Hall of Fame Archives - Media Guy Struggles https://mediaguystruggles.com/category/hall-of-fame/ The Media Guy. Screenwriter. Photographer. Emmy Award-winning Dreamer. Magazine editor. Ad Exec. A new breed of Mad Men. Thu, 06 Feb 2020 06:28:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://mediaguystruggles.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/MEDIA-GUY-1-100x100.png Hall of Fame Archives - Media Guy Struggles https://mediaguystruggles.com/category/hall-of-fame/ 32 32 221660568 AD OF THE WEEK/MONTH/WHATEVER: Heinz Oscars Snub https://mediaguystruggles.com/ad-of-the-week-month-whatever-heinz-oscars-snub/ https://mediaguystruggles.com/ad-of-the-week-month-whatever-heinz-oscars-snub/#respond Thu, 06 Feb 2020 06:28:00 +0000 http://mediaguystruggles.com/2020/02/06/ad-of-the-week-month-whatever-heinz-oscars-snub/ Heinz ketchup has joined the growing list of stars who are frustrated with being snubbed at the Oscars. I’m not kidding here. After hundreds of appearances in movies, Kraft Heinz Canada has propelled a humorous campaign into social media and it left me wondering why I didn’t come up with this myself. With the Oscars […]

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Heinz ketchup has joined the growing list of stars who are frustrated with being snubbed at the Oscars. I’m not kidding here. After hundreds of appearances in movies, Kraft Heinz Canada has propelled a humorous campaign into social media and it left me wondering why I didn’t come up with this myself. With the Oscars only a few days away and all of the normal buzz about snubs, Heinz’s campaign includes a brilliant spot highlighting all the cameos the iconic condiment has made in movies over the decades. It even included trying to get an official Heinz page up on IMDB.

Heinz Canada worked with the Rethink Toronto to put up an IMDB page but it was ultimately removed.

All this did was which further Heinz’s tongue-in-cheek outrage and generated a ton of free press. With IMDB playing right into its marketing plan, Heinz is asking its fans to look for the ketchup in movies and share them on their social feeds in exchange for free ketchup. Don’t offer a ketchup lover freebies because they will go seven extra miles to get the thick red stuff., with the promise of free ketchup for those who take part.

Take a look at the brilliance of this commercial:

This according to Brian Neumann, senior brand manager of condiments at Kraft Heinz Canada:

“Award season is an occasion that gets everyone talking. As we look to deliver more contextually relevant and timely content to our consumers, we wanted to find a way to join the conversation. Nothing speaks more to the iconic nature of Heinz Ketchup than our appearances in countless films. This felt like the perfect time to reward our fans for spotting us in their favorite movies”

Rethink Toronto’s creative director Mike Dubrick told the Clio Muse:

“Heinz is front and center in some of the biggest movies and greatest scenes of all time. It’s one of those things that once you notice it, you can’t stop seeing it. As we were looking for ways to further cement the brand’s iconic status, it just felt right. If Wilson the volleyball gets in the credits, why shouldn’t Heinz?” 

It’s true, Wilson the Volleyball does have his own IMDB page.

The campaign’s massive response from fans has been nothing short of impressive. How will it all end? Who know, but for now, I’ll have what she’s having…



CREDITS
Spot Title: Heinz On Film
Creative Director: Mike Dubrick, Nicolas Quintal
Art Director: Hayley Hinkley, Vanessa Harbec
Writer: Jacquelyn Parent, Matthieu Lacombe

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The Best and the Worst of the Super Bowl LIV Commercials https://mediaguystruggles.com/the-best-and-the-worst-of-the-super-bowl-liv-commercials/ https://mediaguystruggles.com/the-best-and-the-worst-of-the-super-bowl-liv-commercials/#respond Mon, 03 Feb 2020 21:20:00 +0000 http://mediaguystruggles.com/2020/02/03/the-best-and-the-worst-of-the-super-bowl-liv-commercials/ Photo: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images Okay, so where am I? Let’s just say that The Comeback Chiefs just scored three touchdowns in the final few minutes in Miami to earn their first Super Bowl win in 50 years. That ought to narrow it all down. On Sunday, huge brands like Tide and Pepsi once again spent […]

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Photo: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

Okay, so where am I?

Let’s just say that The Comeback Chiefs just scored three touchdowns in the final few minutes in Miami to earn their first Super Bowl win in 50 years. That ought to narrow it all down.

On Sunday, huge brands like Tide and Pepsi once again spent millions of dollars from their advertising budgets. As a matter of fact, advertising for the game sold out before the end of November at a price tag of $5.6 million for a 30-second commercial. The demand for Super Bowl ad was so strong this year that Fox added two-and-a-half minutes of commercial time to the telecast. And, if you have the cash, why not advertising in the biggest television event of the year? Look at these numbers:

The Super Bowl averaged 101.369 million viewers (Fox + streaming). Up from 98.5 million viewers last year on CBS+streaming

— Austin Karp (@AustinKarp) February 3, 2020

The figure point to a 5.5% increase over the 2019 game, in spite of a 5% audience decline for last year’s It’s important to note that live sports have held their own against the rising tide of video streaming that has divide viewers’ collective attention away from traditional satellite and cable television. The result is the National Football League’s enduring strength against other programming. Simply stated, it is more valuable than ever to advertisers.

To note, the $5.6 million cost for a 30-second spot to a colossal leap over the cost for the same amount of time for the the big game in 1967. In 1967, ads for the first-ever Super Bowl cost anywhere from $37,500  to $42,500, while 1995 marked the first year that the average cost crossed into the millions, when 30-second ads sold for $1.15 million.

So who scored and who fumbled this year?

WINNERS

Google
“Loretta”

If you didn’t cry or pretend you weren’t you might not actually be human.

Hyundai
“Smaht Pahk”

Making fun of Boston and New York accepts has become part of the of the lexicon pop culture. Boston natives John Krasinski, Chris Evans, and Rachel Dratch drive it home.

Dashlane
“Password Paradise”

Death on the River Styx is the perfect apt metaphor for those regular occurrences when you need to gain access to your online accounts. Shoot it just happened to me trying to get into my American Airlines frequent flyer portal…and the exact same questions were asked in the exact same order. Goodness gracious, on relatability scale, they were spot on (and quite humorous about it all too.)

Amazon
“What Did We Do Before Alexa?”

When Ellen DeGeneres asks Portia de Rossi “What did we do before Alexa?” I was a little dubious. But once the newsy makes his fake news joke, they had me.

Jeep 
“Groundhog Day”

An ode to the classic with a fresh spin…plus a superb ending.

Today isn’t just Game Day. It’s Groundhog Day. Watch Bill Murray in the Jeep “Groundhog Day” commercial featuring the 2020 Jeep Gladiator. #JeepGroundhogDay pic.twitter.com/R3xn6PC7Ro

— Jeep (@Jeep) February 2, 2020

LOSERS

Audi
“Audi Presents: Let It Go”

The Frozen ear worm “Let It Go” anthem doesn’t fit the message quite as well as Audi imagines it does. What a waste of Maisie Williams and 5.6 million dollars. Next time call the Media Guy, Audi. I can save you eight to ten million in production, royalty charges, and actor’s fees.

Avocados from Mexico 
“The Avocados from Mexico Shopping Network”

Pool floats? Baby carriers? Luggage? All of these things can be purchased on the Avocados From Mexico Shopping Network? Do we even care where our avocados come from as long as they aren’t $3.99 each? This one was a loser from the moment it was greenlit from the storyboards.

Tide
“Laundry Later”

Charlie Day is the freakout actor of his generation. Tide dropped at least $22 million on their four spots. I like the concepts, but it wasn’t particularly Clio Award worthy.

Proctor & Gamble
“When We Come Together”

No shortage of star power here. After the clever spilled chili open, it was literally a mess to watch.

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GREENLIT! A New Media Guy Book https://mediaguystruggles.com/greenlit-a-new-media-guy-book/ https://mediaguystruggles.com/greenlit-a-new-media-guy-book/#respond Thu, 05 Dec 2019 00:33:00 +0000 http://mediaguystruggles.com/2019/12/05/greenlit-a-new-media-guy-book/ Okay, so where am I? I am doing a little happy dance because I’ve been GREENLIT! Yes indeed, my little pitch about writing a book on the wacky, wild, and sometimes great Kontinental Hockey League has been accepted for a 2021 publish date by Penguin Random House Canada. I mean, who would have thought that […]

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Okay, so where am I?

I am doing a little happy dance because I’ve been GREENLIT!

Yes indeed, my little pitch about writing a book on the wacky, wild, and sometimes great Kontinental Hockey League has been accepted for a 2021 publish date by Penguin Random House Canada.

I mean, who would have thought that a 2018 side trip to CKSA Ice Arena in Moscow and a chance meeting with Igor would have produced a 2021-word article in my regular Jewels From The Crown (an LA Kings blog) spot and led to one of its most read columns in recent years. That success gave me the courage to pitch my book and low and behold, my author’s acceptance arrived nearly a year later.

Now the hard work begins, finishing the actual book. Mark Twain famously said, “Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.” A comic he was…

The difficult part of writing a book isn’t getting published, it’s the actual writing and the self analysis that comes with it. As an author of multiple books, I can tell you without hesitation that the hardest part of a writer’s job is hunkering down to do the work. Books don’t just write themselves, you know. Sweat equity is the key. You must invest your entire being into creating your important piece of work.

For years, I dreamed of being a writer. Mostly for television and then for newspapers. I knew in my soul I had vital things to say that the world wanted to hear. But as I look back on what it actually takes to become an author, I realize that the process doesn’t always mesh with expectations.

To start with, you don’t just sit down to write a book like Paul Sheldon does in a cabin in Misery. That’s not how writing works. It begins with writing a sentence, then a paragraph, then maybe if you’re in a groove, an entire chapter. Writing happens in fits and starts, in bits and pieces. It’s a process. It’s the art of sculpting fog.

The way you get the work done is not complicated. You take one step at a time, then another and another. As I look back on the books I’ve written, I can see how the way they were made was not as glamorous as I once thought.

I did discover that writing in the same place every time spurred great words, incredible sentences, and better paragraphs. It doesn’t matter if it’s your patio or a a sauna or the backseat of your car, it really just needs to be a different space from where you do your other activities. Make your writing spot a special space, so that when you enter it, you’re ready to find that inner inspiration. It should reaffirm you of your commitment to finish.

Another important thing to keep in mind is the total word count. You should already see the light at the end of the tunnel. Here is a quick guide to what word ranges mean in terms of what you will get at the end of your writing:

  • 10,000 words = a pamphlet or business white paper. Read time = 30-60 minutes.
  • 20,000 words = short eBook or manifesto. The Communist Manifesto is an example of this, at about 18,000 words. Read time = 1-2 hours.
  • 40,000-60,000 words = standard nonfiction book / novella. The Great Gatsby is an example of this. Read time = three to four hours.
  • 60,000-80,000 words = long nonfiction book / standard-length novel. Most Malcolm Gladwell books fit in this range. Read time = four to six hours.
  • 80,000-100,000 words = very long nonfiction book / long novel. The Four-Hour Work Week falls in this range.
  • 100,000+ words = epic-length novel / academic book / biography. Read time = six to eight hours. The Steve Jobs biography would fit this category.

In the end, the hardest part is really getting the book deal but the real work is turning a 2000-word column into a 100,000 word novel. Wish me luck

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Team with the Royals to Boost your Brand https://mediaguystruggles.com/team-with-the-royals-to-boost-your-brand/ https://mediaguystruggles.com/team-with-the-royals-to-boost-your-brand/#respond Thu, 02 May 2019 13:10:00 +0000 http://mediaguystruggles.com/2019/05/02/team-with-the-royals-to-boost-your-brand/ Okay so where am I? I just opened the mail and declared that sometimes the USPS delivers some pretty things! In today’s mail was lovely letter from the 25th Annual Communicator Awards honoring excellence in Marketing and Communications. Whenever you get a letter from an awarding body that starts with “CONGRATULATIONS!” it’s got to be […]

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Okay so where am I?

I just opened the mail and declared that sometimes the USPS delivers some pretty things! In today’s mail was lovely letter from the 25th Annual Communicator Awards honoring excellence in Marketing and Communications. Whenever you get a letter from an awarding body that starts with “CONGRATULATIONS!” it’s got to be good. In this case it was better. My recent work earned their Award of Excellence (top award) in the Marketing Effectiveness category. Needless to say, I am thrilled beyond belief.

This got me thinking about personal branding and branding in general. You know who has great branding? The Royal Family of England, that’s who.

Did you know that the Royal Family has its own website? They do. The address is “royal.uk” (catchy, right?), and it’s not your typical government website. While “whitehouse.gov” has some character, in terms of charm and personality, it pales in comparison to our UK counterpart.

According to Business Inside the Royal Family was worth just under $90 billion—contributing roughly $2.4 billion to the UK economy each year—though after the birth of Prince Louis and after Prince Harry’s recent nuptials, the dynasty’s value has undoubtedly surged.

Even more staggering than the family’s monetary value is their soaring popularity. In an age when the word “monarchy” feels archaic and out-of-style, Elizabeth II and her heirs maintain a massive global audience, and that acclaimed Netflix series devoted to The Queen. You could say Nielsen data don’t lie: Meghan and Harry’s wedding was watched by more than 29 million viewers in the U.S. alone. The Super Bowl might have them beat (the most recent bowl amassed over 103 million), but most brands would kill for that many spectators spread across 15 separate networks.

Most of the fascination is due to the fairy tale nature of it all and the desperate need for escapist television in this highly political (see: contentious) era. But we can’t ignore the fact that the Royal Family has cultivated this business for decades, and their branding is intentional and strategic. So, while your company may not reap the benefits of being one of the most iconic families in modern day history, there are still some things to learn from the Royals.

The Media Guy might know a thing or two about the Royals.

Up Close and Personal —More than anything, the Royal Family website is unabashedly personal, rife with smiling close-ups of the principal cast of characters. The site depicts the Queen and the rest of the royal cast as outgoing, generally cheery people who happen to exist in this opulent setting. It reinforces the argument that businesses should not back away from personality; the more your customers learn about you and your team on a personal level, the more trust they’ll develop in your brand. Whether you write copy in the first person, offer up opinions in your tweets, or publish your personal excursions on Instagram, you’ll inadvertently give your brand some much-needed authenticity.

Media Matters —The Royal Family’s site is not elaborate by any means, but it is populated with rich, varied content. The photos are a blend of formal, casual and candid, while the videos depict major milestones, provide unique perspectives on televised events, and offer behind-the-scenes looks at the happenings around Buckingham and Windsor. Scrolling through, you’re reminded how much we rely on visuals to fully understand a brand.

Luxury Hasn’t Died, It Has Evolved —When the Luxury Marketing Council Worldwide gathered at Manhattan’s Pierre Hotel in 2018, the powers that be determined, not surprisingly, that modern luxury is all about “experience.” Scanning their well-curated Instagram page, it’s no doubt that the marketing masters behind the Royal Family are intent on delivering precisely that. From YouTube videos of Kate’s charitable acts to shots of Prince Harry high-fiving crowds of fans on the street… with each post, the Royal Family proves that luxury is about delivering riveting, relevant experiences and convincing your customers that they’re living each one firsthand.

Infusing your brand with personality can feel like a major risk. Your instinct might be that “personal” and “business” don’t mix…or that your daily life is not relevant to the products or services you’re offering. Trust the Media Guy, research shows that modern consumers want to know the names and faces behind their jeans, their socks, their music streaming services, and, if the Queen herself can pose for the occasional publicity photo and share her experiences with millions of viewers around the globe, then we can all do the same.

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Top 10 Local Los Angeles Television Commercials of the 1970s https://mediaguystruggles.com/top-10-local-los-angeles-television-commercials-of-the-1970s/ https://mediaguystruggles.com/top-10-local-los-angeles-television-commercials-of-the-1970s/#respond Wed, 13 Mar 2019 14:47:00 +0000 http://mediaguystruggles.com/2019/03/13/top-10-local-los-angeles-television-commercials-of-the-1970s/ Okay, so where am I? I just finished my judging assignment for the Telly Awards and while there are so great spots deserving of some of the top spots, most left my wanting for a bygone era where commercials that I watched on independent local Los Angeles channels inspired me to become one of those […]

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Okay, so where am I?

I just finished my judging assignment for the Telly Awards and while there are so great spots deserving of some of the top spots, most left my wanting for a bygone era where commercials that I watched on independent local Los Angeles channels inspired me to become one of those Madison Avenue ad men.

As an 11-time winner, I am Proud to serve as a #Telly Jury Council Member for the @tellyawards 40th anniversary, and lend my insights to help review this year’s best video work! There’s still time to enter your work too. ➡https://t.co/QoA4udO00X pic.twitter.com/3HnxclrlXh

— Michael Lloyd (@MarketingVIP) February 19, 2019

The 1970s had some iconic local spots and I would watch the ABC Afternoon Movie of the Day mostly to watch the commercials before homework, chores and cooking (yes, I was the de facto chef for multiple households back then. The afternoon movie was a popular practice of local television stations from the 1950s through the 1970s, consisting of the daily weekday showing of old films usually between 4:30 and 6:30 P.M. If the film ran two hours or more, it was split into two parts (to be continued really stunk before DVRs and VCRs).

I needed a fix, so I compiled a near complete list of the best commercial spots to appear in Los Angeles in my formative years. My trip down memory lane produced 11 commercials. The dialogue from the last spot will blow you away.

Enjoy the good times…

Number 1
Universal Studios Tour
Featuring Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock freaked me out, but always got my attention. His celebrity knew no boundaries having cameos in all of his movies and a creepy voice to boot. I lived literally across the street from Universal Studios and I wanted to go there every time I saw this ad; and why wouldn’t I? To keep up the entertainment value of the tour (and to compete with Disneyland), Universal Studios adding fixed attractions to the tour, beginning with the Flash Flood in 1968, the Parting of the Red Sea (from The Ten Commandments and, uh, the Bible) in 1973, the Collapsing Bridge in 1974, and the Ice Tunnel in 1975. In 1976, Universal added what would become its biggest tour attraction to that date: Jaws. Based on Steven Spielberg’s break-out hit Jaws recreated the village of Amity from the movie, with a 25-foot animatronic shark emerging from the water to attack the tram.

Number 2
Zachary All
I swear this spot ran during every other commercial break. Edward G. Nalbandian was the clothing king of the Miracle Mile. His storefront was the stuff of legend.

Number 3
Earl Sheib Auto Painting
He could paint any car, any time, for $49.95…and $10 free metal work. Who could say no to this offer?
Number 4
Cal Worthington “My Dog Spot”
For nearly a twenty-five years, from the 1960s until the 1990s, Worthington ran a series of offbeat television and radio advertisements for his auto dealerships patterned loosely after the pioneering “oddball” advertisements of Earl “Madman” Muntz. They began as a parody of a competitor who appeared in advertisements with a puppy recently adopted from the pound. They were known as the “My Dog Spot” ads because each commercial would introduce “Cal Worthington and his dog Spot!” However, the “dog” was never a dog. In most cases, it was an exotic animal being led around on a leash, such as a tiger or elephant.

Number 5
RTD
The bus system in Los Angeles produced a commercial that fed on the stereotypes of LA traffic. Funny thing about this ad is that if you rode the bus you would still have sit in traffic. But that didn’t matter if an alluring model fed you a breakfast apple from the seat next to you and if you were easily saving a thousand dollars a year!
Number 6
Jerseymaid Singing Cows
A catchy country tune straight from the farm would have you imitating this spot at recess the next day at school. But why didn’t they have chocolate frozen yogurt and only strawberry. No kid ever ate strawberry. I never got an answer.
Number 7
Aames Home Loan
Character actor Patrick Campbell was forever in trouble with his finances and always accompanied by his faithful chicken. I bet I saw this spot fifteen hundred times in the seventies to the point where I could still remember this entire spot, word for word. Look at the way the copy flows from the announcer’s voice:

If you’ve got problems and you feel like there’s no relief in sight…
Get out the yellow pages because there somebody in there who can help you borrow thousands of dollars on your home.

Aames Home Loan.

Number 8
Pup ‘n’ Taco Train
One of the first cheap fast-food chains to integrate American food and Mexican food on their menus, the media buyers at Pup ‘n’ Taco practically invented the remnant spot with their :10 second commercials that drove you back into your regular-scheduled programming. More bang for your buck. Taco Bell scooped up their 99 locations in 1984 and they ceased operations. 
Number 9
Continental Airlines Wide Body DC-10
Featuring Vin Scully

Smooth as silk, Vin takes you from the ballpark seats to airline seats. Great copy is the touchtone for the spokesperson commercial in this one.

Number 10
Swanson Hungry-Man Dinner
Featuring Steve Garvey and Tommy LaSorda of the Dodgers

I don’t know what the record is for holding a product close to your face in a television commercial, but this one has to be at the top of the charts.

Honorable Mention
Must Inappropriate Dialogue of All Time
Ralph Williams Bay Shore Car
Although from Northern California, Ralph got his start in Los Angeles and this is an all-time classic that really aired:

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