Review and Rating of m&m Commercial

My newest critic is on the m&m candy commercials. These commercials have been running for quite sometimes in different forms yet all with the same theme. Each commercial shows one or several enlarged m&m figures engaged in some funny acts or activities. During the Christmas holiday, one commercial shows an m&m figure meeting Santa Clause (supposedly the night before Christmas). Both the m&m figure and Santa Clause are surprised to find themselves meet face to face. Several other such commercials are run from time to time each featuring a particular funny plot. My specific review is about one showing a supermarket clerk scanning various purchased items at a checkout counter. As she keeps on scanning the purchased items, an m&m figure is shown running in the opposite direction of the moving belt, trying to avoid the scanner. Eventually he gives up and voluntarily goes through the scanner and ends up in a shopping bag where he meets another m&m figure in an adjacent bag. As in other m&m commercials with a similar theme, this commercial is also very entertaining and fun to watch. This is the type of commercial that one can watch over and over; and as new ones with different scenes are produced, they still will be refreshing without one getting bored watching them. In watching commercials with the same theme, yet with characters appearing in different acts and scenes, the main message may start shifting to a secondary one. What I mean is that with the m&m commercial, the figures appearing in enlarged forms, more like stuffed animals, create a secondary market for such figures. We have seen them becoming popular among children, especially. In the m&m commercial, whether or not the secondary message is the intention, an announcer delivers the main message at the end – very clever.

Now here is my rating. Please remember that this blog is not indented to endorse any product – just rating commercials.

6. Commercial theme: An m&m figure avoiding the scanner at a supermarket checkout counter
Product: m&m candies.
Type: TV Commercial (National)
My opinion: Amusing and entertaining, as the commercial is repeated with different scenes, a secondary message is developed; however, the announcer still brings the focus to the main message at the end of the commercial.
Rating: This commercial gets a “JM” rating of 9.5 out of 10

Rate That Commercial (21 Decemebr 2009)

Today I am writing my opinion on a commercial about a phone service called Ooma. The commercial has been broadcast on the radio. I am not sure for how long it has been running; but I have listened to it at least five times in the past month. The announcer in this commercial starts out by introducing a second person called “the talker.” The talker has an accent – similar to those of people from India or Pakistan, even though I am not sure it is really an Indian or Pakistani accent. It may be that the talker wants just to be funny. The talker mixes Ooma with “Uma.” I assume he is talking about Uma Thurman, the actress; although no last name is mentioned and no indication is given whether he is actually talking about this actress. The entire commercial comprises of back and forth talks between the announcer and the talker; even though the two are not involved in any coherent or meaningful conversation. While the announcer describes Ooma – the phone service – the talker keeps on talking about Uma – the actress – and mixes up Ooma and Uma.

I am not sure how to interpret the role of the talker in this commercial. Even though the message of the commercial is somewhat clear, as described by the announcer; the talker’s repeated interjections and description of Uma (mixed up with Ooma) are not funny at all. Moreover, the talker’s statements do not add anything of importance to the commercial and are rather somewhat off-the-line.

5. Commercial theme: An announcer and a person (called the talker) talk about a phone service
Product: Ooma Phone Service
Type: Radio Commercial (National)
My opinion: Rather boring; not funny (as I assume it is supposed to be); the main part of the message about the phone service is overshadowed by continuous interjections by the talker and his “supposedly” confusion over Ooma versus Uma.
Rating: This commercial gets a “JM” rating of 3 out of 10

Rate That Commercial (18 December 2009)

Today my review is on a commercial I heard on the Radio. The commercial is for Dodge Caravan – the minivan. The announcer talks about Dodge being the first company introducing the minivan and how everyone else followed the concept. Then he talks about Dodge minivan was the first to come up with the extra space, and other amenities. His next line is in a question-type sentence – more like: guess what the other companies did? Then he says about Dodge minivan receiving the J.D. Power award recently and again asks: guess what the other companies will do? The commercial is very simple; yet the message comes across very clear. I like its simplicity and the fact that it is very direct in bringing a few points about Dodge minivan. However, if you miss the beginning of the commercial or are not paying attention to it as it starts; you will not know what kind of minivan the announcer is taking about – until pretty much the end. Please remember that this blog is not indented to endorse any product – just rating commercials.

4. Commercial theme: An announcer talking about Dodge minivan
Product: Dodge minivan
Type: Radio Commercial (National)
My opinion: Very simple, message very clear
Rating: This commercial gets a “JM” rating of 9 out of 10

What Did I Think of That Commercial?

My latest review is on two commercials broadcast on TV. One is for a drink called Kahlua. The scene is a bar with a group of tribal people. Several patrons in the bar show their cell phones to the tribal people and say that these are cell phones. The tribal people are not surprised and they show theirs. This commercial is in fact one of several with similar themes. On this particular one, I wasn’t sure exactly how the “cell phone showing” fits in and delivers a commercial message. However, I found the commercial creative and rather entertaining.

The second commercial is about Vicks – yes the cold/flu medicine. The commercial shows a person in deep sleep. Then it shows another person sleeping. These are just ordinary people. The message is that taking this medicine, a person with a cold or flu symptoms will be comfortable and can sleep well. I like the commercial because the people shown look like real (ordinary) people – those we see everyday.

Now here goes the rating for these two commercials. Please remember that this blog is not indented to endorse any product – just rating commercials.

2. Commercial theme: Tribal people in a bar with cell phones
Product: Kahlua drink
Type: TV Commercial (National)
My opinion: Entertaining, but not clear on the message
Rating: This commercial gets a “JM” rating of 6 out of 10

3. Commercial theme: Ordinary people shown in deep sleep (often snoring)
Product: Vicks Cold/Flu Medicine
Type: TV Commercial (National)
My opinion: Original, showing ordinary people, message pretty much clear
Rating: This commercial gets a “JM” rating of 9 out of 10

Rate That Commecial

Everyday we see hundreds of commercials on TV and listen to as many on the radio. I have always wanted to have an opinion on what we see and hear as commercials. Some are very creative and amusing, while others are boring, and at times tasteless. There are times that I cannot understand what the message of the commercial is. This blog is indented to have a word or two on commercials I have seen or listen to lately. Some are broadcast nationally; while others are only at the local level. With every blog, I will pick up one or two, write an opinion on them and do a rating. The rating will be from 1 to 10. Of course 10 means excellent. Excellent to my opinion means that the message was easy to follow; it was effective and it caught, at least, my attention.

So here it goes.

Commercial theme: Cavemen playing bowling
Product: Geico Insurance
Type: TV Commercial (National)
My opinion: creative, funny, and amusing
My rating: 9

That is all for now.