Packaging innovation is front-and-center in this new holiday commercial from Pizza Hut. Packaging innovation may not sound appealing, but it sure looks appetizing—and that’s the goal of effective food advertising. This is the dessert tray taken to a new level. First, we pizza, then we party! Also, the box presents as a gift. It looks […]
TRISCUITS for ALL, ALL for TRISCUITS
“Food insecurity” is a formal way of saying that people are hungry. And people are hungry all over this land of opportunity. Food banks, churches, and charitable organizations from coast to coast are addressing this epic American problem, which echoes through the decades. During the Great Depression, our citizens stood in bread and soup lines. […]
You Won’t See This in the Trades: Rodrigo Maycotte Admires Stan Richards
A week and a day have passed since Stan Richards opted to step down after the firestorm of controversy surrounding his comments in an internal creative review for Motel 6. Comments that were quickly passed along to the client, who then fired the agency. What I’ve heard through the grapevine since is the activist role […]
Live Entertainment Is Missing, And We, the People, Badly Miss It
Last month, I asked Rob Schwartz, CEO of TBWA\Chiat\Day NY this pointed question. Adpulp: Who and/or what do you admire in the ad biz today? Schwartz: I think the best advertising today is coming from one place: The Lincoln Project. All of their work is relevant, surprising, emotional, and exceptionally powerful. And people are talking […]
Chipotle Sends Its Workers Back To School (Tuition-Free)
In the ad agency business, we know that all the company’s assets walk out of “the building” at the end of the workday. It’s another way of saying that ad agencies don’t have hard assets—that all the value is in the team. What about other fields like the restaurant industry…do restaurant owners and operators see […]
Stan Richards Said Dumb Things, Now His Agency Is Reeling
Stan Richards said something he wishes he had not said. It’s personally embarrassing and it’s costing his agency money. According to The Dallas Morning News, Richards described a new ad pitch for long-time client, Motel 6, as being “too black” for the motel operator’s “white supremacist audience.” According to Ad Age, the remarks were heard […]
Vital Farms Takes “Cage-Free” Out of Its Cage
Advertising that reveals brand truth is advertising that’s worth making, viewing, and sharing. Vital Farms—the largest supplier of pasture-raised eggs in the country—understands this, and is wisely using their brand truth to establish a competitive advantage. Let’s look at some of the ads the company has made over the past few years. Austin’s creative powerhouse, […]
Uber Eats Delivers Food to Your Door, And Strange Commercials To Your Screens
What are you hungry for? Depending on where you live, a driver will bring it to you? In 2018, Frost and Sullivan estimated the food delivery service industry generated $82 billion in gross revenue and predicted that this number will more than double by 2025. So, $164 billion in four years. Several players are competing […]
GOP Incumbents In Texas Not Exactly Sweating This Election
Why do Democrats lose races that they could win? Why has no Democrat won a statewide race in Texas since 1994? Maybe the GOP’s brand messaging has something to do with it. It’s simple and straightforward, and this matters a great deal. Let’s observe just how simple it is for incumbent Congressman Roger Williams to […]
Not Compassionate: Medical Marijuana Patients Face Pointless Barriers in Texas
The Texas Compassionate Use Program was first established in 2015, allowing the use of high-CBD, low-THC cannabis oil only for Texans diagnosed with intractable epilepsy. Though legal, marijuana is still classified as a Schedule 1 drug and is not covered by insurance. As a result, the cost for treatment can range from $250 to $1,000 […]