Every year I put forth my favorite Super Bowl ad for your consideration, as well as the reasoning behind it. This year, it was an easy choice. Gone are the heartstring female-based ads with horses and dogs doing loving things. What we saw was fast moving, hard-to-follow brand presentations, which, frankly left me nothing to discuss with my feelings doctor at this week’s session.
But then I saw the Ben Affleck, Dunkin' Donuts ad, and they had me at hello. Even the backstory is perfect for today’s world in which ad agencies might just become obsolete.
An ad this year was $7 million dollars and every ad agency wants a piece of that creative pie. Dunkin' has never done a Super Bowl ad and it wasn’t on their bucket list. Then Ben did some funny thing on his social media about secretly working at Dunkin', and I promise you, the ensuing spike in their sales must have caused them all to sit up straighter and wonder why they were paying the ad agency ridiculous dollars to not move the needle in sales. So, they reached out and Ben then directed and conceptually came up with the ad, and it is brilliant. It’s funny. It’s cool, and it showcases the Dunkin' Donut ‘holes’ and some of their key products. And, JLo bringing it home at the end? “Oh and grab me a glazed!” Genius. Not sure what it cost them, but I’m betting it will come back in spades. Just the spread of it on social media this week (and last) was all they really needed. Remember the irritation JLo showed towards Ben last week at the Grammy's? Talk about serendipitous! And, the creme de le donut? The outtakes. They will be used in the months to come to keep the buzz going.
An ad that didn't work as well? T-Mobile tried to do something similar with Bradley Cooper and his mother, but they came up short. Not engaging and it didn’t entertain anyone except his mother. And the market they wish to serve? Not old ladies who already have their phone and plan.
Influencers matter. Ad agencies do not. Entertain, Engage, and Educate (the three tenets of Blue Shoe’s content creation focus) and you will win. I promise you, Starbucks’ heads are rolling today. And, what’s funny about it is that if you go back a few years to paparazzi pictures of Ben and Jennifer (the other one, Garner) they always have a Starbucks cup in their hands on the street. But, I’m with Ben, Dunkin' has the best coffee in the land. Not bitter. Rich, and when no one’s looking on Mondays you can go ahead and get a glazed. - Christine Merser, Managing Partner, Blue Shoe