by Jason Miletsky

I was recently in a debate with a friend of mine about what the best ad campaign ever was.  Not necessarily the most successful – but which one was the best creatively.  The conversation was interesting enough that I thought I’d add my thoughts to the new book I’m writing, and include them here as well.  With so many great campaigns out there, it was hard to pick just one, but I feel pretty confident about my answer.

The following is an excerpt from my upcoming book, ‘Perspectives on Marketing.”

I love great advertising. I really do. And there are so many amazing campaigns that could vie for the title of best ever. The “Got Milk” campaign is clearly a contender, as are the Pepsi Challenge, the Energizer Bunny, Mastercard’s “Priceless” campaign, and some of the older, classic efforts like the “Please Don’t Squeeze the Charmin” ads with Mr. Whipple or Calgon’s “Ancient Chinese Secret” ads. I could go spend the better part of this book just going down the list of all the amazing marketing campaigns I’ve admired over the years.

Having said all of that, my choice for best ad campaign ever might surprise people. I’m sure I’ll get plenty of e-mail or comments on the blog about how ridiculous I’m being. Keep in mind, my choice has nothing to do with results, and it’s not about the best single ad ever. So here it goes. My choice for best campaign ever, among all the other possible candidates, is Bud Light’s “Real Men of Genius” campaign.

This campaign was originally named “Real American Heroes,” but Bud Light respectfully changed the name to “Real Men of Genius” after 9/11 so as not to offend the real heroes who rightly deserved our collective admiration during that time. But while the name of the campaign may have changed, its humor and attitude have not. The campaign, which debuted in 1999, features a powerfully voiced announcer humorously touting a nameless individual or group of people whose contributions to the world or activities in their everyday lives couldn’t be less pointless. Mr. Tiny Dog Clothing Manufacturer, Mr. Professional Sports Leg Cramp Rubber Outer, and Mr. Handlebar Mustache Wearer Guy are just some of the more than 100 spots that have been produced over the last decade. Each spot is hilarious, with the announcer playing up the associated achievements while a fantastically cheesy backup singer chimes in to support each point. They say nothing at all about the product – nothing about its taste or the calories it contains – they’re just pure brand building through humor and, in a sense, self-deprecationAs much as I wanted to choose a TV campaign for the answer to this question, I kept coming back to these Bud Lights radio spots. (Supposedly there were two TV spots in this campaign, but I’ve never seen them.) Talk about getting a reaction! Not only do I turn the radio volume up when these spots come on, but I’ll end any conversation going on so I can listen intently until the commercial is over. Considering that radio commercials are usually my opportunity to change the station, pop in a CD, or make a cell-phone call, any campaign that can stop me in my tracks and make me listen to every second has got to be among the best ever.