I thought my DVR was supposed to skip commercials

I can think of at least two campaigns now that are asking television viewers to use their DVRs as a tool for watching commercials.

Sprite has a new "Sublymonal" campaign. At the bottom of the screen, there is a tagline stating "DVR Ready." The commercials are a sensory overload of yellow and green images.

For those who decide to dig deeper, Sprite's 30 second media buy has just bought them a couple of minutes with the consumer.  I guess I am supposed to use my DVR to check out what the "sublymonal" message is. No thanks. Sprite is already taking up 30 seconds of my time, I really have no need to give them anymore than that. Sprite is hoping that these ads will increase "interaction between product and consumer. Sorry, I just don't buy it. Crispin Porter did these ads for Sprite.

GE released a similar campaign. It introduced the concept of "One Second Theater" and then in the end of the commercials, had a small piece that was to be viewed with a DVR. They placed this in a great spot in the commercial. At the end of each of GE's television commercials, it quickly shows logos from it's business units: NBC Universal, Healthcare, Ecomagination, and others. If I slow down my tv at this time, I get visuals of each of these logos (and like the Sprite commercial, I spend more time with GE). I like GE's concept more that Sprite's, I just don't know how successful it is. BBDO is doing this campaign for GE.
My guess is that there are not that many people slowing down their commercials.

Time to be a man again

Maybe it's metrosexuals. Maybe it's Esquire, GQ, and Maxim dedicating dozens of pages to men's style. Maybe it is Atkins, Ryan Seacrest, and Queer Eye for the Straight guy. Whatever it is, marketing went the opposite way of the Marlboro Man for a couple of years there. Smart marketers have recognized this void, and they have returned with vigor.

One of my favorite examples of the shift in advertising is the "Man Law" campaign from Miller Brewing. The spot is filmed at a large conference table in the middle of what seems to be a warehouse. One of this intial man laws originated allows a man who brings beer to a party to take one in his pocket with him when he leaves. The ad features men who are known for various types of masculinity. Burt Reynolds, the wrestler "Triple H," Jerome Bettis, and the person I feel to be the manly-est of them all – Aaron Ralston, the Utah hiker who cut off his arm when it was stuck between two boulders in order to save his life, all represent various degrees of our views of masculinity. Miller's campaign was created by The Martin Agency.

Burger King has a new "Manthem" commercial that exemplifies the notion that being a man is at risk, with only a double Whopper there to save us (Go to "Explore BK" and then click on "Cinema"). Crispin Porter created this Burger King commercial.

This Newcastle creative is making the same attempt, but goes one step further as well. It is also making a statement that Newcastle is one of those things some people might not get. This does two things: 1. Makes Newcastle drinkers believe they are part of an exclusive and special club, and 2. Leads others to consider if they are missing something unique by not drinking their beer. This is a successful print ad, if placed in the right spot, as it frames the beer as a man's beer and differentiates the product from anything else out there. But then again, maybe I am a fan of this ad because I am a fan of the beer. I was unable to locate the agency who made this piece.

Major media outlets have also recognized the increase in this type of advertising.

Cheers to Sean for sending me this photo.

“Safe Happens”

I like these. I like that they catch you off guard. I like that they show the airbags deploy and the damaged car at the end. I like that they are new and different. VW must like that people have taken notice.

Here is what I do not like though: I'm not sure that they are looking at the right target market here. Seth Stevenson of Slate makes a great point in his critique of the advert: Young people are not known to make automobile decisions based on the safety features. When were looking for cars, we are looking for the aesthetic. We don't often have families, a fact that probably plays heaviest into our lack of regard for the safety features. Too bad the poorly selling Phaeton didn't win this crash test award.

However, this may help VW in the future. Volvo has a stronghold currently on the Safety side of the market. With VW positioning itself as the leader, many of us may remember these remarkable commercials when we start buying child seats along with our cars.

There is a great Business Week article about the rebirth of the VW brand and its agency's current work for the company.

Agency: Crispin Porter