Hasta La Creative!

BBDO New York taps Houston Rockets star James Harden and retired NBA greats Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen for a funny new spot entitled “Short Memory,” which promises to be the first in a series.

When Harden asks Barkley for advice on starting the new season fresh, Barkley explains that all the greats have short memories. Harden asks if that means Barkley forgot about it if he had a bad game, to which Barkley replies that he never had a bad game. Harden persists with a series of questions, until Barkley cuts him off, seeing that he doesn’t get it, and turns to Scottie Pippen for help. Pippen perfectly encapsulates Barkley’s point, declaring himself the greatest Chicago Bull ever — which would be true with a parenthetical “(available for selection in NBA Jam).”

It’s a clever spot, making good use of Barkley’s comedic potential, even if Harden comes across a bit stiff in comparison. Pippen’s tongue-in-cheek boast alone gives “Shot Memory” viral potential, which the spot already seems to be fulfilling. It has racked up almost 600,000 views since being posted yesterday. Stick around for credits after the jump. (more…)

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We’re not sure who’s behind it, but “Delta’s 80′s In-Flight Safety Video” manages to turn the normally insufferable flight safety video into something totally rad (Update:  It is W+K NY, credits after jump).

The 5:22 video should send a welcome wave of nostalgia over children of the 80s (I don’t really qualify, although I did have a Teddy Ruxpin). It manages to cram as many 80s references as possible into the video, while simultaneously tackling the basics of flight safety. From mullets to Alf to vintage electronics, the cultural touchstones are piled on so fast you might not catch them all. It’s definitely the most entertaining flight safety video we’ve ever seen, and a clever way to get people to watch something they’d normally ignore. Bonus points for enlisting Jerry Casale from Devo.

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BBDO New York and Foot Locker know that Clippers forward/dunker Blake Griffin is a commercial machine – Subway, Kia, Jordan Brand to rattle off a few quickly. So for their latest joint venture, “The Endorser,” the creatives decided to physically hook up Griffin to a machine called The Endorser as if he were programmed to place products. For some Lob City support, Clippers point guard/whiner Chris Paul steps in as a foil to turn off the machine and show us the difference between Real Blake and Robot Blake.

The spot is another smart and self-aware sports bit that takes advantage of an athlete’s public persona through subversion. Griffin is usually stone-faced or arrogantly posturing on the court after huge dunks, but he’s built up a quiet niche as a funnyman on television. Just see this Grantland piece from March that discusses why Blake’s comedy is more complex than you might think. The only issue with Blake is overexposure, like, when his sponsorship brands debut separate commercials within the same week. His Jordan “Blake and Drain” spot, which alludes to MJ and Spike Lee ads from twenty years ago, is even better than the Footlocker commercial. And for that reason, “The Endorser” might get lost in the ever-expanding Blake Griffin commercial merry-go-round. Credits after the jump.

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We feel for Ted. The guy has hail damage to his car, he’s doing the right thing by calling his insurance agent, and then he loses his attractive girlfriend to a pig. You might be saying, “well, it’s not just any pig. It’s Maxwell.” And the rest of the America would be saying, “the pig from from those Geico ads has a name?” To which I say, yes. But, you see, that’s how Geico swoops in with their anthropomorphic pig and ruins Ted’s life even though nobody remembers Ted by the end of the commercial.

These new Maxwell commercials from the Martin Agency are actually a step in the right direction for Geico. The company used up all of their gecko jokes about ten years ago, and since everybody who wants to save 15 percent or more on their car insurance is already doing so, focusing the recent spots on different advantages, like online claims, is subtly smart. Although, I’m not sure a pig’s hoof would be able to work the tablet touch screen.

As for Ted, well now he’s the guy who lost a girlfriend to a pig. Life is pretty much over after that. Why would a girlfriend break up with her boyfriend just because he was put on hold with an insurance company? Couldn’t she go inside and watch The View instead of waiting impatiently outside? Does she have a tablet fetish? Does she eat bacon? These are questions I want answered in upcoming Geico spots.

Credits after the jump.

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