8
Nov

Ad Title: “Cheeeeese” — for Hardee’s Cheddar Biscuit

I find this ad inexplicably hilarious. I don’t know if it’s the ugly-cute family, the harmonizing of the word “cheese”, the simultaneously puzzled and fearful reaction shots of the guy eating the biscuit, or just the pure awkwardness of the entire situation, but it’s a rare example of a commercial that absolutely hits me in just the right way. It’s just… FUNNY. That being said, I can definitively say that I’m not going buy a Hardee’s Cheese Biscuit. Probably ever.

And therein lies the problem with funny.

Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s (anyone know the deal on that?) is known for its offbeat, zany, sometimes-sexually-suggestive ads. The most recent agency I could find for the brand is Mendolsohn Zien, and their site would lead one to believe that they are still the minds behind this sort of outlandishness. But while the two fast food chains have staked a significant claim on edgy/sexy ads, are they really doing anything unique here?

Quick serve restaurants have traded on funny for a long time, so much so that both Wendy’s and Burger King have dropped most humor in recent years and instead launched campaigns focused on freshness and quality. Holy regicide— BK even dropped the King. It would seem these brands figured out that bringing the funny didn’t necessarily bring the money. They may be on to something.

Funny works great for getting people engaged and making the ad memorable. But too often ads will sacrifice a point of differentiation, a call to action, or a simple truth in favor of a cheap laugh. Why abandon all of the things that are proven to make people want to buy your product? That’s where funny fails.

That isn’t to say that funny has no place in advertising. In fact, in has a huge place. Take Allstate’s “Mayhem” series. It’s clever. It’s situational. It’s relatable. The humor relies on the audience making a connection. And most importantly, it communicates a legitimate benefit of the product being sold. Allstate protects you from mayhem. Other cut-rate insurance companies don’t. Funny done right.

I said before that the Hardee’s ad wouldn’t get me to buy a Cheddar Biscuit. I was being a little hard on them. The ad is fine. It’s a quick laugh, the family is cheesy, they’re saying “cheese,” and it’s a perfectly serviceable way to introduce a new fast food item. But with giants like Wendy’s and BK turning to “quality” as a point of differentiation, and Allstate crafting darkly funny ads that are also somehow effective… the easy laugh shouldn’t always be a fallback for brands looking to make an impact. Give the consumer a real reason to believe.

30-Day Challenge #4

3 notes hardee's / cheesy / advertising / humor / funny / marketing / commercial / branding /
2
Oct

maxketer:

“Watch our ad for new Weetabix Chocolate Spoonsize.

The new ad stars nine-year old UK Streetdance phenomenon Arizona Snow, ‘popping’, ‘locking’ and ‘tutting’ her way through a high energy street dance routine in her bedroom.

The track is ‘A New World’ by Mord Fustang.

Dubstep makes its long-awaited break into the UK-based children’s breakfast cereal scene. It’s a so-so commercial, could have probably been used for any kids’ food or snack… but the teddy bears are cool-cute, the music’s unique, and Arizona Snow kicks major tail. “Arizona Snow,” by the way? Greatest name ever.

(Source: youtube.com)

6 notes maxketer / marketing / youtube / video / funny / fun / lol / lmfao / commercial / ads / advertising / publicity / comedy / dance / break dance / street dance / viral / buzz /
8
Oct

Campus Safari Guide: Dissecting the Pre-Med Student

(reposted from statepressmagazine.com)

It’s a jungle out there! During each entry in the Safari Guide we take you on a journey into the fascinating and gritty world of college students in their natural habitat. Don’t wear your good shoes. Our animal this week is often spotted playing with preserved animal fetuses, yet will one day care for our nation’s sick and defenseless. Strip down, put on your paper gown, and meet the Pre-Med Student!

premed

Background

The Pre-Med Student is truly one of nature’s wonders. It is estimated that over the typical four-year college lifespan of a Pre-Med Student, the animal will manage to cram at least 50 spiral notebooks of information into its brain. Due to the extreme environmental and educational demands placed upon the Pre-Med Student, many are forced into a life of solitude deep within Noble Library. There they may spend upwards of 12 hours per day studying, free from the distractions of social interaction and personal hygiene. Pre-Med Students are said to be the originators of “sleep-studying,” during which the student falls uncomfortably asleep atop a pile of notes, resulting in both unsatisfactory sleep and wasted study time. The motivations behind these particular brands of self-imposed torture often elude onlookers, but the Pre-Med Student is driven by one primal instinct: To get into the best med school possible.

Appearance

Pre-Med Students change their appearance on the basis of an intra-semester cycle. During normal, off-peak weeks of low-homework volume, they dress and behave just like any other students. However, as midterms draw near and their amount of nightly sleep proportionately shrinks, the Pre-Med Students will adopt comfier and comfier clothing, also abandoning the concept of laundry along the way. The week leading up to the exam, they will resort to simply leaving the house in whatever clothes they “sleep-studied” in. Apart from their physical dress, Pre-Med Students can also be easily identified by their surroundings. Spending nearly 70 percent of their time in class, lab, the library or Chad’s review sessions, Pre-Med Students rarely venture beyond their native habitats. Some final identifying hallmarks of the Pre-Med Student are the mad-scientist white lab coat and goggles — two required articles of ceremonial dress that are proudly worn by some, and quickly stuffed into backpacks by others.

Demeanor

Because of their high-stress existence, Pre-Med Students are often tense, anxious or seemingly manic-depressive (these are all actually just due to varying levels of caffeine). They place themselves under extreme pressure to get accepted at prestigious medical schools, which in turn affects many other aspects of their life. On top of copious academic workloads, these students often choose to take on extracurricular activities, volunteer shifts at local hospitals and other resume-building endeavors. A severe lack of free time is found across all types of Pre-Med Students, but does not necessarily eliminate the possibility of social interaction. While Pre-Med Students are bred for extreme rivalry among one another for top med school spots and secretly hope that all other Pre-Med Students decide to switch to Nursing, they do enjoy fostering friendships with those outside their species. Whether these friendships are genuine or merely exercises in improving bedside manner is sometimes foggy. If looking to begin a friendship or relationship with a Pre-Med Student, one should prepare for frequent attempts at diagnosing personal ailments, mini-nervous breakdowns that coincide with the Organic Chemistry exam schedule and graphic retellings of dissection labs with baby pigs.

Calls of the Wild

“I’ve literally been sitting here studying for 10 hours straight.”

“Sleep? How is sleep going to get me to the Mayo Clinic?”

“I can’t go, I have lab. But I might get out early!”

“But I have to take the $2,000 MCAT course so I can get into the $70,000 med school!”

“I hate this class! Physics/Chemistry/O-Chem doesn’t even have anything to do with medicine.”

“Ok, the book says caffeine is literally like poison. That reminds me, can you toss me a Red Bull?”

“You’re sick? What does it feel like? Don’t worry, I’m pre-med.”

“Do I even want to go to medical school?”

“God, your class sounds so easy.”

While The Campus Safari Guide strives to be the most complete and thorough reference for college-aged animals, it is always changing to reflect the latest research. Any further information regarding this week’s animal? Suggested “Calls of the Wild”? Leave them in the comments below!

1 note pre-med / campus / college / med students / medical school / funny / campus safari guide /