Showing posts with label Super Bowl ads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Super Bowl ads. Show all posts

Ford "asks" GM to pull Super Bowl ad. Grow up Ford!

GM's Super Bowl ad about its truck drivers surviving the apocalypse while Ford's truck drivers don't seems to have raised the ire of some people at Ford.  They have asked that GM and NBC pull the ad.


It was a cute ad (especially the implication that Twinkies survived the apocalypse too), but I think Ford is making way too much of this.  Quite honestly, their charge that GM's data is flawed because it's using statistics on longevity, not durability to support its claim, is a bit childish if you ask me.  See quote from Ford Truck spokesman, Mike Levine to Jaloponik:

"We don't agree with GM's claims in the ad. Particularly around durability. What's important is that Ford is proud to be the number one selling truck in America for 35 years. The best-selling vehicle in America for 30 years. And the only brand with more trucks on the road with more than 250,000 miles. That demonstrates just how durable our trucks are in the real world. ... The issue with the ad is that 'Dave' doesn't survive because he's driving a Ford. They cite R.L. Polk data on longevity — not durability. If you look at R.L. Polk's data on durability — the same data I just gave you — there are more Ford trucks on the road with more than 250,000 miles. ... We've made our point and we'll always defend our products." "But this type of a request happens from time-to-time, and now we'll just let our legal team handle it."

By pursuing this issue, Ford is doing more to help GM than hurt it by raising awareness for its claim without effectively disputing it!  Ford sounds like a little boy who got beaten in a race on the playground and screamed "cheater" because he lost. 

The people at Ford need to read a well known biblical quote from 1 Corinthians 13:11:

"When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things."

C'mon Ford...really?!  They zinged ya!  Let it go.


*The opinions shared on this blog are solely those of its author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Goodwill of Greater Washington, its affiliates or supporters.

Super Bowl of Ads was a Draw

So what did you think of the "Super Bowl of Ads" during last night's big game?

Here are a few thoughts of my own, though I welcome yours.

I was looking forward to the Ozzy Osbourne/Justin Beiber spot for Best Buy, but I didn't find it humorous at all.  I actually found it kind of stupid. 

The Dorito's commercial featuring one guy licking the cheese off the fingers of another guy was just gross.

The Kim Kardashian spot for Skechers only confirmed what everyone already knew:  Kim Kardashian can't act her way out of a paper bag.  Though she did look pretty good!

Audi's, "Release the Hounds" ad was a great little story packed into 30 seconds..

I didn't really get the homeaway.com commercial. There was simply too much going on in that spot to follow it. And as the father of a small child, I didn't find the baby doll splatting against the window at the end of the commercial the least bit humorous. I just found it misplaced.

The big winners of the night:

Teleflora:  The unexpected comment from the kid getting advice from country music icon Faith Hill had me on the floor. 

Bridgestone Tires:  Loved the guy running all over town trying to disconnect computers, because he was mistakenly told he hit "reply all".  Fun and amusing take on one of our biggest workplace fears.

Loved the Volkswagen and the mini-Darth Vader spot featuring the little kid who believes that "the force" actually allowed him to turn on the car with his telekinetic powers, though it was actually his dad using the remote control.  Very cute and memorable commercial.

NFL.com apparel: Cool spot featuring clips from old TV shows that were digitally manipulated to show the characters wearing apparel from their favorite football teams.  That was a pretty incredible use of technology!

The best spot by far:  GoDaddy.com featuring the digital placement of Joan River's head on the sexy body of a bikini model, while claiming she is the new face of GoDaddy.com.  Hysterical and completely unexpected!

There were a few others that were less than memorable, and some I didn't have space or time to mention, but I'd love to know what you thought!

A sneak peak at Super Bowl XLV ads

Super Bowl XLV is less than a week away and the buzz is hitting a fever pitch.  And I'm not talking about the action on the field!  The chatter in marketing and pop culture circles is that we may see some fun and creative content in between plays on Sunday.

This year's Super Bowl ads, which will run about $3 million for a :30 second spot, will feature several regulars as well as some newbies.  But all are hoping to make a splash on the world's biggest advertising stage.

Here's a sample of what to expect:

The exotic Kim Kardashian will be selling shoes in a provocative ad for Skechers. Kardashian has a reputation for selling her personal brand to the highest bidder, so I'll be interested to see how this ad plays out. Though I doubt that most men will be spending much time looking at the shoes.

Bridgestone Tires makes light of everyone's worst email fear...unintentionally hitting "reply all"!

Country singer Faith Hill doles out Valentine's Day advice for Teleflora.

Ozzy Osbourne and Justin Bieber shot an ad for Best Buy in early January on a futuristic set at Universal Studios. The rumor mill says the spot is a laugher.  Hard to imagine an ad that places Justin Beiber and the "Prince of Bloody Darkness" on the same set as being anything but!

Audi will showcase an ad that is an extension of its present "Goodnight" campaign with literary inspiration from Goodnight Moon, the 1947 children’s book by Margaret Wise Brown, one of the best-selling children’s books of all time.

Two new movies will be teased during the big game including Paramount's Captain America and Universal's Cowboys and Aliens. 
 
There will also be more of the usuals including Budweiser, Doritos and Pepsi.  Rumor has it that Ted Williams, the homeless man with the golden voice may make an ad cameo.  Hmmm...wonder if it was taped in rehab.
 
Other advertisers include BMW, CareerBuilder and CarMax. 
 
Come back next week and let me know what you thought of the ads - good, bad and ugly!