Archive for October 22nd, 2008

Anatomy of an Ad is a new feature here on the mediablog, where we’ll deconstruct ads and discuss what works – and what doesn’t. Future editions will appear as we see ads worth discussing.

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I love bread. Especially fresh-baked bread. While the Bible says “man cannot live by bread alone,” I can come pretty close. My favorite bakery is the Great Harvest Bread Company, which opened not too long ago here in Amarillo. If you read up on Great Harvest, they’ll tell you the reason their bread is better is that they grind their own flour, fresh each day, which keeps the bread fresher, longer. In my own experience, this has proven to be true – their bread does not go stale as quickly as other baker’s bread. Frankly, I don’t care how they do it – I just love the way their bread tastes. They have a great product, and compelling presentation (free samples!) and a story that resonates in tune with their product. They seem to have a thorough understanding of their market, their appeal, and how to communicate that to the public.

That’s why you could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw a spot for Great Harvest on TV the other night, as they aired what has to be the worst, most ill-conceived TV spot in the history of franchise operations. Read the rest of this entry »