1. Microsoft: PC or Mini Fridge?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz5OdiXIV1M&feature=player_embedded
As a kid, the end of August was always full of anticipation and excitement – back to school time! I would actually look forward to school shopping – picking out fresh new binders and coordinating folders, setting up each binder with the necessary section dividers for each class. OK, I was a really odd, really organized little kid.
All grown up, and the end of summer is still exciting. It brings back all those familiar feelings of being granted a new opportunity and a fresh start – the world is your oyster.
Back to school is also one of the most important times of the year for brands and retailers. It’s the second-biggest selling season next to the winter holidays! Apparel, shoes, school supplies, technology -with $69 billion in sales to fight over, you better step up your marketing game.
But in an underwhelming ad season, most of the brands in the must-buys (clothing, supplies, etc.) showed up to the game with lack luster enthusiasm. It was by and far left to the technology categories to push the creativity this year – brands including Microsoft, Dell and Best Buy.
“Retailers go into announcement mode, and for the most part those don’t resonate well. Retailers aren’t developing [apparel] creative stories particularly well, and they’re missing out on an opportunity,” said Peter Daboll, CEO of Ace Metrix. “What really resonated well this year tended to be tech-oriented. Those ads either had an interesting product or an interesting new message.”
Thanks to Ad Age for printing Ace Metrix’s list of top back-to-school ads. Creative effectiveness of ads is ranked by viewer reaction to national TV ads. Here’s the top 5 back-to-school ads…
1. See Microsoft above!
2. JC Penney: Turn your small change into Pennies from Heaven
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_3Kb9yHz4s&feature=player_embedded
3. Crayola: Crayola Dry-Erase Crayons and Dry-Erase Board Sets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0hWSYF3464&feature=player_embedded
4. Best Buy: Geek Backpack Intel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H4MACTVk0g&feature=player_embedded
5. Staples: Flash Drives
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Q9TAxOfVo&feature=player_embedded
