The Cranky Creative Blog

No one needs Liberty Mutual's wet teddy bears

April 16, 2021 The Cranky Creative

No one wants Liberty Mutual’s wet teddy bears

Liberty Mutual’s new wet teddy bear commercial has convinced me of two things: 1) The once proud profession of advertising is dead; and 2) We really do live in a

ad review allstate's tv commercial smooth

March 4, 2021 The Cranky Creative

Sorry, Cranky readers, but I like the Allstate “Smooth” ad

In brilliant contrast to so many boorish ads that aim to get our attention through cacophonous noise and vapid jokes, Allstate’s 60-second “Smooth” ad communicates its message with style, grace,

Cranky Creative ad review: Super Bowl LV

February 7, 2021 The Cranky Creative

Super Bowl LV commercials: The Cranky Ad Review verdict

Really, what did everyone expect? Smarter and funnier than most TV commercials aired during Super Bowl LV, the 1999 Mike Judge film Idiocracy was sadly prescient. So let’s watch a

January 28, 2021 The Cranky Creative

Ad Review: GEICO’s gags are getting old

Prolific insurance advertiser GEICO is back with more “hilarious” TV commercials. This time, two couples are excited to share how much they love their new homes — despite clogging problems

Cranky Creative Ad Review: PS5, Xbox battle for video game supremacy

November 19, 2020 The Cranky Creative

Ad Review: PlayStation 5, Xbox battle for video game supremacy

PlayStation 5. Xbox Series X. The next generation of video game consoles is here, and with it, a stark reminder of why advertisers need to communicate the right message to

introducing robbert, simplisafe's new burglar slash tv spokesman

October 28, 2020 The Cranky Creative

Ad Review: Simplisafe’s ‘Robbert’ commercials sell the product short

I like SimpliSafe. The company’s home security systems are easy to use, effective, and affordable. So I’m a little disappointed with SimpliSafe’s latest TV commercials featuring new spokesman “Robbert,” a

allstate tv commercial safe drivers save 40 percent

September 30, 2020 The Cranky Creative

I hate Allstate’s ‘safe drivers save 40 percent’ commercial

It assaulted my ears from another room: a rapid-fire series of irritating voices all repeating the same line, over and over. I couldn’t make out the words, but I knew

copywriting tips for copywriters and aspiring copywriters

September 16, 2020 The Cranky Creative

Writing tips for copywriters and, well, everyone who writes

Writing is hard. Let’s make it easier with helpful tips and a pre-flight checklist. Whether you are new to copywriting, an experienced copywriter, or someone who simply wants to make

August 20, 2020 The Cranky Creative

Book Review: Bob Garfield’s ‘And Now a Few Words from Me’

Readers of this blog often ask me to recommend good books on advertising. If you have even a passing interest in the ad world, then you need to put Bob

July 22, 2020 The Cranky Creative

What’s on your work music playlist?

Listening to music at work helps me to focus and find my groove. In this post, I’ll share some of my favorite music genres, artists, songs, and sounds to listen

July 1, 2020 The Cranky Creative