Hall of Fame

Tucan Sam? Mr. Peanut? Who's your favorite advertising icon? From Charlie the Tuna to the Jolly Green Giant, beloved characters across the years have helped consumers connect with a brand. The personified creatures have earned their place in American pop culture, with many companies making over their "spokesperson" to keep up with the times.

Later this year, advertising enthusiasts will be able to visit the Advertising Icon Museum in Kansas City to honor advertising icons new and old. The institution will display the world's largest-known collection of three‐dimensional advertising icons. The 12,000-square foot museum will be home to more than 2,000 legendary advertising icons and will serve as the permanent home of the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame, the annual class of America's favorite icons as chosen by millions of online voters.

The Advertising Icon Museum will surely highlight the Top 10 Advertising Icons of the Century, as noted by Ad Age. The list includes well known figures including Betty Crocker, the Pillsbury Doughboy, Aunt Jemima, and Tony the Tiger.

Recently, CBS Sunday Morning profiled some classic advertising icons getting a fresh face with help from agency partners to reconnect with today's consumer. View the video below:


Which ad icons stand out to you? Share memories of your favorite advertising character!

Love It or Hate It

I admit it. I'm a hater. When it comes to Miracle Whip, I am not a fan. The brains behind this product, though, think this is okay; apparently, you either love or hate this creamy condiment that's not mayonnaise, but rather a salad dressing and sandwich spread. It's such a controversial topic that the brand wants consumers to take a stand and become a part of the debate.

Miracle Whip is currently running a unique and innovative advertising and social media campaign, encouraging fans to confess their love for the item. Or, if they absolutely hate the product, say so! And, for those who haven't tried Miracle Whip yet, Kraft Foods is offering a free sample of the loud and tangy topping. The brand readily admits its product is not for everyone.




Watch all of the commercials for the "Are You Miracle Whip?" campaign to get both sides of the argument on YouTube.

So where do stand? Are you a lover or a hater? More importantly, what advertising campaigns have you seen for food and beverage consumer packaged goods that have gone out on a limb like this? Pretty creative in my opinion!

Super Ads Dominate Super Bowl

Super Bowl XLV is now in the record books. The February 6 game drew in an average of 111 million viewers and now holds the title as the most-watched show in TV history, making a $3 million 30-second ad buy seem worth the hefty price tag. While audiences tuned in to watch the Green Bay Packers battle the Pittsburgh Steelers, many were more interested in seeing the innovative commercials companies created for the big game. Of course, several food and beverage consumer packaged goods companies were represented throughout Sunday's game.

This year, PepsiCo's Doritos and Pepsi MAX put out a call for consumer-created ads in a Crash the Super Bowl contest that attracted more than 5,600 submissions. Fans voted online from among the top 10 finalist spots chosen by the company, and the top the vote getters for each brand aired during the Super Bowl.

PepsiCo's formula worked; the Doritos ad "Pug Attack" tied for the number one spot on the USA TODAY Ad Meter, with three others earning a spot on the newspaper’s list – a first in Super Bowl advertising history!









Other CPG companies also scored big with consumers. The Brand Bowl, presented by public relations firm Mullen and social media monitoring platform Radian6, kept tabs on what the public thought about the Super Bowl ads through Twitter tweets and sentiment. While Doritos and Pepsi MAX received high marks here as well, Lipton Brisk Iced Tea and Coca-Cola also earned accolades for their spots.





Finally, this year's Snickers commercial was apparently one to watch over and over again! The ad featuring comedians Richard Lewis and Roseanne Barr was the most popular Super Bowl ad this Sunday, based on the number of TiVo users who rewound it and viewed it multiple times.


What did you think? What were the best Super Bowl ads this year?