In June, breakfast chain IHOP announced it would change its name to IHOB. This lead the public into a wild guessing game of what the “B” could possibly stand for. The most common guesses were Breakfast, Brunch, Bananas, and more. Their twitter account is now @ihob, there are now billboards and store signage that say ‘’IHOB’,…

KFC chose Reba McEntire to be the first woman to play the iconic role of Colonel Sanders in their ad campaign running from January to April of 2018.   Although KFC insists this was a political move, and the spokesperson for KFC claims that they “have always maintained that anyone, male or female, who embodies…

25,915: the average amount of days a human has to live. The amount of days to be young, grow old, be healthy. So what’s one sure way to stay healthy during your 25,915 days? Run! Reebok’s new commercial, 25,915 Days, tells the story of one woman who exemplifies making the most of her days. The…

The most pervasive ads often say little about the product being promoted, as Tim Maroder explains. One recent minty fresh ad did just this by silently promoting Wrigley’s Extra gum amongst a truly heartwarming love story. The Story of Juan and Sarah (Oct. 2015) creatively unwraps one couple’s time together. The story starts with Juan…

With Mother’s Day coming up this Sunday, brands are rolling out emotional ads attempting to play with the heartstrings of mothers and children everywhere. This Fun Friday, we will take a look at two brands who are trying to profit from the celebration of the women who gave us life with heartwarming ads. Hallmark In a new…

Imagine walking silently down a crowded city street, minding your own business, wearing a modest outfit consisting of jeans and a crewneck t-shirt, making no contact whatsoever with any other person, but constantly being harassed–followed even? Imagine walking for 10 hours straight and being catcalled (excluding whistles, winks and other forms of harassment) over 100 times. It…

The leaves rustle on the ground beneath our feet, neighbors place pumpkins on their doorsteps, friends populate Instagram with photos of corn mazes and apple picking and the color pink illuminates the city skyline. All of these indicate that it must be October. While the month is jam-packed with festive excitement from Halloween, Oktoberfest, Hispanic Heritage Month, the…

Since 1980, the worldwide population has gained a lot of weight: obesity rates have doubled globally, and 2.1 billion people are currently overweight or obese. Campaigns to overcome this epidemic are usually centered on encouraging people to eat healthy and participate in physical activity. Many of these campaigns, such as Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” program, employ professional…

While the sitcom Seinfeld may have been marketed as a show about nothing, that didn’t mean the show didn’t offer audiences any relevant information. Take for instance a 1992 episode where George Costanza alerted viewers to a very important fact: salsa had overtaken ketchup as the most popular condiment in America. Since 1992 mayonnaise has taken the title of number…

In today’s advertising world, the most pervasive and well-known ads say little about the brand or product being promoted. Take the millions of Doritos Super Bowl commercials that are talked about for weeks and sometimes even months after they air. They never mention how good Doritos chips are or talk about the different flavors. They…

Animation isn’t just for children’s movies; it also works well in advertisements. From Snap, Crackle and Pop to the Geico Gecko, brands have used animation in their ad campaigns since the 1940s. The graphic appeal and humor of animation is appealing to consumers, so on this Wisdom.Applied Wednesday, we will be looking at the variety of…

Star power works miraculously. From the headphones they use and clothes they wear to charities and causes they support and even their health and wellness habits, celebrities can sway the masses by simply using a product (whether or not they’re paid to endorse it or not). This Wisdom.Applied Wednesday, let’s take a look at how one nonprofit is using star…