My wife learned before we were married that commercial breaks are not a time to converse with me. I absolutely love television commercials. This isn’t a passion I acquired over time; no, it’s something I recognized as a young boy.
I recall being enthralled with all kinds of advertisements in my pre-teen years. And I’m not talking about just the ones targeting kids, like cereals, fast food restaurants and toys; I was captivated by automobile, laundry detergent, soft drink, beer and paper towel commercials and even a few smartly constructed PSAs.
I believe what inspired me was that I was watching quick little skits: thirty and sixty second skits. It amazed and impressed me that a story could be effectively told in such a short time span. And executed in a variety of styles and creative deliveries!
Perhaps it’s no surprise I landed in the advertising industry, starting in media sales before landing my first agency position as a creative specialist. After stints at two other small full service shops I jumped to the client side presumably because it was more stable employment environment. I discovered my perception of corporate America was incorrect, but that’s a story for another post. I had many fantastic experiences working with some exceptionally creative people. Unfortunately, none involved writing or working in television advertising, but that’s okay.
To this day, my admiration for the thirty second vignette has not waned even a smidgen. When a commercial comes on, I am glued to the screen. Some of you may be thinking, “Well, if he loves TV commercials so much, why doesn’t he write a blog about them?” Astute question. I, in fact, do write a blog about advertising that is heavily skewed toward television. You can find it here.
While helping with packet pick-up today at the Ronald McDonald House-Austin for their spectacular Lights of Love 5K fundraiser tomorrow, someone referenced a Toyota television commercial that cracks me up every time I watch it.
It’s this kind of work that captivates me. I have so much respect and admiration for the creative people behind the best in television advertising. I’d relish the opportunity to work on a commercial of this magnitude. Maybe some day.
No comments:
Post a Comment