Ad-nalysis Sunday: Yahoo and Kanye West

This commercial makes me want to get up and dance.



The commercial has a catchy Kanye West song, a likable nerdy actor, and a cheesy plot that's easy to follow.

"Stay close to the spotlight." Very to the point. What else do you use the internet for other than celebrity gossip? (P.S. I'm totally hating Mel Gibson right now.)

Did you know Yahoo is the number one source for entertainment news? You do now! This commercial targets that audience like a pregnant lady targets Taco Bell (LOL Megan!).

Remember way back when Yahoo used to be cool? (Around the time Al Gore invented the Internet.)

And then it was "totally la-ame". "You still use Yahoo? You need to switch to Google!"

I HATED their "Ya-ho-o-o" jingle. You know, the one that sounded like a yodel.

Well, I'd like to officially welcome Yahoo back into the world of "cool". It's still not up there with Google, but today it gets the official Harker Herald nod.

Word.

Ad-nalysis Sunday: BYU Old Spice Spoof

This video was posted THREE days ago and already has nearly ONE MILLION views.



BYU stands for Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. It just happens to be where my hubby went to school. Go Cougars!

BYU is also a religious school, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That's why the "celestial sandwich" comment is HI-LARIOUS!

Did you notice there's a man lying on the ground with a sideways plant at 0:16-0:19?

The actor is a BYU student named Stephen Jones. He's also a member of a campus comedy troope. Watch some of his standup on YouTube. He's super funny!

The commercial is REALLY well shot. The quality is amazing! It was produced by the Multimedia Production unit at the Harold B. Lee Library at BYU. Good for them. It looks so professional!

My fav line?
"Did you know that 8 out of 5 dentists say that studying in the library is 6-bagillion times more effective than studying in your shower?"
I laughed out loud when I watched it the first, second, even the third time around. The sentence makes sense until you analyze it and realize it makes absolutely NO sense!

And of course "I'm on a cart!" is pretty great too.

Makes you want to go to the library, doesn't it!

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Emmy Nods

Remember my first Ad-nalysis Sunday post (or was it my second?) about this commercial?



Well guess what! It was nominated for an Emmy!
Did you even know commercials were nominated for Emmys? Neither did I!

Want to know what other commercials were nominated?
Well, it's no surprise most of them are Super Bowl commercials.
I could do an Ad-nalysis Sunday post on each one and really drag it out, but you know I'm too impatient for that.

Absolute "Anthem"


Love the music in this commercial!
I don't even want to think about how much it COST and how much TIME it took to put all of that together. But it sure made an "exceptional" commercial.
I love that the motto of this commercial can apply to anything in life. "Doing things differently leads to something exceptional."

Coca-Cola "Finals"


I'm not in love with this commercial. I doubt it will win the Emmy. But it's an interesting concept and they sure put a lot of work into it.
For me, it's just too many things happening at once. Plus, I'm not a fan of "fantasy-themed" anything. It's too "Gulliver's Travels."

Snickers-Mars "Game"


Can you say anything bad about this commercial? It's Betty White! Love her!
I can also completely attest that "You're not you when you're hungry" is a true statement. Just ask my husband!

Audi "Green Police"


Catchy, holds your attention, and makes you feel good about recycling.
I love this commercial, but that's because I'm an eco-nerd who brings her own bags to the grocery store.
Now I want an Audi. But then again, who doesn't want an Audi?

Nike "Human Chain"


A feel good Nike commercial. Perfect for the Super Bowl.
Love love love love LOVE the song!
I pretty much love the whole commercial. It gives me goosebumps.
A SERIOUS contender for the Emmy.
P.S. Can you name all the celebrity athletes in this commercial?

What commercial do you think will win the Emmy?

Sidenote: The 2010 Primetime Emmy Awards will air live August 29 on NBC (KSL 5 in Utah).

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Hyundai Sonata

Generally, I hate car commercials.
But I don't hate this one!



Finally, an out-of-the-box car commercial.
Isn't it like a breath of fresh air?

I love that you don't even know it's a car commercial until near the end. But you don't forget it's a car commercial. I think the point definitely gets across.

16-year-olds are on the road. Get a safe car.

Almost anyone can relate to this commercial. One, because we fear 16-year-old drivers. And two, because who doesn't LOVE that song from Sound of Music. It totally brings you to a happy place.

I love the simplicity of this commercial. There are exactly three scenes. Three cuts. The bedroom. The car. The text.

I don't envy the person who had to put together the bedroom scene. That's A LOT of stuff. But who knows? Maybe they got lucky and one of the producers had a teenager who's room was already this messy.

As always, let me know what you think of the commercial.

The end.

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Fedex

I saw a FedEx commercial a while back, around the time I started doing these Ad-nalysis blogs. I thought it was funny, but I couldn't find it on YouTube so I never blogged about it.

Occasionally I would think about this long-lost commercial and cry a little inside because I couldn't share it with you.

Today, I was determined to find it.



What is it about a stupid man, doing a stupid thing, that always makes us smile?

I suppose I feel like I can relate to this "boss". When I get really good service somewhere, I try to let them know I'm impressed. I'll ask the person's name, and tell her she's doing a great job. It's dorky, I know.

The actor in this commercial just takes this concept to the extreme.
And it works. I love him! I love his dorkiness and sense of pride.

I love the pace of this commercial. I think that's what keeps me interested the whole time. There's a lot happening in 30 seconds.

Other than that, there's not much too this commercial. It just made me smile. What more can you ask for?


***On another topic...
Congratulations to Jackee for winning the muffin giveaway!

She said: "We would LOVE to try out your yummy muffins. And the cool thing is...it would be really easy to get them to us:)! I think something with cinnamon would be fun."

It will be easy to get them to her because she lives just down the street!

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Jeans Diapers and Pajama Jeans

By popular demand: The Jeans Diapers commercial.



"I poo in blue!"

Personally, I hate this commercial, and this product.
Why would you want to put your baby in something that looks like CROPPED short shorts? Jeans are pants. Pants cover legs. Diapers don't cover legs.

Buuuuuut, I can see why moms would think it was adorable.

They're probably thinking: "This would be perfect to draw even more attention to my half-naked baby!"

I have to admit, this is one commercial where bathroom humor is appropriate.

"When it's a number 2, I look like number 1."
"The coolest you'll look pooping your pants."

Unfortunately, you don't catch the clever dialog the first time to watch it. I don't know about you, but the only thing I heard the first time I saw this commercial was "My diaper is full!" Gross.

Other things I hate about this commercial:
1. The voiceover. Annoying. Why does he have a weird French accent? Is the baby supposed to look French? I don't get it.
2. The editing. The cuts in this commercial don't match the music. It bugs me every time I see it!

Moms, please don't put your kids in diaper jeans.
Put them in Pajama Jeans instead!



Now THOSE look cool!

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Busted

A new weekly newspaper debuted in Utah this week.

It's called Busted.
Here's the cover.

That's right, it's a newspaper exclusively made up of mug shots!
I know, brilliant right?
I don't know why I didn't think of this. We laugh at mugshots on a daily basis in the newsroom. They make dependable daily entertainment.
It makes you wonder why there aren't pages of mug shots already in newspapers. They're like obituaries. Depressing, but oooooh sooooo interesting.

Here are some of my fav segments.
A segment devoted to the WACKIEST mugshots.

Click on this picture to make it bigger. These are before and after mug shots of people known to be on Meth.
And you thought the paper didn't serve a real purpose.
They're doing society a favor!

Yep, those are the fine females "wanted" in my county.

Click on this one to read the story in green.
Surprisingly this newspaper actually has a little news in it.
Seriously, click on it. You can thank me later.

And last, but not least, this is the last page of the paper.
Check out the ad on the bottom.
"Want a lasting memory of this proud moment? Order your very own framed, glossy 8x10 photo of any mugshot we print."

I didn't forget this was suppose to be an Ad-nalysis.
On the BUSTED website, there's an ad for their wonderful paper (now in 10 cities).
Try to watch it without laughing.

Is this a clever ad? No.
Is it a little trashy? Yes.
But that's their brand. And staying "on brand" is one of the first rules of advertising.
KSL did a story about the new newspaper in town. You can read it here.

Until next week!
And remember, don't get arrested, get BUSTED!

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Yep, it's a Tampon Commercial

But it's the BEST tampon commercial you'll ever see!

Trust me guys, you'll like it too.



I had some girls over this week to play cards and watch So You Think You Can Dance. We were hardly paying attention to the T.V., and then this commercial came on.

We were all mesmerized.
Before the commercial was even over we were laughing our heads off.
My friends and I looked at each other and expressed the same thought.
This was going to be my next blog post.

I've watched this commercial so many times I can almost quote the whole thing.
My favorite lines?
"You can relate to me because I'm racially ambiguous."
"Market research shows girls like you love girls like me."
"Do all these angles make me seem dynamic?"
"I'm wearing white pants!"

This commercial is sooooo refreshing. I love that they openly reveal advertising secrets. It's very true that "female-product" commercials all look the same and are indeed obnoxious. By making fun of their industry, Kotex sets itself apart.

The actress is perfect. Not only is she perfect because she's "believably attractive" (hot, but not too hot) and "racially ambigious", but she's also a cheerleader, she can kick-box, and can blow on a dandelion. And we all know those activities require mad skills!

The tag line of this campaign is also clever. "Break the Cycle." It applies to annoying commercials and the annoying monthly visitor.

That's all for now, I gotta go to the store to buy these tampons...and white pants.

P.S. Here's another commercial in the "Break the Cycle" campaign. It's good but not AS good.

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Stanley Steemer

You may completely disagree with me on this one...
But whatever, it's my blog.

I thought this commercial was adorable!



The first time I saw it, I was laughing, and couldn't stop saying "I could have saved this one!"
It still cracks me up.

You'll notice a pattern in most of these ad-nalysis blogs. I like simple commercials. Simple is always better. And this Stanley Steemer commercial is no exception.

Lines in this commercial:
Guys talking about "Berber carpet"
Driver says "No!"
Driver says "Why??"
Driver says "I could have saved this one!" twice.
End with Stanley Steamer jingle.

Less than 30 words in a 30 second commercial.

You never forget that this is a commercial for a carpet cleaner. It's right on brand.
You know that jingle. It gets stuck in your head.
The commercial as a whole gets stuck in your head. I only had to see it once to know I would end up blogging about it.

But if you DO disagree, if you think this commercial is dumb or cheesy, let me know.
I'm not afraid to take you on.

***UPDATE:
My Dad (Ted) brought up a good point. I didn't even realize Steamer was actually spelled STEEMER. (You can always count on my Dad to pick out my blog typos.)

After some research, here's why the company spells their name differently.
"Did you ever wonder why "Steemer" is spelled with two "E's"? When the original steam cleaning equipment was operating, it reminded Bates of the old Stanley Steamer steam powered automobile. He liked the name, so he made it his own with a slight spelling variation to make it unique."
Source: http://www.leavcom.com/hm_ss.htm

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Embrace Life

This is the most moving and effective seat-belt campaign you will ever see.



My Ad-nalysis?
If this doesn't bring tears to your eyes, you're a heartless person.
The end.

Just kidding. You know I wouldn't leave you hanging.

It's such a simple concept.
You know it didn't cost much to create.
And it's effective.
Those alone are factors of the perfect commercial.

It has an emotional connection. Who doesn't have a family who wants you to be safe in the car? Putting a child in the commercial is also brilliant. I love that's she's missing a tooth and wearing fairy wings. She's a real kid. The whole family looks real. No supermodels here. It definitely makes the ad relatable.

Facial expressions. Watch the commercial again and pay close attention to the facial expressions. Some are so subtle, but they tell the whole story. I love these actors.

The camera moves and editing. Perfect. I can just imagine how long this commercial took to edit. There's slow-motion, fast slow-motion, real time, more slow-motion. But it's all timed perfectly.

Finally, did you know this was a campaign made for the U.K?
I love that no matter where you live, no matter what language you speak, you will understand this commercial. It's so wide-reaching.
Do you know how many views this video has?
Nearly 7 million.
You know people around the world are watching it.

Are you going to wear your seat belt today?

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Swagger Wagon

Earlier this week, there was an ad for this video on YouTube. The video is an ad in itself, in the form of a music video.

Like I said last week, nothing like a viral video to get your message across.

Take a look.



So appropriate for Mother's Day right!! I love it!
The first time I watched this video, I laughed so hard I cried.
I was at work, so that was kind of embarrassing. Right in the middle of my tear fest, my boss walked in. :S

It's a rap video but instead of falling money, it's falling diapers!
Instead of gold chains, it's soothers!
No over-sized speakers, just a baby monitor.
No scantily-clad dancers, just adorable kids! The kids totally make this video for me.
I think the jello-mold part was where I started crying, because, helloooo, I live in Utah. That screams "Utah mom"!

Favorite line: "Where my mother-fathers at?" Admit it, you thought she was going to swear!
Favorite part: When the dad throws all the tea-party stuff off the table. He's such a rebel! LOL!
I could go on and on about what I love about this video...buuuuuut I hate long blog posts.

Does this video make the mini-van cool again? Not a chance.
But if your family needs a mini-van - and you can handle the stereo-types and laugh at yourself like the family in this video - then by all means, go for it. You're the target audience. I'm sure this video makes the buying process a little less painful.

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Nolan's Cheddar

Tom found this on YouTube yesterday.

After some research I discover Nolan's cheddar doesn't actually exist.
Tear.
But if it did, I'd buy it.

This fake ad was made British animatronics master John Nolan. He's worked on movies like Where the Wild Things Are and Harry Potter.

So why am I writing about this even though it's a fake ad? Because it accomplished what Nolan set out to accomplish. To showcase his work.
Nothing like a viral video to get someone a job!
To quote www.promonews.tv, he has "a calling card you won’t forget in a hurry. It draws you in like a tempting, tasty morsel of cheese..."
Nolan has since been signed to Streetlight Films.
Brilliant.

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Burger King Creeper Caper

Here's a little ad that made my jaw drop.



I was shocked at the sheer bluntness of the commercial.
I was shocked because even though I hate Burger King, I didn't hate this commercial. It was unique and refreshing.
I was shocked because I am a McMuffin addict and right now I'm craving a BK breakfast muffin sandwich.

Ad-nalysis Sunday: Another AT&T Shoutout

I've decided to forgive AT&T for using Luke Wilson as a spokesperson. Great Actor. Horrible phone salesman.

AT&T has redeemed itself with a series of clever commercials that speak directly to my generation and younger. But don't worry, even you older folks should be able to appreciate them.











(I wasn't going to post all five videos, but I couldn't choose a favorite! They all crack me up!)

I'm one of those people who uses my phone more for texting than I do for phone calls. I use my phone to update my Twitter. My Twitter page automatically updates my Facebook page. So when the newscaster says "This story has been confirmed via wall post", I say, yep, that's my life!

I'm not even with AT& T, and I want one of these Backflip phones. Therefore I would say these commercials are pretty effective.

I should also mention that since I work in a newsroom, I LOVE commercials that spoof the news. The actor in these commercials makes the perfect fake newscaster.

****On another note, I'm pleasantly surprised by how many people read my Sunday posts. I've gotten some really good feedback and good suggestions for future posts. If you see a clever ad, on T.V. or anywhere else, let me know! If I write about your ad, I'll make sure you get a shoutout.

Ad-nalysis Sundays: Are you a Glee Geek?

I dedicate this week's Ad-nalysis to GLEE!!!!! (Yes I know this is an awful picture of me.)

Season 2 starts THIS week and Fox has done an amazing job of getting me psyched!!!! Every time I see a promo, I want to scream in excitement!

Let's see if they can get you excited too!









I even gasped out loud when I saw this ad in one of my magazines.

Is Glee the greatest show ever created? Hardly. But it's fun, dramatic, and a perfect show to watch with the girls. We'll be having a girls night every week until the season is over. You're welcome to join the (Glee) club.

*Side note: I realize this isn't really an "analysis", but my goal with Ad-nalysis Sundays is to share the ads that I think are clever, funny or effective. These Glee ads fall into that category because they get me PUMPED!

Ad-nalysis Sundays: Add Old Spice to the Grocery List

Because I want my man to smell like this:



He tells you to look away, but you couldn't could you!

This is originally a Superbowl commercial, and most of you have already seen it, but I couldn't NOT post this on Ad-nalysis Sunday. After last week's post, a few people said the Big Red commercial reminded them of this Old Spice commercial, especially when they sing "You'll watch YouTube on a horse."

What is it with horses in commercials these days, and why are they so darn funny? I supposed it makes the ads gallop into our hearts!

What really makes this commercial is the star actor, former Seattle Seahawk, Isaiah Mustafa, and his amazing delivery in ONE take!

Even Oprah took notice! Last Friday, Mr. Old Spice himself was on her show. Since the commercial came out, he's auditioned for a Tom Hanks movie, television pilots and Tyler Perry's upcoming film Colored Girls.

Oprah surprised Mr. Spice with a message from Tyler Perry himself, saying he got the job! How exciting!

Hopefully you learned something new from this week's Ad-nalysis, even if you've seen the commercial before. And if at least one one person sees this ad for the first time on my blog, my work is done! (I'm guessing that one person is probably my mom.)

Be sure to come back every week for Ad-nalysis Sundays!

Welcome to "Ad-nalysis Sundays!"

(The day of the week where I spare my husband from listening to me blab on about clever ads and share my thoughts with the blogging world instead.)

My first Ad-nalysis is Big Red - the Verizon Version!

Remember these commercials from the 80's and 90's?





Imagine my surprise when I saw this commercial come on T.V.



Different product. Same song!

I'm still wondering how Verizon got the rights to do this, but hats off to them. My mouth instantly starts watering for gum every time I see it.

Oh wait, that wasn't the point of the commercial? Dang.

Another fail on Verizon's part is when the "Big Red" song gets stuck in my head, I'm singing, "So kiss a little longer" lyrics, not, "So browse the web much better."

Mind you, there are some brilliant lyrics in the Verizon version. Like "You’ll watch YouTube on a Horse..." Cracks me up every time because it's so random.

Over all, this could be an ad for toilet cleaner and I would still like it. It's clever, without actually being original. The ultimate lazy-but-still-good promotion, and I certainly can appreciate that. (Because, you know, I'm a promotions producer.)

What do you think of Big Red - the Verizon Version?