Kia Soul-Hamster Commercial

A few months ago, Kia rolled out its fifth commercial featuring the dancing hamsters to Lady Gaga's new single Applause. The commercial debuted during the MTV Video Music Awards and on 33,000 movie screens nationwide. At the awards show, Lady Gaga also performed her new single for the first time live. For the ad, the hip-hop hamsters were brought back to promote the redesigned Kia Soul. However, the hamsters also remade themselves by hitting the gym. At the end of the commercial, the hamsters' hard work pays off and they reemerge out of the 2014 Kia Soul as suave and refined rodents. I really enjoyed this commercial and believe it was very well produced. 

Humor: 5
Kia's new commercial is very funny. It is suitable for all age groups,but especially the twenty-somethings the ad is targeting. With a catchy song, fast pace, and good message, I believe this commercial will be around for a while. 

Effectiveness: 5
Kia has seen impressive results from its hamster campaign. Michael Sprague, Kia's U.S. executive vice president of marketing, said that the campaign "Will connect with a broad range of consumers, not only Gen Y who like the funky style and their ability to take their friends with them, but also to an audience that still wants to be youthful or youthful minded." As the face of the Kia Soul, the hamster commercials are some of the most-watched automotive ads on YouTube. With almost 11.5 million views, this commercial is the most-popular video on Kia Motors America's YouTube page. Sprague also made an interesting comment about this commercial's dominance on social media. Sprague said, "With social media we can track how well we're doing there and what people are thinking. In this day and age, everything is about the return on the investment and tracking. And there are so many things to track." From a social media standpoint, this commercial and campaign has been very dominant. From an advertising standpoint, this campaign has received Effie awards and Nielsen's "Automotive Ad of the Year." Colin Jeffery, David & Goliath's executive creative director who directed the latest ad, said "the hamsters always have their paws on the pulse of pop culture. With the help of Lady Gaga, some current fashion trends, and our friends at MPC VFX, we introduce a sleeker, sexier, and more sophisticated Soul. The hamsters don't look too shabby themselves." An interesting point is that your traditional car commercial shows footage of a zooming car against a beautiful backdrop with a voice over of someone describing key features and awards. That is why Kia's hamster commercials are so dynamic with dancing animals, high-dollar animation, and a killer song. For this campaign, Kia has spent about $4.3 billion on advertising, which is nearly 2.6 percent of its revenue. In contrast, GM spent $24.2 million (3.5 percent of revenues) and Ford $19.9 million (3 percent of revenues) on advertising. Due to its fantastic advertising campaign, Kia has doubled its annual vehicle sales during the last five years. Michael Sprague and Kia could not be happier. "This is the kind of social fuel that a lot of car companies and their advertising shops fail to fill up on. It's interesting enough to see Jennifer Lopez tool around her old neighborhood in a little Fiat, but it's not necessarily the type of thing one might e-mail to a friend or post on Twitter," said Sprague. Overall, I think Kia has had great success with this advertising campaign.

Emotion: 3
I do not believe this commercial is supposed to be very emotional. However, it does promote a popular social cause-getting fit. During an age where most people are trying to stay healthy, the hamsters makeover is a popular message among Kia's target market. However, the main purpose of this commercial is to promote the redesigned Kia Soul. 

Customer Reviews: 5

Edmunds.com gave the 2014 Kia Soul 4.75 out of 5 stars. On the Car Connection website, the crossover scored an 8.4 out of 10. Based on the reviews, customers seem to love the Kia Soul. In my opinion, this commercial definitively promotes a good product. 

Since the hamsters and Lady Gaga's collaboration was such a success, Kia customers are giving the 2014 Soul much applause. Maybe the hamsters will make an appearance in Lady Gaga's next music video. 

Sources:
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/ad-day-kias-hamsters-youve-never-seen-them-152011
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2013/08/23/kia-soul-hamsters-gym-rats/2689749/
http://wardsauto.com/sales-amp-marketing/michael-sprague-keeping-kia-s-hamsters-top
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-08-26/kias-hip-hop-hamsters-are-a-branding-bargain

Microsoft-Child of the '90s

Microsoft's "Child of the '90s" commercial premiered early this year during the Super Bowl. This ad is a complete throwback to the '90s. During the commercial, nostalgia runs rampant as Microsoft reminds us how far technology has come. As members of Generation Y, Lisa Frank folders, fanny packs, dial up modems, Reebok Pumps, Oregon Trail, Tamagotchi, and Super Soakers were all the rage in the '90s. Microsoft is promoting its remodeling of Internet Explorer. The slogan for this commercial is "the future was bright... you grew up... so did we... reconnect with the new Internet Explorer." In my opinion, this commercial was very nostalgic and entertaining. 

Humor: 4
"Child of the '90s" was a funny, but true portrayal of growing up in the '90s. For the twenty-somethings of today, this was a very nostalgic commercial and very memorable. However, I believe the gear towards the '90s leaves out other ages who could be potential users of Internet Explorer. Viewers past their twenties will remember the '90s, but those younger may not. For this reason, Microsoft may lose some of its audience. Nonetheless, I believe Microsoft geared the revamped browser to the "children of the '90s" because they are the ones who grew up during this growing technology age and are becoming the media professionals who will use Internet Explorer in the future. Because of its link to old memories, I believe this commercial will leave a lasting impression in viewer's minds. 

Effectiveness: 2
To promote Internet Explorer 9, Roger Capriotti, director of IE marketing said, "We thought it was time to invite those of you who haven't thought about Internet Explorer in a while to take a trip down memory lane, Internet Explorer is a child of the '90s, but we have done some serious growing up." Today, this commercial has nearly 48 million views. However, the volume of views does not reflect the feelings toward the commercial. Unfortunately, viewers like the commercial for the nostalgia, but not the product. Chris Burns from Slashgear, a weblog devoted to technology said, "We must admit, the ad does strike more than one chord in the nostalgic banjos in our heads, and like any good Super Bowl commercial, only gets to the product in the last few seconds of the video. Whether you hate IE or love it, you will probably enjoy this advertisement thoroughly." Column Five Media was the creative agency that worked with Microsoft to put the commercial together. The agency realized that no one had capitalized on '90s nostalgia yet and felt that IE would be a perfect fit. The purpose of the commercial was a re-framing of IE's relationship with Generation Y by showing off its benefits like being better, faster, designed for touchscreens, and the new interface. Since Gen Y is close to entering the workforce, Internet Explorer has to address the perceived bad image now before Baby Boomers are all out of the picture. However, despite the perceived image problem, IE's market share still sits over 54 percent with Google Chrome and Firefox at about 20 percent each. Although predictions said that its market share would slip, IE's has been staying pretty stable over the last year. However, being stable while competitors are catching up is not a beneficial long-term goal. 

Emotion: 2
"Child of the '90s" inspires emotional senses of nostalgia; however, it is not meant to promote a social cause such as bringing back the bowl cut. (Especially not that!) Honestly, the purpose of this commercial is to get Generation Y back on speaking terms with IE. 

Customer Reviews: 4
On CNET.com, Internet Explorer received 3 out 5 stars. As I reviewed comments, many viewers said that the new IE is an improvement, but it still has some catching up to do. PCMag.com gave Internet Explorer 9 roughly the same reviews as on CNET.com with a 3.5 out of 5 stars. Therefore, since many of the reviews showed improvement in IE, than I believe that the commercial did not necessarily deceive potential users. 

So remember, Internet Explorer has grown up. Unfortunately, it may still be living in its parent's basement.

Sources:
http://theweek.com/article/index/239283/watch-microsofts-cloyingly-nostalgic-internet-explorer-ad-targets-90s-kids
http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkantrowitz/2013/01/26/child-of-the-90s-internet-explorers-new-viral-ad-gets-mixed-reactions-on-social-media/
http://www.geekwire.com/2013/agency-helped-microsoft-create-viral-ad-garnered-28m-views-2-months/
http://www.zdnet.com/internet-explorer-when-all-else-fails-try-90s-nostalgia-7000010243/

Pepsi Beyonce-Mirrors

PepsiCo Inc. is known for its commercials featuring high-profile music artists. Beyoncé was hired on for about $50 million in a multi-year deal with the company. In this deal, Beyoncé performed in the last Super Bowl halftime show Pepsi sponsored and this commercial. Pepsi's campaign, called the "Live for Now" campaign also started as a launching pad for Beyoncé’s world tour, the "Mrs. Carter World Tour" which had an estimated 65 shows all over Europe, and North and South America. This commercial, titled "Mirrors" features Beyoncé practicing dance moves for her new song "Grown Woman." After getting a Pepsi, Beyoncé is confronted by several iconic versions of herself including those from her Crazy in Love video with Jay Z in 2003 and Single Ladies video from 2008. As Beyoncé dances with her former selves, she breaks the mirrors and awakens as if everything was a dream. The commercial ends with Beyoncé endorsing Pepsi's new slogan "Live for Now." Using a "famous-person testimonial tactic," I think this commercial was produced well and very creative. Not to mention I love Beyoncé. Sorry, I had to put that out there. I'll BEY-have now. Promise.

Humor: 1

"Mirrors" does not use humor to reach its target audience. However, this commercial is still very memorable because Beyoncé is a major artist in today's pop culture. Although only Beyoncé fans may understand all of the references to her career, I believe this commercial does a pretty good job reaching Pepsi's target audience. For this campaign, I believe PepsiCo Inc.’s target audience was females and males ages 17 to 40. Even without humor, seeing Beyoncé's growth in her career and by tying that success to Pepsi, I believe this commercial will leave a lasting image in the minds of its viewers. 

Effectiveness: 3

Brad Jakeman, president of Global Beverages Group Pepsi Co. stated, "Markets around the world have responded extremely well... She [Beyoncé] is one of the world's truly global artists; her tour is obviously going to reach many of our markets." The commercial has reached more than 11 million views on YouTube. Also, Beyoncé’s global appeal gives Pepsi the perfect platform to power this campaign. Overall, I agree with PepsiCo that this commercial has created a lot of social buzz for Beyoncé and Pepsi. However, according to WaveMetrix, only 12 percent of the viewer comments on the commercial mention Pepsi. The video comments suggest that people see this commercial as Beyoncé’s new music video rather than a promoter for Pepsi. In addition, this commercial has not necessarily been effective in generating sales. First, it cost the company 50 million dollars to hire Beyoncé not to mention the cost to produce the commercial. Second, especially in America, there has been a new health trend to steer away from soda and other sugary drinks. This could be a reason for low second quarter sales which declined from four to seven percent, which for a multi-billion dollar company like PepsiCo, is quite significant. 

Emotion: 3

Pepsi's "Mirrors" commercial is not first and foremost meant to instill emotion or promote a social cause. However, Beyoncé does promote this message "Embrace your past, but live for now." Basically, this means accept your past and who you are, but live in the moment and do not be afraid to keep growing. I believe that is an important message that anyone can understand and strive to achieve. Mainly, this commercial is meant to promote Pepsi products as well as Beyoncé as an iconic artist. 

Customer Reviews: 5

Pepsi and Beyoncé are so iconic that this commercial gets full points for customer reviews. I do not believe the ad deceived the consumer about the quality of the product. Selling nearly 900 cases of Pepsi a year, the company is a giant in the beverage industry. As an artist, Beyoncé has sold 140 solo albums not including her time with Destiny's Child. I believe the sheer popularity of this collaboration speaks enough for this commercial.

Let's BEY-honest, this collaboration was a match made in heaven from the BEY-ginning. 

Sources:
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/beyonce-releases-new-pepsi-ad-teases-song-grown-woman-article-1.1307543
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130610/ent/ent5.html
http://breakitwithgoodbye.tumblr.com/post/64918584875/advertising-beyonce-mirrors-pepsi-commercial
http://wave.wavemetrix.com/content/pepsi-s-beyonc-campaign-suggests-relying-social-engagement-volume-can-be-mislead-01067
http://www.hollyscoop.com/beyonce/pepsi-sales-plummet-after-beyonce-endorsement.html

Progressive-Rate Suckers

Progressive started a new campaign a couple months ago not featuring their usual mascot Flo, the peppy salesclerk. Progressive, the fourth-largest U.S. auto insurer, recently came out with a new product called Snapshot. This commercial, called "Rate Suckers" promotes the new product. Snapshot is a mechanism plugged into the car's onboard diagnostic port. It measures how safe a driver is by recording the number of times a driver brakes hard, the time of day, and the number of miles they drive over a six month period. Progressive calculates the results and people who drive safely get permanent discounts.

This Progressive campaign is meant to promote Snapshot because 63 percent of drivers did not know that the bad driving of others affected their car insurance rates according to Progressive.com. This commercial depicts bad drivers as zombie-like Rate Suckers who attach to the car of a safe driver. However, the Rate Suckers are repelled by a rescuer who offers the driver Snapshot. According to Jeff Charney, Progressive's chief marketing officer, "A Rate Sucker is simply an over-the-top manifestation of an underpriced driver and can be anybody-your mom, the guy next door, the waiter at your favorite restaurant...We all probably know somebody we're subsidizing. Snapshot helps solve that problem; showing customers that their good driving can reduce the impact other drivers have on their rate. This campaign is our line in the sand to the industry and a wake-up call to consumers." Especially since zombies are so apparent in pop culture right now, I think Progressive made a very creative, humorous, and relevant commercial. 

Humor: 5

Besides Snapshot being an original innovation, Progressive's commercial is also very funny. I am sure this commercial reached Progressive's target audience of drivers 17 and over. However, I believe Progressive did a good job in keeping this commercial appropriate for all ages by not making the Rate Suckers scary but humorous. Because of its uniqueness, I think this commercial will last in people's memories and hopefully the product too! 

Effectiveness: 2

Progressive's CEO Glenn Renwick stated that the new campaign has been "very acceptable, but short of a breakout." However, the campaign has not instilled a lot of notice about the new product and has raised privacy concerns. Renwick also discussed surveys of prospective Snapshot users. He stated that the surveys show that "you get about 30 percent of people saying 'Yeah why not?'; you get another 30 percent of people saying, 'Maybe, I need to know more'; and you get about 40 percent of people saying, 'No way.'" Renwick went further and said "Selling Snapshot has been a 'bigger burden' than many in the company would have assumed given that it can lower customer's rates...Intellectually, I kind of go 'Why wouldn't 100 percent of people take this option?'" Although the percentage of customers using Snapshot has increased in the past two years due to the commercial, the innovation may just be a little too early for its time. Although Progressive has patented the device, and other insurers like GEICO are not picking up on it, Snapshot is being slow to give Progressive the buzz and revenues it needs. 

Emotion: 1
"Rate Suckers" is meant to be a humorous take on a new innovation. I do not believe this ad is meant to instill emotion, purpose, or promote a social cause. Overall, this commercial is meant to draw attention to Progressive's new device.

Customer Reviews: 3

Although Progressive's CEO offered reviews of the Snapshot device above, I also did some more outside research. When looking on other websites, about 50 percent of the comments I read were positive and willing to recommend to a friend, however the other 50 percent complained of the device being faulty and being worried of privacy issues. In my opinion, the usefulness of this product may be luck of the draw. However, I do not believe the commercial is meant to deceive customers. 

For now, Snapshot may just be a little before its time. Hopefully, there is no Rate Sucker apocalypse in the meantime.

Sources:

http://www.progressive.com/newsroom/article/2013/April/rate-suckers/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/avidan/2013/04/08/flo-takes-a-back-seat-in-a-new-campaign-from-progressive/

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-08/progressive-seeks-to-monitor-more-drivers-as-40-say-no-way.html

Doritos-Fashionista Daddy

"Fashionista Daddy" premiered during last year's Super Bowl. Interestingly, this commercial was consumer-created through Doritos' contest "Crash the Super Bowl" campaign. Since Crash the Super Bowl launched in 2007, contestants have submitted over 20,000 potential commercials to be aired in the Super Bowl. Out of the 3,500 videos submitted last year, five finalists received $25,000 and a trip to attend the Super Bowl. Bonus cash prizes were awarded based on how the commercials ranked in the USA Today ad Meter. Contestants would also receive these cash prizes depending on their score:

• $1 million awarded for an ad that scores the No. 1 spot on the USA TODAY Ad Meter
• $600,000 awarded for an ad that scores the No. 2 spot on the USA TODAY Ad meter
• $400,000 awarded for an ad that scores the No. 3 spot on the USA TODAY Ad meter

"Fashionista Daddy" was created by Mark Freiburger, a 29-year old from Los Angeles. As the highest ranking Doritos consumer-created commercial with a No. 4 ranking on the USA Today ad Meter (too bad!), Freiburger scored the opportunity to work on the next Transformers installment coming in 2014. I think the opportunity for consumers to create a Super Bowl ad for Doritos is a really amazing opportunity. I have seen many of the  previous competition winners and I am always impressed by the commercials!

Humor: 5

When I first saw this ad, I thought it was so cute and realistic! I am sure there are many little girls out there who don't know what the beginning of February means to many dads and males in general. To little girls, every day is the perfect day to be a princess. After serious consideration, I think I would play princesses also to get some Doritos. I think this commercial is very funny and has something to offer for all age groups. With humor suitable for ages, I do not think this commercial will be easy forgotten.

Effectiveness: 5
Doritos has really hit it big with its Crash the Super Bowl campaign. Since 2007, the consumer-created ads have consistently ranked in the top-five spots on the USA Today Ad Meter. Also, three of the last five years winners have scored the No. 1 ranked ad. Crazy right? Next year's Doritos campaign will expand outside of the U.S. to include videos created from any of the 46 countries the chips are sold. Speaking about Mark Freiburger, last year's ad winner, Ram Krishnan, vice president of Marketing, Frito-Lay North America said, "The Doritos brand has always been about offering the biggest, boldest opportunities imaginable.  And it doesn’t get much bolder than turning over the world’s biggest advertising stage to our fans, We are so excited to award Mark [Freiburger] the chance to work with one of the most acclaimed directors of our time. It’s an exciting finish for one of the most exciting engagement programs the Doritos brand has created to date." From last year's campaign, Doritos scored 100 million views for the five finalist videos. By moving its campaign to Facebook, Krishnan had this to say, "Almost every single metric of the program exceeded that we achieved during the last six years." Krishnan said Facebook helped the videos go viral. "That's the whole reason why we switched," "People like to talk about the videos, and that reaches their circle of friends." Just from a social media standpoint, Doritos campaign is excellent in reaching its target audience. Even better, Doritos is seeing its campaign turn into sales. According to researcher SymphonyIRI, Doritos sales rose 5.8 percent in units in 2012.

Emotion: 2
I do not believe this ad is meant to instill much emotion or purpose. This commercial's success comes from its humor. However, that little girl does play on our heartstrings and is just too adorable. Nonetheless, the commercial is not meant to promote any real social cause except that sometimes it is just a lot more fun to hang out with one's family playing princesses and eating Doritos than watching a game. But overall, the emotion in this ad is minimal. 

Customer Reviews: 5
Let's be honest, if you love chips, there is a flavor of Doritos you could shamelessly eat an entire bag of. With a successful brand, these consumer-created ads have also been a major hit to the American public. I believe that Doritos has such great ads because it has a great product and great fans that are excited to promote it as well. Now, the rewards for winning the campaign are great too, but it is a lot easier to sell a product to someone when it is a quality product to begin with. 

If you are looking to become rich and famous, you could play the lottery, start a singing career on YouTube, or you could create a commercial for Doritos and potentially win a million dollars and a chance to work on the next big blockbuster movie. Yeah, I would create a commercial too. 

 Sources:
http://www.fritolay.com/about-us/press-release-20130204a.html
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/09/11/doritos-frito-lay-super-bowl-marketing-crash-the-super-bowl/2798693/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferrooney/2013/09/12/doritos-again-asks-fans-to-crash-the-super-bowl-this-time-from-around-the-world/
http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/frito-lay-likes-data-doritos-crash-super-bowl-147127
http://mashable.com/2013/01/30/doritos-super-bowl-ad-2013/

Budweiser-Brotherhood

The Budweiser Clydesdales have been a brand symbol for the Anheiser-Busch Company since 1933. Not only do the horses leave a big impression based on sheer size, but also their consistent appearances in Super Bowl commercials. And in my opinion, these commercials never disappoint. The Super Bowl commercials featuring the Clydesdales are some of my first and favorite commercials I can remember. Budweiser's newest 60-second Super Bowl ad that appeared last year titled "Brotherhood" is no exception. The heartwarming commercial starts out with the birth of a new foal. Then a brotherly relationship blossoms between horse and trainer. Once the Clydesdale is trained, he is sent to pull the iconic hitch and is later reunited with his long lost trainer. "Brotherhood" ranked  No. 1 on USA Today's Ad Meter, which is determined by voting on the USA Today website through Facebook and Twitter.

Humor: 2
This advertisement is not meant to be humorous. However, it is very memorable based on its heartwarming message. Although definitely targeted as a brand for ages 21 and over, this commercial as well as previous campaigns featuring the Clydesdales are able to be enjoyed by all ages because of their positive message of hard work, determination, and other family values. By creating commercials that appeal to people's values and emotions, I believe the Budweiser Clydesdale commercials leave a lasting mark, and "Brotherhood" is no exception.

Effectiveness: 4
Like stated earlier, "Brotherhood" was well received by viewers based on USA Today's Ad Meter. However, this commercial was also successful in grabbing the attention of social media. At the end of the commercial, Budweiser made a contest where viewers could help in naming the baby Clydesdale from the commercial through Twitter. All a viewer would have to do was tweet their suggestion to the company. By the end of the contest, more than 60,000 tweets, Facebook comments, and other messages had poured in. As one of the most popular names submitted, the new foal was named Hope. Lori Shambro, brand director for Budweiser, was overwhelmed by the response generated from the social media effort. I believe this commercial definitely reached its target audience especially since almost 110 million people watched the last Super Bowl. However, Budweiser was unable to turn this mass audience reach into sales. Traditionally, Budweiser has been the "most visible advertiser" in the last 45 Super Bowls. However, in a recent survey of 1,500 Super Bowl watchers, Budweiser finished dead last in "terms of its ability to receive a solid return on its investment for last year's Super Bowl." The survey was conducted by Brand Key, a New York-based brand and loyalty research consultancy firm. Brand Key's President Robert Passikoff stated, "I don't think Budweiser is seen as a winner...it's a category placeholder...just because people see you does not mean they are going to buy you." Passikoff also noted that Budweiser's sales continue to diminish every year despite the annual ad they devote to the Super Bowl. To put it in perspective, the cost of a 30-second ad during last year's Super Bowl was four million dollars. However, Budweiser purchased a 60-second ad spot. Although, "Brotherhood" reached many people it did not translate into sales for its organization. 

Emotion: 5

"Brotherhood" is probably one of my favorite Super Bowl ads to date. Budweiser's commercial definitely inspires a lot of emotion. This ad touched the heartstrings of millions of people. Budweiser's commercial makes people believe in family and other traditional values. Overall this ad did not focus on the company's products but on its beliefs. Just like the young Clydesdale's name, this commercial was meant to instill hope in people and I believe it succeeded. 

Customer Reviews: 5

I do not believe this commercial deceived customers about Budweiser's products because the commercial was not geared to solely promote their products. Known as the king of its category, I believe the Budweiser brand speaks for itself and overall ratings I researched gave the brand high scores. 

In conclusion, Budweiser has a big company, giant horses, and huge heart full of American values. 

Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/05/clydesdale-commercial-budweiser-name_n_2625562.html
http://tackk.com/4lj8z7
http://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2012/01/24/budweiser-the-biggest-loser-in-super-bowl-ad-engagement-survey/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2013/02/02/even-with-record-prices-10-million-spot/

Allstate Mayhem-Bungee

Allstate has been unleashing its Mayhem character since 2010. With almost two dozen commercials, Mayhem has been a very successful campaign for the Allstate Insurance Company. In Mayhem's newest commercial, he is a cheap bungee cord holding 800 lbs. of tailgating gear. However, the cord is so cheap it could only hold down a lid on a box of sweaters. Always happy to help, Mayhem unleashes himself on an unsuspecting tailgater. The slogan for these commercials is "Get an Allstate Agent, and be better protected from mayhem...like me. Mayhem is everywhere...Are you in good hands?" The Mayhem commercials are some of my favorite commercials because they are so creative and funny!

Humor: 5
The Mayhem commercials are some of the funniest commercials on television. They never disappoint in creativity and humor and can be enjoyed by all ages. Although targeted to those 17 and over (or those with a need for insurance), the commercials' humor is suitable for all ages. I am 100 percent positive that Mayhem will leave a lasting mark in everyone's mind if not their wallets.

Effectiveness: 3

Lisa Cochrane, Allstate's Marketing SVP said about the Mayhem character, "After Allstate’s hugely successful ad campaign, there’s a good chance you picture this guy. In just a few short years, the campaign has become an enormous hit. The Facebook Mayhem page has over a million likes and the campaign has been parodied on YouTube and of course endlessly discussed at the water cooler." Mayhem's popularity has only continued to increase. Mayhem's Facebook page now has nearly 2 million fans, almost 2 million likes, and is ranked in the top 5 pages globally. Mayhem commercials also boast over 100,000 views on YouTube. The campaign also holds many marketing awards. Allstate has definitely reached its target audience and they are responding through social media. However, Allstate has not been able to turn the reach of its Mayhem commercials into sales for the company. Allstate has lost significant market share in the last few years. According to Crain's Chicago Business, "more ad spending puts more pressure on profits, a fact not lost on investors wondering how "Mayhem" can garner so much buzz (500,000 Facebook fans and nearly 10 million YouTube views) without boosting Allstate's sales." The purpose of the Mayhem campaign was to "create doubt in people's minds about cheaper competitors." However, the mayhem that goes on in the commercials does not inform the customer on Allstate's advantages over other companies. Without a proper display of advantages or a reason to switch, Allstate will not be the market leader. 

Emotion: 1

Overall, I do not think this Mayhem ad or the campaign is meant to inspire purpose, or emotion. Yes, we may cringe as Mayhem runs rampant, but other than that he just wants us to switch to Allstate. But hey, it is nice of Mayhem to want to protect our wallets from a series of unfortunate events like himself.

Customer Reviews: 2
On Viewpoints.com, Allstate scored overall a 66. Not terrible, but its competitors GEICO and Progressive both scored in the 70's range. Both ConsumerAffairs.com and My3Cents.com showed Allstate with an overall score of 1.5 out of 5 stars. Although consumers love the Mayhem character, his company may be a little more trouble than it's worth. 

So remember, hide yo' kids, hide yo' wife, hide' yo wallet because Mayhem is everywhere! Are you in good hands?

Sources:
http://www.cbsaltitudegroup.com/2013/06/allstates-mayhem-a-deeper-look/
http://ingaugeinc.com/case-study-4-things-to-learn-from-allstates-mayhem/
http://adage.com/article/rance-crain/big-campaigns-allstate-burger-king-sales/238104/

Sonic- Important Lessons

Sonic Drive-In has been serving customers since 1953. And no one knows this better than the companies "Two Guys." T. J. Jagodowski and Peter Grosz have been doing mostly improvised ads for Sonic for a while. From 2002 to 2010, these two guys were bringing viewers tons of laughter. However in 2010, their commercials were phased out. By 2012, after some hilarious shenanigans on social media sites such as YouTube and Facebook, Jagodowski and Grosz were back in the saddle. "Important Lessons" is one of Sonic's newest ads featuring Jagodowski and Grosz. Promoting the Super Crunch Chicken Strips, the two guys discuss life lessons they have learned. An argument develops about what really counts in life: what's on the outside or what's on the inside. I have always enjoyed these commercials and am glad Sonic has brought them back.  

Humor: 5

These guys always make funny and memorable commercials. Even better, they always provide clean humor that can be enjoyed by all ages. However, I do believe these commercials generally cater to a target audience of 17 and older. Basically, anyone who can drive and visit Sonic more readily fits in that category. I can still remember some of Sonic's older commercials featuring these characters. And I can bet I am not the only one. Sonic's "Two Guys" leave a lasting impression that we cannot stop laughing at. 

Effectiveness: 4
According to J. Clifford Hudson, Sonic's chairman, chief executive, and president, told analysts late last month that a major credit to the company's increase in sales "was to the brand's effective use of marketing, such as the return of the brand's signature "Two Guys" television advertising." Sonic has been seeing same-store sales rise 5.9 percent in its 3500 stores in the fourth quarter. A similar increase in same-store sales also occurred last year attributed to the revival of the "Two Guys" commercial campaign. However, promotions of new products and half-price drinks were also a major contributor to Sonic's increased success.

Emotion: 2

These ads are not meant to reach people through deep emotion or purpose. However in this commercial, the characters do realize an important life lesson that appearances are not everything and it's what on the inside that matters. So they get a little credit for promoting more than just chicken strips. 

Customer Reviews: 5

Overall, I have seen relatively good reviews of the Sonic Drive-In experience. On Epinion.com, Sonic received a score of "Very Good." And the commercials created with the "Two Guys" have received very good feedback on social media outlets such as Facebook and YouTube. 

If you never need any pointers on how to Sonic, watch the "Two Guys" because that's how you Sonic.

Sources: 
http://seekingalpha.com/article/677591-two-guys-ads-are-helping-sonics-same-store-sales
http://nrn.com/quick-service/sonic-4q-sales-rise-return-two-guys-ads
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/business/media/sonic-drivein-brings-back-longtime-spokesmen.html?_r=0

Ram Trucks- So God Made A Farmer

Chrysler aired this ad during the fourth quarter of last year's Super Bowl. With good reception, the ad finished third in USA Today's likability Ad Meter, behind the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale commercial and the Tide "Miracle Stain" ad.  The video was inspired by the moving "So God Made a Farmer" tribute delivered by legendary radio broadcaster Paul Harvey at the 1978 National FFA Convention. The ad shows images of today's farm families hard at work as the late Paul Harvey gives his powerful speech. This commercial creates a story that moves farmers and non-farmers alike. According to Farm Futures, a marketing tool, "this video launched the Ram Truck brand's 2013 'The Year of the Farmer' campaign aimed at bringing national attention to the significance of the American farmer." As someone who has had zero experience with the farming culture of America, I was totally moved by this commercial. I felt the pride and passion that our country was based on. I am not the only person touched by this ad.  “So God Made a Farmer” has been viewed over 20 million times. 

Humor: 1
Humor was not the way Chrysler wanted to reach people. The use of powerful voice and imagery in this commercial are the ingredients that have left a lasting mark in people's minds. The "So God Made a Farmer" ad can be related to by all ages.

Effectiveness: 5
This ad has been a huge success. However, instead of only increasing truck sales, RAM Truck pledged to donate $100,000 to the FFA through December 31 or until $1 million (10 million views) was reached, whichever came first.  However, less than a week after the Super Bowl, the ad had passed 10 million views! Oliver Francois, chief marketing officer for Chrysler Group said, "We set out to create a call-to-action to support farmers and to recognize their place as the foundation of the American character and are gratified with the dialog the video sparked." I believe RAM reached its target audience in a big way. Even though the ad did not put its full focus on the product, Chrysler's Ram Truck brand had its best February sales in six years, exceeding last year by 3 percent. 

Emotion: 5
In my opinion, this ad has been one of the most evoking and inspirational I have seen. After the premiere of the commercial, more than 250 farm, ranch, and agribusiness organizations signed on to a letter addressed to Chrysler Group's CEO Sergio Marchionne thanking him for the ad's "vital message" reminding people that "farmers and ranchers...must not be taken for granted." The letter also stated "Over time we've wrestled with how best to remind America that farming and ranching isn't a 9-to-5 job, and although touch, it's our life's work and a life we eagerly and proudly embrace...We wanted you to know your commercial is very much appreciated." This ad not only inspired emotion, but purpose. It brought national attention to the importance of the American farmer. The donations would help the National FFA Organization and Case IH to generate funds for FFA hunger relief efforts in local communities. National FFA Organization CEO Dr. Dwight Armstrong stated "Ram scored a major win for American agriculture and our producers and ranchers with its 'Farmer' Super Bowl commercial and has sharply elevated the image of agriculture in the public's mind...This highly successful partnership with Ram through the National FFA Foundation has generated $1 million of new support for FFA that will be utilized to drive our 'Feeding the World-Starting at Home' initiative and other programs that will benefit our nearly 560,000 FFA members." The images from the commercial will also appear in a book and part of the proceeds of book sales will also go to agriculture and hunger related efforts around the country. Chrysler's commercial has left such a positive impact on our country and proudly promotes an American tradition. 

Customer Reviews: 4
This ad brought a lot of positive feedback; however, some of it was negative. Some people believed the ad did not accurately portray modern day farm life. David Goodner, an organizer for Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, wasn't pleased that the ad ended with a Dodge Ram truck sitting in front of a hog confinement facility. Overall, the ad created positive awareness of American agriculture and did not deceive the customer about RAM trucks. Overall, reviews for Dodge RAM trucks were fairly high with a score of 8.8 on U.S. News Best Cars. 

"And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, 'I need a caretaker.' So God made a farmer," ~Paul Harvey 

Sources:
http://www.businessinsider.com/what-actual-farmers-thought-of-chryslers-so-god-made-a-farmer-super-bowl-ad-2013-2
http://www.democraticunderground.com/123013450
http://www.capitalpress.com/content/djw-superbowl-ad-021513
http://www.cmabuildstrust.com/2013/02/19/lessons-in-storytelling-from-so-god-made-a-farmer/
http://farmfutures.com/story-god-made-farmer-video-reaches-18-million-views-0-94866

AT&T It's Not Complicated- Infinity

AT&T has been having big success out of some very small packages. First graders to be exact. AT&T has made nearly two dozen of these "It's Not Complicated" commercials and most of them are complete improvisation! Similar to the show "Kids Say the Darnedest Things," AT&T's successful campaign formula consists of four kids sitting around in a circle discussing with an adult a variety of topics. And America cannot get enough of it! Okay, maybe just me. The cuteness factor is through the roof. In this commercial, the group discusses the biggest number they can think of. There are some answers such as a trillion billion zillion, ten, and infinity, and they are simply mind blowing. The commercial ends with the slogan "It's not complicated, bigger is better." The campaign promotes AT&T as the largest 4G network.

Humor: 5

I think these ads are hilarious! Since the commercials center around the creativity of kids, this campaign provides clean humor suitable for all ages. Based on the amount and uniqueness of these commercials, I believe we will be going back to elementary school for years to come!

Effectiveness: 5

The objective of AT&T's campaign is to connect to its customers through the imagination of kids. To do this, AT&T boasts about the size and speed of its network and other benefits through the explanation of universal truths with questions such as "What's better: Bigger or smaller? Faster or slower? More or less?" Since the campaign's launch, the ads rank as some of the most talked about commercials on social media. Ace Metrix, a firm that measures ad effectiveness, said the advertisements "averaged a 'likeability' score of 636, compared with an average of 577 for all commercials." According to BlueFin Labs, an analytic group, customers have an even deeper connection to the ads than just “likeability.” BlueFin Labs "reported that 16 percent of the tweets in late January about 'It's Not Complicated' ads include 'love.'" AT&T's senior VP-brand marketing Esther Lee said, "The noise around this campaign is like none we've ever seen." Even though AT&T is getting huge amounts of buzz around their campaign, it seems the company is having trouble overcoming the difficulty of consumers switching mobile providers. According to Advertising Age, AT&T's share of U.S. mobile subscribers stood at 27.2 percent in May. When it came to smartphone sales in the U.S., the company was able to hold its market share at 26 percent, where major competitors Verizon and Sprint lost ground. AT&T continues to chase Verizon for its spot as the current market leader. Although AT&T holds claim to the fastest network according to PC Magazine, Verizon holds the claim as most reliable. In the near future, AT&T's first grade friends may be able to melt the hearts and contracts of its competition's customers.

Emotion: 4

As stated earlier, viewers are feeling deep connections to AT&T's It's Not Complicated campaign. I think the innocence and creativity of these kids brings out feelings of happiness that all can relate to. The key ingredient in my opinion, is that AT&T does not make the kids sell the product, but just be their candid selves. I do not believe this ad promotes a social cause. However, it is meant to promote AT&T's services. Nonetheless, we can still love watching those kids blow our minds with their cuteness.

Customer Reviews: 3
As I researched customer reviews, I found that AT&T had a lot of complaints. With a 2.8 overall on LowerMyBills.com review site, I felt a little more digging was in order. I went a different route in my research and fount that Verizon and Sprint had around the same score as AT&T with a 3.7 and 2.5 respectively. I also read a review that claimed that AT&T was "no better than any other cell service." In my opinion, this seems tragic. No one seems to be happy with any of the cell phone providers. I guess that's why AT&T sugar coats their services with adorable first graders. Although AT&T has below average reviews, after researching the competition turns out AT&T’s score is average. But hey, at least the commercials are good!

Next time you walk into a classroom or your living room, remember, it's not complicated, well unless you are talking about cell phone providers.

Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/03/business/media/a-spokesman-finds-fame-interviewing-tiny-experts.html?_r=0
http://adage.com/article/special-report-marketer-alist-2013/t-proves-making-consumers-love-a-telecom/243804/
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/how-att-got-kids-make-some-years-best-ads-148605