Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Sleeper Bowl


I did not have a spot in the Super Bowl this year. Actually ever. 

Years ago, I came so damn close. You can read that tale of misfortune here. I thought I had been royally screwed. But hindsight is always 20/20. 

And now I thank my lucky stars I never collaborated with 237 people to produce a $3 million extravaganza with Aerosmith and Al Gore, that would no doubt be ripped to shreds by millions, maybe even billions of people.

Not that anyone else's opinion matters to me now. If I'm being completely honest, I rather enjoy the naysayers. Reading or hearing the thoughts of folks who have never produced anything, good or bad, in their entire life makes for some Grade A sado-masochism. 

If you're into that kinda thing.

I guess I am because I treasure the opportunity to troll. Or come to my own defense. Or, as this blog of 15 years running proves, climb aboard a soapbox.

Must be the frustrated lawyer in me.

Apart from the untold scrutiny, there are a myriad reasons why I'm happy NOT to have had the spotlight a few days ago?

Don't know if you had noticed but Super Bowl spots tend to be very broad in tone. I suppose some could argue otherwise, but I have made a conscious effort to steer away from that kind of populist fare. Sure, Budweiser's Waaaasssuppp made a lot of fanfare a decade or so ago, but it's not something that would ever spring from these fingertips. Ever.

I still cringe when people say, "It give me all the feelz."

Speaking of contrarian, unpopulist fare, we once did a series of spots for ABC, which nobody ever saw, featuring the world's worst comedians. They were purposefully bad. And boring. And dull. Point being, that if you were looking for real laughs you needed to tune into ABC (a faulty premise, if there ever was one.)

I remember showing this campaign to the top brass in Century City and they looked at us as if we had 12 fingers and two heads. I still love those uncomfortable headscratchers.

The other thing you might have noticed last Sunday was the cavalcade of celebrities. Again, not a fan. Last thing I need is input from Jennifer Coolidge's Latte Boy.

There are already way too many cooks in the kitchen, including CMOs, spouses of CMOs, Mistresses or BoyToys of CMOs, Account People, aspiring account people, Planner, Strategists, Assistant planners, Assistant Strategists...you get the picture...I could make the Herculean effort to list them all out, but like so many of Sunday's spots it would feel like I was trying too hard.

I'm done trying too hard. Fact is, if I never do another TV spot in my life I'd be more than happy.

If, however, you need some outdoor boards or some smart print, you know where to find me.





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