Commentary

The Super Bowl's Biggest Agency Cheerleader Gets Tackled

Oh snap! Yesterday we called attention to a Forbes opinion piece written by Rob Siltanen, founder and CCO of LA-based Siltanen & Partners, who gushed eloquently about why the Super Bowl is a good investment for brands. No sooner had Siltanen dubbed himself Super Bowl poster child when Forbes contributor Steve Olenski popped his balloon, claiming he disagrees with Siltanen's assertion that the Super Bowl is the only venue that allows a brand to say "you’re a first-rate, big-time, trustworthy brand." And then he goes on and on and on, hauling out study after study refuting the effectiveness of the Super Bowl. If you ask us, the whole thing's a crapshoot. Much like most other things in advertising.

Creative commentary isn't something we normally do in this column and, don't worry, that's not what we're going to do. Unless you were without Internet today, you have probably seen the video “Set Yourself Free” created by Perth-based Henry & Aaron for the Learn for Life Foundation. It's a very graphic PSA aimed at getting kids to stay in school. What I liked were the creator's comments about how they approached the work and how it sticks its middle finger up at the status quo. Henry Inglis said the work was "about contradicting standard advertisements -- it's a bit of a f--- you to advertising in general." And there's a warm spot in our heart here at Mediapsssst for anyone who enjoys sticking it to the establishment...and to all those YouTube commenters who take issue with violence...even if it's for a good cause.

This is awesome. One of the original creators of the Bud Bowl, Grant Pace, who is now partner at Boston-based Conover Pace, reminisces about the Bud Bowl 25 years later. Pace, who said the idea for Bud Bowl was "a really stupid idea," also notes that MediaPost's Bob Garfield, whom was writing for Advertising Age at the time, called it the most incredible promotion he had ever seen. Would he do it again today? He says he could, but points out there are so many better ways to spend $4 million. We tend to agree. But, hey, we'll be glued to the TV Sunday night just like the rest of you hoping for that one amazing, breakthrough commercial that wins over the hearts and minds of Americans and everyone else across the globe.

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Hey, agency creatives -- are you in a creative funk? Do you need to stretch your creative muscles? Is your creative tame and lame these days? Fear not -- "Side Projects Get You Jobs" is here to save the day! What's this all about? Three creatives -- Miami Ad School student Neil Lopez, MAS NY student Steve Torres and copywriter Tim Noble -- joined forces for SPGYJ, a site on which creatives are presented with ideas they can run with. Just call it a sort of creative catalyst for the analysis paralysis you suffer when account executives talk too much.

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