Ideas & Inspiration from Commercials

Posted by Bobbin Beam at 1/30/2011
Categories: Advertising, Commercials, Television
Tags: Lee Silber Apple Coke Bud commercials
I subscribe to fellow San Diegan and creative thinker Lee Silber 's monthly "Fast Forward" free e-newsletter. On this one-week 'til Superbowl eve, I wanted to share with you the following:

Ideas & Inspiration from Commercials

Gone In Thirty Seconds  

You wouldn't think you could learn much from a television commercial--I think you can. I have to confess, I believe advertising is an art form. When you watch the Super Bowl this year, notice how the commercials are now as much a part of the experience as the game. Let me show you there is more than meets the eye in those thirty second spots you desperately want to fast forward past to get to your regular programming--silly sitcoms, unreal reality shows, and disturbing dramas. Let's take a quick look at two top commercials (of all time?) which offer more than a sales pitch.       

1. Monster "When I Grow Up" [http://www.spike.com/video/monstercom/2423870]
In this commercial kids are (tongue-in-cheek) talking about what they want to be when they grow up, including things like "I want to be under appreciated", and "I want to file allllllll day", and "I want to claw my way up to middle management." Have we settled for less than we dreamed of when we were young, idealistic, and hopeful about where we would be and what we would do for our career? Right now many people are thankful just to be working and making ends meet, but when this commercial first appeared (1999) many were willing to wait for (or switch to) a position that provided meaning instead of just a means to an end. Let's hope we see a time again when we can love what we do and be rewarded for it, too.    

There is a lot of back story that goes with this commercial. At the time this spot was being conceptualized, Apple was a fragmented company divided into two camps--the Steve Jobs team, and everyone else. It was Jobs (the co-founder of Apple) who was convinced this grandiose (and expensive) ad during the Super Bowl would launch the Macintosh brand and help him realize his dream of a computer everyone could afford and use. The power of passion, purpose, and putting plans into action (against overwhelming opposition and small-mindedness) is the difference between people being good and being great. Steve Jobs was later ousted by the Apple board, but went on to start two other successful endeavors (including Pixar) before coming back to build Apple into what it is today.        
     

HOW THIS SMALL AD MADE A BIG IMPACT 
It's A Small World

You are probably too young to remember the iconic "Think Small" ads for the Volkswagen Bug, but it is widely considered the best ad of the 20th century. Not only did it increase sales and brand awareness, it had a profound impact on advertising in general. Take a look: [http://adstrategy.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/think-small/]. What do you see? Actually, it's what you don't see that matters most. What you see is white space. What you don't see is clutter. Simplicity and focus are the hallmark of great design, and this ad created by the legendary Doyle Dane Bernbach is great design. 

The lesson we can all learn from this ad is the power of focus and simplicity. It's easy to overcomplicate our lives and lose sight of what is most important. Having a focal point in an ad doesn't mean there is only one thing going on (like in the "Think Small" ad) but one thing clearly stands out and is given a prominent position and emphasis. 

This is true in life. It's best to have a focal point that we give priority to (it guides our decisions and takes up our time) because it is the most important thing. How you interpret the meaning of focus and simplicity is your own, but it is something that helps everyone find their "sweet spot" where they are doing what they do best, and love to do—what makes them happiest and completely fulfilled. 

   
MORE FROM THE GREATEST ADS OF ALL TIME AND WHAT THEY TEACH US
I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing 

Ads and commercials are often blamed for creating an alternate universe where everything is wonderful and the things we need to make our own lives perfect are available for purchase. Sure, advertisers "sell us a bill of goods" by showing the best of everything, an ideal that may or may not be attainable--even with a Gold card. But some commercials share a simple, but powerful message, and even if we don't get there, trying for it is still worthwhile. (No, I am not talking about products that lead to an erection that lasts for 48 hours.) Let me explain.   

1. Coke "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfU17niXOG8]
This commercial ran in the 1971 and to watch people of all nationalities standing side by side singing was not the norm at that time. The slogan for Coke during this period was "It's The Real Thing", and I believe this commercial depicts the real thing . . . as it exists today. The advertising executive who came up with the idea for the commercial (Bill Backer) wanted to show that a simple beverage could be a common link between people of different genders, races, backgrounds, social standing, and provide an experience they could share together. Sounds a lot like time spent at a Starbucks, doesn't it? (There is a homeless person in the Starbucks bathroom while a corporate executive stands in line for a latte. See, there is truth in advertising.)

If only we could laugh at some of the things that we scream and yell about, life would be a lot less stressful . . . for everyone. As this commercial depicts, humor has a way of making us (momentarily at least) see the lighter side of things. It seems the best commercials use humor as a way to entertain us so we are willing to sit and watch, when we really want to get up and pee (or do whatever you do during commercial breaks). Aha! There it is, the lesson I have been looking for. If we could infuse humor and fun into the things we don't necessarily enjoy, we may find some joy in them after all.     



HOW SLOGANS SAY SO MUCH IN JUST A FEW WORDS 
Tastes Great, Less Filling

"My baloney has a first name, it's . . . " I bet you can finish that sentence. How about this one: "Tastes great, less . . . " Or, "When you care enough to send . . . " Advertisers use slogans as a way to make us remember their unique selling proposition (what makes them better and different than the competition) and why we should become a loyal customer. 

Slogans can be in the form of a question like "Where's the beef?" (Wendy's) and "Got milk?" (Milk) They can be action oriented, "Just do it" (Nike) and "Let your fingers do the walking" (Yellow Pages). There are some that make us feel special when we use these items, "Breakfast of champions" (Wheaties) and "Think different" (Apple). But the best ones tell us why this product or service is so good, "It does a body good," (Milk) or "Good to the last drop" (Maxwell House) or "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands" (M&Ms).     

I believe we should all create our own slogans--whether we work for ourselves or not--as a way of explaining our own uniqueness and greatness in one easy to remember sentence. It could be a play on an existing tag line like, "Nothing lasts like the Energizer bunny", "Don't leave home without it" (American Express), "By Mennen", or "Nothing sucks like an Electolux". Okay, that last one won't work, but how about "Have it your way," (Burger King) or "Just do it" (Nike). We should be able to explain what we do, what we do for others (as well as how we do it better than our competitors) in one simple sentence.     


WHY I'M NOT SELLING ANYTHING . . . NOW
It Slices, It Dices, It . . . 

Relax. I am not selling anything--even though this entire newsletter has been about ads and commercials. I love writing these articles and look forward to each new issue. Creating is its own reward. The second best part is feedback from readers. That's like striking it rich for me, a nice note from someone who enjoys reading what's written that month. Thanks for your support and I hope you enjoy this issue. [leesilber@leesilber.com and http://www.leesilber.com]

 

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  • 1/30/2011 Caroline Corser wrote:
    Great blog, Bobbin! This is the kind of blog that I will read all the way to the end because it teaches & offers helpful information. Thanks much.
    1. 1/31/2011 Bobbin Beam wrote:
      Caroline,
      Your thought are very much appreciated!
      Best,
      Bobbin
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