It's the season of serious. We all have so much to be serious about. Will schools ever start again? Is it safe to go on vacation? How long will we be wearing masks? When will the economy recover? When will neighbors care more about being a good neighbor than their political identity? Too much of any one thing isn't good. One thing over and over is stale, and right now there are many serious commercial appeals …
In the Deep End with Klay Thompson, Care of Kaiser Permanente
NBA superstar Klay Thompson went to the floor in pain during Game 6 of the 2019 NBA finals. His ACL was torn. The Toronto Raptors went on to win the series and the title four games to two. The five-time All-Star missed the abbreviated 2019-20 season but is expected to re-join the Warriors lineup when the 2020-21 season gets underway. Now, Kaiser Permanente introduces this short film called "Above the Waves," which …
Continue Reading about In the Deep End with Klay Thompson, Care of Kaiser Permanente →
As Always, Progressive Finds Its Way
Are you tired of seeing commercials with zero production values? Commercials shot on iPhones? Or commercials captured from a Zoom chat and edited in post? Have some patience! This trend—borne of dire necessity—has just begun. Plus, not all Zoom chats are created equal. Let's take a look... https://youtu.be/TvHm9ccW8-w Shot on iPhones and leveraging a new condensed timeframe and process for production, the …
Continue Reading about As Always, Progressive Finds Its Way →
Eva Longoria Colors Her Own Hair In New L’Oreal Paris Ad
Coming up with an idea for a commercial is easy enough to do while working from home. But what about the shoot and post-production? How are the agencies and their clients keeping everyone safe? Here is one way...the following ad was filmed by Eva Longoria using two smartphones in her own L.A. home to comply with social distancing. Agency McCann Paris provided her with remote direction via Microsoft …
Continue Reading about Eva Longoria Colors Her Own Hair In New L’Oreal Paris Ad →
It’s Tuesday Before the Big Game, Time for Super Bowl Snacks!
During the Super Bowl this Sunday, one 30-second spot costs about $5 million in media dollars. If you also load your cast with celebrities, the production costs will skyrocket as well. What do you think it cost to shoot this commercial with Jimmy Fallon and crew? I don't know the number but when you consider how much Michelob ULTRA the brewer has to sell to cover costs, it'll make you …
Continue Reading about It’s Tuesday Before the Big Game, Time for Super Bowl Snacks! →
3 Steps to Brand Marketing Success: Consider, Believe, and Buy
I can't recall how many articles I've published here about the power of content marketing, a.k.a. brand storytelling. So many. Because the need is ever great, here's another... When good fortune is on your side, and you have a well-made ad campaign (backed by sufficient media dollars to reach a multitude of desirable audiences in today's fractured mediaverse), you're in a position to earn the attention and …
Continue Reading about 3 Steps to Brand Marketing Success: Consider, Believe, and Buy →
China’s “Singles Day” Is the Definition of Retail Exuberance
Singles Day is not a dating app that you have yet to try, although it was originally created by a group of Chinese university students as an anti-Valentine's Day celebration. https://youtu.be/nH5Nj23-tuU Singles Day, which occurs on 11/11 each year, was quickly co-opted by Alibaba.com in 2009 and today it is a global online shopping event that mints money for online superstore Alibaba and its largest …
Continue Reading about China’s “Singles Day” Is the Definition of Retail Exuberance →
There’s Value In Being Counted
Sadly, the question of who belongs in America hasn't been settled yet. Presidents Tweet about it, talking heads flap their gums about it, and the Supreme Court rules on it. One thing that we do know for sure, Native peoples belong here. And the U.S. Census wants to make sure Native peoples are counted. According to the U.S. Census, there are more than five million American Indians and Alaska Natives, making up …