Finding the truth.

Contrary to public opinion, truth and advertising go together perfectly well. You could even say that an ad works only if it rings true for the consumer. If your message is unbelievable, then your ad certainly fails.  But the details of the execution matter too. When something like casting, location, or dialog is a little off, people notice. They might not get your message at all because they’re too distracted by the part that doesn’t feel right and they’ll be quick to call it out.

Getting it wrong.

I hate to pick on any spot because I know how many forces can be working against you, but this Sea World spot fails on a fundamental level. They put these lofty beliefs in the mouths of kids and it makes me think they have no idea what children are really like. Have you ever heard a kid say, “I believe that fun is a renewable resource?” It fails the truth test.

Getting it right.

This Chef Boyardee spot an example of  an execution that is built on truth. Part of what makes this spot work is good acting, but the mom-dad-kid dynamic is totally believable. It all seems true to me.

Finding something true to build on doesn’t mean it has to be a traditional slice-of-life ad. In this Denny’s spot, themed “Breakfast has been taken over by the machines,” they start with the truth that machines—by virtue of not being human—are insensitive.

Try out these criteria next time you’re judging creative work. I’ll bet you find that if it’s interesting and meaningful, and it’s based on a simple truth, you’ve got a good ad.

Some notable exceptions, early in the first quarter, Doritos had two spots that each got big laughs. And Bud Light opened the show with a spot that lived up to the expectations of entertainment value and surprise.

Pepsi Max scored with a riff on men being able to take anything but the taste of diet soda. And Teleflora impressed with their talking flowers in a box. E Trade reprised their baby as spokesman, which I always enjoy.

I thought the new direction Budweiser has taken with the Clydesdales was off. It felt too sensitive, less manly, very un-beer-like.

I was following AdRant on Twitter, and they reported that the CareerBuilder.com spot was a huge crowd pleaser at whatever party they were attending. And I liked the Denny’s spot, where the tough guys planning a crime were interrupted by whipped cream being squirted on their pancakes. The announcer comes in with the line “It’s time for a serious breakfast.” It worked perfectly.

My favorite spot was the Pepsi MacGyver send-up starring SNL comedians. It felt more like a skit on SNL than a commercial, which means it at least took a chance. Was that Scorsese?

I was disappointed with Coke, Bridgestone, H&R Block, Toyota, Cheetos and Priceline.com.  I hated GoDaddy.com and Sobe Lifewater, and that Arizona lost. Very few spots tried to get me to expand the experience with the web, and I expected so much more from Miller after the hype of the one second spots. But they saved a bunch of money, I bet you.

So the Advertising High Holidays come to a disappointing end. Look up the winners and losers on USA Today Ad Meter.