The news is out: Gatorade is busting a move. They're either going to take it to the next level or confuse the hell out of us.
This is big. More to come.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Hey Pepsi: You forgot something
Yay, Pepsi! They’re full of happy, joy and love! Despite the economic woes, the renewed fighting in the Middle East, and the moon-crater-size potholes springing up across our fair land, Pepsi is debuting their happy-or-bust act in Times Square to bring their new marketing platform of no-holds-barred optimism to the world.
Seems right, right? Obama is coming, and it’s the perfect time to change to the good side. They just forgot one thing:
They forgot the humanity. The part where we’re human beings and we don’t like being TOLD to feel a certain way. Especially being SCREAMED at to embrace the optimistic side of life.
We far prefer to be told a story that makes us feel something. The Coke Macy’s day parade commercial immediately springs to mind.
Not humans, but endless humanity. Makes you feel good.
Yesterday, I went to see a restored 70 MM print of West Side Story at the Music Box Theatre, a slightly run down but still wonderfully gemlike anachronism of a movie palace in the times of 18-theatre megaplexes.
For all of you showtune dissers, I will acknowledge that a bunch of pirouetting, knife wielding gang members is a bit silly, especially in our times of special effects violence. But c’mon, this is West Side Story. Best Picture, 1961. A ridiculous number of smile-inducing showstoppers. How could you not beam for 5 minutes watching this:
With the new print, the sound was massive, and the colors were spectacular. But most important: the movie was huge! It’s over forty years old, so I’ve never seen it in a theatre. On the big screen, the story was so much more powerful. You couldn’t help but feel the love and frustration and grief from these trapped kids. Powerful stuff.
Everyone in the Music Box yesterday felt it.
So when you go on Pepsi’s related site and are told to be happy, you probably just move on. Because you can’t tell someone how to feel. You can tell them a story that might make them feel something. You can appeal to their human being-ness. Pepsi's new campaign is admirably eager to make us feel the happy, but in their eagerness, they forgot to tell us why.
Seems right, right? Obama is coming, and it’s the perfect time to change to the good side. They just forgot one thing:
They forgot the humanity. The part where we’re human beings and we don’t like being TOLD to feel a certain way. Especially being SCREAMED at to embrace the optimistic side of life.
We far prefer to be told a story that makes us feel something. The Coke Macy’s day parade commercial immediately springs to mind.
Not humans, but endless humanity. Makes you feel good.
Yesterday, I went to see a restored 70 MM print of West Side Story at the Music Box Theatre, a slightly run down but still wonderfully gemlike anachronism of a movie palace in the times of 18-theatre megaplexes.
For all of you showtune dissers, I will acknowledge that a bunch of pirouetting, knife wielding gang members is a bit silly, especially in our times of special effects violence. But c’mon, this is West Side Story. Best Picture, 1961. A ridiculous number of smile-inducing showstoppers. How could you not beam for 5 minutes watching this:
With the new print, the sound was massive, and the colors were spectacular. But most important: the movie was huge! It’s over forty years old, so I’ve never seen it in a theatre. On the big screen, the story was so much more powerful. You couldn’t help but feel the love and frustration and grief from these trapped kids. Powerful stuff.
Everyone in the Music Box yesterday felt it.
So when you go on Pepsi’s related site and are told to be happy, you probably just move on. Because you can’t tell someone how to feel. You can tell them a story that might make them feel something. You can appeal to their human being-ness. Pepsi's new campaign is admirably eager to make us feel the happy, but in their eagerness, they forgot to tell us why.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
A brilliant holiday message
You may have seen this already—891,706 people saw it before me on Youtube, and it was in Adage.com, and countless other sites and blogs—but it’s a wonderful piece from an agency called AKQA, a global shop that’s kicking serious ass as we hurtle toward the new age of communication.
If creativity will rule the future of marketing regardless of what media is employed, these guys will be the Kings and Queens. Although I’m hoping next year they go old school and haul out the egg timers for a rousing version “I have a little Dreidel.”
Thursday, December 25, 2008
MJ and Nike (cont)
I’m starting to look back on sports advertising and marketing from 2008, and I have to start at what has been the epicenter of great sports ads for eons: Nike and Michael Jordan.
Early in the year they ran a series of “Become Legendary” ads featuring MJ for the Jumpman brand. A couple of them just had his voiceover, one had a bit of him on camera, one highlight-filled spot didn’t have him at all. This one was my favorite.
They were beautifully filmed and nicely written. But for the most part, they weren’t as surprisingly fresh as the ads they did together when he was playing. And that’s primarily because he just doesn’t provide the same raw material.
He was the lead actor in a spectacular drama, night in and night out, for a decade. Win or lose, he was brilliant, and the fodder he created was so rich and full of possibilities. It enabled Weiden & Kennedy and Nike to make ridiculously great commercials like this:
It’s just not the same now.
His words in the Become Legendary series ring true. They speak to young athletes craving greatness, and he still inspires. I’d bet these spots work hard against those win-at-all-costs hard core competitive athletes. And that may be where the biggest difference may be: he doesn’t have the broad impact he once had over a wider swath of people. That was what made him so valuable in his days of stardom on the court. MJ as an athlete was both a charmer and a winner, which made him universally loved and invaluable as a spokesman.
The next time you see that again will probably be…well…never.
Should Nike continue to use MJ in their ads? Is he still effective? You tell me. I'm happy watching him do his thing for as long as he chooses.
Although I do wish he'd stop doing those Hanes ads. Cuba Gooding was bad enough. Kevin Bacon and Charlie Sheen? Yikes. Who's next, Ashton Kutcher?
Early in the year they ran a series of “Become Legendary” ads featuring MJ for the Jumpman brand. A couple of them just had his voiceover, one had a bit of him on camera, one highlight-filled spot didn’t have him at all. This one was my favorite.
They were beautifully filmed and nicely written. But for the most part, they weren’t as surprisingly fresh as the ads they did together when he was playing. And that’s primarily because he just doesn’t provide the same raw material.
He was the lead actor in a spectacular drama, night in and night out, for a decade. Win or lose, he was brilliant, and the fodder he created was so rich and full of possibilities. It enabled Weiden & Kennedy and Nike to make ridiculously great commercials like this:
It’s just not the same now.
His words in the Become Legendary series ring true. They speak to young athletes craving greatness, and he still inspires. I’d bet these spots work hard against those win-at-all-costs hard core competitive athletes. And that may be where the biggest difference may be: he doesn’t have the broad impact he once had over a wider swath of people. That was what made him so valuable in his days of stardom on the court. MJ as an athlete was both a charmer and a winner, which made him universally loved and invaluable as a spokesman.
The next time you see that again will probably be…well…never.
Should Nike continue to use MJ in their ads? Is he still effective? You tell me. I'm happy watching him do his thing for as long as he chooses.
Although I do wish he'd stop doing those Hanes ads. Cuba Gooding was bad enough. Kevin Bacon and Charlie Sheen? Yikes. Who's next, Ashton Kutcher?
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Real stories are the best stories
Get ready for the hype...!!!!
The NFL playoffs start soon. So after weeks and weeks of preparation, and in some cases, last minute scrambles to be ready for the Big Game, all eyes and ears will hone in on the most important event of the year: the Super Bowl commercials.
Sure, they’ll play a game, too. But except in rare instances, the lion’s share of the post-game debates is around the ads.
The regulars will almost all be there, even at a starting price tag of $3 million, the highest ever. FedEx, who consistently ranks in the Top Ten in USA Today’s Admeter and hit #2 last year, is taking a pass. The logic is logical, but it’s too bad. They make great ads.
Speaking of which, this was just about my favorite from last year.
It’s so smart for the Super Bowl. A human story to break through the clutter of beer humor and animal jokes. An ode to friendship and teammates. And it’s all true, which made it even better.
The NFL is hoping lightning will strike twice this year. Their site is split in half, with players stories’ on one side and fans’ stories on the other. Again, real stories, and they hope they turn up another diamond. We get to vote for the best ones, with the winner appearing on the Super Bowl. Fun promo. Check it out.
I'll tell you what: some of those fans are awesome. They should get them into a broader audience, whether it's pre or post game, or at the stadium, or in movie theatres...wherever they can get a lot of people to see it. It's what football fandom is all about.
Ironic, how real people are way more interesting than the professional athletes they idolize.
The NFL playoffs start soon. So after weeks and weeks of preparation, and in some cases, last minute scrambles to be ready for the Big Game, all eyes and ears will hone in on the most important event of the year: the Super Bowl commercials.
Sure, they’ll play a game, too. But except in rare instances, the lion’s share of the post-game debates is around the ads.
The regulars will almost all be there, even at a starting price tag of $3 million, the highest ever. FedEx, who consistently ranks in the Top Ten in USA Today’s Admeter and hit #2 last year, is taking a pass. The logic is logical, but it’s too bad. They make great ads.
Speaking of which, this was just about my favorite from last year.
It’s so smart for the Super Bowl. A human story to break through the clutter of beer humor and animal jokes. An ode to friendship and teammates. And it’s all true, which made it even better.
The NFL is hoping lightning will strike twice this year. Their site is split in half, with players stories’ on one side and fans’ stories on the other. Again, real stories, and they hope they turn up another diamond. We get to vote for the best ones, with the winner appearing on the Super Bowl. Fun promo. Check it out.
I'll tell you what: some of those fans are awesome. They should get them into a broader audience, whether it's pre or post game, or at the stadium, or in movie theatres...wherever they can get a lot of people to see it. It's what football fandom is all about.
Ironic, how real people are way more interesting than the professional athletes they idolize.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Nike's lovely luke warm thoughts on the BCS
A few posts ago, I talked about the importance of topicality in creating ads that stand out. And how Nike is so good at taking advantage of current topics in sports.
Their latest effort has been running quite a bit; I saw it tonight during the Bears’ improbable come-from-behind OT victory. It’s a play on all of the controversy surrounding the BCS system of determining a college football champion.
The fitness of the BCS to be the final say on college football’s best team has been discussed in ways humorous and rancorous (won’t you please buy our bumper stickers and hoodies?). And who isn’t aware of President-elect Obama’s stance on the subject? When it’s a prime topic on 60 Minutes, it’s not just a prime sports topic. It is, in the words of ZZ Top, Nationwide.
So of course, Nike’s going to tackle the subject. And they do it with their usual sense of style, complete mastery of authenticity, and clever juxtaposition of words and images.
In the end, they tell us, hard work is all that matters. So it may be that they were taking a stand by not taking a side, merely expressing the inner thoughts of a true athlete, which is, of course, that the only thing you can do is go all out on every play, in every practice, in every game, and let the pollsters, computer experts, and voters do what they feel is right. State your case on the field. There is no guaranteed equation.
Makes total sense. But for me, something was missing. A fresh point of view, perhaps?
Their latest effort has been running quite a bit; I saw it tonight during the Bears’ improbable come-from-behind OT victory. It’s a play on all of the controversy surrounding the BCS system of determining a college football champion.
The fitness of the BCS to be the final say on college football’s best team has been discussed in ways humorous and rancorous (won’t you please buy our bumper stickers and hoodies?). And who isn’t aware of President-elect Obama’s stance on the subject? When it’s a prime topic on 60 Minutes, it’s not just a prime sports topic. It is, in the words of ZZ Top, Nationwide.
So of course, Nike’s going to tackle the subject. And they do it with their usual sense of style, complete mastery of authenticity, and clever juxtaposition of words and images.
In the end, they tell us, hard work is all that matters. So it may be that they were taking a stand by not taking a side, merely expressing the inner thoughts of a true athlete, which is, of course, that the only thing you can do is go all out on every play, in every practice, in every game, and let the pollsters, computer experts, and voters do what they feel is right. State your case on the field. There is no guaranteed equation.
Makes total sense. But for me, something was missing. A fresh point of view, perhaps?
Sunday, December 21, 2008
How much Thrilliciousness can we handle?
Overheard on Madison Avenue sometime in mid to late 2007...
"Hey! What should we do for the new Sobe LifeWater TV commercial? We have time on the Super Bowl. Let's make a big splash!"
"Hmm...what if we got a supermodel who isn't all that super any more and has no dancing ability to dance with some animated lizards with blinged out teeth?"
"Cool! But we'd need a famous piece of music that would be prohibitively expensive for any other ad at any other time, but we could justify buying it for 5 or 10 million because waters are the new sodas and this is Pepsi's big bet."
"Awesome! As long as the commercial has no real strategic foundation whatsoever."
"Wouldn't have it any other way! Let's do it."
And the rest is history.
Regularly chastised, sure. Lacking a strategic backbone, absolutely.
BUT...it was a cultural phenomenon. Over 5 million viewings on Youtube, youbetcha. The most viewed Super Bowl spot of '08. Inspired a series of wonderfully goofy claymated thrilliciousness. Like this.
Times Square video billboard blizzards, plush toys, the list goes on.
I hated the spots. But while I can present a pretty decent argument about Ms. Campbell's lack of talent on the dance floor, I can't argue with the spot's infectiousness.
So what do you do for an encore?
Early reports have NFL players Justin Tuck, Matt Light, and Ray Lewis taking Naomi Campbell's place as the lizards' new dance partners for this year's super bowl. I'm sure it'll be even less strategic and even more expensive. What moves will those krazy lizards pull off this year?
I lay awake just thinking about what funny gag they'll do with their teeth!
"Hey! What should we do for the new Sobe LifeWater TV commercial? We have time on the Super Bowl. Let's make a big splash!"
"Hmm...what if we got a supermodel who isn't all that super any more and has no dancing ability to dance with some animated lizards with blinged out teeth?"
"Cool! But we'd need a famous piece of music that would be prohibitively expensive for any other ad at any other time, but we could justify buying it for 5 or 10 million because waters are the new sodas and this is Pepsi's big bet."
"Awesome! As long as the commercial has no real strategic foundation whatsoever."
"Wouldn't have it any other way! Let's do it."
And the rest is history.
Regularly chastised, sure. Lacking a strategic backbone, absolutely.
BUT...it was a cultural phenomenon. Over 5 million viewings on Youtube, youbetcha. The most viewed Super Bowl spot of '08. Inspired a series of wonderfully goofy claymated thrilliciousness. Like this.
Times Square video billboard blizzards, plush toys, the list goes on.
I hated the spots. But while I can present a pretty decent argument about Ms. Campbell's lack of talent on the dance floor, I can't argue with the spot's infectiousness.
So what do you do for an encore?
Early reports have NFL players Justin Tuck, Matt Light, and Ray Lewis taking Naomi Campbell's place as the lizards' new dance partners for this year's super bowl. I'm sure it'll be even less strategic and even more expensive. What moves will those krazy lizards pull off this year?
I lay awake just thinking about what funny gag they'll do with their teeth!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
G, it should be interesting
I'm extremely close to the Gatorade brand, having written, produced, and creative directed their advertising from 1991-2006. I am unapologetically, emotionally attached to Gatorade. Not only did I savor every minute I spent helping build the brand, I actually believe it works for athletes on the playing field. Really, I do.
So you can safely assume that I'm a bit biased.
And you won't be surprised that I will have an opinion on the massive rebranding effort Gatorade has embarked upon. But not yet. The packaging re-design has been much debated. The new bottles are ready, and are starting to appear on the shelves. But the website hasn't changed (please lord, help it get better).
And the ads haven't appeared yet. They're being done by TBWA/Chiat Day. They're a smart agency with sports minded folks who've done good work in the past. From what I understand, it's all about "G." Cool idea. I won't be surprised if the work is top notch.
Big question will be, will they mess with the tremendous equity that's been so important in connecting the brand to millions of athletes?
Stay tuned.
So you can safely assume that I'm a bit biased.
And you won't be surprised that I will have an opinion on the massive rebranding effort Gatorade has embarked upon. But not yet. The packaging re-design has been much debated. The new bottles are ready, and are starting to appear on the shelves. But the website hasn't changed (please lord, help it get better).
And the ads haven't appeared yet. They're being done by TBWA/Chiat Day. They're a smart agency with sports minded folks who've done good work in the past. From what I understand, it's all about "G." Cool idea. I won't be surprised if the work is top notch.
Big question will be, will they mess with the tremendous equity that's been so important in connecting the brand to millions of athletes?
Stay tuned.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Ralphie sells the Bushes
Up until last week, I was one of 37 people in the United States who hadn’t seen A Christmas Story. Another of those 37 was my son, so we decided to join in the fun and watched it over the weekend. Just in time, too, to really appreciate some fun ads for the Greenville Drive, a minor league team playing in the South Atlantic League.
So many factors go into making a great ad. One is topicality. Nike is very best brand at making ads at the right time. I can’t find the ad I really want to find—the one during the last baseball strike asking the players to come back—but here’s an oldie that took advantage of the news at the time:
They struck while the iron was hot, for sure.
The ads for the Greenville Drive strike while the iron is hot, but in a different way. At a time when every single media outlet in the world is red and green and covered with Christmas, the Drive also goes down that road, but makes their ads stand out by referencing A Christmas Story. So smart. Even the copy is smart. My favorite, of course, is the play on the leg lamp. Love the spikes.
If I lived in South Carolina, I’d buy me some tickets. That and a Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle.
So many factors go into making a great ad. One is topicality. Nike is very best brand at making ads at the right time. I can’t find the ad I really want to find—the one during the last baseball strike asking the players to come back—but here’s an oldie that took advantage of the news at the time:
They struck while the iron was hot, for sure.
The ads for the Greenville Drive strike while the iron is hot, but in a different way. At a time when every single media outlet in the world is red and green and covered with Christmas, the Drive also goes down that road, but makes their ads stand out by referencing A Christmas Story. So smart. Even the copy is smart. My favorite, of course, is the play on the leg lamp. Love the spikes.
If I lived in South Carolina, I’d buy me some tickets. That and a Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Two Johns unable to save the AFL
Arena football has been cancelled. Too bad. Ever see a game? It's fun. Pure joy-of-the-game stuff.
Maybe if they had ran some of their old advertising, they could have drummmed up enough suport to get a grass roots campaign going to save it.
Then again, maybe not.
Maybe if they had ran some of their old advertising, they could have drummmed up enough suport to get a grass roots campaign going to save it.
Then again, maybe not.
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Winter Classic: marketers love, humans tolerate
For marketers, the Winter Classic is a dream. For regular joe sports fans, it’s getting more and more annoying.
Yes, the very idea of hockey at Wrigley Field is cool, and the fact that it’s the Red Wings playing the Blackhawks makes it even cooler. So why shouldn’t the Blackhawks and the NHL take advantage of it? They absolutely should.
From Reebok watch and win contests to merchandise and more merchandise, it’s a win-win for anyone trying to make a buck off the game. Unless of course you’re trying to get a ticket. Good luck (Got 40 grand for a pair?). Or, if you’re from Canada. Ooops.
Don’t get me wrong; the Winter Classic is a wonderfully fresh idea, and the league and the Hawks deserve all the fringe benefits they can get. Just makes me wish even more that the advertising wasn’t so barely average. Anyone think this is any good?
Yes, the very idea of hockey at Wrigley Field is cool, and the fact that it’s the Red Wings playing the Blackhawks makes it even cooler. So why shouldn’t the Blackhawks and the NHL take advantage of it? They absolutely should.
From Reebok watch and win contests to merchandise and more merchandise, it’s a win-win for anyone trying to make a buck off the game. Unless of course you’re trying to get a ticket. Good luck (Got 40 grand for a pair?). Or, if you’re from Canada. Ooops.
Don’t get me wrong; the Winter Classic is a wonderfully fresh idea, and the league and the Hawks deserve all the fringe benefits they can get. Just makes me wish even more that the advertising wasn’t so barely average. Anyone think this is any good?
Sunday, December 14, 2008
If a tree falls...
I found a relatively interesting marketing platform but I may be the only person who's seen it. Actually, it wasn't that hard to find, since it was profiled on Adfreak a few days ago.
It's called Line of Scrimmage and it follows the Sunshine High School Tigers of Newbern, Alabama. The whole program is sponsored by Toyota. Some of them even air on NFL's Sunday Night football.
If you visit the site, spend some time and watch some of the videos. There's a myspace connection as well, where you can watch more. Great personalities, interesting little films.
Good for Toyota for giving us these wonderful little slices. Not sure it's real strong marketing, or how Toyota's going to benefit from it, but it's a step up from Saved by Zero.
It's called Line of Scrimmage and it follows the Sunshine High School Tigers of Newbern, Alabama. The whole program is sponsored by Toyota. Some of them even air on NFL's Sunday Night football.
If you visit the site, spend some time and watch some of the videos. There's a myspace connection as well, where you can watch more. Great personalities, interesting little films.
Good for Toyota for giving us these wonderful little slices. Not sure it's real strong marketing, or how Toyota's going to benefit from it, but it's a step up from Saved by Zero.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Et tu, Titus?
Why I like most of the new Titus bike ads:
They’ve created fresh ads out of a relevant insight. It’s a campaign in the truest sense. It has legs (pardon the pun).
I just wished I like the ads more.
I love this one. The simple stripped down cubicle, the gear at his feet, the completely unsexy co-phone sex operator in the cubicle next to him. Say it with me: it’s all about the details.
Which is why I like this one less. How do I know he’s a biker? Where’s the insight? Not as clear here.
And this one, well, I just like looking at. Makes me smile. She’s not super white hot, she’s just cute enough, and her posture doesn’t hurt. Her bike shorts peeking through her Girl Scout Uniform is a nice touch. I’d like a dozen boxes of the Thin Mints, please.
These ads are getting some interesting attention. Good for them.
Although the best Titus ad I’ve seen was in their last round of ads. Subtle, but clear. Great performance, interesting framing. Good production value. And really surprising. I’d trade the Girl Scout for the horse any day.
Not something you hear all the time, but there you have it.
They’ve created fresh ads out of a relevant insight. It’s a campaign in the truest sense. It has legs (pardon the pun).
I just wished I like the ads more.
I love this one. The simple stripped down cubicle, the gear at his feet, the completely unsexy co-phone sex operator in the cubicle next to him. Say it with me: it’s all about the details.
Which is why I like this one less. How do I know he’s a biker? Where’s the insight? Not as clear here.
And this one, well, I just like looking at. Makes me smile. She’s not super white hot, she’s just cute enough, and her posture doesn’t hurt. Her bike shorts peeking through her Girl Scout Uniform is a nice touch. I’d like a dozen boxes of the Thin Mints, please.
These ads are getting some interesting attention. Good for them.
Although the best Titus ad I’ve seen was in their last round of ads. Subtle, but clear. Great performance, interesting framing. Good production value. And really surprising. I’d trade the Girl Scout for the horse any day.
Not something you hear all the time, but there you have it.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Sports Bra Humor
You'd have to either be running really fast or have very sharp breasts or some combination of the two. Neither applies to me, so I'm obviously not the target. Do female runners think this is funny? Relevant? Convincing? Can't believe it helped sell a lot of sports bras.
Hopefully, for Running Free, there's a lot of sharp breasted fast runners out there.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Stupid Brilliant
“Whopper Virgins” is on the air.
Attention getting, yes. Not often do you get to see costumed, toothless citizens of the world in a charmingly confused state, picking apart buns and pickles and greenish beef patties as they try to figure out how to eat an American fast food burger.
Breakthrough? Check.
But it also feels a bit perplexing. Is it serious or funny? They sure seem to want us to take it seriously. Especially when they put a lovely long form film on their website.
But in the ads, they use a the big over the top voiceover and cinematic music that make it feel goofy, and it all just feels kind of schizophrenic. And silly.
Which may be irrelevant if all Burger King is doing is, once again, trying to get noticed in a broiler full of fast food sameness, zeroing in on their irreverence-loving target, and getting more attention than their competitiors.
The campaign may be stupid, but those guys are brilliant.
Attention getting, yes. Not often do you get to see costumed, toothless citizens of the world in a charmingly confused state, picking apart buns and pickles and greenish beef patties as they try to figure out how to eat an American fast food burger.
Breakthrough? Check.
But it also feels a bit perplexing. Is it serious or funny? They sure seem to want us to take it seriously. Especially when they put a lovely long form film on their website.
But in the ads, they use a the big over the top voiceover and cinematic music that make it feel goofy, and it all just feels kind of schizophrenic. And silly.
Which may be irrelevant if all Burger King is doing is, once again, trying to get noticed in a broiler full of fast food sameness, zeroing in on their irreverence-loving target, and getting more attention than their competitiors.
The campaign may be stupid, but those guys are brilliant.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Opportunity Missed
Sometimes the best thing that can happen to a really good creative person is to get a ridiculously challenging assignment. It brings out the best in talented people.
Conversely, having too much fodder has the potential to set yourself up for failure. Great expectations can lead to disaster if the finished product isn’t spectacular.
I know this from years of creating ads for Michael Jordan and Gatorade, and directing creative teams to do the same. We did some great work but it was never easy. Having the single greatest sports asset on the planet at our disposal was awesome and amazing but also added a great deal of pressure to create greatness every time.
So I understand the challenge the folks at Y&R had when creating ads for the upcoming Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. The Blackhawks and the Red Wings playing a hockey game outdoor at Wrigley Field; how cool is that? Tremendously, opportunity-filled cool. The mind races with possibilities.
Unfortunately, Y&R’s minds didn’t race very far, choosing to produce what could be the most unremarkable, uninteresting ad of the year, considering the fodder they had.
Sometimes, the first thing you think of is the most obvious, but because it's pure and simple and great, you just say, obvious be damned, it’s great. In this case, they nailed simple, but definitely not great. They should have pushed much harder for something far more surprising.
For example, something like this…
Fresh, surprising, unexpected use of film and music. Not at all what you’d expect.
Sure, I’m biased. But “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” to promote an emerging American sport? Cool and unusual. “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” to promote a hockey game at Wrigley? An uncontested layup. Too bad.
There are other ads in the campaign that I haven’t seen that may take a different tact. If you see them, please pass them on. Hopefully, they take better advantage of the opportunity.
Conversely, having too much fodder has the potential to set yourself up for failure. Great expectations can lead to disaster if the finished product isn’t spectacular.
I know this from years of creating ads for Michael Jordan and Gatorade, and directing creative teams to do the same. We did some great work but it was never easy. Having the single greatest sports asset on the planet at our disposal was awesome and amazing but also added a great deal of pressure to create greatness every time.
So I understand the challenge the folks at Y&R had when creating ads for the upcoming Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. The Blackhawks and the Red Wings playing a hockey game outdoor at Wrigley Field; how cool is that? Tremendously, opportunity-filled cool. The mind races with possibilities.
Unfortunately, Y&R’s minds didn’t race very far, choosing to produce what could be the most unremarkable, uninteresting ad of the year, considering the fodder they had.
Sometimes, the first thing you think of is the most obvious, but because it's pure and simple and great, you just say, obvious be damned, it’s great. In this case, they nailed simple, but definitely not great. They should have pushed much harder for something far more surprising.
For example, something like this…
Fresh, surprising, unexpected use of film and music. Not at all what you’d expect.
Sure, I’m biased. But “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” to promote an emerging American sport? Cool and unusual. “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” to promote a hockey game at Wrigley? An uncontested layup. Too bad.
There are other ads in the campaign that I haven’t seen that may take a different tact. If you see them, please pass them on. Hopefully, they take better advantage of the opportunity.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Use what you got
Nike has the swoosh, Gatorade has colored sweat. Under Armor has its signature logo, Adidas has the three stripes, and Reebok has…um…that thing that looks like an airplane that’s been stabbed by a javelin.
Proprietary icons help give brands meaning and reasons for consumers to interact with them. Where you see the swoosh, you think sports authenticity; when you see colored sweat, you think rehydration. When you see the three stripes, you think…what? I’m not sure.
Adidas is such a perplexing brand. Their Impossible is Nothing campaign is a wonderfully powerful body of work, from its website to its TV and print (many many too numerous to mention, but here's a classic) that screams We Know Sports and We Know Athletes. But much of their other work is all over the place. Not in a bad way, just in an inconsistent way.
Here’s a good example.
Cool spot to celebrate 60 years of Adidas originals. Nice shoes. Star-studded, fun to watch. New school meets old school, all awash with the three stripes. If nothing else, it makes you feel good about the brand. And definitely generating lots of chatter and discussion, around the world.
So sports authenticity aside, good for Adidas, taking advantage of what they own. It’s a powerful tool. Look at President-elect Obama (Hope). And the Cubs (the Curse).
Sometimes, it helps. Sometimes, not so much.
Proprietary icons help give brands meaning and reasons for consumers to interact with them. Where you see the swoosh, you think sports authenticity; when you see colored sweat, you think rehydration. When you see the three stripes, you think…what? I’m not sure.
Adidas is such a perplexing brand. Their Impossible is Nothing campaign is a wonderfully powerful body of work, from its website to its TV and print (many many too numerous to mention, but here's a classic) that screams We Know Sports and We Know Athletes. But much of their other work is all over the place. Not in a bad way, just in an inconsistent way.
Here’s a good example.
Cool spot to celebrate 60 years of Adidas originals. Nice shoes. Star-studded, fun to watch. New school meets old school, all awash with the three stripes. If nothing else, it makes you feel good about the brand. And definitely generating lots of chatter and discussion, around the world.
So sports authenticity aside, good for Adidas, taking advantage of what they own. It’s a powerful tool. Look at President-elect Obama (Hope). And the Cubs (the Curse).
Sometimes, it helps. Sometimes, not so much.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
All hail the Virgins!
More brilliant marketing from Burger King.
What is the purpose of great marketing? To get the people who are most likely to purchase your product to like you.
If you’re trying to win a popularity contest, you can’t piss people off, but Burger King understands that for their purposes, it’s not about getting the whole world to love them. It’s about nailing their target with a relevant message.
Burger King has been exceptionally good at this over the past few years. And now they’ve taken the god ole’ taste test to a whole new level. “Whopper Virgins” hasn’t even been rolled out yet but the teasers are already generating tons of news, lots of chatter, and a good deal of controversy.
Last time I checked, breaking through and getting noticed is another thing great marketing is supposed to do, especially in a category as fiercely competitive as the fast food burger wars.
Once again, the King rules.
What is the purpose of great marketing? To get the people who are most likely to purchase your product to like you.
If you’re trying to win a popularity contest, you can’t piss people off, but Burger King understands that for their purposes, it’s not about getting the whole world to love them. It’s about nailing their target with a relevant message.
Burger King has been exceptionally good at this over the past few years. And now they’ve taken the god ole’ taste test to a whole new level. “Whopper Virgins” hasn’t even been rolled out yet but the teasers are already generating tons of news, lots of chatter, and a good deal of controversy.
Last time I checked, breaking through and getting noticed is another thing great marketing is supposed to do, especially in a category as fiercely competitive as the fast food burger wars.
Once again, the King rules.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Why Nike is like the stock market
Many joyous ups, some surprisingly horrific downs, but over time, trustworthy.
The new ad featuring the King is wonderfully sublime. Terrific music with an addictive hook. Cool cameos by a cool star (Li'l Wayne). Great faces. Authentic sports. Transcendent superstar. Makes you smile. Classic Nike.
Thanks, W&K, for reminding us that Nike really is the King.
And just for fun, another Nike ad by the same name.
Also a smilemaker. Thanks, Youtube.
The new ad featuring the King is wonderfully sublime. Terrific music with an addictive hook. Cool cameos by a cool star (Li'l Wayne). Great faces. Authentic sports. Transcendent superstar. Makes you smile. Classic Nike.
Thanks, W&K, for reminding us that Nike really is the King.
And just for fun, another Nike ad by the same name.
Also a smilemaker. Thanks, Youtube.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
HEY! MARKETING WORKS!
Thank you, John McDonough. You are a smart, creative marketer who makes things happen.
People could have said that you had an easy job running the marketing for the Cubs. It’s the Cubs, after all. How hard is it to put a microphone in someone’s hand and create memories that last
a
lifetime?
But that was just one of his innovative, game changing ideas he had for the Cubs.
He and Head of Business Operations Jay Blunk have brought that fresh thinking to the Blackhawks, turning an entity that for years has been an afterthought for 99% of Chicagoans into a front page team that fans are excited about.
The latest news out of the United center is around the Winter Classic, the January game between the Hawks and Red Wings in Wrigley Field. Blunk and McDonough are trying to get President-elect Obama to the game. 44’s a big Chicago sports fan, and it’ll be a seminal moment in Chicago sports history. Why wouldn't he want to come? Think it might attract a little attention if he does? It’s genius.
People talk about the emergence and importance of non-traditional marketing. These guys have been doing it for years. And it works because it’s so different. It doesn't hurt that they’re their own clients. Streamlines the decision making process quite a bit, wouldn’t you say?
But it all starts with great ideas, of which they have many. Good for them. I hope, for their sake, the Blackhawks tear it up this year.
People could have said that you had an easy job running the marketing for the Cubs. It’s the Cubs, after all. How hard is it to put a microphone in someone’s hand and create memories that last
a
lifetime?
But that was just one of his innovative, game changing ideas he had for the Cubs.
He and Head of Business Operations Jay Blunk have brought that fresh thinking to the Blackhawks, turning an entity that for years has been an afterthought for 99% of Chicagoans into a front page team that fans are excited about.
The latest news out of the United center is around the Winter Classic, the January game between the Hawks and Red Wings in Wrigley Field. Blunk and McDonough are trying to get President-elect Obama to the game. 44’s a big Chicago sports fan, and it’ll be a seminal moment in Chicago sports history. Why wouldn't he want to come? Think it might attract a little attention if he does? It’s genius.
People talk about the emergence and importance of non-traditional marketing. These guys have been doing it for years. And it works because it’s so different. It doesn't hurt that they’re their own clients. Streamlines the decision making process quite a bit, wouldn’t you say?
But it all starts with great ideas, of which they have many. Good for them. I hope, for their sake, the Blackhawks tear it up this year.
Monday, December 1, 2008
You get what you pay for
Buy a cheap watch, it’ll break before what can say “What time is it?” Buy a Honda instead of an Audi, it’ll run just fine, but it won’t purr. That’s what you get for the extra 20 grand. Hire a shoddy plumber, you’ll need a really good plunger.
You absolutely get what you pay for. Truer words were never spoken.
Or maybe not, given a couple of (completely unrelated) recent events.
One: I just returned from a cruise in the Caribbean. They call it a cruise, of course, because you spend most of your time cruising from one buffet line to another. Or to the pizzeria. Or Johnny Rockets. Or Ben and Jerry’s. Or the midnight buffet. All of which were on this one floating city of neverending gastric overload.
Every time I saw another corn-fed sun burnt dude with a cut out tank top showing way too much of his hairy back pile another fried pork cutlet onto his pile of gravy-covered mashed potatoes, I winced and felt a pang of sadness for him and his family. In his case, he was looking to get more than what you pay for. But that’s my opinion; he probably figured, “I paid an arm and a leg for this cruise, and I‘m going to get my money’s worth.” Everything is relative, yes?
Two: Stephon Marbury. He’s getting paid 21.9 million bucks a year to wear the Knicks colors and sit his ass on the bench. When the Knicks signed him in 2004, they thought he was the final piece of the puzzle that created the right mix of veterans and youngsters to make a run at a championship (or two). He helped them into the playoffs that year. But you know the story since then. All bad, with our current unhappy ending.
Truth is, GM’s make their bets based on all kinds of assessments and the rest is a roll of the dice. A-Rod gets 250 million. The Redskins pay Steve Spurrier 25 extremely large. Becks gets his 250 mil to enjoy the LA lifestyle and the sidelines. None of them produced any more than some fun headlines for the pundits.
There will always be busts.
And as hard as it may be to find them, there will always be Sure Things.
Michael, Tiger, Mia, Peyton…world champion athletes and likeable people. Obviously, it costs more to sign them, but in their cases, the adage proves true. I know they were worth every dollar to Gatorade, and I’d bet Nike and Mastercard and Amex and Rolex, etc, would feel similarly. In each case, those brands got far more than what they paid for.
Quality people--loyal, sincere athletes--who are also winners are incredibly few and far between. They are, to borrow from one of Peyton’s commercials:
Priceless.
You absolutely get what you pay for. Truer words were never spoken.
Or maybe not, given a couple of (completely unrelated) recent events.
One: I just returned from a cruise in the Caribbean. They call it a cruise, of course, because you spend most of your time cruising from one buffet line to another. Or to the pizzeria. Or Johnny Rockets. Or Ben and Jerry’s. Or the midnight buffet. All of which were on this one floating city of neverending gastric overload.
Every time I saw another corn-fed sun burnt dude with a cut out tank top showing way too much of his hairy back pile another fried pork cutlet onto his pile of gravy-covered mashed potatoes, I winced and felt a pang of sadness for him and his family. In his case, he was looking to get more than what you pay for. But that’s my opinion; he probably figured, “I paid an arm and a leg for this cruise, and I‘m going to get my money’s worth.” Everything is relative, yes?
Two: Stephon Marbury. He’s getting paid 21.9 million bucks a year to wear the Knicks colors and sit his ass on the bench. When the Knicks signed him in 2004, they thought he was the final piece of the puzzle that created the right mix of veterans and youngsters to make a run at a championship (or two). He helped them into the playoffs that year. But you know the story since then. All bad, with our current unhappy ending.
Truth is, GM’s make their bets based on all kinds of assessments and the rest is a roll of the dice. A-Rod gets 250 million. The Redskins pay Steve Spurrier 25 extremely large. Becks gets his 250 mil to enjoy the LA lifestyle and the sidelines. None of them produced any more than some fun headlines for the pundits.
There will always be busts.
And as hard as it may be to find them, there will always be Sure Things.
Michael, Tiger, Mia, Peyton…world champion athletes and likeable people. Obviously, it costs more to sign them, but in their cases, the adage proves true. I know they were worth every dollar to Gatorade, and I’d bet Nike and Mastercard and Amex and Rolex, etc, would feel similarly. In each case, those brands got far more than what they paid for.
Quality people--loyal, sincere athletes--who are also winners are incredibly few and far between. They are, to borrow from one of Peyton’s commercials:
Priceless.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
A look back at Tiger and Buick
Posted by guest blogger Michael Chase
At first blush, I, as many others in the sports marketing world, was concerned about the news that Buick has chosen to end their relationship with Tiger Woods. Another chilling development with how the sports business world is being impacted by the current economic woes.
However, by most accounts, this is a no brainer for Buick and GM. The PGA will feel the economic downturn more directly than most major sports as the lion share of its sponsors are luxury brands and financial service companies. Tim Finchem is trying to boost confidence by stating the 2009 schedule is still intact, but there is little doubt the Tour will look and feel leaner.
All that said, Tiger has made the PGA what it is today by bringing in significantly more viewers, sponsorships and revenue streams that could have never been realized without him. And he will continue to do so for many years to come, barring any career threatening injuries. So, it is always alarming to see such a long standing sports marketing relationship go away, but this one makes sense.
I would also argue that Buick never realized the full potential of what they had with Tiger. The best thing that came of their relationship was being able to get Tiger to commit to a much larger number of their PGA sponsored events than he would have, helping the profile and profitability of these events. However, Buick failed to crack the code on how best to use Tiger as a pitchman.
Through the 9-year relationship, I thought there were only two advertising efforts that were done well. The first was the on-line campaign called Tiger Trap where Tiger randomly joined groups of golfers, much to their surprise. Tiger is the best golfer of all time. He is not the best actor of all time. In this effort, he was in his element and because he was not trying to force or carry a performance, he came across as very funny and enjoyable.
The other was actually a promotional TV ad where Tiger tackled a guy trying to steal his famous Buick staff bag. The physical comedy was shot well and it was even more impressive when it was revealed that not only did he perform the tackling himself, but it was an unplanned stunt that was hatched the day of production. Kudos.
Even though Tiger is one of the most sought after endorsers in sports, it is important to understand the best way to use him to create effective communication. Nike has done a great job and I would argue that Tiger's marketability has benefited tremendously from his efforts with them. Tiger had been seen as a very intense, unapproachable and somewhat aloof athlete. Thanks to commercials like Hacky Sack, his work with Charles Barkley and more recently seeing him win the British open as a child (see below), he has been taken off his pedestal and seen as likable and relatable. Not to mention, they found ways not to rely on Tiger as an actor.
Something the Buick advertising could only do in rare occasions.
At first blush, I, as many others in the sports marketing world, was concerned about the news that Buick has chosen to end their relationship with Tiger Woods. Another chilling development with how the sports business world is being impacted by the current economic woes.
However, by most accounts, this is a no brainer for Buick and GM. The PGA will feel the economic downturn more directly than most major sports as the lion share of its sponsors are luxury brands and financial service companies. Tim Finchem is trying to boost confidence by stating the 2009 schedule is still intact, but there is little doubt the Tour will look and feel leaner.
All that said, Tiger has made the PGA what it is today by bringing in significantly more viewers, sponsorships and revenue streams that could have never been realized without him. And he will continue to do so for many years to come, barring any career threatening injuries. So, it is always alarming to see such a long standing sports marketing relationship go away, but this one makes sense.
I would also argue that Buick never realized the full potential of what they had with Tiger. The best thing that came of their relationship was being able to get Tiger to commit to a much larger number of their PGA sponsored events than he would have, helping the profile and profitability of these events. However, Buick failed to crack the code on how best to use Tiger as a pitchman.
Through the 9-year relationship, I thought there were only two advertising efforts that were done well. The first was the on-line campaign called Tiger Trap where Tiger randomly joined groups of golfers, much to their surprise. Tiger is the best golfer of all time. He is not the best actor of all time. In this effort, he was in his element and because he was not trying to force or carry a performance, he came across as very funny and enjoyable.
The other was actually a promotional TV ad where Tiger tackled a guy trying to steal his famous Buick staff bag. The physical comedy was shot well and it was even more impressive when it was revealed that not only did he perform the tackling himself, but it was an unplanned stunt that was hatched the day of production. Kudos.
Even though Tiger is one of the most sought after endorsers in sports, it is important to understand the best way to use him to create effective communication. Nike has done a great job and I would argue that Tiger's marketability has benefited tremendously from his efforts with them. Tiger had been seen as a very intense, unapproachable and somewhat aloof athlete. Thanks to commercials like Hacky Sack, his work with Charles Barkley and more recently seeing him win the British open as a child (see below), he has been taken off his pedestal and seen as likable and relatable. Not to mention, they found ways not to rely on Tiger as an actor.
Something the Buick advertising could only do in rare occasions.
Monday, November 24, 2008
What makes video viral?
Posted by guest blogger Greg Oreskovich
Do advertisers make a video viral? Or is it the viewer who does that. I think the latter.
"Ball Girl" was one of the most successful viral videos ever (8 million views and counting). Did this really happen? Did she really catch the ball?
The clip was discussed on hundreds of blogs, passed between tens of thousands of friends, talked about in mainstream media, from the Wall Street Journal to Good Morning America, ESPN and Keith Olbermann. It even fooled Ellen DeGeneres, who put out a public request for the Ball Girl to appear on her show.
But the most amazing thing, it was part of an ad campaign for Gatorade. Sure, agency folks can come up with a great idea and execute it flawlessly. But whether or not it catches on is ultimately beyond their control.
Kevron, I couldn't have said it better.
Do advertisers make a video viral? Or is it the viewer who does that. I think the latter.
"Ball Girl" was one of the most successful viral videos ever (8 million views and counting). Did this really happen? Did she really catch the ball?
The clip was discussed on hundreds of blogs, passed between tens of thousands of friends, talked about in mainstream media, from the Wall Street Journal to Good Morning America, ESPN and Keith Olbermann. It even fooled Ellen DeGeneres, who put out a public request for the Ball Girl to appear on her show.
But the most amazing thing, it was part of an ad campaign for Gatorade. Sure, agency folks can come up with a great idea and execute it flawlessly. But whether or not it catches on is ultimately beyond their control.
kevron5
Ok d bol, spit some sh*t at me cuz dis jank is fereal
Kevron, I couldn't have said it better.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Here we go again...
Posted by guest blogger Michael Chase
As we wait for the BCS Poll to come out this evening, the debates rage from fans across the country about who should round out the top 5, behind undisputed #1 Alabama. With Oklahoma's demolition of previous #2 Texas Tech, they have a legitimate claim. But, they lost to Texas, who is knocking on the door, as is Florida. Good arguments could be made for all three teams. And more than a few West Coasters are screaming for USC.
The BCS will apply its fuzzy math and we will know soon enough. But, this makes me want, as I do about this time every year, a better defined and straight forward approach.
A playoff system.
I won’t go into all the reasons why it would be good for college football. Or how it could work. Dan Wetzel did a great job of explaining this and how great it would have been last year. Would have been great in 2004 as well. Even President-elect Obama supports it.
Theories, opinions, politics and logistics aside, I just want to the see the teams and players settle it on the field, end of story.
But, despite stories about how the NCAA may be getting closer to some type of playoff system, it looks like things won’t change that soon. ESPN just shelled out $500 million to secure the rights to broadcast the BCS series from 2011 to 2014. This is huge amount of money for a cable network to pay (although ABC will broadcast some of the BCS bowl games), but they would not have done it had they not seen the potential for big revenue. And they agreed to broadcast in the current BCS system.
Which means, why change what is still so profitable? It most likely won't.
I am sure I will be happy to have the kind of in depth access and ability to experience the games across multiple media platforms. And it will allow advertisers unprecedented opportunities to connect with the male 18-49 demo that ESPN delivers better than anyone.
But, I would give it all up in a heartbeat, if it meant the guys on the field, not a series of equations, could decide who wins it all. In the long run, it's better for everyone.
As we wait for the BCS Poll to come out this evening, the debates rage from fans across the country about who should round out the top 5, behind undisputed #1 Alabama. With Oklahoma's demolition of previous #2 Texas Tech, they have a legitimate claim. But, they lost to Texas, who is knocking on the door, as is Florida. Good arguments could be made for all three teams. And more than a few West Coasters are screaming for USC.
The BCS will apply its fuzzy math and we will know soon enough. But, this makes me want, as I do about this time every year, a better defined and straight forward approach.
A playoff system.
I won’t go into all the reasons why it would be good for college football. Or how it could work. Dan Wetzel did a great job of explaining this and how great it would have been last year. Would have been great in 2004 as well. Even President-elect Obama supports it.
Theories, opinions, politics and logistics aside, I just want to the see the teams and players settle it on the field, end of story.
But, despite stories about how the NCAA may be getting closer to some type of playoff system, it looks like things won’t change that soon. ESPN just shelled out $500 million to secure the rights to broadcast the BCS series from 2011 to 2014. This is huge amount of money for a cable network to pay (although ABC will broadcast some of the BCS bowl games), but they would not have done it had they not seen the potential for big revenue. And they agreed to broadcast in the current BCS system.
Which means, why change what is still so profitable? It most likely won't.
I am sure I will be happy to have the kind of in depth access and ability to experience the games across multiple media platforms. And it will allow advertisers unprecedented opportunities to connect with the male 18-49 demo that ESPN delivers better than anyone.
But, I would give it all up in a heartbeat, if it meant the guys on the field, not a series of equations, could decide who wins it all. In the long run, it's better for everyone.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The not very best ad of the year
Posted by guest blogger Michael Chase
Last week Danny wrote about Bike Hero, a viral effort for the Guitar Hero World Tour campaign. Indeed, an innovative approach to driving awareness and appeal for Activision's video game franchise that is feeling the pressure from rival product Rock Band. With such a hit (over 1.1 million YouTube hits and counting), it is hard to imagine how the same campaign could yield a TV commercial that is just so bad.
I am referring to the Risky Business spoof featuring sports icons Kobe, A-Rod, Michael Phelps and Tony Hawk.
When I first saw it last month, I found myself physically squirming in awkward discomfort. The same way I felt when I first watched Meet the Parents.
I think it is fair to assume that Bob Seger is not on any of these guys' playlists. The way each of them jumped around in such forced, rhythmically-challenged ways, made me feel bad for them all. While I can appreciate the intent, this is yet another example of how NOT to use athletes in advertising.
Where so many brands go wrong, is failing to find the right intersection between their marketing objectives, their brand's attributes and perceptions, and the attributes and perceptions of the athlete they choose to represent them. Each of these three areas should be well thought out. Not just so a brand can choose the right athlete endorser to sign, but also to have effective criteria to develop, create and judge the resulting communication.
For every diamond (Nike "Fate" Leave Nothing commercial w/ LT & Polamalu)...
there are so many more pieces of coal (Gillette Champions commercial w/ Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Thierry Henry)...
And while I think the Guitar Hero commercial is a piece of coal, they did create an interesting Director's Cut...
Last week Danny wrote about Bike Hero, a viral effort for the Guitar Hero World Tour campaign. Indeed, an innovative approach to driving awareness and appeal for Activision's video game franchise that is feeling the pressure from rival product Rock Band. With such a hit (over 1.1 million YouTube hits and counting), it is hard to imagine how the same campaign could yield a TV commercial that is just so bad.
I am referring to the Risky Business spoof featuring sports icons Kobe, A-Rod, Michael Phelps and Tony Hawk.
When I first saw it last month, I found myself physically squirming in awkward discomfort. The same way I felt when I first watched Meet the Parents.
I think it is fair to assume that Bob Seger is not on any of these guys' playlists. The way each of them jumped around in such forced, rhythmically-challenged ways, made me feel bad for them all. While I can appreciate the intent, this is yet another example of how NOT to use athletes in advertising.
Where so many brands go wrong, is failing to find the right intersection between their marketing objectives, their brand's attributes and perceptions, and the attributes and perceptions of the athlete they choose to represent them. Each of these three areas should be well thought out. Not just so a brand can choose the right athlete endorser to sign, but also to have effective criteria to develop, create and judge the resulting communication.
For every diamond (Nike "Fate" Leave Nothing commercial w/ LT & Polamalu)...
there are so many more pieces of coal (Gillette Champions commercial w/ Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Thierry Henry)...
And while I think the Guitar Hero commercial is a piece of coal, they did create an interesting Director's Cut...
Friday, November 21, 2008
Jerry, you had me at Hello
Jerry Maguire is one of my heroes. I know he’s a fictional character. But George Bailey restores the faith of millions every holiday season, simply because he did the right thing when the time called for it. And for all of those people, he’s about as real as they come.
Jerry stood for the same thing: doing right by people even when others in his same shoes were taking an easier, greedier path. And of course, in Capra-esque fashion, both George and Jerry win in the end. And so do we, for watching their stories.
But I digress.
I love Jerry, and the movie Cameron Crowe wrote about the fragile do-gooder, because Jerry gets It. The “It” being the difference between good and bad. He gets it in the beginning of the film, when his voiceover ticks off the future sports heroes of America:
“See, America sets the tone for the world. In Indiana—Clark Hodd. Thirteen. The best point guard in the country. Seattle, Washington. Dallas Molloy. Went to court to be allowed to box professionally. She’s sixteen.”
These, I’m sure, are based on real life scenarios. Which brings me to Milan Simon Tuttle, today’s media darling and Youtube sensation.
Look at her go. She’s the next Curly Neal! Or maybe the next Jordan McCabe.
Or Marquise Walker.
He’s proof that kids aren’t necessarily being raised as much as marketed.
Why? The almighty dollar, of course.
The massive moolah waiting to be scooped up by athletes is no secret. Talent is important, but marketability is paramount. Anna Kournikova, anyone? Sure. Why not (notice not much tennis in those pics…)
Marketers are willing to throw great gobs of money at potential stars of the future. It’s what spurred Jerry on. And what eventually led him to make a U-turn and become a truly decent man. In his words:
“Now, I’ll be honest with you. I started noticing it a few years ago and didn’t say anything. In the quest for the big dollars, a lot of little things were going wrong.”
He sees the light. So he writes his mission statement.
“…we must crack open the clenched fist and give back a little for the common good…we must simply be the best version of ourselves…that goodness will be unbeatable and the money will follow.”
He distributes it to all of the agents at his firm. Which gets him fired and sends his career spiraling downward. But it eventually brings him love and success. Cool, huh? I love Jerry.
I love sports marketing, too. Not all parts of it, but enough of it to make it a major part of my life. Just because it’s more corporate business than personal pleasure doesn’t mean I can’t embrace it, learn about it, live it, and make a living off it.
More than anything, it reminds me of how lucky we are to be able to partake in our sports culture. Milan Tuttle, Marquise Walker, Frank Cushman, and the great Jerry Maguire; real or fictional, future stars or heartbreaking busts, they all feed our imaginations, demonstrate our potential, and remind us of what’s possible.
Because it’s not just about the money. It’s about the Kwan.
As Thanksgiving approaches, that’s a nice thing to keep in mind. Especially since we get to watch football all day between helpings of Tryptophan.
Hope you all have a great holiday week. I’m out of commission from November 22-29, and some of my extremely talented and Kwan-filled colleagues at Element 79 will be joining the SportsCentric fray. Enjoy.
Jerry stood for the same thing: doing right by people even when others in his same shoes were taking an easier, greedier path. And of course, in Capra-esque fashion, both George and Jerry win in the end. And so do we, for watching their stories.
But I digress.
I love Jerry, and the movie Cameron Crowe wrote about the fragile do-gooder, because Jerry gets It. The “It” being the difference between good and bad. He gets it in the beginning of the film, when his voiceover ticks off the future sports heroes of America:
“See, America sets the tone for the world. In Indiana—Clark Hodd. Thirteen. The best point guard in the country. Seattle, Washington. Dallas Molloy. Went to court to be allowed to box professionally. She’s sixteen.”
These, I’m sure, are based on real life scenarios. Which brings me to Milan Simon Tuttle, today’s media darling and Youtube sensation.
Look at her go. She’s the next Curly Neal! Or maybe the next Jordan McCabe.
Or Marquise Walker.
He’s proof that kids aren’t necessarily being raised as much as marketed.
Why? The almighty dollar, of course.
The massive moolah waiting to be scooped up by athletes is no secret. Talent is important, but marketability is paramount. Anna Kournikova, anyone? Sure. Why not (notice not much tennis in those pics…)
Marketers are willing to throw great gobs of money at potential stars of the future. It’s what spurred Jerry on. And what eventually led him to make a U-turn and become a truly decent man. In his words:
“Now, I’ll be honest with you. I started noticing it a few years ago and didn’t say anything. In the quest for the big dollars, a lot of little things were going wrong.”
He sees the light. So he writes his mission statement.
“…we must crack open the clenched fist and give back a little for the common good…we must simply be the best version of ourselves…that goodness will be unbeatable and the money will follow.”
He distributes it to all of the agents at his firm. Which gets him fired and sends his career spiraling downward. But it eventually brings him love and success. Cool, huh? I love Jerry.
I love sports marketing, too. Not all parts of it, but enough of it to make it a major part of my life. Just because it’s more corporate business than personal pleasure doesn’t mean I can’t embrace it, learn about it, live it, and make a living off it.
More than anything, it reminds me of how lucky we are to be able to partake in our sports culture. Milan Tuttle, Marquise Walker, Frank Cushman, and the great Jerry Maguire; real or fictional, future stars or heartbreaking busts, they all feed our imaginations, demonstrate our potential, and remind us of what’s possible.
Because it’s not just about the money. It’s about the Kwan.
As Thanksgiving approaches, that’s a nice thing to keep in mind. Especially since we get to watch football all day between helpings of Tryptophan.
Hope you all have a great holiday week. I’m out of commission from November 22-29, and some of my extremely talented and Kwan-filled colleagues at Element 79 will be joining the SportsCentric fray. Enjoy.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Great ads in any language
Taking a cue from the unexpected “Bike Hero” video, let’s take a break from advertising that’s purely about sports, and travel around the globe for some fun stuff you may not have seen.
Starting in Romania, where, apparently, frat guys make ads:
Still, it's kind of funny. By the way, the end title means "Do as much as you can while you're young."
And on to Johannesburg, where a concept that’s arguably been done before surprises you into getting hungry for a burger.
There’s one word understood across the world for wonderfully simple ideas done well:
Cool.
Starting in Romania, where, apparently, frat guys make ads:
Still, it's kind of funny. By the way, the end title means "Do as much as you can while you're young."
And on to Johannesburg, where a concept that’s arguably been done before surprises you into getting hungry for a burger.
There’s one word understood across the world for wonderfully simple ideas done well:
Cool.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The very best "ad" I've seen this year
This video should be presented in advertising classes tomorrow across the world as an example of how to make a piece of film that connects, entertains, surprises, and sells. In a sideways kind of way, it reminds me of Honda’s Cannes Lion winning “Cog” spot.
I don't know where it's going to be shown or how they're going to use it, but it'll get enough play from people sharing it that they may never need to buy a dollar of paid media.
Take note, marketing people. Not easy, but not expensive, and super unusual and smart.
I don't know where it's going to be shown or how they're going to use it, but it'll get enough play from people sharing it that they may never need to buy a dollar of paid media.
Take note, marketing people. Not easy, but not expensive, and super unusual and smart.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Gee! No, G!
Sometimes a brand has to reinvent itself.
And sometimes a brand thinks it has to reinvent itself only to realize that the old way was working just fine. How do you know the difference?
So hard to know. Almost impossible. Just ask Nike. 10 years ago, they gave it a shot and strayed from “Just Do It.” Remember?
Probably not. And Nike hopes you don’t either. After their red faces regained their color, they quickly scrambled back to their vaunted tagline faster than you can say “Ooopsee!”
One thing that’s certain is that a brand that’s strongly established and firmly established in the consumer’s mind with a likeable, consistent campaign is a beautiful and rare thing and money in the bank, even for brands that depend on coolness and hipness to stay current and contemporary.
And another thing that’s certain is that change is good, especially for brands that depend on coolness and hipness to stay current and contemporary.
Gatorade is about to become the poster child for either change or constancy. They’re going through a massive overall of…well, just about everything, including positioning and advertising. We’re getting our first looks at the packaging, which is a radical departure from the classic bolt (this is just a redesign of the basic logo; extensive packaging do-overs are to come). The new logo is mostly getting raked over the coals. Mindy McCready would probably get a better reception at the Clemens house for Sunday dinner.
I have a particular interest in the saga, having worked on the brand for 15 years, writing some famous ads and having been very emotionally connected. So I promise, more to come on this one, for sure.
If you hear or see anything, please pass it on.
And sometimes a brand thinks it has to reinvent itself only to realize that the old way was working just fine. How do you know the difference?
So hard to know. Almost impossible. Just ask Nike. 10 years ago, they gave it a shot and strayed from “Just Do It.” Remember?
Probably not. And Nike hopes you don’t either. After their red faces regained their color, they quickly scrambled back to their vaunted tagline faster than you can say “Ooopsee!”
One thing that’s certain is that a brand that’s strongly established and firmly established in the consumer’s mind with a likeable, consistent campaign is a beautiful and rare thing and money in the bank, even for brands that depend on coolness and hipness to stay current and contemporary.
And another thing that’s certain is that change is good, especially for brands that depend on coolness and hipness to stay current and contemporary.
Gatorade is about to become the poster child for either change or constancy. They’re going through a massive overall of…well, just about everything, including positioning and advertising. We’re getting our first looks at the packaging, which is a radical departure from the classic bolt (this is just a redesign of the basic logo; extensive packaging do-overs are to come). The new logo is mostly getting raked over the coals. Mindy McCready would probably get a better reception at the Clemens house for Sunday dinner.
I have a particular interest in the saga, having worked on the brand for 15 years, writing some famous ads and having been very emotionally connected. So I promise, more to come on this one, for sure.
If you hear or see anything, please pass it on.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Focus groups' chilling effect on advertising
Wow, that must be one REALLY cold beer.
That, or what Bud Light has to say about Drinkability is so important, so relevant to my life, so time-stands-still interesting, that people are frozen right there in place, and of course, we’re supposed to stop whatever we’re doing and listen too. Hmm. Might this be a classic case of a brand telling people what the brand wants them to now, rather that what the people might want to know? Research will tell you that consumers want to know why they buy one product over another. Thank you, research, for giving us these wonderfully informative and dull ads.
Oh wait, the monologuers do funny things to the frozen people too, like pour hot sauce in their mouths. OK, that’s better. NOW I’ll pay attention to what they want me to know about the finer points of beer.
Here’s a spot that focus groups would’ve hated because they would’ve said it was too confusing.
It won the biggest advertising award in the world.
That, or what Bud Light has to say about Drinkability is so important, so relevant to my life, so time-stands-still interesting, that people are frozen right there in place, and of course, we’re supposed to stop whatever we’re doing and listen too. Hmm. Might this be a classic case of a brand telling people what the brand wants them to now, rather that what the people might want to know? Research will tell you that consumers want to know why they buy one product over another. Thank you, research, for giving us these wonderfully informative and dull ads.
Oh wait, the monologuers do funny things to the frozen people too, like pour hot sauce in their mouths. OK, that’s better. NOW I’ll pay attention to what they want me to know about the finer points of beer.
Here’s a spot that focus groups would’ve hated because they would’ve said it was too confusing.
It won the biggest advertising award in the world.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Sneaker wars jump to a new level
What makes you better at what you do? How do you best get up for a challenge?
Do you follow the Bobby Knight bejeezus-scaring school of motivational theory? WARNING: THIS IS EXTREMELY EXTREMELY EXPLETIVE LADEN.
Or are you a joyful follower of the Dick Vermeil school, sponsored by Kleenex®, (where your coach is your friend, mentor, and hugbuddy all wrapped into one)? Either way, there’ll be tears.
Maybe it’s simply good enough to look across the battlefield and stare into the eyes of a fierce opponent.
If you believe that stiffer competition makes you do better work, then there’s good news for Nike, Adidas and Reebok.
Puma has hooked up with Droga 5.
Given their history for creating ideas that make people notice, there’s no doubt they’ll do the same for Puma. It's generating much discussion and healthy debate. Big question is, what kind of a brand Puma will be?
They do sports ads now.
Nothing to write home about. Not even done all that well. Although the shoes seem pretty damn cool.
They also have seemingly endless styles of cool looking shoes in wonderfully crazy colors and designs.
So what do they focus on? Sports? Fashion? Both? Youngsters? Hipsters? Chicks? Dudes? US? Europe? Asia?
My bet is, all of the above. Can’t wait to see it.
Do you follow the Bobby Knight bejeezus-scaring school of motivational theory? WARNING: THIS IS EXTREMELY EXTREMELY EXPLETIVE LADEN.
Or are you a joyful follower of the Dick Vermeil school, sponsored by Kleenex®, (where your coach is your friend, mentor, and hugbuddy all wrapped into one)? Either way, there’ll be tears.
Maybe it’s simply good enough to look across the battlefield and stare into the eyes of a fierce opponent.
If you believe that stiffer competition makes you do better work, then there’s good news for Nike, Adidas and Reebok.
Puma has hooked up with Droga 5.
Given their history for creating ideas that make people notice, there’s no doubt they’ll do the same for Puma. It's generating much discussion and healthy debate. Big question is, what kind of a brand Puma will be?
They do sports ads now.
Nothing to write home about. Not even done all that well. Although the shoes seem pretty damn cool.
They also have seemingly endless styles of cool looking shoes in wonderfully crazy colors and designs.
So what do they focus on? Sports? Fashion? Both? Youngsters? Hipsters? Chicks? Dudes? US? Europe? Asia?
My bet is, all of the above. Can’t wait to see it.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Don't pet the messenger
Bad economy got you down? With marketers struggling to find the right messages to encourage optimistic attitudes at the cash register and beyond, here are some thoughts and suggestions to provide a bit of impetus to get folks motivated again.
The first comes from the last President to broadly inspire Americans to work for change, John F. Kennedy. He borrowed from the Chinese to make his point.
If you work at Procter and Gamble…or are in the do-it-yourself hair dye racket, then the sight of stocks plummeting makes your spirit soar.
And if, perchance, you just can’t get away from the badness out there, and have to face up to some unavoidably unpleasant facts, then you do have a good option: Send a puppy to do your dirty work.
You know what they say: The cuter the messenger, the less likely he’ll get shot.
The first comes from the last President to broadly inspire Americans to work for change, John F. Kennedy. He borrowed from the Chinese to make his point.
If you work at Procter and Gamble…or are in the do-it-yourself hair dye racket, then the sight of stocks plummeting makes your spirit soar.
And if, perchance, you just can’t get away from the badness out there, and have to face up to some unavoidably unpleasant facts, then you do have a good option: Send a puppy to do your dirty work.
You know what they say: The cuter the messenger, the less likely he’ll get shot.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Just don’t let him in the sausage race at Miller Park
I love guerilla marketing, and I love the smell of bacon, so it’s no surprise that I love Bacon Salt Boy. He’s the linchpin behind the new campaign from J&D’s Bacon Salt (check out their yummy smelling blog). Beside the fact that it’s calorie and fat free, it’s a great case study in effectively using new media to launch and support a new product.
BSB isn’t a big hit with the official sports entities who paid significant sums of sponsorship cash, but he’s making waves. Any time you can get a strip of bacon in the mayo ring with a giant jar of mayonnaise, you’re bound to get some attention.
I'm getting hungry.
BSB isn’t a big hit with the official sports entities who paid significant sums of sponsorship cash, but he’s making waves. Any time you can get a strip of bacon in the mayo ring with a giant jar of mayonnaise, you’re bound to get some attention.
I'm getting hungry.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Image of the weekend
And this was just in the first quarter.
The flying spit screaming session didn’t work, unfortunately. Ron Zook’s Illini suffered a loss to Western Michigan that was much worse than the 23-17 score, mainly because it could wind up costing them a trip to a bowl game.
Coach Zook is a genuinely nice guy, and a good coach, but he has a penchant for winding up in phun photos.
Hope you win your two last games convincingly and get to a bowl game, Coach Zook.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Celebrity endorsing gone horribly wrong, Part 1
In my rush to praise the awful yet buzzworthy Toyota "Saved by Zero" commercials, I did a terrible disservice to another commercial that is nauseatingly deserving of similar recognition.
Emmitt Smith, Clyde Frazier, and Keith Hernandez. Three athletes who have nothing to do with each other, and seemingly nothing in common, other than the fact that they’re older than young people. That, and/or they’re all terrible card players and they gambled away their pride.
And everything they say rhymes. Even the announcer! How awesome is that?
For what it’s worth, using ex-pro athletes for a men’s lose-the-grey-hair product absolutely makes sense. Might make more sense to use someone who is known for having grey hair, like Brett Favre. Maybe he’s too good a card player.
Emmitt Smith, Clyde Frazier, and Keith Hernandez. Three athletes who have nothing to do with each other, and seemingly nothing in common, other than the fact that they’re older than young people. That, and/or they’re all terrible card players and they gambled away their pride.
And everything they say rhymes. Even the announcer! How awesome is that?
For what it’s worth, using ex-pro athletes for a men’s lose-the-grey-hair product absolutely makes sense. Might make more sense to use someone who is known for having grey hair, like Brett Favre. Maybe he’s too good a card player.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Hey Nike: Adidas is still on your tail
As far as I know, there’s no Mr. Nike. No one person in Beaverton, OR who’s given his heart and soul and name to a company, who thought up designs for his products and sketched possibilities and wrote entries in his journal that started with “The parcel of aviation gasoline and albatross feathers arrived today…I’m not certain of whether the winged chariot will fly, but then again, if I knew all the possibilities, there would be no point in trying.”
The guy who wrote that, according to a campaign from Lifelounge in Melbourne, was Adi Dassler, the man who started (with his brother Rudolf) the Adidas company.
“Adidas” has become a retronym for “All Day I Dream About Sports,” and this web campaign combines that retronym with Adi’s passion for design to showcase all kinds of crazy and wonderful possibilities in the world of athletic (ish) footwear.
Nike has kicked serious ass in the world of sports for what seems like forever, but Adidas has been nipping at their heels for years with really smart, fresh tactics like this website, including this extremely cool animated 3:00 ad featuring Adi’s story.
Adidas has something powerful with Mr. Dassler. They’d be wise to keep using him.
The guy who wrote that, according to a campaign from Lifelounge in Melbourne, was Adi Dassler, the man who started (with his brother Rudolf) the Adidas company.
“Adidas” has become a retronym for “All Day I Dream About Sports,” and this web campaign combines that retronym with Adi’s passion for design to showcase all kinds of crazy and wonderful possibilities in the world of athletic (ish) footwear.
Nike has kicked serious ass in the world of sports for what seems like forever, but Adidas has been nipping at their heels for years with really smart, fresh tactics like this website, including this extremely cool animated 3:00 ad featuring Adi’s story.
Adidas has something powerful with Mr. Dassler. They’d be wise to keep using him.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Maria Sharapova is about to start stripping
Maria Sharapova’s legs are so long, if we stood side by side, they would reach my Adam’s Apple. She is gorgeous. I saw her up close and her gamma ray countenance burned my forehead. Did I mention her legs are really long?
And keep in mind, she’s won Wimbledon and the Australian and US Opens. She’s got athletic cred. So it’s no surprise she's a highly sought after endorser.
In addition to Gatorade, she pitches or has pitched Nike, Motorola, Tag Heuer, Canon (“Make every shot a power shot!”), and of course Speedminton: The extreme racket sport that combines the best of tennis, badminton and racquetball!
Thank you, Maria, for promoting the sport of the future.
She’s as terrible an actress as she's always been, so she’s probably most effective in her print work. Her best performances on moving film are when she’s just playing tennis or holding her yappy little dog. Please don’t make her speak any more!
And now, as reported by Darren Rovell in his Sports Biz blog, she’s leaving Gatorade for Enlyten SportStrips, a new rehydration product similar to the way Listerine breath strips work.
Smart or not? We’ll see. She didn’t make a lot of waves pitching Gatorade. Maybe she’ll do better for an upstart. One word of advice to Enlyten: Don’t make her say anything, or at least let her hold her dog.
And keep in mind, she’s won Wimbledon and the Australian and US Opens. She’s got athletic cred. So it’s no surprise she's a highly sought after endorser.
In addition to Gatorade, she pitches or has pitched Nike, Motorola, Tag Heuer, Canon (“Make every shot a power shot!”), and of course Speedminton: The extreme racket sport that combines the best of tennis, badminton and racquetball!
Thank you, Maria, for promoting the sport of the future.
She’s as terrible an actress as she's always been, so she’s probably most effective in her print work. Her best performances on moving film are when she’s just playing tennis or holding her yappy little dog. Please don’t make her speak any more!
And now, as reported by Darren Rovell in his Sports Biz blog, she’s leaving Gatorade for Enlyten SportStrips, a new rehydration product similar to the way Listerine breath strips work.
Smart or not? We’ll see. She didn’t make a lot of waves pitching Gatorade. Maybe she’ll do better for an upstart. One word of advice to Enlyten: Don’t make her say anything, or at least let her hold her dog.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Quit your yappin’: Saved by Zero is brilliant
OK, I’ll pile on. But only to disagree with all of the Saved By Zero haters.
No, it’s not a good ad. Not at all. But it’s not all that different from the local auto advertising drivel, much of which consists of the following: cheap graphics, shiny cars, and a somewhat memorable '70’s or ‘80’s song that illustrates the point of the sale...and is affordable.
What’s different about SBZ is how often it has run on very visible programming and how much negative blogging it’s received. Not just one site, but another and another. People must have been saving up their hatred for a while because there’s been boatloads of it heaved at SBZ.
But in one respect, it’s awesome: You remember it.
And that’s a collective You, not just us highly refined ad watchers, but the real people of America who wouldn’t mind some good ole’ zero APR financing.
I’d put SBZ into a very special category of advertising, along The Clapper, Head-On, and our friend Ron Popiel, and hell, let’s throw in Sales Genie. Strictly based on the usually agreed upon purpose of advertising.
Sell stuff.
I’m not saying they’re good ads. They’re terrible ads. But great ads aren’t always effective, and effective ads often suck. And sometimes, legends are made out of ickiness. It just happens.
So whether you meant to get there or not, welcome, SBZ, to greatness.
No, it’s not a good ad. Not at all. But it’s not all that different from the local auto advertising drivel, much of which consists of the following: cheap graphics, shiny cars, and a somewhat memorable '70’s or ‘80’s song that illustrates the point of the sale...and is affordable.
What’s different about SBZ is how often it has run on very visible programming and how much negative blogging it’s received. Not just one site, but another and another. People must have been saving up their hatred for a while because there’s been boatloads of it heaved at SBZ.
But in one respect, it’s awesome: You remember it.
And that’s a collective You, not just us highly refined ad watchers, but the real people of America who wouldn’t mind some good ole’ zero APR financing.
I’d put SBZ into a very special category of advertising, along The Clapper, Head-On, and our friend Ron Popiel, and hell, let’s throw in Sales Genie. Strictly based on the usually agreed upon purpose of advertising.
Sell stuff.
I’m not saying they’re good ads. They’re terrible ads. But great ads aren’t always effective, and effective ads often suck. And sometimes, legends are made out of ickiness. It just happens.
So whether you meant to get there or not, welcome, SBZ, to greatness.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Mark Cuban for Vice President
A continuation on the leadership theme. Have to go there today, considering yesterday’s historic events. And I don’t mean Daunte Culpepper possibly becoming the new Lions’ QB.
How long has it been since you’ve seen a leader with the strength, fire, conviction, and intelligence of our new President? It’s pretty impressive stuff. He might even be qualified for the second toughest job in the world right now: coaching the Michigan football team.
The best commentary I’ve seen on the President-elect and his innate ability to not just motivate, but electrify, came from Mark Cuban. His blog Maverick is often long and thoughtful, mostly about economic issues, but once in a while, he cuts to the chase with a ridiculously insightful POV, which he would probably say is nothing more than his opinion. In this case, his support of Obama was anything but economically motivated—it was a direct result of his pride in being an American. And a great observation on what Obama’s election means to this country. Check it out.
If it’s true that confidence shows itself as generosity, Obama/Cuban might be just the ticket in ’12.
How long has it been since you’ve seen a leader with the strength, fire, conviction, and intelligence of our new President? It’s pretty impressive stuff. He might even be qualified for the second toughest job in the world right now: coaching the Michigan football team.
The best commentary I’ve seen on the President-elect and his innate ability to not just motivate, but electrify, came from Mark Cuban. His blog Maverick is often long and thoughtful, mostly about economic issues, but once in a while, he cuts to the chase with a ridiculously insightful POV, which he would probably say is nothing more than his opinion. In this case, his support of Obama was anything but economically motivated—it was a direct result of his pride in being an American. And a great observation on what Obama’s election means to this country. Check it out.
If it’s true that confidence shows itself as generosity, Obama/Cuban might be just the ticket in ’12.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Hmm...why does this version work?
Same product, same gag, different casting, a world of difference. I’m trying to put my finger on why this version of Guitar Hero’s Risky Business parody works so much better than the one with A-Rod, Kobe, Tony Hawk and Michael Phelps. It’s so hard to figure out…
No it’s not. And it has nothing to do with skin.
She made not be a pro athlete, but Heidi Klum is most definitely athletic. And smart, too, by choosing to star in this ad. She gets to show off her moves, have some fun, and deflect some of the ice princess criticism she’s received for her role hosting Project Runway. It’s an entertaining ad for an entertainment product. And Monday Night Football is the perfect media placement. Hell, run it on every sporting event for the next month. She plays much better in this ad and for this brand than the superstar quartet in and pink tops and barely visible undies. Interestingly enough, fans seem to be agreeing. Go figure.
Maybe Kobe should’ve taken his top off too.
No it’s not. And it has nothing to do with skin.
She made not be a pro athlete, but Heidi Klum is most definitely athletic. And smart, too, by choosing to star in this ad. She gets to show off her moves, have some fun, and deflect some of the ice princess criticism she’s received for her role hosting Project Runway. It’s an entertaining ad for an entertainment product. And Monday Night Football is the perfect media placement. Hell, run it on every sporting event for the next month. She plays much better in this ad and for this brand than the superstar quartet in and pink tops and barely visible undies. Interestingly enough, fans seem to be agreeing. Go figure.
Maybe Kobe should’ve taken his top off too.
Monday, November 3, 2008
How Sports And Marketing Are Oddly Similar, Part 1
I know it’s somewhat clichéd. But by their definition, clichés are overused truths, so while it may try your patience to endure them, it also means that there’s some value in them to begin with. So I offer this to you:
Creativity is nothing without leadership. In sports, as in marketing.
The marketing part, as in all business, seems pretty obvious, right? Even the strongest business people in the world can flounder without strong leadership.
But I’d suggest that even the most creative people will flounder, too. Great ideas are one of the single most important factors in business success, but without someone to nurture, refine, and sell them, they'll meet the same fate as a Brooks Bollinger pass. Nowhere, fast. Most ideas that come out looking like diamonds take a lot of polishing to get there. It's a team effort.
Same’s true in sports. Even more so. A strong collection of athletes is just that until someone shapes them into a Team, puts the idea of Winning into their collective head, and leads them. One example of this is the current squad that use to be called “America’s Team,” but now should be called “Where the hell is Tony Romo’s team?”
The key line from yesterday’s stats:
PASSING_Dallas, B.Johnson 5-11-2-71, Bollinger 9-16-1-63.
Ouch. The projected division champs fall to the bottom of the division. Looks like the Cowboys miss their leader.
The other side of the coin is, when one leader falls, sometimes, another rises up. That’s how Mr. Romo got his break (sorry, Drew Bledsoe).
In Chicago, Bears fans are hoping that Rex Grossman is the next Tony Romo, not the next Brooks Bollinger.
Creativity is nothing without leadership. In sports, as in marketing.
The marketing part, as in all business, seems pretty obvious, right? Even the strongest business people in the world can flounder without strong leadership.
But I’d suggest that even the most creative people will flounder, too. Great ideas are one of the single most important factors in business success, but without someone to nurture, refine, and sell them, they'll meet the same fate as a Brooks Bollinger pass. Nowhere, fast. Most ideas that come out looking like diamonds take a lot of polishing to get there. It's a team effort.
Same’s true in sports. Even more so. A strong collection of athletes is just that until someone shapes them into a Team, puts the idea of Winning into their collective head, and leads them. One example of this is the current squad that use to be called “America’s Team,” but now should be called “Where the hell is Tony Romo’s team?”
The key line from yesterday’s stats:
PASSING_Dallas, B.Johnson 5-11-2-71, Bollinger 9-16-1-63.
Ouch. The projected division champs fall to the bottom of the division. Looks like the Cowboys miss their leader.
The other side of the coin is, when one leader falls, sometimes, another rises up. That’s how Mr. Romo got his break (sorry, Drew Bledsoe).
In Chicago, Bears fans are hoping that Rex Grossman is the next Tony Romo, not the next Brooks Bollinger.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Peyton Manning: the best endorser in the business
There’s a reason Peyton Manning is in so many commercials. Like his fellow Gatorade endorser Michael Jordan, he’s money in the bank.
He’s got comedic chops and great timing. The man is funny. As proven by his latest effort for Mastercard.
He’s reliable. He’s sincere. And he’s just so damn likeable.
And more important, he’s got cred from winning the Super Bowl. That way, he can make people laugh without being a joke.
And having worked with him a couple of times, I know that he’s truly a good guy.
He’s living proof that you get what you pay for.
He’s got comedic chops and great timing. The man is funny. As proven by his latest effort for Mastercard.
He’s reliable. He’s sincere. And he’s just so damn likeable.
And more important, he’s got cred from winning the Super Bowl. That way, he can make people laugh without being a joke.
And having worked with him a couple of times, I know that he’s truly a good guy.
He’s living proof that you get what you pay for.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
$1 billion for a plumber's smile?
The new Pepsi logo is popping up everywhere on Ad blogs. The corporate Mega Giant took five months to develop it and will spend a billion dollars to update their 21 year old wavy thing.
That means repainting trucks, rewrapping vending machines, replacing stadium signage and sending out new point-of-sale materials…and that’s just the beginning; picture anything with a logo. Letterhead, briefcases, those slick polo shirts and all of their wonderful corporate clothing, even the napkins in the cafeteria. All will need to change. I still see trucks with logos from the late ‘90’s on one of the brands I used to work on. The is a massive undertaking.
According to Pepsi leadership, each brand has it’s own version:
Pepsi’s logo is a smile, Diet Pepsi looks like a grin, and Pepsi Max will be a full laugh. Hmm. It’s so…what’s the best way to say this…well intentioned, yet horribly unclear, and more confusing than memorable.
It’s a great example of a marketer telling us what they want us to know, not what we might be interested in.
In general, I think change is good, but this is very expensive, very corporate change. If Pepsi thinks people are going to remember the smile distinctions between the different products, they’ve been to one too many logo design presentations.
Some have described the new logo as asscrack. I wouldn’t go that far, but Coke has been kicking ass in the marketing world. And I think Pepsi blinked.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Superstars in Underpants
I didn’t know whether to laugh or wince when I saw this. So I did both.
OK, I admit it: It’s funny. The sliding entrances, the gyrating on the couch, the utter lack of rhythm and grace from such talented men…I had to laugh. And so will lots of other people. Millions, even. Everyone loves it on youtube. So it works, right?
For Guitar Hero, yes. For the athletes? No.
I loved Risky Business. Bash Tom Cruise all you want; the movie was a generation definer (“Sometimes, you’ve just got to say ‘What the f*ck.’”) So I appreciated the parody.
But it was made 25 years ago, which makes it a decade older than Guitar Hero’s teen target. So are these megastar athletes being used well? You could say they’re capturing the youth market and showing their silly sides. I’d argue that’s what Saturday Night Live is for.
So much goes into choosing endorsers to represent a brand, because there’s so much at stake. Money, of course, but even more important is the athlete’s brand. How the people who they need to influence perceive them. How they connect to the right target in the right manner.
I’m not sure why Guitar Hero picked these four athletes. I suppose if you have the cash to gather this collection of talent, it would be cool. Good for Guitar Hero.
But for these athletes, just doing something “cool” doesn’t cut it. Doing something that works for them is more important. I could feel Phelps’ discomfort and A-Rod’s forced enjoyment. Kobe, I give credit for going all out. He’s a crazy man out there. But he got to wear longer boxers, so he didn’t look as silly. And I’d much rather see him jump a car. That at least connects to his basketball chops.
When it comes to sports and advertising, how you put athletes and brands together is crucial to both.
That’s why I liked Tony Hawk in this spot. It fits his offbeat sport and character. It fits his brand. And I loved the helmet.
But I still ask, “Why these guys?” Four elite athletes, a young target, an old movie, and the suggestion to “Release your inner rock star.”
If I were their agents, I’d release these guys from their contract with Guitar Hero. Would you?
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Hey Tiger Woods: Padraig Harrington has your mojo
Padraig Harrington isn’t just the best golfer in the world right now; he’s also the coolest golfer in the world in the world right now.
No, he’s not holing Rubiks Cubes from 15 feet away. That would be Tiger Woods, who, although injured, is smart enough to heed the old adage of “Out of sight, out of mind.” He also knows that he’ll never make as much money playing golf as he will make from his endorsements, so keeps up on the ad front. Hence the latest from EA Sports.
Pretty fun, I’ll grant you that, and in a world where where “Is it real?” viral videos are cropping up more often than interceptions in Jets games, it ranks right up there. Not for technical wizardry, but as proof that Tiger can do still some pretty wonderful things, injured or not. The story has it that it took him only two takes. Probably explains why he was so psyched when it went in, since I’m guessing they told him he’d be done once he sank one.
So Tiger is still around, and the world hasn’t collapsed. It’s just become a much better place for the quiet, confident, Mr. Harrington, a native of Ireland and a man who prefers ridiculously hard work over the luck of the Irish.
I was once at a tournament to interview him for a video. We had to wait until after his round to shoot him, but he had putted poorly that day so he stopped at the putting green after he finished and practiced his putting…and practiced...and practiced…while it got darker and colder. He was still on the green while his competitors were on their third beer.
He still gave us all the time we needed, and while his performance was just North of lackluster, he was very honest and real.
Those qualities help explain the latest news on Padraig: He just re-signed with Wilson to endorse their golf clubs. It pays him a lot of money, but it was millions short of what we could have made had he switched to any of the new companies that were courting him. But he’s been with Wilson for many years, they’ve worked side by side with him in developing his equipment, and he felt loyalty to the company that’s had a hand in his success.
They both work ridiculously hard, they both have had tremendous success recently, and while Tiger can marry Swedish knockouts and play golf on the moon, Padraig carries his own kind of authentic cool. Sometimes that’s the best kind.
No, he’s not holing Rubiks Cubes from 15 feet away. That would be Tiger Woods, who, although injured, is smart enough to heed the old adage of “Out of sight, out of mind.” He also knows that he’ll never make as much money playing golf as he will make from his endorsements, so keeps up on the ad front. Hence the latest from EA Sports.
Pretty fun, I’ll grant you that, and in a world where where “Is it real?” viral videos are cropping up more often than interceptions in Jets games, it ranks right up there. Not for technical wizardry, but as proof that Tiger can do still some pretty wonderful things, injured or not. The story has it that it took him only two takes. Probably explains why he was so psyched when it went in, since I’m guessing they told him he’d be done once he sank one.
So Tiger is still around, and the world hasn’t collapsed. It’s just become a much better place for the quiet, confident, Mr. Harrington, a native of Ireland and a man who prefers ridiculously hard work over the luck of the Irish.
I was once at a tournament to interview him for a video. We had to wait until after his round to shoot him, but he had putted poorly that day so he stopped at the putting green after he finished and practiced his putting…and practiced...and practiced…while it got darker and colder. He was still on the green while his competitors were on their third beer.
He still gave us all the time we needed, and while his performance was just North of lackluster, he was very honest and real.
Those qualities help explain the latest news on Padraig: He just re-signed with Wilson to endorse their golf clubs. It pays him a lot of money, but it was millions short of what we could have made had he switched to any of the new companies that were courting him. But he’s been with Wilson for many years, they’ve worked side by side with him in developing his equipment, and he felt loyalty to the company that’s had a hand in his success.
They both work ridiculously hard, they both have had tremendous success recently, and while Tiger can marry Swedish knockouts and play golf on the moon, Padraig carries his own kind of authentic cool. Sometimes that’s the best kind.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Obama or Phillies-Rays; which is the lesser of two evils?
That headline may be misleading: I don't think Barack Obama is evil. In fact, I’m not going to offer any political views in this blog. I’m with those that believe that except in extreme cases (Go Tommie Smith! Go John Carlos!), it's not ok to mix Sports with politics. Although I do find it kind of fun when athletes become Congressmen. (Go Bill Bradley! Go Steve Largent!)
These days, Sports has not just been a nice escape from our economic woes, it’s been a good place to turn to get away from the nonstop political chatter. I’ve had just about enough political advertising, haven’t you?
Too bad. Judging from the record $150 million Barack Obama raised in September alone, we’re going to be seeing a lot more of his very confident mug on the tube.
One place we know he’ll be, at the tune of $1 million, is on Fox before Game Six of the World Series next Wednesday night. Not just an ad, but a 30 minute infobamafest. 30 MINUTES. You can get through a whole inning in 30 minutes. Sometimes, even an inning and a half!
And the most incredible part: Major League Baseball is going to delay the start of the game, originally planned for 8:22 EST, 15 minutes so he can have the solid 8-8:30 block of time on Fox and other networks, creating a media roadblock that you just can’t avoid.
To point out the obvious ironies of this Barackomercial: The 30 minutes of BO is being aired on Fox, which isn’t known to be a bastion of happiness for Democrats. The program he’s pre-empting is the World Series. And as popular as football may be, we don’t sing “Football, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet,” and we don’t call football “The National Pastime.” It’s still baseball, if I’m not mistaken. And baseball is still kind of sacred. Hello, Mr. double digit lead in the polls? Maybe you’d like to stomp on an American flag and sing the Star Spangled banner with Roseanne Barr? And while you’re at it, why don’t you piss off a real significant number of people and pre-empt a half hour on Regis and Kelly too?
But the biggest irony of all is, with the marquee matchup of the Phillies and Rays, the ratings could actually go down once the game starts.
Ba-dump-dump.
Meanwhile, rumors have it John McCain isn’t going anywhere near the Fall Classic. He’s sticking to safer venues that don’t mess with our great country, airing his long format spots on English Premier League games on Setanta Sports.
I’m Rocco Baldelli, and I approved this message.
These days, Sports has not just been a nice escape from our economic woes, it’s been a good place to turn to get away from the nonstop political chatter. I’ve had just about enough political advertising, haven’t you?
Too bad. Judging from the record $150 million Barack Obama raised in September alone, we’re going to be seeing a lot more of his very confident mug on the tube.
One place we know he’ll be, at the tune of $1 million, is on Fox before Game Six of the World Series next Wednesday night. Not just an ad, but a 30 minute infobamafest. 30 MINUTES. You can get through a whole inning in 30 minutes. Sometimes, even an inning and a half!
And the most incredible part: Major League Baseball is going to delay the start of the game, originally planned for 8:22 EST, 15 minutes so he can have the solid 8-8:30 block of time on Fox and other networks, creating a media roadblock that you just can’t avoid.
To point out the obvious ironies of this Barackomercial: The 30 minutes of BO is being aired on Fox, which isn’t known to be a bastion of happiness for Democrats. The program he’s pre-empting is the World Series. And as popular as football may be, we don’t sing “Football, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet,” and we don’t call football “The National Pastime.” It’s still baseball, if I’m not mistaken. And baseball is still kind of sacred. Hello, Mr. double digit lead in the polls? Maybe you’d like to stomp on an American flag and sing the Star Spangled banner with Roseanne Barr? And while you’re at it, why don’t you piss off a real significant number of people and pre-empt a half hour on Regis and Kelly too?
But the biggest irony of all is, with the marquee matchup of the Phillies and Rays, the ratings could actually go down once the game starts.
Ba-dump-dump.
Meanwhile, rumors have it John McCain isn’t going anywhere near the Fall Classic. He’s sticking to safer venues that don’t mess with our great country, airing his long format spots on English Premier League games on Setanta Sports.
I’m Rocco Baldelli, and I approved this message.
Monday, October 20, 2008
The NFL, the economy, and the wonderful ridiculousness of Sports
While this posting may seem to contradict my last, it doesn’t. Because in sports, as in real life, absurdity is rampant. This is proven beyond a shadow of a doubt when an expansion team makes it to the World Series after ten years while a wonderfully storied team waits ten times as long. But I digress.
The economy’s bad, right? Markets are down, the government’s going socialist, and we’re all pretty much doomed financially. Tell that to the 66,000 apparently flush souls who’ll be in attendance at Super Bowl XLIII. According to the LA Times, Super Bowl tickets for the first time "will have a four-figure face value -- $1,000 for a single seat to Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium" in Tampa, Florida.
That’s right. Face value tickets going for a cool grand, and this isn’t even the Granddaddy of them all. This is that game that’s painfully long and usually lopsided.
Sorry if I don’t get it. I’ve been to the Super Bowl. Yes, it’s awesome. But most of the awesomeness comes in the days before the game. Concerts, parties, the hospitality…that IS the show. The game is pretty anticlimactic.
But at the same time, the game is also a Wonder. It’s a Bucket Lister. It’s quite possibly the single biggest annual event in our country. According to The LA Times, “the average cost of tickets to last season's Super Bowl was more than $4,000 in the secondary markets.” You can buy a Super Bowl RING for four thousand dollars.
So economy be damned. And this year will be no different. In fact, this year, prices will be higher, due solely to one man. No, not Manning or Portis or Ware.
Springsteen.
The economy’s bad, right? Markets are down, the government’s going socialist, and we’re all pretty much doomed financially. Tell that to the 66,000 apparently flush souls who’ll be in attendance at Super Bowl XLIII. According to the LA Times, Super Bowl tickets for the first time "will have a four-figure face value -- $1,000 for a single seat to Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium" in Tampa, Florida.
That’s right. Face value tickets going for a cool grand, and this isn’t even the Granddaddy of them all. This is that game that’s painfully long and usually lopsided.
Sorry if I don’t get it. I’ve been to the Super Bowl. Yes, it’s awesome. But most of the awesomeness comes in the days before the game. Concerts, parties, the hospitality…that IS the show. The game is pretty anticlimactic.
But at the same time, the game is also a Wonder. It’s a Bucket Lister. It’s quite possibly the single biggest annual event in our country. According to The LA Times, “the average cost of tickets to last season's Super Bowl was more than $4,000 in the secondary markets.” You can buy a Super Bowl RING for four thousand dollars.
So economy be damned. And this year will be no different. In fact, this year, prices will be higher, due solely to one man. No, not Manning or Portis or Ware.
Springsteen.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The world’s most telling economic indicator: Sports
Sports has been a constant through times of tragedy and war. So it’s fascinating to come to a point in the road where Sports’ winning streak as the undisputed outlet for folks to turn to in tough times hitting a pretty significant bump.
In last Tuesday’s WSJ, Matthew Futterman reported that Sports is taking a hit in this terrible economy. “As Economy Weakens, Sports Feel a Chill” is the headline.
The most telling quote came from Brett Yormark, the chief executive of the New Jersey Nets. “We’re not just competing for people’s entertainment dollars anymore. We’re going up against milk and orange juice.”
And he doesn’t mean OJ Simpson.
I’ve never been hugely tapped in to the world of economics. Most of my experience with numbers comes from reading box scores and doing the stats for Michigan football broadcasts in the early 1980’s. So as this economic crisis has unfolded, I’ve shared the horror of losing a lot of money, but mostly from the sidelines; no less horrified, but certainly not massively informed.
It’s a story like this that hits home for me. And I’d bet that’s true for millions of others.
What to do? Well, in a time when business sucks all over, uncertainty reigns, and folks have a moment of painful hesitation when they pull out their wallets, you could turn to sports as the ultimate escape. As the eminently quotable Mr. Yomark says, “We’ve never sold wins and losses. We sell hope and fun.”
Unfortunately, those tickets costs as much as a few meals at a decent restaurant for my family of four. It’s a conundrum and for us hard core sports fans, a true indication of the current economic malaise.
For now, I’m thankful for HD.
In last Tuesday’s WSJ, Matthew Futterman reported that Sports is taking a hit in this terrible economy. “As Economy Weakens, Sports Feel a Chill” is the headline.
The most telling quote came from Brett Yormark, the chief executive of the New Jersey Nets. “We’re not just competing for people’s entertainment dollars anymore. We’re going up against milk and orange juice.”
And he doesn’t mean OJ Simpson.
I’ve never been hugely tapped in to the world of economics. Most of my experience with numbers comes from reading box scores and doing the stats for Michigan football broadcasts in the early 1980’s. So as this economic crisis has unfolded, I’ve shared the horror of losing a lot of money, but mostly from the sidelines; no less horrified, but certainly not massively informed.
It’s a story like this that hits home for me. And I’d bet that’s true for millions of others.
What to do? Well, in a time when business sucks all over, uncertainty reigns, and folks have a moment of painful hesitation when they pull out their wallets, you could turn to sports as the ultimate escape. As the eminently quotable Mr. Yomark says, “We’ve never sold wins and losses. We sell hope and fun.”
Unfortunately, those tickets costs as much as a few meals at a decent restaurant for my family of four. It’s a conundrum and for us hard core sports fans, a true indication of the current economic malaise.
For now, I’m thankful for HD.
Monday, October 13, 2008
MLB needs Tim Donaghy
I’ve figured out a way for Major League Baseball to increase their viewership (and therefore, their advertising dollars) for the playoffs, from the Division Series through the World Series.
The way I see it, there are two problems: Teams and times. Every year, there are teams that people aren’t all that interested in watching, and games played when people aren’t all that interested in watching. Unless you really have a hankering to see a Phillies-Rays World Series game that hits the seventh inning around midnight.
I’ve been watching, and these League Championship Series are both pretty good. Four teams hitting their groove when it’s important to play well. The only thing that’s been annoying has been the same crappy commercials aired over and over. Note to advertisers: you’ll stand out in a big way if you can put a decent ad on the air.
So the quality of play is good. But people still aren’t flocking to Fox.
Maybe it’s because we’re powerless to do anything other than just watch the games play out, hope that our teams win, and trust that the networks and cable companies show the games at reasonable times.
This is where Tim Donaghy would come in. If MLB would hire him as an ump—even if it was just for the playoffs--he could work his magic, fix a couple of games, assert his influence on a few of his new umpire friends, and make sure things happen the way they really should happen. For example, how hard could it be to make the right (or wrong) calls to help the Cubs advance? It’s what everyone wants, right? Who wouldn’t want to see a Cubs-Red Sox World Series? Would it not be worth the little bit of active rule avoidance it would take to make it happen?
Think about it for next year, MLB. Or keep those same honest umps, and have the Padres and Blue Jays with a 8 PM EST start. Or you can have Tim Donaghy, the Cubs and Yankees, and gajillions more dollars in revenue.
Please?
The way I see it, there are two problems: Teams and times. Every year, there are teams that people aren’t all that interested in watching, and games played when people aren’t all that interested in watching. Unless you really have a hankering to see a Phillies-Rays World Series game that hits the seventh inning around midnight.
I’ve been watching, and these League Championship Series are both pretty good. Four teams hitting their groove when it’s important to play well. The only thing that’s been annoying has been the same crappy commercials aired over and over. Note to advertisers: you’ll stand out in a big way if you can put a decent ad on the air.
So the quality of play is good. But people still aren’t flocking to Fox.
Maybe it’s because we’re powerless to do anything other than just watch the games play out, hope that our teams win, and trust that the networks and cable companies show the games at reasonable times.
This is where Tim Donaghy would come in. If MLB would hire him as an ump—even if it was just for the playoffs--he could work his magic, fix a couple of games, assert his influence on a few of his new umpire friends, and make sure things happen the way they really should happen. For example, how hard could it be to make the right (or wrong) calls to help the Cubs advance? It’s what everyone wants, right? Who wouldn’t want to see a Cubs-Red Sox World Series? Would it not be worth the little bit of active rule avoidance it would take to make it happen?
Think about it for next year, MLB. Or keep those same honest umps, and have the Padres and Blue Jays with a 8 PM EST start. Or you can have Tim Donaghy, the Cubs and Yankees, and gajillions more dollars in revenue.
Please?
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