I remember watching the Super Bowl and seeing that “Jake From State Farm” commercial for the very first time. I knew what I was seeing would be my hell for the next several years. Now I am almost 21 and people still bug me about it. I don’t mind it, it was a funny commercial, the only thing is that it is now tainted, replaced by a failed actor.
Here are my gripes with ads now. Ads used to be funny or challenging. They used to create conversation and controversy. I used to think it was stupid if you were alienating a portion of your customers, but I understood that it was a marketing tactic to start conversation and get sales. Now ads have become so boring and cooperate. The easiest example is the original Jake From State farm commercial vs. the new one.
The original was funny because it was some normal, random guy that worked in a normal box office. Now, its a failed actor that works in a set. There isn’t really a punchline to the new one, the office is no longer normal, and they changed the end, most likely to avoid any gender cancellations.
I only care about this because when I am watching College Football and the same whopper ad comes on every 5 minutes with the guy singing then I see Patrick Mahomes and Jake, it starts to drive me insane. Remember the skittles ad where the guy turned everything he touched into skittles? It was funny, dark, and sad all at the same time and I still remember it. New commercials are so bland that the only thing I can remember about them is how bland it is.
Ads are making me go insane and I cannot imagine how these companies are making any money from it other than just showing their ad on a screen. I would make any company way more money with my common sense guide to creating interest.
- Create beef with competitors. Call out the opps with an ad that tells them they are garbage in any way. If you are going to go this route, go all the way. It is illegal to call them out directly, but having a fake, but similar brand will protect you. This will offend some people, but it is entertaining, and people like the controversy.
- Make jokes that aren’t garbage. Make it pointed towards somebody or something. People will remember this.
- Make the viewer feel any emotion whatsoever. Ads now make the viewer feel nothing. Change that. Make the commercial depressing if you have to. Remember the Sarah Mclachlan about the animals? Of course you do, everybody does. It sticks with people.
- Don’t hire people that degree in marketing. Clearly something in school is not working in that field. Hire somebody that is known for making great TV shows, as ads in TV shows are more memorable then ads on TV.
Here is an ad idea off the top of my head. It shows the life of an M&M in the factory in a similar manner to how the “Life of a bullet” scene plays out in the movie Lord of War. The M&M comes out of the factory, into store shelves. A kid starts crying and a mother picks up the bag. The bag goes home and is spilled. The dog starts sniffing and eats a couple of M&Ms. The M&M gets eaten by a dog. The dog is sent to a vet. As the family is crying the dog vomits it up. The M&M gets tossed in the trash and some punch line at the end plays. Something along the lines of “Treats for humans, not animals” or “Enjoyed by all but dogs”. I made this commercial in 5 minutes and its better than most out there. It is funny to hear the kid crying and the mom picking up the bag shortly after, sad when the dog eats it, gross when the dog vomits it back up but relieving.
This ad would never get accepted as it would “possibly tarnish the brand reputation” but that is what needs to happen or else brands will continue to get a low amount of sales for how much they are running the ads.
Or, maybe these ads work. The boring, bland ads could be working and we are the problem. If that is the case then humanity is doomed because the ads that play now make me fall asleep. Only Phil Swift telling me what new Flex products will get my attention. He will take us to the moon with Flexglue to show that it works.
Thanks for not being so boring Phil. Sorry for dissing you Jake. It isn’t you that chooses the script.
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