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Comments about "Hail, Stanford commercials, hail"
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20 Comments on this article:
These commercials are an embarassment. Everyone knows Stanford is awesome - why make us look like affected jerks that are aggressively proud and pompous, boasting of our accomplishments on a national stage? TAke a cue from Apple: all we need is a simple ad displaying excellence.
You're absolutely right, Spenser. These commercials don't send the right message.
You're absolutely right, Spenser. These commercials don't send the right message.
Hmmm...I guess the fact that Cal's song "Hail to California" won't make this look like a 2nd-rate creative campaign.......and what about the Media placement for these? the only people watching stanford football on tv are STANFORD ALUMNI!.....and for the very few prospective students watching, a 3-hour beat-down on the field will leave much more of an impact than a cute 30-second spot....bad creative. bad media. hand in hand with a bad football program.
I definitely agree with the sentiment expressed above by Spencer Porter (assuming he wasn't being sarcastic). I think it's pretty well understood that Stanford is an exceptional institution, and after a certain point it becomes unnecessary and sort of counterproductive for the school to aggressively toot its own horn. For example, does Bill Gates need to constantly flash his high tech gadgets and huge homes to remind people he's rich? No, people get it. False modesty is not the way to go either, but instead it's probably always a good idea to show some class, be proud and keep it simple. With regard to these new commercials (hailstanford.stanford.edu), my response is just... "eh, ok" ... I think it's nice that the ads don't project too much self-importance, but at the same time the whole "look how quirky, laid back and irreverent Stanford people are" message seems a bit forced. I might have preferred something a little classier, maybe a short non-saccharine, very individualized overview of a particular Stanford student athlete's day or week... indirectly highlighting the varied opportunities Stanford provides.
Also, I like Spencer's "Apple" comparison; display excellence and keep it simple. Something that says, "Yes, we are excellent, but we also have enough class to refrain from beating you over the head with countless reasons explaining how and why we are better than you, something we just don't feel the need to do."
...Yeah, just like Apple. And their totally simple and non-insulting and non-pretentious "Apple vs. PC" commercials. Oh wait. Apple does beat you over the head with countless reasons explaining how and why they are better than everyone else.
Go Cardinal!
p.s. lame commercials. marekting/design wizzes that came up with the spot have no touch with the average amercian that watches college football, much less the average Stanford alum. Celebrate the university its students, alumni and faculty. what an uninspired effort to share a little bit about such an inspiring place...
The worst thing about these commercials is that when they play without sound, as they do in many sports bars, it is truly embarassing to see the Stanford logo pop up over the key-tar guy or the melting bunny at the end.
How bout an ad about the fecundity of Stanford grads? Perhaps a population counter clicking away relating the number of babies produced by Alums since the late 1800's. Place it in the screen next to Hoovers last erection. And complete the ad with a light reference to how smart the babies all are, but that in the end, after the next major meteorite extinction event it all won't much matter....Harbaugh is God.
I want a momento from this football victory. Will there be T-shirts? Make a cool one you clowns...... a black t-shirt with red/white and the tree, the date, the score and whatever the slogan becomes e.g. Cal has "The Play"....we need "The Game" or "The Colonic" or that great sign from the return rally "You cant spell suck without USC"...great.
Yes, because Apple commercials don't come off as aggressively proud and pompous at all.
These ads are awesome because they're so silly and make you watch them and realize, "hey, a college that does that is *not* business as usual. I should check them out."
Yes, because Apple commercials don't come off as aggressively proud and pompous at all.
These ads are awesome because they're so silly and make you watch them and realize, "hey, a college that does that is *not* business as usual. I should check them out."
Yes, because Apple commercials don't come off as aggressively proud and pompous at all.
These ads are awesome because they're so silly and make you watch them and realize, "hey, a college that does that is *not* business as usual. I should check them out."
Haha, yeah, maybe the Apple comparison wasn't so appropriate. I just viewed the new Stanford ads again and liked them a bit more than the first time I saw them... they're fun and something different, I guess. The microwave clip definitely leaves more of a visual impression than the cat/laser ad. Still, they're a bit underwhelming and leave me wishing they'd struck a more broadly appealing reverential and inspiring tone. It's nice to show that Stanford is okay "owning" its geek reputation, but why carry it out to the point of such overt quirkiness/nerdiness; it's what you would expect out of a school like CalTech ("awww, those lovable smart nerds and their outrageous zany pranks!" ugh, no thank you!). The innovation reference is fine, but it'd be nice to see them also play up the themes of excellence and ESPECIALLY tradition a bit more.
I can't make out the ads. I was drunk, mostly as an undergrad and I still drink pretty much. I'd go for more of a beer commercial style to the ads. A few dozen hot coeds in bikni's a large tank of beer and 200 big screens. Yes.
I stand behind my Apple ad comparison, but I believe you folks are applying the wrong Apple advertisement as what I was referencing. Clearly because Apple is in a A vs. B deathmatch against PCs, their "Hi I'm a Mac" ad campaign is not analogous to the campaign I am suggesting. Waht I am suggesting are the iphone/ipod type commercials - simple commercials displaying excellence.
Just a comment about the comments: I am not a Stanford alumnist. Actually, I live in Tucson and am an avid Wildcat fan. I think the commercials are the best in the Pac-10. Stanford is nationally one of the highest academic schools around and I think the commercials show Stanford as a school that is confident enough with their accomplishments to show the lighter side of the school. It did not seem at all negative toward the University. Once again, lighten up and just enjoy the humor. When Az and Stanford get together in basketball, the Stanford students are ALWAYS inovative with their heckling. They do their homework and come prepared with their originality. Keep it up, but tell the basketball team to ease up.