Category: Creative

I’ve been an Ad man for 40 years and that long tenure has given me some unique insights I’m happy to share. Here’s a key point – beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you loved the spot, it’s a good spot. If almost everyone loved the spot, it’s a great spot. As an Ad guy, however, I look for the ideas behind the drama/humor and judge them accordingly. There was the usual noise and gratuitous use of celebrity, but also some great ideas:

Pluto’s “Couch Potato” ad

The “couch potato” ad was based on a simple idea that resonated with everyone in the audience. Original, funny, visually interesting and not-too fast moving that it blended into all the other Super Bowl noise. Their message is that the product is so good that you’ll turn into a couch potato. It works because it’s a simple brand-related benefit that is easily understood.

Lay’s “Groundhog Day” 15-second Spot Series

Airng on ABC, this is an example of a spot concept with little production value but a big idea, this was a great use of the media buy (:15’s), and the built-in repetition of a series that has a similar script arch is arresting. This technique plays to the audience’s inherent short attention span but rewards their intelligence with dry humor and delivers a simple but central message – there’s a ton of Lay’s chip flavors.

Oreo’s Twist Spot

Another example of a great marketing idea is to feature Oreo twisting as a tiebreaker/decision-maker. A series of celebrities ostensibly make what, in retrospect, look like big-time but no-brainer decisions with the aid of an Oreo cookie. This is a good use of celebrity, and if they play this idea out, it could become a culturally iconic lifestyle moment where people think of gnawing on Oreos while pondering big decisions. I’d run with this one for a while if I were running marketing there.

And then there was some spots with big productions and soft scripts with no punch:

Google Co-Pilot Ad – AI Technology

A series of well-shot scenes featuring pensive-looking people expressing negative thoughts and tiny font on screen. The point is that these folks will change the world because Google Co-Pilot has empowered them. This spot must be watched two to three times to make its point, making it a bad investment for Microsoft.

Squarespace Saucers Ad – Shot by Martin Scorsese

Beautifully shot and edited, this is a huge-budget spot that is really a film short. But the point was…. Oh yeah, everybody is looking at their screens and not noticing the invasion of aliens. You must really think about this one for it to make sense and be relevant to the advertiser. As a result, my opinion is that this is not a great Super Bowl ad, and Martin should stick to those awesome long-form movies!

Notable effort:

After stepping in some major doo-doo since the last Super Bowl, the once-proud Anheuser Busch Co. spent heavily and returned to their legendary playbook: Clydesdales, puppies and frat-boy humor.

Budweiser Beer Delivery Ad:

The Clydesdales deliver the Budweiser on a day when it’s snowing too hard for the trucks to run. An adorable Labrador somehow shows them the way… Not that these spots were ever plausible, but it might have played better during a winter when it actually snowed! That said, people always love this formula.

Bud Light Genie Ad:

It’s notable that Bud Light returned to the big game with a spot that featured Post Malone and that played well with an audience that actually enjoys frat-boy humor.

Every February, more than 100 million of us gather before our large screens to watch the Super Bowl. 

Most of us don’t care about the outcome because our teams didn’t make it. We enjoy the best that the advertising and marketing industry has to offer and witness the best-funded marketing campaigns of our time produced by colossal advertising agencies. 

Many of these Super Bowl commercials and the supporting promotional concepts are brilliant. Marketers in the audience wish they could have a campaign on that level for their brand. 

Guess what? You can. 

What makes these ads magical is complex but well within reach: Advertising creativity. Integrated marketing communications. Social media campaigns. 

By being resourceful, you can follow the principles below without breaking the bank. Everything discussed here can be executed tastefully on a reasonable budget and at a local level. It does take some talent to create something special, but this doesn’t have to run in the millions. 

Here’s what you’ll need to focus on: 

1. Be  brand  relevant: Develop a core campaign idea relevant to your brand’s distinct identity. Tie into a benefit you offer the consumer (not a product attribute).
2. Entertainment value: You need to keep the viewer’s attention. It must be interesting and fresh. A retread of an old idea and overselling will not do.
3. Simplicity: Keep the idea very simple. Spots are only 30 seconds long. Try to get one idea and one image to stick in the consumer’s mind.
4. Genuine appeal: If you know your audience, you know their hot buttons and desires. Find a way to reach a level of appeal on an emotional and value-based level. They’ll love it, and they won’t even know why.
5. Create a disruption: Things that are out of the ordinary and unusual attract attention. Do something curious and leave the audience wanting more.
6. Share more online: Drive traffic to your website. Have more brand story content and something of value, such as a promotional offer to create conversion, available on your website.
7. Get people involved: Make it something people want to copy or participate in. Use social media to invite them to share comments. Give them an opportunity to submit photos that you can share across social media channels.
8. Leverage your small buy with PR: Creative advertising concepts that are truly unique, fun, curious and involve consumers can be worthy of traditional media coverage.
9. Create a scene: A public display or event in the real world and a well-timed press release will often produce media coverage and social media engagement. Extend your concept to retail merchandising and event marketing.
10. Do some good: Tie to cause-related marketing that people believe in. Find an organization with core values and benefits that parallel your brand’s. Give consumers a warm feeling and a reason to prefer you.
11. Remember your keywords: Do everything you can to drive your site’s SEO (search engine optimization). Develop a keyword strategy of phrases and words that tie to commonly searched terms. Tag and code all content appropriately.
12. Production value: Camera angles, musical scores, talent, wardrobe, graphic design and the set are all important. It sounds expensive, but you don’t need to go to Hollywood or Madison Avenue to find talented people who will give your work a proprietary look and contemporary finish.
13. Save the date! When you create all this consumer engagement, be sure you’re driving consumers to register whenever possible. Utilize digital retargeting to continue to cultivate those who have visited your website.

Unfortunately, following these 13 steps to brilliant work may not be as easy as reading this piece, but you can certainly get there with the help of talented and enlightened partners who are available to you. If your mind is open to working on this level, there is a creative advertising agency that will work with you within your budget.

As you can see, there is far more involved than a simple media buy and digital video production. Tremendous value is found in executing across multiple marketing platforms. Be certain the agency you choose has the integrated messaging capabilities and the strategic chops to design a Super Bowl-worthy campaign. Even if you don’t have the $7 million for a 30-second spot in the big game, your brand deserves the best.

Super Bowl LVII showed a resurgence of playful ads and a particularly astute use of comedic celebrity.

Many automakers dropped out of participation while there were plenty more snacks and alcoholic beverages present. Analysts say this has to do with economic hardships brought on by inflation and looming recession. Cryptocurrency was also notably absent this year. (Let’s just say that enjoyed its moment in the sun in 2022.)

While last year’s spots featured many seasoned celebrities with marginal performances, it seems that this year’s scriptwriters worked harder to come up with even more original ideas.

In several cases, advertisers did a better job of using the comedic talents of the celebrity rather than counting on a gratuitous appearance and a stereotype to gain attention and engagement — as we have often seen in the past. Combining distinguished talent, creative ideas, and quality performances seemed to do the trick in 2023. In years past, viewers couldn’t always count on all three in any given spot.

Here’s my take on which Super Bowl 2023 commercials scored and which dropped the ball.

The Touchdowns

PopCorners
The “Breaking Bad” remake featuring Bryan Cranston (Walter White) and Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman) was masterfully done. In fact, I think it was by far the best ad in the game thanks to the incredible script and fully in-character acting. The Frito-Lay brand craftily turned a dark drama into cheeky comedy. Normally, I’m not too fond of “borrowed interest” rereleases, but in this case, the execution is exceptional. They really made it work. Now I just have to get my hands on one of those bags…
Watch the ad

Pepsi Zero Sugar
Pepsi used celebrity in the best possible way. By leveraging the comedic talents of icons Ben Stiller and Steve Martin and connecting the clever idea to their brand message, the all-American soda brand wins big. The 60-second spots are hilarious and memorable. Let’s see them again!
Watch the Stiller ad | Watch the Martin ad

Kia
The carmaker’s “Binky Dad” spot was the kind that wins both hearts and minds — a concept everyone can love and many can relate to. A big production with a flawless editing + perfect comedic timing + cute baby factor = Score!
Watch the ad

M&M’s
This particular PR hype machine and months-long ramp-up to the Super Bowl commercial is worthy of mention. After a seemingly innocent makeover of its characters generated some unwelcome feedback, M&M’s announced in January that they were pulling the spokescandies and replacing them with the one and only Maya Rudolph. Rudolph jokingly renamed the candy “Ma&Ya’s,” printed her own face on the colorful shells, and introduced “clam” as its latest flavor. The whole thing was a masterfully executed publicity stunt that generated a huge following. The spot inserted into the game was a head scratcher, suggesting the hoax wasn’t quite over yet. However, once the game was over, the candies made an appearance once again. I’m giving them points for originality and some serious guts!
Watch the “Ma&Ya’s” ad | Watch the “Back for Good” ad

The Fumble

Rémy Martin
Serena Williams in a football locker room giving a halftime pep talk about teamwork with several overused stereotypical statements thrown in… Brought to you by cognac. Nothing about the “Inch by Inch” spot made any sense. Bad call!
Watch the ad

Brand building is all about sharing information in creative ways that capture attention and spark imagination. At STIR, we work in partnership with our clients to develop compelling content that tells their unique stories. 

Every one of us is wildly passionate about something. Many folks are self-proclaimed film buffs, foodies, health and wellness advocates, or bookworms. Our passions are also often career related. Ask any farmer, insurance agent, realtor, tradesperson, or artisan about their vocation. Chances are they’re enthusiastic to talk your ear off about what they do for a living and why. 

Talking about what we love is, for the most part, easy. One-on-one conversations, such as those with close friends or colleagues at your local watering hole, come naturally to a lot of people. Writing about our interests and jobs, however, poses challenges for many. There are several proven techniques to help take that verbal fluency to the written form. There are various forms of long-form and short-form content in the marketing world, including blogs, social media posts, byline articles, advertisements, whitepapers, and emails — all of which require a dose of creativity to be effective.

So, how can anyone — including those who aren’t writers by profession or even by hobby — convey their passions on paper (or on screen)? Here are a few tried and true tips to become a more effective writer. 

Start with an outline

Before heading out on a trip, you set aside time to research where you want to go and plan your route. The same concept applies to writing. Outlining your thoughts first is a useful technique to organize what you want to compose. No matter your skill level, staring at a blank page or document can be intimidating. But once you get started, you will find that the words and ideas begin to flow. Don’t overthink this step too much. An outline isn’t scripture etched in stone; it’s a guide. 

Frontload your main point

If your reader must navigate through multiple paragraphs before you get to what you’re really trying to say, you’ll lose their focus. State your intention as early as possible. Begin with an gripping quip and elaborate from there. 

Write in the brand voice

Just like people have their own personalities, your brand voice is totally unique. Whether you’re employed by a company or are an independent business owner, maintaining a consistent tone throughout your marketing channels is key. Write as if you’re having a conversation. Be yourself but channel the brand. 

Brevity is key

When in doubt, follow the trusted KISS method: Keep it simple, [redacted]. Don’t worry about using an advanced vocabulary or lengthy sentences to get your point across. One popular rule of thumb when it comes to writing: Would your grandmother understand this? 

Create an optimal writing environment

Setting the stage for a healthy writing mindset is crucial. For example, when it comes to ambiance, some people prefer complete silence when they need to concentrate. Others enjoy white noise. Others can tolerate background chatter or music. Meanwhile, investing in an ergonomic desk and chair goes a long way. Working in the natural light, if it’s available, is invaluable. 

Solicit honest feedback 

Remember that the first draft — and the second, the third, and so on — is highly unlikely to be the final version. Read your work aloud. This is a handy approach to detect any gaps as well as to determine if the piece makes sense in general. Keep in mind that even the most famous authors have worked with editors to polish their pieces. Recruit a trusted coworker, friend, or editor to review your work and provide constructive feedback. 

There are several free tools we recommend that offer real-time feedback and explanations of mechanics. To name a few: 

• Hemingway App (Ernest Hemingway was an advocate of simple and clear prose.) 
• Grammarly 
• Wordtune 

Find inspiration

They say that imitation is the best form of flattery. Seek inspiration from books, magazines, blogs, and other published works — even those completely unrelated to your field. Browsing the web or scrolling through social networks can spark brilliant ideas. At the end of the day, you don’t need to be an expert writer or best-selling author to produce something worth reading and sharing. 

Becoming a strong, comfortable, confident writer takes time. We totally understand it can be a lot to juggle. STIR specializes in content creation, and we would be thrilled to help tell your story. 

It’s safe to say that 2022 was a banner year for creativity, especially for the Super Bowl. It was as if all kinds of pent-up energy needed to be released via the TV spots after nearly two years of suppression and depression. Overall, the messaging was jovial, positive, and lighthearted – not to mention much less serious and cause-driven than in 2021. This key shift was likely a response to a public that advised advertisers to move on from the darkness in the focus groups that they held.

It’s important to keep in mind that the Super Bowl provides advertisers with an incentive to create “show ads.” More than anything, the goal of games run throughout the Big Game is to deliver entertainment and generate talk value. This is why ads come with lots of glitz and high production values. Big budgets produce big spots. Oftentimes, they are really smart and clever – but not always.

This year, there was a seemingly unending parade of celebrities – more than I can recall in my 15 years of reviewing Super Bowl ads. Surprisingly, many of these famous faces were aging, not contemporary celebrities – likely speaking to the continued need to appeal to Gen Xers and Boomers. Generally, gratuitous use of celebrities does not always make for better ads, just more expensive ones. In the end, the more clever, more creative ideas always win, even when they’re extremely simple. But sometimes, the right star in the right script can really work.

Today’s marketers are getting the hang of pre-game publicity by releasing teasers. Here are the five most notable Super Bowl LVI spots, in my opinion.

The Touchdowns

Amazon Alexa’s “Mind Reader” spot with Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost was my personal favorite… for several reasons (LOL). One: I’m a husband, and I found this ad hilariously relatable. Two: It has a very simple, clever, and funny premise that speaks to a universal (unspeakable) truth. Three: Impeccable casting! After all, the award-winning actress and “SNL” cast member are not only easy on the eyes, but they are married in real life. Four: Amazon has been running short clips of the spot in programming leading up to the game to further generate anticipation. Well done!

Watch the ad

GM’s “Dr. Evil” ad with the Austin Powers cast (Mike Meyers, Seth Green, Rob Lowe, and Mindy Sterling) was very well done. I don’t usually prefer spots with that much “borrowed interest,” but they pulled it off incredibly well. The ad had a great script and was therefore super rewarding to watch. For me, at least, it really makes you wish they’d make another movie after all these years. I think this commercial will be buzzed about on Monday morning. I can’t imagine how much money it took to assemble the all-star cast!

Watch the ad

Kia’s “Robo Dog” spot is one of the few celebrity-free ads that ran this year. It follows an adorable canine character that I’m sure will appeal to a lot of people. It stemmed from a simple idea but was likely challenging to produce. The heartwarming script set up the character’s story well, featured the car in a positive light, and paid off in a silly but lovable fashion that caters to the tastes of the Super Bowl audience. I think it really worked!

Watch the ad

The Flamin’ Hot Cheetos & Doritos “Push It” commercial was both wildly entertaining and very well produced. Doritos knows that animals play well to the Super Bowl audience, and they really baked up something hot for them this year. The animated animals sing, dance, and basically freak out over the product while doing an acapella rendition of “Push It” by Salt-N-Pepa. Viewers, especially those in tune with ‘80s and ‘90s hip hop, will get a kick out of it. This is a Disney-esque production masterpiece! I’m happy to watch it over and over again. (But I probably won’t be buying those chips… Sorry.)

Watch the ad

Squarespace’s “Sally’s Seashells” ad is clever, colorful, and nostalgic. It’s appealing on all levels with great use of celebrities (actress Zendaya and musician Andre 3000), a catchy, alliterative script, incredible art direction, and awesome footage. Maybe more importantly, I think the selling messaging is right on. Squarespace is a first-time advertiser in the Super Bowl, and they did a fantastic job. Right on!

Watch the ad

The Fumble

Vroom’s “Why Leave the Couch?” ad was a fumble in my book. In short, I think it was hard to follow and overly produced. This is what happens when you have a huge budget but no real idea. Better luck next time, Vroom.

Tell us

What were your favorite Super Bowl ads this year? Which didn’t spark your interest? Let us know!

Imagery is an essential element of storytelling. Whether you’re a small artisan brand or a Fortune 500 company, the quality of the imagery and photography across your channels – including your website, social media, advertisements, and business collateral – plays a key role in your audience’s perception.

There is always a role for high-level imagery, and we often utilize professionals to capture our “A” shots. However, it can be challenging to afford professionals for any brand, especially a startup. We recommend that our clients cultivate some of their own abilities to generate shots in-house. Common needs for do-it-yourself photography include headshots for social media and quick photos of a new product. The good news is that you don’t need the world’s most expensive gear and design apps to produce quality images. Most modern mobile phones have powerful cameras that shoot clear, hi-res photos and videos. Today’s intuitive technologies have made it easy for everyone to be a creator. Here are some tips to help you gain the confidence to unleash your creativity and snap shareworthy content.

Have an idea and run with it

First things first: Before you even pick up your camera (or phone) and start snapping photos, you should have a solid conceptualization of what you’ll shoot. Ask yourself, “What story am I trying to tell?” and “How do I want to make the audience feel when they see this?”

There are times when inspiration strikes serendipitously, but without mapping out a plan, things can get blurry – literally and metaphorically. We highly recommend composing a shot list, which is a simple checklist of each photo you want to capture during a shoot. This will act as a guide to help you envision the content that will tell your story in a captivating, eye-catching way. In addition to the subject matter (more on that in a bit), have an idea for each photo’s setting, any props to add color and dimension, and other necessary elements.

Invest in technology that meets your needs

Year after year, major tech companies like Apple, Android, and Google immensely improve their mobile devices’ built-in cameras to take some of the best photos and videos you’ll ever see. Since 2014, Apple has been running its famous “Shot on iPhone” campaign, in which the electronics giant solely uses its own smartphones’ cameras to produce hi-res advertisements and digital content. 

Using a tripod for your smartphone is a great place to start. Investing in a tripod with a Bluetooth trigger makes things super easy. You can also use light rings or a simple LED light package with stands to easily control the amount of light necessary for each shot. For a clean, crisp background – especially if your walls are not painted bright white – a large roll of white paper works nicely.

Here are some products we use at STIR and recommend:

• FugeTek tripod with Bluetooth trigger
• Dracast light kit
• DJI handheld gimbal

Determine the focal point

Always make the subject the hero. Cramming too many elements into a single frame may result in a cluttered composition, causing the viewer to not know exactly what they should be looking at. Surrounding details can add color, complexity, and dimension, but by determining a clear point of interest, you’ll easily direct the viewer’s attention to the subject you intended.

Find a setting that draws immediate attention to your subject and find the proper position for it within the frame. Not every subject needs to be dead center. Many smartphone cameras have portrait mode, which provides a more selective focus.

One of the most trusted rules of thumb for photography is to get in tight. Minimize distractions and background clutter. Consider a shallower depth of field to ensure the focus is on the subject.

Composition is also important. Allow yourself roughly 15% larger images than you may think you need. Then, go in afterwards to crop out any excess elements around the edges.

Consider the atmospherics

It’s all about the lighting, baby! The word photography literally means “drawing with light,” making this element extremely important. Lighting can make or break a photo. Chase natural sunlight if possible. Take advantage of “golden hour” – the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before the sun sets. Many photographers swear by the magic light golden hours provide. So, if you’re shooting outdoors, utilize the sun, even on cloudy days. You may also buy a ring light, which produces ideal lighting no matter the atmosphere or time of day.

Below are a couple of diagrams that demonstrate how to set up your lighting gear for portraits and products. Note that these setups call for three points of light and some simple light diffusers.

Play around with angles

Think about the perspective of the viewer. Do you want them to view the subject matter from an aerial point of view? Perhaps it looks more appealing at an upward angle. Testing a few angles can help your content stand out as well as help you visualize what works best. Various angles create different illusions, including depth and height. Try taking multiple photos of your subject from different angles.

When it comes to using the zoom feature, use it sparingly, if at all. While it may be extremely tempting to zoom in if you’re further away from the subject, this feature can actually diminish the quality of the picture. If you’re able to, physically move closer to the subject to catch the details and avoid an inadvertent grainy effect. 

Understand how to manipulate the files

Your phone and computer have intuitive, built-in photo editing tools. You can do wonders to improve your images by learning the basics:

• Cropping
• Automatic image enhancement
• Vignette application
• Color saturation (i.e. how to make a photo’s tome cooler or warmer)

Get inspired

Especially these days, it’s easy to seek and find inspiration from the world around you. For one, we have websites and social media apps to scroll through. In addition to staring at our phones, turn to nature, art magazines, and other resources at your fingertips. Study famous photographers’ work. Browse photography and art books. Visit a museum. Watch films that have won awards for cinematography. No matter where you look, you’re likely to meet a muse. And most of all, be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so take some time to practice and polish your skills.

If you’d like to discuss how to create visually compelling content for your brand, we’re happy to help. Contact Brian Bennett today to get the conversation started.

As a bonus, we recommend these sites that offer practical tips on how to master your photography skills.

• Digital Photography School: Lighting Equipment Guide
• Creative Live: Lighting for Beginners
• Pixpa: Understanding Photography Lighting
• Photzy: Practical Photography Tutorials