As anyone who knows us knows, PJ is all here for those red-hot picks, it is, after all, the marketing calendar event of the year. The best of the best, so to speak. So who won our little marketing hearts, check it out below.
Amy’s Pick > Doritos
Wow, 2023 had some lame ones! My favorite was the Doritos commercial. It’s multi-generational – so it was relatable to all from Gen Z to Millennials to Gen X and Boomers. It used the actual imagery of the product so you could follow the storyline all the way through in terms of remembering it was about Doritos. Also, Elton John really can do everything – which made me giggle when he won and it was funny! The entire idea was so ridiculous as to be believable!
Marilyn’s Pick(s) > Planter’s Peanuts and H-E-B
I like when brands commit to long-form storylines over multiple years. (similar to Bud Lights the “Bud Knight” saga) And of course, love a Natasha Leggero appearance.
I also really liked the HEB ad only shown in Texas, featuring George Strait as an astronaut who won’t leave earth without tortillas shows off how fanatical Texans are about the brand. Brands like Kroger or Walmart definitely don’t have a fan base that they could riff on in the same manner.
Ryan’s Pick > PopCorners
As a fan of Breaking Bad, this one won my nostalgic little heart with incredible callbacks to the show recontextualized for PopCorners. this is a bit risky and can go off the rails really easily in a few ways. One, if you didn’t see Breaking Bad, most (all) of this isn’t going to land. Given that, you probably should check out Breaking Bad, it holds up. The other way it can easily fail is in too much setup or leaning into the product too much. The editing here does some heavy lifting without relying too much on pure nostalgia. Also, great acting in their roles, so it all kinda clicks for me!
Honorable Mention> Tubi
The ad that got everyone. Likely to cause immense frustration to hardcore fans out there, but definitely had the most talk after the game. Audiences these days are really savvy but glad to see a well-executed ad deliver a memorable experience!
