One of these days, I'm going to get around to starting a bonafide blog site similar to Good Plastic Surgery, for the few examples of good marketing in the world. (And yes - I do realize that sites like this already exist, but I can do it better.)
It's amazing to me how many companies suck at marketing. But sometimes, rarely, a few actually succeed. Here's a few I like.
Allstate Insurance
FINALLY, someone in auto insurance marketing mentions the primary reason to buy quality auto insurance:
"Cheap" insurance probably won't take care of you if you are involved in an accident.
Not only is the benefit here SOLID, but this whole series of mayhem commercials are entertaining and well-done.
Progressive Insurance's Gay Easter Egg
Let's be clear: The Flo ads are "meh": neither positive or negative. Personally, I scramble to change the channel or hit MUTE once I see them come on, but I can also respect the fact that they have clearly been effective ads. Flo, as a branded character, has somehow caught on as an American meme.
Of course, that doesn't mean the ads are effective and actually moving any insurance - but let's move on.
I give props to a specific ad from the Flo campaign - the one where they appealed to the gay demographic.
In the ad, you'll notice the effeminate man (presumably the bottom) is wearing a rainbow shirt. This is something that would go right over most straight folks heads, but it certainly has the effect of rewarding the gay viewer by saying, Hey eagle-eyed gay man: Since you must have car insurance, you might as well buy it from the people who put a couple fellow gay guys in this here commercial.
In a recent Slate article, the brass at Progressive claimed the gay vibe in the ad was unintentional.
In the highly competitive car insurance market, appealing directly to the gay demo was stroke of genius. Regardless of the truth, by claiming it was unintentional (essentially playing the "don't ask / don't tell" card) they've retained the anti-gay zealot customers they have too.
Slap Chop
Vince Offer is the Michaelangelo of infomercials. He should embrace his title, and pimp as many products on TV as he can.
The original Slap Chop informercial was entertaining enough, but as with everything, it aged. Enter DJ Steve Porter. For his own enjoyment, Porter took the original commercial and remixed it into this piece of art:
So what, you say? Well, after 4-million-plus hits on YouTube and tons of press, Offer decided to make a deal with Porter and actually air his remixed video on TV as an actual commercial - a marketing first.
Brilliant. I hope he sells 5 million more of these things.
Jack in the Box
Jack in the Box marketing has brass-balls.
They clearly understand their target demos. With this commercial they're not afraid to market directly to one of their key constituents (the late-night drive-through stoner) in a manner that isn't condescending. In other commercials, they market heavily with original (not dubbed-over /translated) commercials for the Hispanic demo.
Keep in mind that the commercial above was actually pre-Napoleon Dynamite. The actor here should be given a Golden Globe.
In closing...
I'm also all about the bad marketing.
Bookmark this page. I'll update it whenever I get a bug up my ass about someone's good marketing, or if I put up a site with regular posts about commercials, I'll let you know.