"I unfriend you!"

I love how Esurance makes it's point with humor and a little nostalgia.  There are those of us who remember what life was like before the Internet.  We love how Beatrice sees the world and uses our catch-phrases in ways that could only seem logical to her, but come out very funny to us.

An advertisement like this takes us back to a time when technology wasn't a huge part of everyday life. When posting something on our wall required a thumb tac or tape and we didn't invite people to be our friends or acquaintances, they just were.

Well of course times have changed and most of us from generation X and older like to think of ourselves as tech-savy. We were there when this whole thing started. We saw the birth of the Internet, home computers, cell phones.  We were there when MTV showed it's first video and we watched as it changed from a music channel to a reality TV channel.  So, we like it when Beatrice tacks her vacation pictures to her living room wall, we laugh and we remember how it used to be.

 Esurance tells us that 15 minutes is NOT fast enough for us to get our insurance. There's now a faster and more tech-savy way to do it.  Okay, I'll buy it, but only because you communicated the message in a language I love, humor.

Sports need to light up!

Ok, I haven't written on this blog in over a year, but today I have time and something I just want to share... so here goes...

Sports are sometimes visually boring to me. I think it would be so much more interesting to watch a sports game if there were lights and sounds that fit the game.

Let's take basketball first... How about we put lights on all the boundary lines. I mean, we embed them in the floor and then there's some kind of chip in the players sneakers and the lights will flash or sounded when a player steps over it. How about the back board? Wouldn't it be even more cool if it lit up and played sounds when the ball went through it...and then a bigger flashing light display and sound if it was a slam dunk... How much fun would it be to turn the lights off in an arena, and watch t players in uniforms that lit up? It would be like a live video game with flashes of light and sound. Then there's the ball, it should light and sound with every bounce and then a different sound and light for every catch etc....

Now apply this to every sport... can't you see it in football, baseball, hockey, soccer, golf, etc... It would be fun to watch and hear! There are so many visual elements that could be added to the game to make it different and cool to watch.  The technology to do this is already here, it's just no one has done it yet.

So, there it is... my idea to make sports more visually fun to watch.

What do you think?

(To my Husband....No.  I'm not kidding.)

"Breaking up! (clap, clap) Breaking up! (clap, clap) Breaking up is hard to do!, She met you and she liked your face, but now she really needs her space. You're done! You're done! You were two and now your one." - Fallsview Casino ...

Okay, it's great! it's funny and we want to sing along. It's another great commercial running locally for Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls.  The connection to Fallsview is a little vague, but  who cares, What I do remember is that it is Fallsview that is making me laugh and isn't that the most important thing.  The strength in this ad is the connection it instantly makes with the viewer.  Hasn't everyone been in one of those restaurants when some next to them is serenaded by a group of the restaurants employees. To some  people it's fun, to most of us it's totally embarrassing.  Fallsview takes it to the next level and makes us imagine the scene as ten times more embarrassing.  We have to laugh because it's so ridiculous.

It's that laugh and that emotional connection that makes us remember this advertisement, which in turn makes us remember Fallsview. More so, because they made us laugh, we remember them with good feelings, and isn't that what they wanted in the first place?  Any business that can make me laugh and make me think of them with good feelings has me sold.

"Need some fun?" and the company's signature music clip is all you'll see and hear at the end of the commercial.  Who doesn't want to answer yes to that question?  Humor and the emotional connection are powerful in advertising. Life is stressful, and reality can be really sobering, so take me to a place where I can laugh and forget about it for a while, even if I can't go today, I'll remember where it is I need to go for fun, because you already made me laugh.

Were you a teenager in the 80's? Rock of Advertising!

Whether you were riding the crazy train to pour some sugar on yourself; or walking like an Egyptian, acting like a virgin and wanting to dance with somebody; you're now the subject of advertisers attention and it's about time!

Generation X is being wooed by the music of their youth. Here's a list of some current commercials using 80's tunes to get your attention.

        Papa John's Pizza, using Wang Chung 's, "Everybody Have Fun Tonight"

Everybody Papa John's tonight.

Mitsubishi Montero, using Ozzy Osbourne's, "Crazy Train"You know you've heard it all when Ozzy is played in a car commercial.

Papa John's Pizza, using The Romantics's, "What I Like About You"This is the third (or fourth) restaurant chain to use What I Like About You.

ABC, using Maddness's, "Our House"used to promote a new game show called "Opportunity Knocks."

Hallmark Cards, using REO Speedwagon's, "Can't Fight This Feeling"This was used on one of the Valentine's ads where they are in their car and the song is played out of their card.

Domino's Pizza, using Cinderella's', "Don't Know What You've Got (Until It's Gone)"A couple of guys awaiting a Domino's Pizza play around while Don't Know... plays.

These are just of few of the recent ones. I'm sure there are more to come and frankly I'm glad. Any advertiser who wants to get my attention will, if they play one of my 80's favorites and give me that nostalgic feeling.  I'm not one of those complainers that gonna say, "Oh man, the rock bands are selling out to advertisers."  Sell out all you want man! I love seeing music and culture from my generation splashed across my tv screen between CSI and Law & Order. Its fun and it makes me pay attention to a commercial I would have fast forwarded through.  So rock on advertisers! The rock of my ages has finally made it to the advertising scene, and I like it!

Why do we love the Sonic guys?

Why are these two guys so much fun to watch?

I think there's a couple of reasons we like them.  First, they remind us of someone we know.  I mean, there's always that one guy who's kind of quirky that we've known for a few years. Maybe, he's a friend of a friend or he works in your office or he pumps gas at the local gas station.  Somehow he's familiar to us and watching this actor portray his personality makes us laugh.  It also brings a familiarity feeling to the brand. We know it's all about those emotional connections and this quirky guy reels us in.

The second reason we like these guys is because of what they are talking about. They babble. They have the conversation you have with your friend when you're talking about nothing.  They make conversation about what they're eating and then take it a little further to the ridiculous. We can't help but laugh at what they're saying, because its nonsense. They are true comedians.

So who cares if Sonic recycled an old Campaign. It's funny and it leaves me feeling good about Sonic. Sometimes it even makes me hungry for a burger and some tater tots. I love when advertising entertains me and makes me remember their brand with humor and good feelings. As opposed to repeating their name several times or flashing their colorful logo across the screen of my TV, computer, or phone. Entertain me, connect with me, and I'll remember you.

So, press on Pete Grosz and TJ Jagdowski, we love to watch your front seat antics.
For more on these two improve actors see www.those2guys.me or follow them on twitter @_those2guys

3 Ways To Make An Advertisment Funny.

We can all use a laugh now and then, and for me it's more "now," than "then."  Anyway, It comes down to three elements that almost always bring a chuckle out of me. If you can find a way to use them, you'll  put a smile on most any one's face, and leave them with a good feeling about your brand.

Numero uno.

Use "Shock," not the electric kind but the surprise kind. Go in one direction, then spin it around and go in a direction you would never think of. (until now, of course) Comedians use this all the time, and it works wonderfully.  Think, baby that speaks like an adult...(E-trade). Think, guy in a suit chewing on a big dog bone...(Allstate Insurance). Think, pint sized Darth Vader making a car start with his mental powers...(Volkswagen). They all shock us and make us laugh and we're left with a great feeling about the brand.  The Shock factor works and should be used more often to make a lasting impression on consumers.

Number two.

Attack Authority. This element makes us laugh because deep down inside we have this grade schooler in us who wants come out and get in trouble. We also have that one boss or supervisor that always seems to annoy us. We wanna see the big guy put down, it makes laugh because we know we can't do it in real life. Think, stickin' it to the man, when you are the man... (Sprint). Think, King(Elton John) gets dropped down through the floor by singing girl (Pepsi).  Attacking authority brings out that love we all have for the underdog, and it makes us laugh to see the big guy put down. It also creates a distance from the big bad corporation image that a consumer can hold onto.

Just three.

Exaggerate without limits. Take something out of it's normal context, inflate it beyond reality and laughs will come. Think, the most interesting man in the world...(Dos Equis). Think, Helicopter pilot that's not really a helicopter pilot but stayed at a... (Holiday Inn Express). Think, guy ending up in a roadside ditch because his cable company got him angry...(Direct TV). When we step way, way outside the box, people will laugh just for the shear silliness of it.

It's so much about getting people emotionally involved with our brands and laughter, something we could all use a little more of, is one easy way to make that connection.

Why Ads should make us laugh.

Okay, Life is stressful! We work, (well some of us do), we take care of kids (dogs), we run here, we run there and do all the stuff we have to do.  When it comes to getting our attention, humor is almost a sure thing. It lets us relax even if it's just for a moment. We relax and we laugh and we breath a small sigh of relief.  What humorus advertising gives us is that little moment. We make an emotional connection and we remember it.

Why do we love that e-trade baby? We just can't wait to hear what he's gonna say next. How about "Mr. Mayhem," we want to see what he's done next.  We love the little surprises that humor brings. We love the little break from reality when we read a funny line, or see a funny picture on the side of a bus, or a road sign, or in a magazine. Maybe, we skip most of the commercials when we're watching our favorite TV show, but not if it's a funny commercial. Most of the time we stop, we watch, we listen, we laugh, or at least smile. Do we run out and buy the product? Not always, but sometimes we do.

 So what really happens? Well, over time we fall in love with the brand. The brand becomes our friend. So, do you want us in a relationship with your brand? Do you want your brands to be our best friends? Then entertain us and make us laugh. Have mercy, have a heart, and... have something funny to say!