There are several ways that you get people to notice your ad, or as Roy H. Williams likes to say, "Sneak past Broca's Area." The four most powerful are Testimonials, Drama, Jingles, and Humor. All of these four can be highly effective if done correctly, but are disastrous if not.

I've always had a soft spot for the military, but this ad really moves beyond the shlock of "Be All You Can Be" and into a realm of honesty and desire.

The ad is visually and audibly appealing - looking like the trailer for the next Jason Bourne film. Then it wagers two of the six forms of currency that work in advertising to gain honest attention from viewers: Opportunity and Reputation. It offers the Opportunity to fight against three of the greatest enemies that mankind still faces today: Fear, Chaos, and Distress. Then it offers the Reputation of the Canadian Forces as the group to do this with, and it is a wager since if the public perceives this as a hollow and false front the ad will fail. I don't think they do, by the way, since I saw this originally on a Canadian blog praising this ad and the CF.

Their choice of enemies is telling too since it sets them apart from America in that they're not fighting 'Terror', but Fear. You may think it's minor, but watch the ad again. I don't think they're just parroting American War on Terror ideals.

Skittles ad department definitely has a crazy sense of humor, just check out any of their other ads (the well known man in the giant bird nest for example), but they move the needle on the "I Don't Give a Damn" meter for people.

I love how this ad, a basic bait and switch is some masterfully done. At first you think it's just a gorilla with some lame Phil Collins music playing, and it seems like he's in a cage, but then just before the drums go, BAM!  it pans back, the gorilla is practicing on his drum kit and he is listening to the music through his ear pod.  I really enjoy this commercial on a visceral level, but I'm not entirely convinced that it succeeds in making me interested in their product.  Where have they failed?

So there is a strange calculus that happens when I post an entry or a reply.  This calculus determines the picture I will use when posting.  I have six, and they were precisely chosen.  I've added a new picture, it has its purpose that should be more clear soon.

Enjoy.