FMPR Picks: TV Commercials

17 Mar FMPR Picks: TV Commercials

We love TV, and even with the popularity of TiVO and other DVRs, we still watch commercials.  So, we thought we’d share a few of our favorites with you. Jenny’s favorite is hulu’s commercial featuring Alec Baldwin.  This is one of the best utilizations of a celebrity in a commercial that we’ve seen in a while.  Baldwin is quirky and has that strange grin and placid face, and those characteristics meld perfectly with the story hulu is telling.  The basic concept is that if you use hulu, you’ll get so much free TV that your brain will turn to mush.  The dialog is incredibly well written and entertaining. We can hardly write or think about it without laughing out loud, especially the last scene when Baldwin wipes his lips before the alien tentacle slithers out of his jacket (check it out on YouTube to see for yourself).

Joy’s favorite is the Microsoft commercial featuring “Kylie.” The 4 ½ year old is precocious in a cute way and her voice is crystal clear, which makes you want to turn around and watch her, even if you’re at the kitchen sink elbow deep in dishes.  The message is that if Kylie can use the technology, anyone can do it, so we adults need to “get with it” and try it out.  The other not-so-known fact about Kylie is that her grandma is from Waimea Kaua’i where Joy’s family is also from, so of course we automatically love her.  Kylie is an honorary Westside girl!

The third commercial that we think is so effective is Subway’s “$5 dollar foot long” campaign because it speaks to the times and solves a serious problem for many American families: how to eat healthy and cheap.  The jingle is catchy (you’re probably humming it now), and it’s clear what they’re selling: a sub sandwich for $5.  Simple.

All of these commercials are successful because in one way or another, they burst through boundaries to communicate directly with us, they’re memorable, and we can easily recall the product they’re selling.  So often you see a great commercial but the minute it’s off the air, you have no clue what product was being advertised, or if you do, you don’t know the maker.  In all three of the above cases, there’s no question what’s being sold and who is selling it.  Good going, hulu, Microsoft and Subway, and their respective ad agencies!