Who's the VO on the Chrysler Super Bowl spot featuring Eminem? Think Local.

Guesses have ranged from Robert De Niro to Eminem himself. But it looks like they hired Rockford, Michigan-based voice-over talent Kevin Yon. Extra points for keeping it local, Chrysler!

Now if only I could tell you that one of the many great Michigan-based ad agencies made the spot -- that would have a lovely ending to this "imported from Detroit" story.  (The talented folks at Wieden & Kennedy from Portland, OR made the spot.)

Best Buy a Freshman in the Super Bowl Ad Circus

Did you know that Best Buy has never run a commercial during the Super Bowl? That's a bit surprising given that they seem like a good fit for the Super Bowl ad line up with their myriad of home entertainment systems and big screen TVs.

This year they're joining the circus because Best Buy has big news to share.

They plan to kick off a campaign with a :30 Super Bowl spot that will run throughout the year. Drew Panayiotou, Sr. VP of U.S. Marketing says Best Buy is going to "revolutionize" retailing in one 30 second spots (Really?). Panayiotou also says, "the ad may include a noteworthy celebrity or two." Hmmmm.
Wonder who those will be?

The spot is currently projected to run in the third quarter of the game.

Image: Salvatore Vuono/freedigitalphotos.net

Source:
Best Buy to Make First Super Bowl Appearance, adage.com, 12/3/10    

Has VW already won the Super Bowl ad war?

There seems to be a front runner for the winning Super Bowl ad from VW. Fans of the ad say the "brilliance about the commercial is that it really isn't an advert for a car at all, but more about the imagination of a child playing at being Darth Vader."

Posted on YouTube earlier this week the spot already has over 6 million views.

What do you think - does Volkswagen have a winner?
http://bit.ly/e0j2z3


Image: germancarblog.com 

Sources:
Volkswagen Star Wars Super Bowl Advert, breakingglobalnews.com, 2/4/11 

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Munich's $6 Million Return

After a 10 year hiatus from the Super Bowl, luxury auto manufacturer BMW is jumping back into the year's biggest advertising showcase with both feet.

At a cost of at least $6 million ($3 million/30 seconds), BMW is coming back to the Super Bowl with two commercials and an integrated Facebook contest. Considering what's at stake in the coming year, BMW feels that $6 million will be well worth it.

"We're in the window of our biggest launch period in history and the Super Bowl gives us the stage to make that big impact," BMW Marketing Communications Manager Stacy Morris told Ad Age in December.

Approximately 60% of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG's model lineup is brand new between 2010 and 2011. While we don't know how many of those new vehicles will make it in front of Super Bowl viewers, thanks to Facebook, we do know that the BMW X3 will.

Hoping to increase anticipation for the commercial and increase Facebook likes, the Munich-based manufacturer began promoting a contest on the social media site a few weeks back that offers a grand prize of a free, two-year lease on a BMW X3 to the person who correctly guesses all of the options that will be included on the Super Bowl-featured X3. In exchange, contestants must let BMW access all their Facebook information and network information.

Will this turn off prospective buyers? Would it turn you off?


Source: BMW to Make Super Bowl Comeback After 10 Years, adage.com, 12/2/10

Pepsi Max Teams up with Doritos to "Crash the Super Bowl"

Last year Pepsi opted out of advertising in the Super Bowl and focused their $20 million efforts on The Pepsi Refresh Project, the much-celebrated program that awards grants for programs to bring great ideas into communities across the country. This year Pepsi Max will team up with their sister brand Doritos in the Crash the Super Bowl consumer-generated ad contest. Doritos has been running the contest since 2007.

Past ads have been enjoyable: Do you remember the young man who told his mother's too-excited date to  "keep your hands off my mamma, keep your hands off my Doritos?"

Or how about the naughty gym rats who steal Tim's bag of Doritos encouraging Tim to don a Samurai suit made of Doritos while flinging the triple pointed nacho chips at the thieves?

Get ready for six more spots this year. Out of 5,600 entries this year, the winners have already been chosen but only six spots will air during the big game: 3 for Pepsi Max and 3 for Doritos.

Check your advertising savvy and see if you can spot the winners out of the finalists here:
http://www.crashthesuperbowl.com/# 

Image: Paul/freedigitalphotos.net

Source:
Three Lessons from Pepsi's Super Bowl XLV Ad Campaign, forbes.com, 2/1/11

Betty White and Beer - Ad Recap from Super Bowl XLIV

Cool cars, crappy jobs, men, emasculated men, men in underwear, chips, Google, Tim Tebow, Danica Patrick, Charles Barkley, Betty White and of course, beer - lots of beer.

The XLIV Super Bowl brought us all kinds of commercials. Some were outstanding, some...not so much.

Because the past is prelude, warm up for this year's Super Bowl ads by taking a look back at last year's spots. Advertising Age has conveniently archived them here. When you're done, join SBC Advertising on Facebook and Twitter during the game to comment on this year's commercials or compare them to last year's.

Will any live up to Google's Parisian Love? We'll see.  

Image: dailyvsvidz.com 

Sources:
Watch all of the Super Bowl XLIV Ads Here, adage.com, 2/7/10  

A Sweet Valentine's Story (for retailers)

According to the National Retail Foundation's 2011 Valentine's Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, consumer spending will continue through Valentine's Day this year bringing the holiday total to an estimated $15.7 billion. Couples will not only be doting on each other, the average man spending twice as much as the average woman, but will also be generous with friends and co-workers in addition to Fido, Spot and Whiskers. 

With Valentine's Day two weeks away, will you have your heart or your cash (perhaps both) 

in your hand?

• Couples this year will spend an average of $68.98 on significant others or spouses, up from $63.43  last year
• The average man plans to spend $158.71 while the average woman plans to spend $75.79

• The average person will spend:
• $116.21 on traditional Valentine's Day merchandise up 11% over last year's $103
• $5.04 on pets up from $3.27 last year  

• Consumers will spend an average of:
• $6.30 on friends
• $4.97 on classmates and teachers
• $3.41 on co-workers

52.1% of consumers are planning to purchase greeting cards, the most popular gift option, while 17.7% of consumers are planning to purchase jewelry, up from 15.5% from last year

• Consumers are planning to spend on:
• Shiny, happy...ears, fingers and necks?
• $3.5 billion on jewelry up from an estimated $3.0 billion from last year
• $3.4 billion on dining out up from $3.3 billion last year
• $1.6 billion on clothing up from $1.5 billion last year

• Stop and smell spend money on the roses
• $1.7 billion on flowers
• $1.5 billion on candy
• $1.1 billion on greeting cards

• Where will consumers spend their heart-earned money?
• 36.6% discount stores
• 30.5% department stores
• 19.4% specialty stores
• 18.1% online

• Greeting Card Fun Facts
• According to the Greeting Card Association, as estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year (behind Christmas)
• Approximately 80% of all valentines are purchased by women
• In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia

• A Little History
• Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, although written valentines didn't emerge until after 1400
• The oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum
• The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840's by Esther A. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine
• Howland produced handiwork with lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap"

Image:Patchareeya99 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net/freedigitalphotos.net

Sources:
Love Is In the Air this Valentine's Day According to NRF, nrf.com, 1/27/11
About Greeting Cards - General Facts, greetingcard.org
Valentine's Day, history.com