As a marketing professional I love to watch the SuperBowl mostly for the commercials. While I no longer work at an ad agency, it certainly serves as inspiration for campaigns for my own small company.

Creating an ad that is both memorable and impacts sales is extremely difficult.  Creative design reps and account executives huddle in rooms sometimes on oddly shaped chairs or bean bags with a multitude of snacks ranging from popcorn to pizza to soda and the brainstorm sessions commence, lasting hours.  Fumes seeping out of the door hinges.

Kudos to the agencies behind these popular and memorable advertisements. 

So here are my favorites and apparently my first three selections echoes that of American viewers. Which one is your favorite? Leave a comment below!

#1 Budweiser, “Landslide”
Budweiser's use of Clydesdale horses is a perennial favorite of mine and for many viewers. How? Why? Well deep down Americans love animals and the reunion of a horse, a pet,  an animal with which we formed a special bond, pulls hearts strings. We can relate to unconditional love. Admittedly it still makes me cry. But then again, I do work with animals. (My other job. www.pawsitivelyhumane.org). On the marketing side, Anheuser- Busch simultaneously launched a social media campaign to name the foal featured in the ad.  It was a viral hit.  Click here to learn what name America named the new baby Clydesdale.



#2 Tide, “Miracle Stain” 
A little humor goes a long way; While other attempts are scored as "cheesy", this commercial hits the mark. A San Francisco fan spills nachos on his jersey only to find the resulting stain resembles 49ers legend Joe Montana. As pilgrims — a/k/a Niners fans — flock to Montanaland to pay homage, his wife (a Ravens supporter) gets the last laugh when the offending stain is removed thanks to Tide.



#3 Dodge Ram: So God made a Farmer 
I'm a sucker for pets and patriotism. This ad had me choked up. It wasn’t flashy or filled with special effects, but Dodge Ram’s Super Bowl commercial that featured the late radio broadcaster Paul Harvey’s tribute to U.S. farmers won the hearts and minds of viewers Sunday night.

The two-minute spot featured a series of stark photos of farmers at work.  Along with a montage of still images, Harvey’s distinctive voice delivers the narration: his “So God Made a Farmer” speech, which he gave in 1978 at the National Future Farmers of America Convention.  He died in 2009 at age 90.




#4 Best Buy: Amy Poehle
This caught my attention for the humor and Amy Poehle plays the perfect neurotic customer while the Best Buy employee politely follows her around. OK so we know that Best Buy sells electronics, washer and dryers, tablets, etc. Who doesn't know?  However the commercial falls short and only emphasizes the weakness of these chain stores--the employees often don't know the answers for a host of product questions, hence the employee never gets a word in. Well at least it was entertaining.




#5 Taco Bell: Party Seniors
So it's not realistic (along with 90% of the ads) but I love to dance and eat Taco Bell late at night. Except most are closed after midnight. Maybe by the time I'm 70, Taco Bell will stay open until 3am. Nightclubs and parties in Miami end at 6am. 



#6 Got Milk: The Rock 
As a former fitness trainer and one who knows healthcare would be less costly in our country if Americans improved their lifestyle and eating habits, I love this commercial. It's hip, fun, humorous and gets across a clear message. Do you drink milk?


Yes, the SuperBowl is a form of entertainment on various levels. So even if you don't follow football closely like me, the commercials are another competition. 

So which one is your favorite? Leave a comment below!

It's the New Year!

It is true--as you age, every year goes by faster and faster. At the age of 43 turning 44 in October, the year 2012 was a whirlwind. My goodness, does this mean when I'm in my 50's time moves at lightning speed? Anyone? (feel free to comment below).

With all the noisemakers, clinking of champagne glasses, smiling faces and hopes of a better year, it soon dissipates and the celebratory atmosphere is quickly followed by  the dreaded word "Resolutions". Such a weighted word, don't you think? Perhaps since most people associate it with goals of weight loss and the low success rate, the word resolution is often associated with failure.  It can be daunting.

So many years I have made resolutions and not a single one involved weight loss. My life increasingly grows in complexity, mostly because I choose to take on hefty challenges revolving around a nonprofit I started. At the onset of the New Year, I keep it simple.  When curve balls are thrown my way, I reflect on those resolutions I have achieved. Only two I never fulfilled

• One year it was to learn to dance merengue and salsa. CHECK. (I was in my 20's living at home; no responsibilities other than my two jobs). 
• 1997 move out on my own to Miami. CHECK. 
• 1998 to get my Master's Degree, CHECK. 
• 2000 to buy my first condo, CHECK. in later years to learn to dance advanced Salsa, CHECK (although I never used it); 
• Next year to learn belly dancing CHECK (again I never used it). 
• To read more books, CHECK (even started a book club with my friend). 
• 2006 Learn to dance Tango. NEGATIVE.  
• 2007 Learn French. NEGATIVE. 
• 2009 Start a small part-time business. CHECK.
• 2012 Start a nonprofit. CHECK

With career advances and other growing family responsibilities, it means less time for yourself.  Losing a job can send your life in a tailspin and survival means forgoing fun goals like learning the Tango and French.  

I don't look at years 2006 and 2007 as failures. I simply could not dedicate the time due to life emergencies.One of my strongest attributes is that when I make a commitment, I see it through 100% or more.  I may  not be a genius, or scored high on my SAT's. But I'm a hard worker and complete any job or task to the end. The reality is emergencies do occur and managing and overcoming them is a triumph. I pulled through dark times without getting into debt, or borrowing money or asking for help. I survived on my own and those are the greater accomplishments than my New Year's resolution.

But I'm back on track. So what is my resolution this year?  A big one for me. To fine tune my time management skills and prioritizing tasks. It's easy for me to get distracted with fun tasks and procrastinate on the more important ones.  Sorry to disappoint any readers. My resolution is nothing sexy like learning the Tango or French language. But putting it in writing will encourage me to make an earnest effort. Starting now. So instead of shopping online for new office furniture, I'm going to work on writing that article. 

What is your resolution?

There were two winners in the recent HALF A BILLION dollar jackpot winnings for the Powerball this past Wednesday.  I just watched the live newscast of the family that won in Missouri.  It was the all-American family from Midwest-- mother, father, three adult sons and beautiful young daughter.  Their faces beaming, containing their excitement, perhaps nervous from being on live television.

Once upon a time I felt genuinely happy for these winners. Imagining how there lives would be a little easier and better. So I thought...Now I'm fearful and pray for them. How I wish they never did the press conference. WHY?

In picking up the newspaper, I started reading and learning about the harsh reality of winning lotteries.  The more I read the more fearful I became that I do not even buy a ticket. You see for these mega winners, their life changes completely and not necessarily for the better.  Sure money can buy material things but you lose your privacy and also a "normal life".  It attracts unwanted attention. A common thread for these winners is the mounting temptations to spend recklessly, the inability to manage the earnings, and the number of disingenuous people around you --friends, relatives, coworkers, investors.  It's very similar to paparazzi pursuing celebrities. You are followed, hounded relentlessly. No one is genuine anymore. For the average person one might say "how bad can it be? We're talking millions of dollars."  It's the beginning of another nightmare and unexpected pressure. Yes having millions of dollars comes at hefty price.That's why stardom and celebrity fame comes at a price.

Spending is easy but several mega winners will tell you they wish they never won! Not knowing how to manage and invest, wanting to help every friend, relative and coworker, and temptations to buy everything they ever dream of lead to bankruptcy, and for some--homelessness.  Even more tragic, it has lead to a number of suicides. At first I couldn't believe it. The more I read, the more it made sense.  How to survive? Having that much money takes a STRONG discipline not to spend it all AND money management skills to grow the money AND the ability to remain anonymous or discreet.

Here is the reality: Roughly nine of out of 10 big winners lose their windfall within five years according to a Stanford University Study of lottery winners.

Jack Whittaker wish he never won the $314 million after his daughter committed suicide

Poverty after excessive gambling. There was Evelyn Adams who won not once but twice! Raking in $5.4 million in 1985 and 1986, she admits gambling became an addiction. Today she lives in a trailer.

The pressure could lead to death. In 1998, William "Bud" Post III won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery, only to later wish it had never happened. That's because his brother hired a hit man to try to kill him and his sixth wife (and was arrested for doing so), other relatives made him invest in businesses that never paid off, a landlady made him give her a third of his winnings and Bud ended up in jail for firing a gun over the head of a bill collector. He died in 2006 of respiratory failure.

End up murdered. Then there was Abraham Shakespeare who won the $31 million jackpot in Florida in 2006. He disappeared in 2009, having spent most of his fortune; his body was found in early 2010 under a concrete slab. According to author of the book "Plain Dealer", a woman befriended him and fleeced him for $1.8 million. Police believe she may be connected to the murder.

Being too generous lead to suicide. I remember the story of Bob Harrell Jr. who won $31 million in the Texas lottery. At first everything was great. He purchased a ranch and half a dozen homes for himself. As one who loved to give, he purchased new automobiles for family members and gave large contributions to his church and if a congregation member needed help, he was ready with cash. Then his life unraveled as quickly as it came together. With mounting pressures from everyone, his spending and lending was out of control. It splintered his marriage and 20 months after winning the lottery, Harrell committed suicide.

There are many stories like these. I only shared a few.

ETERNAL OPTIMIST
 As an optimist, at first I hesitated to write this post and burst bubbles this holiday season.But then I've always been an educator to help PREVENT accidents and misfortunes and improve lives of people and pets.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
The lessons I learned and want to share with you are the following:

1.  Don't buy a lottery ticket for bigger games if you currently have debt for non necessity items.  Debts from mounting bills due to job loss and other emergencies is one thing. But if you have debt from non emergency spending, chances are you will have difficulty managing your million dollar winnings.  Play a smaller game or scratch-off ticket. 
2. Avoid playing major lottery games in states where you are required to do a press conference. To me this is the biggest mistake because now the whole world knows and regular people have no idea how to handle the constant attention and pressure. By law in Illinois, you have to appear at a press conference. Only six states allow you to remain anonymous--Kansas, Maryland, Delaware, Michigan, North Dakota, and Ohio.  Other states publish your name but you are not dragged to a media frenzy event. Sure, the media can obtain this information and publish it but you're wise not to do any television interviews for further exposure.
3.  Don't rush to claim your ticket. Do research first and set up a Trust fund to protect your identity as much as possible. Sadly in the State of Oregon, this practice is forbidden. 
4. Hire a reputable accountant. Mine is the best! She has clients across the country, from all income levels and knows the laws inside and out and doesn't charge outrageous fees. It's like getting a Mercedes for price of a Toyota.   She'll guide you through this complicated process as you gain more assets. 

Do I buy any lottery tickets? Oh sure! I only play the Fantasy Five and am thrilled whenever I win $10, $20 even $200.  The odds are greater and I don't have to be on national TV.  So winning a maximum prize of  $200,00, I would be ecstatic! I know how to invest, manage, never spend more than what I earn and save. Truly wealthy people are not saddled with debt. So far I'm ahead with my Fantasy Five earnings, by a few dollars. At least I'm not losing and still hope to win a few thousand dollars.

One last thing, please consider donating to a charity the same amount you spend on any gambling. The reward is greater!  

And I won't be offended if you don't agree with my advice.