. A chance for "Smith" to be replaced with my name. Or your name. I'm going to enter. And if I win it might be like Glengary Glen Ross. I'll get a new set of steak knives.

It's time to think hockey

It's that time of year where every non-locked-out sport collides. Since hockey promises the best collisions I'm heading down to the Joe for Hockeyfest.