In a year with few great Super Bowl commercials, Radio Shack won the battle for best Super Bowl commercial in my mind. Not only was it entertaining, but it was also highly effective and had a strong brand linkage. Take a look . . .
First and foremost, the ad is fun and entertaining. They engage the audience by bringing back highly recognizable 1980's characters and playing well known music.
Second, the ad hit hard against a highly relevant consumer insights - Radio Shack has lost relevance in consumers' minds. By owning up to this insight and embracing it head on, the advertisement connects with consumers current perceptions and provides a launching point to then move the conversation beyond this basic belief by actually showing the store being striped down to the bones and rebuilt. This commercial approach is actually highly reminiscent of what Domino's did with the re-launch of its new recipe pizza 4 or 5 years ago, when it showcased insights from its harshest critics.
Finally, unlike most Super Bowl ads, this commercial was actually about the brand (vs. a puppy and horse) and had strong brand linkage throughout, which should help make the ad more effective than most of its peers in actually moving the needle on revenue.
Overall, I thought this was an exceptional ad. Well done Radio Shack, well done.
