My picks for awesome, awful, inclusive and weird super bowl ads

For years, I did a post about my top 10 Super Bowl ads. I think this year warrants a different approach. I felt it was an odd mix. Sure there were some awesome ads and I’ll go through them first. There were some that I thought really missed the mark. In the current political climate, where anything inclusive is being wiped away from our government and the NFL had to remove “End Racism” from their end zones, there seemed to be a number of ads that went out of their way to be inclusive and honor marginalized people. This included
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How to use creativity - look at the opposite POV

What is one way that you can get an advantage over your competition using creativity? I’m gonna tell you, it is for you to look at things from the opposite point of view. If everyone in your niche is doing the same thing, do the opposite. Find a way to look at things differently and, and really attack it that way. A great example is the nonprofit Water is Life. You know with nonprofits you usually get the sad Sarah McLaughlin music and the sad looking dogs to make you feel empathetic to their thing. Or you’ve got the kids
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You can get an unfair advantage over your competition using creativity and agility. That’s a talk I’ve been giving or over a decade now, as a keynote, as a workshop – and it’s still true today. So, I’d like to talk about it. The original idea came from Maurice Saatchi, who said, “Creativity is the last legal way to gain an unfair advantage over your competition.” I’ve added agility to that because in today’s fast-paced world, things change so quickly. If you can be the quickest to react to changing market conditions, to something going on with your company, to
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McClure Marketing ad of the week: Jim Bean 7 Stages of Defeat

As a lifelong Detroit Lions fan myself, I figured this ad featuring Keegan-Michael Key outlining the 7 stages of defeat (how to cope with your NFL team’s loss in the playoffs) would be cathartic. After all, we suffered the unexpected early loss to Washington this year after the soul-crushing defeat to San Francisco last year. I’m not sure which was worse, but I digress. In the ad, part of a bigger campaign, he walks through some of the stages fans are experiencing, including someone in the Surrender Cobra position for the “Shock” stage. He gives a dejected fan banging his
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social media for nonprofits

In today’s digital age, social media has become an indispensable tool for nonprofits to connect with their supporters, raise awareness, and drive donations. By leveraging organic and paid social media strategies, nonprofits can amplify their message and create a lasting impact. Why Social Media Matters for Nonprofits Social media platforms offer a unique opportunity for nonprofits to reach a wide audience at minimal cost. By sharing stories, highlighting the impact of their work, and encouraging engagement, nonprofits can build a strong online community and inspire action. Additionally, social media can be used to: The Organic Approach: Building a Strong Foundation
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You would think an ad depicting Dollar Shave Club, as a snooty, exclusive club you have to know the right password to get into would not work. After all, they disrupted the razor industry by offering inexpensive, quality shaving supplies direct to consumer. But it does work. Why? Because it is played with the same kind of irreverence that has always been the undertone of their brand. In fact, if feels more like a Saturday Night Live skit than a commercial. Even the robe given to the young man once he gets the password right is somewhat reminiscent of the
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Marketing teams learn from Lions win

As a life-long fan, I had trouble getting to sleep last night after watching the Detroit Lions win and clinch both the North Division crown and #1 seed in the NFC playoffs. When the excitement in my head finally started to settle down, my weird marketing brain started to draw parallels from their great team win to how great marketing teams win for their clients. I finally rolled out of bed at 1:30 am to jot a few notes down so I could write this today. So, here we go! 1. Let Doubters Fuel Your Passion Don’t let haters bring
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A great way to get your brand or organization’s stories told in an authentic way is to conduct interviews with the people who have lived them and create videos out of those interviews. I’ve been directing interview videos for 15+ years now. Here are some tips I’ve learned about getting good responses to create compelling stories. Help Them Relax When you’re interviewing someone who is not used to being on camera, it can be pretty intimidating. Don’t have them staring directly into the camera. That’s a sure way to get that “deer in the headlights” response. I usually sit in
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