Hasta La Creative!

Looking ahead to what will surely be one of the retail industry’s most painful holidays in recent history, Best Buy is trying a doubly charming approach to its seasonal ads. First, the big-box store is going for the soft sell with its “True Stories” campaign, featuring real employees telling real anecdotes of helping customers. Second, the chain’s chief marketing officer is actually soliciting feedback on the rough cuts of the new TV spots. Over on his painfully underdesigned but otherwise commendable blog, CMO Barry Judge invites anyone and everyone to comment on the six rough cuts, although he encourages you to focus on critiquing the campaign as a whole instead of picking apart one spot. Judge notes that there will be other campaigns hitting the traditional messages of big selection and low prices, but he hopes the True Stories ads can “do a better job in telling the people part of our story.” UPDATE: Barry’s now taken the rough cuts down, having not secured the proper rights for some of the visuals and/or music. Oof!

—Posted by David Griner