Learning From Bridges
Monday, January 28th, 2008Bridges have the most fascinating architecture. I first fell in love with bridges watching a special by Ken Burns on PBS about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. Construction on the Brooklyn Bridge began in 1870, just five years after the Civil War ended. Recognizing its strength and stature, it still remains a working bridge [...]
VW cost of a car over a year – cost of having less quality around you
Monday, January 21st, 2008VW’s clever commercial (which is not a classic but the lesson is profound) about the cost of a car over a year’s time points out high costs that can be hidden. Ink jet printers could fit this model of cost analysis because the companies nearly give the printers away. Then with the purchase of two [...]
brain on drugs – PSA
Friday, January 18th, 2008This commercial (PSA) originally aired in 1987 on behalf of the “The Partnership for a Drug Free America.” While they have created some pretty sobering commercials in their time none of them captured the attention of teens and adults like this one. PSA stands for public service announcements. Television stations play PSAs as part of [...]
Oscar Mayer – Bologna
Wednesday, January 16th, 2008This mid-seventies ad was created by ad giant J. Walter Thompson. Little Andy Lambros, a preschooler, wowed us with his spelling of a lunchmeat that most adults can’t spell. Go ahead, you spell it. Either you looked back to the title of this post or the commercial worked. We often learn phonetically rather than [...]
Life Cereal–Mikey Will Eat It
Monday, January 14th, 2008This commercial pulled the wool over so many people’s eyes. Life cereal tastes and looks like a cereal only an adult would eat. This commercial got big brother to dare Mikey to eat the good-for-you cereal. Remember that eating granola, drinking “bottled” water, and other healthy foods would not become cool for about twenty years. [...]
Where’s the Beef? Wendy’s Hamburgers
Friday, January 11th, 2008Clara Peller shot into stardom overnight with those three famous words posing a question, “Where’s the beef?” She was standing at a competitor’s counter and desiring a burger proportionate to the bun. Wendy’s hit a home run with this campaign and significantly increased their market share.
How many times do we over-promise and under-deliver?
Delta Airlines – “Company B”
Thursday, January 10th, 2008
After watching Gayle in the 80s, my wife and I would look at each other, and with that puppy dog cute innocent face, say “one” with a slightly wilted finger. Now twenty years later, I can look at Pamela, my wife, and say “one” like Gayle and she cracks up.
Where do I go with this? [...]
Mean Joe Green (Full Version) Coca-Cola Classic
Monday, January 7th, 2008I am just returning after the break. I wrote a post saying I was taking time away from email and blogging while on vacation through the holidays. I also told all the readers like you when to come back to see the next post. I found that as I checked in the night before work, [...]
