November 25, 2009

We're thankful for you. And the Muppets.

Stay with it till the end. I promise you it's worth it. Happy Thanksgiving from us and ours to you and yours.

Posted by Tug McTighe on November 25, 2009 at 01:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Brands

July 01, 2009

Billy Mays Sure Did Sell Some Crap, Didn't He?

As JJ and I have talked about many times on the podcast, we're both suckers for infomercials and old-time product demos. And the recently passed Billy Mays was truly one of the best ever to grace the nether regions of our cable channel lineup while we were sucking down Taco Bell at 3 in the morning.

And though many of these products seem kind of stupid, you're wrong if you don't think I want some of those Hercules Hooks™! Shout out to Neatorama.

And fuck-a-duck, here they are. Thanks Google!

Posted by Tug McTighe on July 01, 2009 at 08:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Brands

June 30, 2009

Bogusky tweets the beta version of the new CPBgroup.com

It is outstanding. Check this shit out. Thanks Suzanne.

Posted by Tug McTighe on June 30, 2009 at 03:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Brands

June 24, 2009

Adoro "Mañana" hoy

Coca-Cola Mexico's newest TV spot, entitled Mañana, has me floored. Talk about the perfect message at the perfect time for a country that's really been through a lot lately.

I don't know who created this fantastic piece of advertising, but whoever it is deserves a shout-out. If you know, please let us know.

Posted by Nick Kinney on June 24, 2009 at 02:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Brands

June 18, 2009

Schlitz embraces the more recent past.

My grandfather had a silver cup that hung on a hook in the kitchen of 2020 Moyle Street. Printed on clear glass at the bottom of the cup was the phrase, "When you're out of Schlitz, you're out of beer." I drank Dr. Pepper out of that cup every summer as a kid. Zipping home the other day, I heard a radio spot announcing that, "...the classic Schlitz formula, the one that made Schlitz the most popular beer in the country in the 60's is back." I thought it was an interesting enough play and hopped on the Schlitz site where I found that the campaign was paid off with loads of 60's ads and merchandise (sorry, no silver cups).

Then I saw this post on Adpulp. The retro trend has been hot forever it seems. For years, however, we played more with iconography that hailed from 50's and early 60's (yeah, 30's and 40's, too). Today, it seems that retro design is sprinting toward late 60's, 70's and even, gulp, the 80's. It all makes sense, of course. Since 2001 times have been more than a little unsure. Whether they really were or not it's soothing to our senses to look back at "simpler times." Well, that that and all the art directors are watching Mad Men.

Somewhere someone got asked the question, "How do we make Schlitz relevant again?" I think the decision to just let its old brand shine again is right play (although I am certain there were meetings where someone said, 'Why do we want to look old? We need to be contemporary!").

Could be I'm biased by my grandpa's old cup, but I'm buying Schlitz this weekend.

_{File under: marketing to men}

Posted by John on June 18, 2009 at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Brands , Classics , Design , Food and Drink , Marketing to Men , Marketing Trends , Opinion , Pop Culture

June 10, 2009

Because nothing says "Christmas" like a horribly burned Starship captain.

A couple of questions:

1. Why, when possessing technology that allows for interstellar space travel, would the solution to Captain Pike's burns be a box with a  blinking light that translates his thoughts into "One for yes, two for no"?

2. Why, after they had replaced Captain Pike (who was from the pilot episode of TOS) with Kirk, did they feel the need to bring back the footage they had orginally shot as "The Menagerie?"

3. Why Hallmark, why?

Posted by Tug McTighe on June 10, 2009 at 04:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Brands

March 20, 2009

Coke Zero demonstates deep understanding of basketball glory.

It would seem the magnificent bastards at W+K, sorry CP+B, do, in fact, understand the glory of college basketball. With apologies to our MU fans, Rock Chalk.

Posted by John on March 20, 2009 at 09:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brands , Entertainment , Food and Drink , Games , Marketing to Men , Sports , Television

February 01, 2009

Two ways to be part of our Super Bowl podcast

Although our opinion on the Super Bowl is really the final word (I mean, come on), we do truly welcome your thoughts on this year's Super Bowl spots. Tug and I will be recording the podcast during the game. You can play along two ways. If you Twitter you can get a message to us with an @americopywriter reply or direct message. Or you can use the handy/dandy Mobasoft audio comment system. This year, we're considering more than just simple liked it/didn't like it. We're going to also consider "is it Super Bowl worthy?" A spot may be good, but fail to shine brightly enough for advertising's biggest stage. Our motto is, go big or go home. Our guess? Coke or Bud will win the day. But, like they say, this is why we play the game. Both Tug and I have strived to remain spoiler-free refraining from viewing pre-released spots in order to give you our virgin opinions.  So, hunker down, get your snack on and enjoy advertising's biggest day. Cheers.

Posted by John on February 01, 2009 at 01:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Brands , Food and Drink , Games , Pop Culture , Sports , Super Bowl Stuff

August 28, 2008

Classic copywriting.

Posted by John on August 28, 2008 at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brands , Classics , Pop Culture , Television

August 11, 2008

Our favorite spot of the Olympics so far.

Great art direction. Great concept. Oh, and great sell for Coke, too.

Posted by John on August 11, 2008 at 02:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Brands , Entertainment , Food and Drink , Sports , Television