Some thoughts from February:

Super Bowl Blahs

None of this year’s Super Bowl spots did much for me. The winner for me was the M&Ms ad, which was extremely solid–product on screen, funny, timely and a bit racy, but that’s consistent with the vibe they’ve established over the years.

Nothing else really popped for me. Is it just me, or is star power losing its lustre in TV spots? There were some very heavy celebrity hitters in some of those spots, yet I just shrugged my shoulders. If megastars can’t peak my interest, what can? Have I become that spoiled? I think I have.

Right On, Target!

Target’s “Color Makes the Difference” spot wasn’t in the Super Bowl, but it was the best spot I saw all month. That jazzy “Alouette” song–wow! Who thought of that? A great example of advertising and art–both visual and conceptual–colliding beautifully and memorably.

One Bad Apple

As a guitar player, I cannot let this slide. In Apple’s “Rock God” spot, the guys asks his iPhone how to play a B-minor-9 chord, and Siri shows him the notes on a staff. All well and good, but any guitarist knows what the guy really needs is the chord diagram. A good analogy is someone asking how to make a pizza, and all Siri gives are the ingredients. Okay, great, but how do I make it?