Team Take: 2023 Marketing Ads — A Millennial’s Wet Dream (By Nicole F.)
As we all know, Millennials are becoming the future Gen Xers. Boomers are dying out (morbid thought but imperative to mention) and Gen Xers are of the age or becoming of the age where they’re not as prevalent in society as they once were. We’re the generation becoming the new bosses, the workers in their late twenties, thirties, and early forties. We’re the consumers that are making big purchases, that have experienced the errors of generations past, and who are currently living through those errors.
However, we’re also the generation attempting to prevent a repeat of our parents’ mistakes — more so than any other generation before us. So that’s a lot of work we’re taking on: breaking generational habits and progressing society positively. Naturally, marketing strategies for companies need to keep up, but what’s one thing they can rely on? Millennials and our love for the ’90s and 2000s.
I think a majority of our society loves this era because we were able to have fun and experiment in ways that weren’t the norm for older generations. We had progressive fashion, fun toys, and technology, although the technology wasn’t as accessible and intricately woven into society as it is today. So how do companies successfully tap into that carefree feeling? Through pop culture, of course.
I’m convinced pop culture didn’t have as big of a footprint for previous generations that it has for us Millenials. Companies are taking that into consideration and are essentially praying on our weakness because..capitalism. Take, for example, the Rakuten ad from Super Bowl Sunday. What did it showcase? One of the most impressionable movies from the ’90s, Clueless.
Here’s why it was successful, in my opinion. They leaned on the characters, the scenes (when Cher chooses her outfits through that simulator? Iconic.), and the dilemma between saving money and wanting nice things. So, what better character(s) to feature than those in Clueless? It creates a desire to be back in our tweens, teens, and childhoods, where we didn’t have to face the struggles of inflation, corruption, or just an overall feeling of jadedness that we have today.
I think this type of marketing has never been as obvious as it is now. Or maybe I’ve never been this analytical until I started working at a marketing agency. Although what you won’t catch me saying anytime soon is, “Back in the good old days,” because our generation won’t strive to be back in the past. Instead, we’ll celebrate it for what it was and enjoy it while we can, but what we’re working towards is a future that’s “too school for cool” — thanks Pink — for the younger generations to come.
So kudos to you Rakuten, or Rakuten’s marketing team. You’ve got me pinned, I downloaded your app. Now, where’s my fashion simulator?
Team Take: This Year’s Winner Of The Super-est Super Spot® Is… (By Kenny)
The Super Bow–…eh, I mean The BIG Game arrives each February, and part of the grand tradition that is Super Bo-(sigh…goddammit) NFL Championship Weekend is the festive gathering of friends, foes, families, and fans each year. It doesn’t matter if your team is in it (although it sure does crank the experience up to 11 if they are) or even if you have a team, really. What matters is the good time with great company. Regardless of what teams are playing or which one ultimately gets to hoist the Lombardi trophy at the end of the contest, the real winners are the fans… brand fans.
The other game that is going on during the S**** B*** is the game for advertising bragging rights. Each year, corporate sponsors roll the dice and gamble BIG money on advertising and marketing during the broadcast. In an age where commercials are usually skipped as soon as the option becomes available or virtually omitted altogether with subscriptions or software, the annual tradition of group consumption and judgment of the way brands choose to advertise has continued on. This is the only time of year that viewers actually look forward to advertisements interrupting the main event and the stakes are never higher for advertisers than they are during that super special Sunday each February.
The expectations are always high, and both the production and talent shoot for the stars, boosted by budgets that stretch even the most liberal accounting departments’ purse strings. Co-workers are just as (if not more) likely to discuss which commercial was the most memorable as they are about what they thought of the halftime performance or the outcome of the game. It’s a phenomenon that has been as big a part of the Super experience as the actual game itself.
So which Super Spot® was the winner this year? For me, it was a spot that came on during the 4th quarter, that directly followed a dramatic game-tying touchdown with only a few minutes remaining in the game. High drama and world-class athleticism were on full display and the crowd whipped into an uncontrollable frenzy. What could be done to calm the coming storm of the finale? It would need to have that special combination of quality production, a surprise cameo, and a roller coaster of emotions to take me away from the drama of the game itself.
This is the classic recipe for a great Super Spot®. This is the way.
The “Buschhhhhhhhhhhhh” can pop and mountain man character aren’t new concepts for A-B InBev’s 5th most popular beer in its stable, but they certainly let their ad team take it to the next level with this entry. Kicking off a campaign based on The Busch Guide, they chose Canadian legend Sarah Mclaughlin as their comedic twist — using her 1997 hit “Angel” to misinterpret the Busch Guy’s declaration about food, drink, and “shelter” (queue the music), and encourage us (once again) to send “just dollars a day” to pluck our heartstrings and coax us into helping our local animal shelters.
It was a fun spot on a night full of good efforts, and this year’s winner of the Super-est of Super Spots® award from yours truly. I think I’ll go see if I can help get Buschhhhhhhhhhhhh Lite past their sibling “Natty” Light in the A-B InBev hierarchy. Can’t wait to watch the commercials next February. Actually, I’m pretty sure I can.
Team Take: The Super Bowl Sprints to the Past with a Heaping Spoonful of Nostalgia (By Ryan)
Alright, the Super Bowl concluded last night and I no longer have to listen to very loud and overconfident Eagles fans boast about their team for another year (although I do have to hear them complain about officiating). I was at a neighbor’s house for the first half taking notes on, well… Apple’s Notes app until I decided I needed someplace warmer and someplace quieter to finish my scrutinization of advertising’s big night. So without further ado, the ad that I will be unpacking in this particular blog will be none other than the debut trailer for “The Flash” (Sorry Avocados From Mexico. You were a close second, and you always do such a terrific job.).
Michael. Fucking. Keaton. Need I say more? I don’t, but I will. That’s right, this movie is called “The Flash,” and the thing that grabbed me the most was Michael Keaton (looking spry in his old age with some movie magic) reprising his role as Batman. For those of you that don’t know, Batman is the first movie that I ever saw in a movie theater in 1989. I had to be accompanied by my older cousin because it was PG-13 (I felt very cool). Another fun fact, The Flash is my favorite superhero. This movie already has a lot going for it.
On the downside, when I initially watched Ezra Miller as The Flash in a previous movie, I thought his running mechanics looked very robotic for a hero whose powers rely on speed — and running plays a big part in that. Can we get the kid a running coach or something? One thing that I did think he nailed flawlessly was Barry’s wisecracking nature that I enjoyed during the Justice League animated series. This iteration seems to focus on Barry’s ability to travel through time (cosmic treadmill requirement?), so there will be at least two Barry Allens. I think I also saw Grant Gustin from The Flash TV series on the CW make an appearance in the IMDB credits, and I hope that’s true because he was amazing in that show and I was a huge advocate for him making a leap to the silver screen in that role. Similarly, my hero Bruce Wayne will have several actors playing him throughout the DC multiverse since the trailer showed at least Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck (Batfleck) will be present, and there’s speculation that Christian Bale may also be in this one as well.
Michael Keaton’s voiceover at the beginning of the trailer poses a question to Barry asking why he chooses to be in this timeline if he can be in any timeline. He replies that it’s the one where his mom is still alive, but Barry remarks that time has a pattern, which may imply that it’s only a matter of time before she dies in this timeline too. Ben Affleck’s Batman warns The Flash about the dangers of changing the past, and it sounds like that’s good advice because Barry soon laments that he “broke the universe.” We then see a familiar foe in General Zod. After the 2 versions of Barry get an introduction to the OG Batman in the Batcave and we see him do a swan dive, we get to see a familiar motorcycle amidst some traffic before seeing a really cool sequence where each Flash goes back-to-back with some stellar lightning effects, creating a maelstrom with their fist, and then we see… laser vision?!
That’s right, no Cal El in this one. No Clark Kent. No Superman. We do, however, get introduced to Kara (Zor-El), AKA Supergirl. We see her emerge from an icy prison, flying around, easily taking out guards with her fists in what looks like a hospital gown. Later we see her flying next to a plane that Barry and Barry are in, and she is in a suit similar to Superman’s as Barry is recording her with a smartphone (for posterity). The trailer ends as she flies away, leaving a sonic boom in her wake.
But who could the villain be? In the CW show, they addressed this early on. What will James Gunn and the DC crew decide to do with this blank canvas that many have said could serve as a way to start fresh with the DC Universe on the big screen? And what will I do? I’ll tell you what I’ll do… I’ll buy 3 IMAX tickets on opening night and watch the hell out of this movie! That’s what I’ll do!
Team Take: Mo’s Take on the 2023 Super Bowl Ads (By Mo)
The Super Bowl ads are like the Grammy’s to those of us in the advertising industry. For $7 million per 30 seconds and a whole year to produce it, we see the best of the best during the big game. So, how did 2023 fare? While there was no “Hey kid, catch” (Hey Kid, Catch | Mean Joe Greene for Coca-Cola (1979)) moments to speak of, there were certainly some awesome ads. Here are my top 3:
Number 3: Bud Light Hold: Because? You certainly can’t sell Bud Light on its great flavor. But you CAN make me like the brand. We all hate the “on hold” music and know that “experiencing a higher than usual call volume” is total bullshit. So, this guy makes the best of it. When life gives you Bud Light, just dance.
Number 2: Pop Corners: Breaking Bad: Why? If you never saw Breaking Bad, you did not get it, so it was risky. However, if you did see Breaking Bad, this was an epic ad. All the old gang is back together, too. I have yet to taste anything from an air fryer that is remotely edible, but I might give a bag of this stuff a shot. Worst case scenario, just give those Pop Corners a Texas Pete bath and chase them with a Bud Light while you dance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMlemd6U24Y&t=29s
Number 1: Uber One: One Hit: WTF? Yes — this was absolutely my favorite ad. The best will always be debatable, but this was my personal favorite. We all know Diddy don’t do jingles. Not sure how Uber One is different from Uber, but it doesn’t matter because it saves me. Uber One saves me. Now I can’t stop singing it. That’s how ads work. Make Diddy excited.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnySyKAoLpI&t=60s
Team Take: Dunking on Dunkin’ — Brand Reaches a New JLO with Has-Ben Casting (By Brian)
Last night during the Rihanna concert, a number of high-profile advertisements were shown. Of these, there were great ones (Will Ferrel in Bridgerton, m&m’s with clams) and lame ones (Will Ferrel in Stranger Things, the Tubi Bunny), and weird ones (Adam Driver saying website until it didn’t sound like a real word anymore). But there was only one with Bennifer. And it sucked…
…because I loved it. I was a simp for it. And in 2023, Bennifer does Dunkin’, is just the thin veneer of corporate-mandated nostalgia that we need to cope with another week in this post-apocalyptic, inconsistently simulated dystopia. But before I tell you why we’re currently living in a dystopian hellscape (at the time of this writing, the US/CAN continue to shoot down what I can only assume are wayward gender reveal balloons, according to The Betoota Advocate), I want to talk to you about Bennifer and why this commercial works so well.
BENNIFER: THE BEGINNING
She was from the block. He was Matt Damon’s slightly less successful friend. It was a match made in heaven. Their relationship was one for the ages until it wasn’t, and they both moved on — her to Marc Anthony and him to another Jennifer (that was her real name! Definitely not an…Alias).
Regardless, they went from America’s sweethearts to America’s sour skittles real fast. But they were relatable, and I appreciated that. Also, at this point, Ben Affleck had been publicly committed to two things: his on-screen Boston accent and Dunkin’ Donuts. Did Dunkin’ have an impact on the end of Bennifer? We can only speculate.
BENNIFER: THE MIDDLE PART
Nothing new on the Bennifer front, but in 2009 Ben Affleck goes on record with Collider about the need for an L.A.-based Dunkin’ location. Ten years later, in 2019, Ben Affleck, per The Takeout, again goes on the record: “I have Dunkin Donuts every day,” he tells Collider in an interview. “I feel like I’m spreading the word.”
Does JLO see this and begin to wonder “what if?” Again, pure speculation, though we can safely assume that Ben Affleck runs on at least 78% Dunkin’ by this point. What a Bos(tonian).
BENNIFER: YESTERDAY IS TODAY AGAIN; NOTHING MAKES SENSE…OR DOES IT?
The year is 2023, and the war in Ukraine and high-flying gender reveal balloons are running amok, bringing chaos and instability to the world economy. Who can bring balance to the planet while endorsing a cost-effective, non-Starbucks coffee brand during one of the biggest televised events of the next year? Ben Affleck. But he’s gonna need help. Enter JLO.
Were their reunion and subsequent marriage engineered by Big Dunkin’? I don’t know, but it was awesome. Here was a man who had high-profile struggles with substance abuse (disclaimer: not Dunkin’, never Dunkin’) and a woman who stopped aging in 2005 for health reasons but who definitely was still from the block.
WHY THE COMMERCIAL WORKS:
There are a number of Bennifer-related and non-Bennifer-related reasons why this commercial works. Here are 5 completely arbitrary ones below.
5 Reasons Bennifer & Dunkin’ are a match made in New England
- ½ of Bennifer is famously from Boston. Dunkin’ Donuts was founded roughly 1 hour and 7 minutes (by bicycle) outside of Boston, per Google Maps.
- Emergent trends and Gen-Z are obsessed with the early 2000s, per YPULSE.
- Boston is called Beantown, and coffee is made out of beans
- Ben Affleck has his hands in everything from directing, acting, seducing women named Jennifer, and assorted memes.
- Ben Affleck is Batman, and Dunkin’ was wise to jump aboard the Bennifer Bat-train as it left the station. Next stop: The Flash movie trailer that dropped the same night.
In Bat-conclusion, by casting Ben Affleck in their inaugural Super Bowl commercial, Dunkin’ Donuts shrewdly attached themselves to two extremely relevant, high-profile celebrities who continue to be in the headlines due to their professional and personal shenanigans while rewarding a long-celebrated, high-profile Bostonian in a way that had viewers cheering like Ben Affleck at a Red Sox game.
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Email us at support@madmenmarketinginc.com or give us a call at 904-355-1766 to learn more about how we can help your small business with its advertising and marketing needs while giving you more information on Bennifer and other assorted celebrity couples than you could ever ask for, need, or possibly want.