Chrismahanukwanzuka

In a ad concepting seminar I participated in this spring, the word was "never use a jingle."

"Chrismahanukwanzuka," the Virgin Mobile commercial with the genius jingle by Ween, signifies a return of the jingle, but with a twist. Ween had had an earlier jingle assignment in which they had to part ways. In their typical ironic fashion, they satirized the product, and refused to do a rewrite. But this time they got it right. You can be as wry as you like. That's the new requirement for the jingle. You just need to be careful where you aim it.

Another one is Honda's "Grrr." With the chant, "Hate something, change something, make something better!" it speaks to the benefits of "hate." On the web site is a 19-level game, where you run around as a rabbit, eating carrots, and smashing up "ugly" things that do not belong in the environment.

I'd like to mention, also, I saw an ad for a cosmetic on the television and in it, there was an appeal to look for the $2 coupon in this Sunday's paper. An interesting direct marketing appeal, perhaps to gauge the range of the television commercial?