The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]


Good Comedy Is Telling People Something They Already Know, Shorter Than They Ever Thought Possible …
February 3, 2012, 6:15 am
Filed under: Comment

So it’s nearly Superbowl time … that time of year where the ad industry spends shitloads of their clients cash making very expensive ‘sponsored jokes’ to help them delude themselves it’s like the 80’s all over again.

Except adland in the 80’s wasn’t anything like that.

Far from it.

Anyway, last year … amongst all the ads that ran, one stood out.

This one.

Yes … yes … I know I’ve written tons about it over the past year and that I’m deeply and unashamedly biased – especially as the VW Darth Vader spot was lovely – but in terms of a commercial that actually represented the brand that was paying for it, I think it’s fair to say the ‘Born Of Fire’ spot was the one to beat.

While I don’t know what this years Superbowl will bring us, it’s fair to say that amongst the plethora of overpriced, over-celebratory endorsed slapstick pointlessness … they’ll be a couple of ‘Chrysleresque’ ads, because let’s face it, whenever something achieves the level of impact, awareness, coverage and sales that Chrysler got with that spot, clients often run to their agency and say “I want one of those”.

But while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it does not automatically ensure the same level of success … which is why anyone who has a Superbowl ad running this weekend should have checked out this interview with Joe – the CD on the Chrysler spot – before starting their campaign, because in just 4 minutes and 22 seconds, he not only explains WHY that ad worked so well, but demonstrates a level of understanding and insight that would put most planners and media people to shame.

He’s a brit, which probably explains his cleverness … though I appreciate the way he moves his hands around could give the impression he’s an Italian suffering from an overdose of espressos.

Anyway, while he’s a creative, there’s a lot that planners can learn from his approach which is forget trying to come up with a load of fancy – yet meaningless – ‘yoda statement’ [ie: POWER FREEDOM or PASSION THINKING] and look for provocative, interesting and genuine view points that can move, change or create culture or attitudes.

Over to Joe.

PS: The title of this post comes from something Joe say’s in the clip, it’s more insightful than most of the effectiveness papers I judged last year. That’s why I believe great creatives are great planners … it’s just a shame that it doesn’t work the other way around.


36 Comments so far
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another post about that fucking chrysler ad again? fucking hell, thats almost as many mentions as queen, birkenstocks and your best friends cock.

Comment by andy@cynic

Emphasis on ‘almost’.

Comment by Rob

god fucking forbid you let your best friends cock go behind mentions of a fucking television commercial.

Comment by andy@cynic

at least you admit creatives are better than planners.

better thinking, doing, looking. everyfuckingthing.

Comment by andy@cynic

and you slag off fucking planners and their yoda statements. this is getting better and fucking better.

Comment by andy@cynic

of the super bowl ads that have “leaked”, every fucking one of them has been bollocks with the vw vader follow up being the fucking worst of the bunch. yes worse than that ferris honda shit and an audi ad that promotes the car has headlights. yes, thats right, the key selling point of a multi million dollar ad is a car has headlights and they explain it through a very fucking shit twilight rip off.

if you fuckers are doing something for chrysler, do not fuck it up though not “leaking” it before the most fucking painful sporting event of the year is already a good fucking sign.

Comment by andy@cynic

I’ve seen that Audi ad … talk about making a big deal out of a small thing. And the ad is a 3 second punchline stretched into 30+ seconds of nauseam. But I still prefer it to the VW and Honda ones … which is how low it’s all gone.

The other thing I find interesting is that within two seconds of the ad starting, I knew it hadn’t been made by BBH.

It didn’t have that effortless style, that glossy sheen … seriously, why Audi don’t give their global business to the black sheep is beyond me because they seriously need them.

Comment by Rob

stop.
trying.
to.
talk.
like.
a.
creative.
its.
making.
you.
look.
a.
bigger.
twat.
even.
if.
youre.
right.

Comment by andy@cynic

and by the way campbell, of all the super bowl ads ive seen, not one of the bastards is chrysler like. means you know fuck all and clients are even more fucking stupid than i gave them credit for.

Comment by andy@cynic

Sadly I have to agree.

Comment by Rob

youre a planner and you dont know what this years super bowls ads are? twat. get on google and youtube like every creative does these fucking days and you can see expensive disappointment at every fucking click.

Comment by andy@cynic

america must be so proud that one of their iconic car brands is strong and powerful again and all it took was an italian owner and an english creative.

washington must be turning in his fucking grave.

Comment by andy@cynic

He looks like an action man I had as a kid.

The eagle eye version with real grip hands, not the cheap, low rent ones.

Comment by DH

you played with dolls as a kid? twat.

Comment by andy@cynic

you played with dolls as a kid? loser twat.

Comment by andy@cynic

It was an action man, not a cabbage patch kid.

You wouldnt say such a remark in front of an action man.

Comment by DH

yes i fucking would because action man is a fucking doll you soft, sad twat.

Comment by andy@cynic

I blame my auntie Peggy, she bought it for me.

Comment by DH

blamer.

Comment by andy@cynic

I had one of those. When I was 5. It was good, but the 6 Million Dollar Man with magnified eye and robotic arm could kick Action Man’s ass.

Comment by Rob

yuppie bastard.

Comment by andy@cynic

A week of great posts Rob. Congratulations.

This is another interesting post that leaves people with things to think about, especially planners. Joe makes it sound so simple and obvious but having viewed so many of this years crop of superbowl ads, it definitely requires a special talent to make the difference.

Love the new Old Spice/Bounce work. You guys are out to a flying start in 2012.

Comment by Pete

are you after a joe, campbell spit roast or fucking what?

Comment by andy@cynic

i feel fucking sick for just writing that.

off to wash my fucking mouth out with some heineken.

Comment by andy@cynic

Adults aren’t that different to children in so much they love a good story. The fact I can watch and re-watch that Chrysler ad and not get tired of it speaks volumes to the quality of the story. The problem with much of the competition is they focus on promoting a punchline rather than conveying something of deeper interest. I hope you guys pull it out the bag again this year.

Comment by George

“The problem with the competition is they focus on promoting a punchline rather than conveying something of deeper interest”

Thanks for summing up this post and Joe’s interview so succinctly you smart arse!

Comment by Rob

thats what smug fuckers always try and do.

Comment by andy@cynic

Since I didn’t quite understand his Venn argument about how Eminem had shared a bad ten years along with Chrysler and Detroit, I went to Google to confirm that Marshall had simply taken a sabbatical for some of that period and had enjoyed success in the rest.

Imagine my shock when I discovered that Joe’s explanation is being challenged http://www.nme.com/news/eminem/61798

Comment by John

That’s the funniest thing I’ve read in ages …

I’m expecting Mr Homeless to get a phonecall from Dan any day now.

Comment by Rob

You really should keep this stuff up. Unlike other important planners, when you really talk about how to do the job, you have the knack of just telling it like it is.
Others seems to think talking in academicy, philosphical jargon rubbish makes them look clever. I think you’re proving the point that when you’ve got something useful to say, there’s no need to embroider it.
Nearly as good as Weigel.

Comment by northern

Important planners? That’s your way for getting me back for my comment on your latest post isn’t it.

And no one is as good as Weigel … but that’s because he has magic mushrooms to open his mind to amazing new thoughts and concepts. That’s basically cheating.

Comment by Rob

revenge is a dish best served cold

Comment by northern

Great way to end a week of solid posts.
The truth is often a simple acknowledgement that it exists in the first place.

Comment by Age

i will read every post from this week during the weekend. and comments. that’s how great it was.

Comment by toto

not as good as last years campbell. good, but not as good. feels like the clint spot should have run before the eminem. feels like the situations fucking got worse rather than better. but its still pisses gloriously on every other pile of fucking super bowl wank thats run so far.

Comment by andy@cynic

Excellent.

Comment by Rob Mortimer




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