It’s not often that we at Sportscentric step away from sports. And never before have we left the fields of play to enter a fast food emporium. But two wonderful new films from McDonald’s have forced us into their waiting arms.
Did somebody say McDonald’s?
Sorry.
But yes, it’s McDonald’s with two new pieces of human communication that tickle your fancy and just plain made you smile and feel good. Isn’t that what McDonald’s is supposed to do?
Waitasec. On second thought, we can talk about McDonald’s and sports. They joined together in one of the most famous TV commercials in history.
First of all, MICHAEL: WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?!?!
Sorry. Lost myself for a second there in the dizzying array of colors in MJ's shortpantsuit.
It’s classic McD's advertising. Just kind of makes you smile and feel a warm fuzziness for the brand. Kind of like this new interactive billboard in London's Picadilly Square.
It’s whimsical, surprising, and engaging. I watched it a couple of times. I could've watched it more. I'm sure many people will.
And while the London billboard is the future of marketing, there’s always room for a good ole TV commercial. Especially silly ones that just make you giggle.
This work is good for people from 5 to 50. I first saw the fish spot over my son’s shoulder on his computer. It does what great McDonald’s advertising—and in this day and age, what any great advertising should do:
Connect people of any race creed shape age or gender to their product. When it comes to the work McD’s is doing, they’re hitting nothing but net.
And PS, I'll pay 100 bucks for MJ's shortpantsuit.
Showing posts with label Michael Jordan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Jordan. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Be Like Nike (Cont)
At this rate, Gatorade can soon start putting G’s and bolts on hi-tops and compression shorts. They continue to successfully blur the lines between themselves and Nike with this ad featuring John Wooden and great college basketball stars of the past. It ran the night before the NCAA basketball championship.
It’s a terrific ad; John Wooden is an inspired choice. You’d be hard pressed to find a more credible and respected spokesperson. Out of a very small handful of coaching legends, he stands alone, having won 10 championships in 12 years (and seven in a row) at UCLA in the 60’s and ‘70’s.
He is the Yoda of basketball and coaching, having taught countless players and coaches, not just about basketball, but about life.
Which explains why he makes so much sense to be doing this ad.
And his delivery of the poem is breathtaking, especially considering that he’ll be turning 99 in a few months (that means he was only 17 years old when Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs). Coming out of the mouth of an eighth grader the poem might have sounded juvenile, but it seems like just another homespun lesson from the great coach when it comes from John Wooden.
The archival footage of Walton and Jordan mixed with more current film of Dwade and Candace Parker dunking shows great respect to the game and even more credibility to the brand.
And the music immediately made me think of Heritage, one of the original great Nike spots, with a solitary man running against the musical backdrop of a simple poignant piano track.
Add in those great Nike athletes like MJ and Kevin Durant and D Wade, and you have another fantastic Nike ad.
Except that it’s for Gatorade. It’s tied up by a G bottle and “Then. Now. Forever.” Which is a very cool sentiment and makes a ton of sense for the brand. Smart to put a stamp on their heritage and authenticity and try to ensure they stay current.
It’s the latest installment in Gatorade’s continued efforts to sell a brand, not a product. It's building buzz. Lots of people are talking about it, and liking it. It’s a valid way to go for brands that aspire to sell themselves as a lifestyle. Nike has done it, Adidas is working on it. Gatorade is dreaming of it.
They are clearly, consciously walking away from making hydration the reason to buy this product, which is the reason why people have aligned themselves with the brand in the past. They’re making a big bet that you’re going to want to join them because they’re cool. Are you?
It’s a terrific ad; John Wooden is an inspired choice. You’d be hard pressed to find a more credible and respected spokesperson. Out of a very small handful of coaching legends, he stands alone, having won 10 championships in 12 years (and seven in a row) at UCLA in the 60’s and ‘70’s.
He is the Yoda of basketball and coaching, having taught countless players and coaches, not just about basketball, but about life.
Which explains why he makes so much sense to be doing this ad.
And his delivery of the poem is breathtaking, especially considering that he’ll be turning 99 in a few months (that means he was only 17 years old when Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs). Coming out of the mouth of an eighth grader the poem might have sounded juvenile, but it seems like just another homespun lesson from the great coach when it comes from John Wooden.
The archival footage of Walton and Jordan mixed with more current film of Dwade and Candace Parker dunking shows great respect to the game and even more credibility to the brand.
And the music immediately made me think of Heritage, one of the original great Nike spots, with a solitary man running against the musical backdrop of a simple poignant piano track.
Add in those great Nike athletes like MJ and Kevin Durant and D Wade, and you have another fantastic Nike ad.
Except that it’s for Gatorade. It’s tied up by a G bottle and “Then. Now. Forever.” Which is a very cool sentiment and makes a ton of sense for the brand. Smart to put a stamp on their heritage and authenticity and try to ensure they stay current.
It’s the latest installment in Gatorade’s continued efforts to sell a brand, not a product. It's building buzz. Lots of people are talking about it, and liking it. It’s a valid way to go for brands that aspire to sell themselves as a lifestyle. Nike has done it, Adidas is working on it. Gatorade is dreaming of it.
They are clearly, consciously walking away from making hydration the reason to buy this product, which is the reason why people have aligned themselves with the brand in the past. They’re making a big bet that you’re going to want to join them because they’re cool. Are you?
Saturday, February 14, 2009
No laughing matter, MJ
Brand Jordan is a funny brand.
Funny, like, it makes me laugh? No, more like, it ‘s funny how it has so much potential but is still struggling to find it’s way.
There's a group of athletes that represent Brand Jordan. The athletes they’ve chosen for Team Jordan are an interesting lot. In the NBA, they have big stars like Ray Allen and Carmelo Anthony, but also aging players like Michael Finley. Most of the athletes are basketball players, with a couple of football (Ahman Green and Marvin Harrison) and baseball (Andruw Jones) players thrown in.
They have one female athlete: April Holmes, a paralympian sprinter.
The website makes clear that each of the athletes is valued for not just sports achievements, but for being active in community and charitable causes as well.
But it still seems like a fairly random collection to me. Even Nike always seemed to have a method to the way they picked athletes. Usually, it was the best and only best athletes at their jobs.
For what it's worth, Andruw Jones is still trying to find a job.
Then there’s the advertising. Some very good work, but not consistently great. Again, hard to figure out what ties it all together. Where’s the vision? What would the manifesto say?
I think above all else, it’s about inspiration. At least, I think that’s what it should be. It makes sense to me. If MJ isn’t on the court anymore, he can’t lead by example, so he’s trying to lead by metaphysical example. His spirit was always one of leadership and determination, and that’s what comes through in a lot of the BJ ads. Like this one.
The players are right. The message is right. What does it say about the brand overall? How does it connect to the rest of the brand communication? I’m just not sure. MJ, please help.
Funny, like, it makes me laugh? No, more like, it ‘s funny how it has so much potential but is still struggling to find it’s way.
There's a group of athletes that represent Brand Jordan. The athletes they’ve chosen for Team Jordan are an interesting lot. In the NBA, they have big stars like Ray Allen and Carmelo Anthony, but also aging players like Michael Finley. Most of the athletes are basketball players, with a couple of football (Ahman Green and Marvin Harrison) and baseball (Andruw Jones) players thrown in.
They have one female athlete: April Holmes, a paralympian sprinter.
The website makes clear that each of the athletes is valued for not just sports achievements, but for being active in community and charitable causes as well.
But it still seems like a fairly random collection to me. Even Nike always seemed to have a method to the way they picked athletes. Usually, it was the best and only best athletes at their jobs.
For what it's worth, Andruw Jones is still trying to find a job.
Then there’s the advertising. Some very good work, but not consistently great. Again, hard to figure out what ties it all together. Where’s the vision? What would the manifesto say?
I think above all else, it’s about inspiration. At least, I think that’s what it should be. It makes sense to me. If MJ isn’t on the court anymore, he can’t lead by example, so he’s trying to lead by metaphysical example. His spirit was always one of leadership and determination, and that’s what comes through in a lot of the BJ ads. Like this one.
The players are right. The message is right. What does it say about the brand overall? How does it connect to the rest of the brand communication? I’m just not sure. MJ, please help.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Unpredictable service, good ads
I’m a big fan of Verizon Wireless. My loyalty to them (and my contempt for AT&T) is why I got a Storm vs iphone. So I know very little about T-Mobile, other than the fact that their ads with current and former pro basketball players crack me up.
I’ve been paying attention to their ads for a while, mainly because I think Catherine Zeta-Jones is, how you say, shmokin’ hot. CZJ, you were rooked by Zellweger for the Oscar nod. I’d do a number with you any day. But I can’t do it alone…
Since Catherine’s been gone, D-Wade and Charles Barkley have picked up the torch, and they’ve done a great job. The spots are funny and strategic, crafted around T-Mobile’s selling idea of their Fave Five calling plan. They even ran a Super Bowl ad last year, which ranked in the middle of the USA Today Ad Meter, but as high as any ad in the online user poll.
Getting celebrity athletes to act well is so hard. Most of them would rather be on the court than on a set (or on the golf course). And in a spot with a lot of dialogue, the desired nuances in performance that dictate the need to do take after take…it’s just not what athletes want to be doing (Michael Jordan used to start saying “That was perfect. What was wrong with the one?!” after the second take).
There are so many factors involved; obviously, having an athlete with a scoche of acting ability is nice, but it’s rare. So sometimes you have to write around it, and sometimes you can take advantage of it, like in the ending of this commercial:
All challenges considered, the new T-Mobile commercial is wonderfully pleasing. Nice performances, good writing, surprising appearances from Magic Johnson and Dr. J. I’m surprised they didn’t hold this one for the Super Bowl. Seems to have all the ingredients.
If you want to laugh out loud, watch the Heineken spot in my blog from a couple of days ago (you must), but if you want a nice chuckle, and a great example of how to use athletes well, you could do a lot worse than the work from T-Mobile.
I’ve been paying attention to their ads for a while, mainly because I think Catherine Zeta-Jones is, how you say, shmokin’ hot. CZJ, you were rooked by Zellweger for the Oscar nod. I’d do a number with you any day. But I can’t do it alone…
Since Catherine’s been gone, D-Wade and Charles Barkley have picked up the torch, and they’ve done a great job. The spots are funny and strategic, crafted around T-Mobile’s selling idea of their Fave Five calling plan. They even ran a Super Bowl ad last year, which ranked in the middle of the USA Today Ad Meter, but as high as any ad in the online user poll.
Getting celebrity athletes to act well is so hard. Most of them would rather be on the court than on a set (or on the golf course). And in a spot with a lot of dialogue, the desired nuances in performance that dictate the need to do take after take…it’s just not what athletes want to be doing (Michael Jordan used to start saying “That was perfect. What was wrong with the one?!” after the second take).
There are so many factors involved; obviously, having an athlete with a scoche of acting ability is nice, but it’s rare. So sometimes you have to write around it, and sometimes you can take advantage of it, like in the ending of this commercial:
All challenges considered, the new T-Mobile commercial is wonderfully pleasing. Nice performances, good writing, surprising appearances from Magic Johnson and Dr. J. I’m surprised they didn’t hold this one for the Super Bowl. Seems to have all the ingredients.
If you want to laugh out loud, watch the Heineken spot in my blog from a couple of days ago (you must), but if you want a nice chuckle, and a great example of how to use athletes well, you could do a lot worse than the work from T-Mobile.
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?
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Great Sports Ads Come From Insights, Not Facts
Facts are not insights.
Facts are democratic; insights are autocratic. Facts are out there for anyone to possess; insights, when used right, belong to only one owner. And even more important, they can define a brand.
Great insights start with the simplest of truths and clearest of facts.
Creating an insight is taking a fact and making it relevant to the person to whom you’re speaking. Insights are facts made a whole lot more interesting.
Let’s illustrate this discussion using Michael Jordan, the greatest spokesperson any brand has ever had (except for Hanes. Not authentic. MJ with Kevin Bacon? Cuba Gooding? Who’s next, David Hasselhoff? We’ll talk about that another time).
Watching MJ perform was always awesome. Riveting. Made you want to stop whatever you were doing and watch. That’s a fact.
The insight that Nike derived from that fact was that when Michael drove the lane and put up a shot, since you never knew what ridiculously original and creative thing he would do on the way, the world pretty much came to a halt. From this insight, Nike created Frozen Moments, a beautiful dramatization of that thought.
A powerfully insightful ad and a compelling visual articulation of why MJ was so damn great. More on this topic to come.
Facts are democratic; insights are autocratic. Facts are out there for anyone to possess; insights, when used right, belong to only one owner. And even more important, they can define a brand.
Great insights start with the simplest of truths and clearest of facts.
Creating an insight is taking a fact and making it relevant to the person to whom you’re speaking. Insights are facts made a whole lot more interesting.
Let’s illustrate this discussion using Michael Jordan, the greatest spokesperson any brand has ever had (except for Hanes. Not authentic. MJ with Kevin Bacon? Cuba Gooding? Who’s next, David Hasselhoff? We’ll talk about that another time).
Watching MJ perform was always awesome. Riveting. Made you want to stop whatever you were doing and watch. That’s a fact.
The insight that Nike derived from that fact was that when Michael drove the lane and put up a shot, since you never knew what ridiculously original and creative thing he would do on the way, the world pretty much came to a halt. From this insight, Nike created Frozen Moments, a beautiful dramatization of that thought.
A powerfully insightful ad and a compelling visual articulation of why MJ was so damn great. More on this topic to come.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Great Sports Ads: There aren't rules. But there are ways.
Greatest sports commercial ever? Debatable. Lotta great ones. The lists are like implants in LA. Everyone’s got (at least) one.
The hard part is getting on one of those lists. How do you make a great sports commercial?
MJ’s in a lot of the great ones, and Tiger, too. Just use one of those guys, right? Not so fast. Just having a superstar doesn’t guarantee squat. If anything, it makes it more challenging, because you have such an amazing property at your fingertips with such incredible potential, and the stakes are raised.
So it’s not so easy. Seems like it should be, but it’s kind of like making really grilled cheese. Much like the true experts know how to work the grill so the bread is the right crispyness and the cheese is the perfect meltyness, there are ways.
Ways, I said. Not rules. You could even say principles.
The first one may be as obvious as it is immutable and unshakable. And as close to a rule as it gets:
Authenticity. Authenticity, Authenticity, Authenticity.
When I see sports advertising, I want to pick out details that prove that the brand knows it’s stuff. I want to see a real player from a real opposing team, or a certain stadium or ref or umpire who I recognize. There’s nothing I hate more than uniforms that came straight from the prop department. Or opponents who get chosen from a casting session instead of plucked off a basketball court.
There’s no detail too small to ignore. It takes unrelenting obsession. Fanaticism? Sure. Compulsiveness? absolutely. All in the interest of getting it right. If you aren’t all about that, go make ads for soft drinks.
But who’s to say what’s authentic and what’s not? Good question. More on that to come.
The hard part is getting on one of those lists. How do you make a great sports commercial?
MJ’s in a lot of the great ones, and Tiger, too. Just use one of those guys, right? Not so fast. Just having a superstar doesn’t guarantee squat. If anything, it makes it more challenging, because you have such an amazing property at your fingertips with such incredible potential, and the stakes are raised.
So it’s not so easy. Seems like it should be, but it’s kind of like making really grilled cheese. Much like the true experts know how to work the grill so the bread is the right crispyness and the cheese is the perfect meltyness, there are ways.
Ways, I said. Not rules. You could even say principles.
The first one may be as obvious as it is immutable and unshakable. And as close to a rule as it gets:
Authenticity. Authenticity, Authenticity, Authenticity.
When I see sports advertising, I want to pick out details that prove that the brand knows it’s stuff. I want to see a real player from a real opposing team, or a certain stadium or ref or umpire who I recognize. There’s nothing I hate more than uniforms that came straight from the prop department. Or opponents who get chosen from a casting session instead of plucked off a basketball court.
There’s no detail too small to ignore. It takes unrelenting obsession. Fanaticism? Sure. Compulsiveness? absolutely. All in the interest of getting it right. If you aren’t all about that, go make ads for soft drinks.
But who’s to say what’s authentic and what’s not? Good question. More on that to come.
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