B-. Nothing awful, but nothing iconic either.  Except maybe the last ad I mention below.

Best ad:

Avocados from Mexico.  Funny and easy to remember.  Great branding.  And really strong statement of product benefits (can use them with more than chips).

Runner up:

Doritos and Mountain Dew combo.  I would like pretty much anything Morgan Freeman is in, and, along with Peter Dinklage (had to google his name) I thought they made a great pairing.  Great job by PepsiCo pairing these two brands together.  Offsets the rather mediocre Pepsi lead in to the halftime show (more on that below).

Third place:

Amazon Alexa.  Very memorable, You certainly knew whose ad it was, because somebody said “Alexa: every few minutes.  It also left you wondering what life would be out without it/her.

Fourth place:

M&Ms.  Only because I like Danny DeVito.

Worst ad:

It was not as bad as some ads shown in previous years (pretty much anything GoDaddy ever put out), but I did not like the Wendy’s ad.  When all you can do is bash the competition, it leads one to believe you have nothing good to say about yourself.  Their classic “Where’s the Beef?” ads did go after the competition, but that was very tongue in cheek and ended up stating that “the beef” is at Wendy’s.

Second worst:

SquareSpace.  I just do not get their ads at all.  Never did and probably never will.

Third worst:

Monsterstore.com’s spot was very creative.  I have no idea who they are or what they do.

Fourth worst:

Groupon.  Seriously?  Kicking somebody in the groin?  Is their target market middle school kids?  It completely detracted from a decent message about supporting local businesses.

Car ads:

The best by far was the RAM Viking ad.  We Will Rock You was the perfect song for that spot, and the ad demonstrated the brand’s toughness.  What fun they could have had if the Vikings were actually in the Super Bowl.  Not sure about their Martin Luther King ad.  Certainly inspirational words, but not sure that ad was the right venue.

Phone ads:

Sprint did a nice and clever job taking on Verizon on pricing; for some reason this one did not bother me as much as the Wendy’s ad.  But when compared to the Verizon “All our Thanks” ad and the T-Mobile spot with the babies, Sprint came up a little lacking.

Most ironic:

Tie among Hulu, Amazon and YouTube TV.  Each spent about $5 million essentially touting the benefits of TV without commercials.

This was so ridiculous I can’t even come up with a title:

NBC hyping the halftime show as “music’s biggest moment of the year.”  Hello Grammy’s.  And even though I am a JT fan, the halftime show wasn’t all that good.

Stranger Tides

I didn’t think this year’s Tide commercials were as good as last year’s with Terry Bradshaw and Jeff Tambor.  But they were clever.  They captured your attention and had really strong branding.  I really liked the spot where they spoofed last year’s excellent Mr. Clean ad.  Kudos to Proctor & Gamble for working in two brands for the price of one.  Plus, the ads featured David Harbour from Stranger Things, and anything with a Stranger Things connection will score points with me.  We just needed Millie Bobby Brown to telekinetically put a stain on David’s shirt, have him deny the stain is there, and then have her say FRIENDS…DON’T…LIE.

That’s entertainment

Ignoring all the marketing stuff, the hands down most entertaining ad was Odell Beckham Jr. and Eli Manning dancing to “I Had the Time of My Life.”  I have no idea what the NFL was trying to accomplish with that ad, but I loved it.  However, Eli, don’t give up your day job (if you still have one).  And perhaps a new cultural phrase will be launched: “Nobody puts Odell in a corner.”

1. Some will succeed…wildly.  You will not only love the ad, but you’ll remember whose ad it is.  And, importantly, it inspired some sort of positive association with the brand.
2. Some will fail…miserably.  For example, if you say “I loved the ad where the dog jumped out of a plane and his parachute didn’t open but then the dog flapped his paws and flew while barking ‘I Believe I Can Fly’, but I don’t remember whose ad it was” the ad failed miserably.

Kind of hard for a Chicago Booth guy to admit, but a – if not the – leading expert on Super Bowl advertising is Northwestern Kellogg prof Tim Calkins.  Undoubtedly, just as you will see morning after analyses of the game, you will see his analysis of the ads.  Here is his ADPLAN framework for rating Super Bowl ads.  Watch the ads through these lenses:

Attention – did the ad attract and hold your attention (think the classic Apple 1984 ad)?

Distinction – did it stand out (think last year’s Mr. Clean ad)?

Positioning – did the ad communicate benefits and differentiate itself from the competition (think Miller Lite’s “tastes great, less filling” spots)?

Linkage – can you associate the brand with the ad (think pretty much any Anheuser-Busch ad)?

Amplification – how did you react to the ad (I think of last year’s Google Home ad)?

N et equity – is the ad consistent with the brand (again – think any A-B ad)?

Too much for you?  Here is an easier way.  Call it the BBB method, which combines the six attributes into three.

Breakthrough (awareness and distinction) Did the ad wow you?

Benefit (positioning and amplification) Did it resonate positively?

Branding (linkage and net equity) Was it consistent with what you would expect from the brand?

A couple of spoiler alerts.  Absolutely do not miss the Avacados from Mexico ad.  Or the M&M’s spot.  Both really good.  And tune into the Diet Coke spot as an example of an ad that may fail miserably.

Enjoy the ads.  And the game.  And at the risk of angering a lot of you, Go Eagles.

R you ready to be a more effective marketer in 2018?  Here are a few “R” words to think about as you prepare to implement your marketing strategies and tactics.  They are all important, so they are presented in alphabetical order.

Ratings. Ratings are nothing new.  People have been using ratings from Consumer Reports and other sources for decades when considering everything from automobiles to washing machines to insurance.  But now people are going online for ratings.  Make sure you are registered with important sites like Google so customers can rate you.  And don’t be afraid to promote those positive ratings through all your marketing channels.

Rationale thinking. Don’t assume people make rational decisions.  They don’t.  Richard Thaler won the Nobel Prize for economics based upon his work in behavioral economics, which states people do not always make the most rational decisions.  So explore the emotional factors that go into decision making.

Read. People don’t like to read.  Cut to the chase.  Keep direct mail copy to a minimum.  Blogs should not be more than 500 words.  If a Web page contains more than 250 words, that is too many.

Refresh. The key to making sure your Website ranks high in searches is to make sure your Website always has fresh content.  Reviews, articles of interest, blogs, press releases, staff bios and case studies are just a few ways you can keep your Website content fresh.

Relevance. Is your message relevant to your target market?  Talk with your customers to make sure it is, exploring both the rational and emotional attributes that lead to relevance.

Research. Many people view research as an expense.  It is really an investment.  You are spending a little money on research so that when you spend more money implementing tactics you will know you are implementing them correctly.  Use research to do everything from understanding whether customers will buy your products (and what price they will pay) to understanding the most important product attributes, to making sure your creative materials will resonate.

Last year, The Chicago Tribune ran an article asking whether drug ads help patients or lead to expensive treatments.  The article noted that, according to Kantar Media, pharma companies spent $4.5 billion on direct to consumer advertising in 2014.  Let me mention a couple of arguments against advertising raised in the article, and then provide thoughts.

1. Medical decisions should be made by doctors, not uninformed consumers.

Rebuttal:  Obviously medical decisions should be made by doctors.  But at the end of the day, it is the doctor writing the prescription, not the consumer.  I personally cannot recall an ad for a prescription medication that implored: “Tell your doctor to prescribe…”  The ads suggest: “Ask your doctor about…”  The purpose is to both educate the consumer and motivate the consumer to have a conversation, not demand a prescription.

2. Advertising pressures doctors to prescribe particular medications-often drugs that may be less expensive and more risky.

Rebuttal:  While this is probably true in a small number of cases, I would think that the vast majority of doctors realize that they are the expert, would not be pressured by advertising, and would counsel the patient on what is best.

3. The resulting conversations can waste a doctor’s time.

Rebuttal:  I get that doctors are squeezed for time.  But sorry, if I am a patient and I have seen or heard something about a drug that can help me in an ad, on the Internet…wherever, I am going to expect my doctor to take the necessary time and discuss it with me.

4. Advertising contributes to high drug prices.

Rebuttal:  Americans spent $374 billion on prescription drugs in 2014, according to IMS Health.  The $4.5 billion spent on DTC advertising is 1.2% of that.  So it is hard to imagine that advertising had much of an impact, if any, on pricing.

5. Advertising casts doubt on the claim that most pharma costs are related to research and development.

Rebuttal:  It may indeed cast doubt.  But if it does, it is a perception issue that pharma companies will have to address.  The reality is that pharma companies spend exponentially more on R&D than advertising.  The Pharmaceutical Research and Management Association reported that in 2014, its members spent $41.1 billion in R&D in the United States.  Compare that to the $4.5 billion spent on advertising.

6. The ads carry a risk of exposing more patients to the adverse effects of new drugs.

Rebuttal: True if more patients use the drugs more patients will be exposed to the adverse effects.  But they will also be “exposed” to the possibility that the drugs will help them.  That is what the physician-patient conversation is all about.

1. Overall, really mediocre.  I think the agencies are just trying too hard to be super creative and missing the point.  Keep it simple.  Focus on the brand.

2. Best ad was the Doritos ad way at the beginning with the pregnant woman and the fetus/baby (because this has become a political issue) eventually busting out to grab the Doritos.  Absolutely hilarious.  And you know from the start it was a Doritos ad.

3. Second place: Budweiser “Not Backing Down.”  I like the “in your face” approach.  And again, you knew from the start whose ad it was.

4. Third place – WeatherTech.  Kept it simple.  Straightforward message.  They got the “American” theme in without hitting you over the head.

5. Honorable mention – Honda.  Singing sheep are kind of stupid, but they get points for using Queen’s “Somebody to Love.”

6. Worst ad – Snickers.  The people that brought us Betty White and even last year Steve Buscemi muttering “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia” (or was it “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha?”).  This year with the Marilyn Monroe setting.  Is there anybody that didn’t know it was a guy from the start?  That commercial was more predictable than Ross and Rachel getting back together in the Friends finale.

7. Dishonorable mention – Skittles.  Just dumb.

8. The Budweiser Helen Mirren ad – Nice message, but does she really represent the demographic being targeted?

9. Heinz “Wiener Stampede” ad.  Great music (“Without You” by Harry Nilsson) and cute concept.  But like last year, you don’t put ketchup on a hot dog.

1. I had to remember the ad beforehand.  If I did not remember it, it was out.  After all, it was not memorable.
2. The ad had to support the brand.
3. Was it breakthrough or really creative or clever without being stupid?
4. It had to make me feel something or laugh.

Those were my criteria going in.  And after looking at the results, in all but one of the ads, I knew right away whose ad it was.  I did not have to wait until the end to find out.  So that was important too.  My top five (Incidentally, Budweiser’s “Brotherhood” ad from 2013 was voted the best ad ever):

5. E*Trade baby – 2008.  So many financial services companies create commercials featuring middle-aged to elderly people enjoying the benefits of investing with the advertising company.  E*Trade did the opposite, showing a baby.  Not only did this provide a stark contrast to the typical financial services ad, but it also brought home the point of how easy it is to use E*Trade.  And the upchuck (sorry Schwab) at the end was hysterical.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4GZfvXx9Js

4. Bud Bowl – 1989.  This is the first Bud Bowl commercial.  You see the brand during the entire commercial, which is nice.  And at the time, it was very creative.  The Bud Bowl actually became a brand of its own. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47SMBrviAO8

3. Noxzema Joe Namath – 1973.  OK, I might get vilified for this one because it certainly is on the sleazy slide of the sleazy-suggestive line.  But if you remember how “hot” Joe Namath and Farrah Fawcett were then (I’m showing my age), you know the ad would have an impact.  And, if you were paying attention, you knew right away whose ad it was.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM59nSkjEWU

2. Coca Cola Mean Joe Greene – 1980.  Take the NFL’s most feared player and pair him with a little kid.  Add some brilliant dialogue and you get an unforgettable ad that still brings goose bumps.  And of course, the Coke bottle is omnipresent.  Thanks Mean Joe…and kid.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xffOCZYX6F8

1. Apple 1984 – 1984.  I know this is a lot of people’s favorite.  But it is so iconic and so breakthrough.  Like many of the other ads in my top five, very creative with a very strong brand statement, even though in this case you had to wait until the end to find out whose ad it was.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zfqw8nhUwA

Interestingly, my top four ads are all at least 27 years old.  Wonder what that means?  Maybe the agencies are trying too hard.

A few honorable mentions:

Career relaunch:  Snickers Betty White– 2010.  Just a fun, funny ad.  And just like Snickers can provide an energy boost, this commercial certain provided a boost to Betty White’s career.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18ya0-OZ58s0

Best Clydesdale ad:  Budweiser 2008.  I like the Clydesdale ads.  This is my favorite.  To the tune of Rocky, it tells how the last horse cut the year before trains and makes the Clydesdale team the next year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI1fwLIAghM

Best “message” ad:  Always “Like a Girl” 2015.  Really strong message. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_Ep0O5fWN4

A sk.  Or to put it another way, do not Assume.  If you are marketing a $150,000 car or $1 million home improvement project, chances are you can’t afford it.  If you’re marketing a drug or medical device, you most likely do not have the condition it treats.  So you are not your target market.  And if you aren’t your target market, you can’t assume you know what they want.  So spend some money on research and ask the target market.  Ask them:

• Why they want a product or service like yours (the benefits)
• What purchase decision drivers they use to decide on a particular brand (the Drivers – another “D” word candidate)
• How your brand rates on those drivers (so you can Differentiate, which was another “D” candidate)
• Where they go to get information (Channels, which was a “C” word candidate)

Remember, spending a little money on research like this is insurance so that when you spend a lot of money on tactics, you’re spending that money correctly.

B udget.  Have a marketing budget in place.  Not only will that tell you how you will spend your money, it will also tell you how you will not spend your money.  In other words, it gives you a valid reason to say “no” to all those people trying to push their products or services.

C lutter, specifically break through it (I almost used B reak through the clutter as my “B”).  Challenge (there is another “C”) your agency to be wildly creative and unpredictable.  Make them earn their money in 2016.  If you are an agency, encourage your clients to push the envelope.

D igital.   If you are not spending a portion of your marketing budget on digital, you probably need to.  With people spending more time on the Internet, digital marketing is becoming increasingly important.  I know this is not exactly news, but it bears repeating.  And as you are expanding your digital efforts, keep thinking mobile.  Check to see what percentage of your Website traffic is mobile; you might be surprised.  And now you will be penalized in search if your Website is not mobile friendly (responsive).  Not sure how to venture into the digital marketing word?  A sk.

1. This holiday season, you spend a little less time than planned working and a little more time than planned with friends and family?
2. You get every present you want?
3. More importantly, your eyes light up when you see the joy of your children, grandchildren and other family members opening each of their gifts?
4. You donate a toy or other gift to someone less fortunate than you?
5. Your service (Christmas or Hanukkah) is especially meaningful?
6. Your dinner is especially delicious, whether it is ham, fish (all seven) or latkes and applesauce?
7. You donate some of that food to a food pantry or other organization?
8. (For Christians), the tree is magnificent and you have lots of cool new ornaments?
9. (For Jews), the movie you see on Christmas is a great one, and the Chinese take out is ready on time?
10. (For Christians) you leave out milk and cookies and Santa really does show up?
11. (For Jews), your dreidel always comes up “gimmel,” because “hey”, it’s better than a kick in the “shin” at high “noon”?
12. You have amazing weather the entire duration of your vacation to warmer climates?
13. If you don’t go to a warmer spot, your snow shovel and snow blower at least will be on vacation, and your snow plowing service won’t be?
14. We realize how fortunate we are and contribute to a charity to help those not as fortunate?
15. 2016 turns out to be your best year ever…with nothing but health and happiness for you and your family?
16. 2016 brings peace and happiness to the entire world?

I hope it all comes true.  Have a safe and joyous holiday season and may 2016 be your best year ever.

So…Leftovers.

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, there are a few things we can count on.  Holiday shopping.  Lots of parties and food.  Hopefully, looking forward to holiday travel…especially for those of us in colder climates.

And of course, if you have a marketing gig and managed your budget wisely, you have leftover marketing dollars.  Spending those marketing leftovers, like eating your Thanksgiving leftovers, takes planning and strategy.  Here are a few ideas to bake in your marketing oven (apologies for the lousy analogy).

1. If you have excess funds, don’t do anything until you know you have authority to spend them, even if you have budget. Organizational profitability requirements (and those darned shareholders if you work for a public company) may prevent you from spending those dollars
2. Don’t spend just for the sake of spending. Figure out strategically how your money can be best spent. If you can’t think of anything, don’t spend the money.
3. If you can spend your “leftover” money, here are just a few things you can do:

• If you have not made your Website “responsive” (mobile friendly), do it now.  Doing this is even more important than ever, as Google now penalizes sites that are not mobile friendly.  Besides, a recent study by eMarketer reports that mobile devices (phone and tablet) are the tools of choice for more than half the time people spend online.
• Get your other online efforts for next year in line. Finalize your Website. Optimize it. Make it mobile friendly.  Get your social media programs going. Get any videos done.  Yes, videos are searchable.
• Instead of mailing your direct mail campaign just after Jan. 1, mail it just before Jan. 1 to expense the postage. But don’t mail it too soon - you’ll want it to hit after the first of the year.  And yes, direct mail still works with the right offer, list and creative.
• Have any miscellaneous writing projects initiated in December.
• Begin the process of initiating a market research project in December, and see how much of it you can pay for up front.
• Prepay planned 2015 advertising expenditures. You might even be able to get a discount.  Those advertisers like cash up front.
• Talk to other providers about paying them in December with 2014 money, even if your schedule doesn’t permit them to start working on a project until after the first of the year.
• If you are a B2B company, try using this strategy with your clients. Have them commit to spend IT money, buy office supplies, whatever. It works.

Finally, since this is going out before Thanksgiving, have a great holiday.

They meet somebody at a trade show, or a networking event, or get pitched on a phone call and agree to meet.  When the sales pitch occurs, they get inundated with statistics, as well as statements such as:

• We go to everybody in your community/target market
• We are free circulation
• We are less expensive than the competition

I have been pitched this way for a variety of my clients, from direct to consumer companies to companies that sell into the C-suite of organizations to medical practices.  If you are a proprietor that knows how to run his/her business but does not know about buying advertising, it is easy to get bamboozled by the numbers and the sales pitch, or to just agree to buy advertising because you know the rep.

Here is the right way to buy advertising.

1. Most importantly, determine who your target market is.  A few examples, based on experiences with my clients:
   • Understand your geographic market.  If your target market is eight suburbs, examine media based on those eight suburbs.  If that is your target, buying advertising that covers the entire Chicagoland area probably won’t make sense.
   • Understand your demographic market.  If you are only trying to reach people of a certain age or income, it does not matter how many people outside that demographic you are reaching.  Don’t factor them in when determining your buy.
   • If your target market is CFOs, don’t worry about reaching everybody else in the C-suite.  Just concentrate on how much it costs to reach the CFOs.
2. After you understand your target market, make the buying decision based on how much it will cost you to reach 1,000 members of your target market (known as cost per thousand, or CPM).  Here is an example.  You can use this for print, broadcast, or digital.

Clearly, even though Medium 2 reaches more people and the total CPM is less, Medium 1 is more efficient at reaching the target market.

This is a great first step in determining how to spend your advertising dollars.  More next time.