Posting daily at 1pm central about all kinds of things. One day it's dating, the next it's TV commercials. I hope you're entertained. Professional photos on SmugMug – https://benwilder.smugmug.com
The original “Wake Me Up” was released 11 years ago with Aloe Blacc and Avicii. I loved it back then and I still love the song today. I know what I think about this country version but I’m curious what you think. Take a look then scroll down for more…
The melody is reminiscent of the original (and the acoustic) but with a few added instruments. Chime in below with your thoughts. And I guess if you want to cover this as an opera song or heavy metal, it’s out there for anyone to do anything they want with it. 🤔🤧😵
Sometimes a car commercial barely shows the car at all. The most recent getting attention is Jaguar for a bizarre commercial that has nothing to do with any of their fleet of vehicles. They say it’s just the beginning, something more is on the way but from the feedback I’ve been seeing, it’s already too late to save whatever big idea they had for the campaign. I’ll put that video down at the bottom so the first thing you see is something so much more meaningful.
The Volvo brand has been known for safety all of my life. It’s a quality they embrace to the fullest, just like the parents in this heartwarming commercial embracing their newborn. Check it out then scroll down for more…
Did they show everything a buyer needs to know about a car before purchase? Not even close. But I guarantee anyone in the market for a new car will give Volvo a second glance after this commercial. It’s sweet. It’s emotional. It’s heart wrenching and it has a happy ending. It’s also a bit of a warning: If you don’t get a Volvo, you might find yourself in a situation you never want to be in. But they didn’t yell. They pulled our heartstrings. It’s a win for Volvo all around, not to mention the EX90 looks great.
Jaguar, on the other hand, no one knows what they’re doing and at this point, I’m sure they’re thinking “It’s fine, everything’s fine.”
Here’s the Jaguar commercial that might be the Bud Light of 2024.
Walmart has put together a series of short films about Lady Priscilla’s invitation to the biggest event of the season, the Black Friday Deals gala. Yep, if she can find a date they’ll party like it’s 1899. It’s in Episode 2 that we find out who Priscilla fancies and–spoiler alert– it’s not anyone her peers, or mother, would’ve suspected. Check it out then scroll down for more info…
The Actors. Episode 2 in the series “Deals of Desire” unites Priscilla and the humble stable boy Jack. Priscilla is played by Kalay Moore (@KalayMoore) and Jack the Stable Boy is played by Anthony Ramos (@AnthonyRamosOfficial), who fans are recognizing from Twisters, Hamilton and more. Let’s all rejoice that true love made a way for these two lovebirds, and hold our breath there might be an Episode 3!? Take a look at the other actors appearing in the ad, credit to Ms. Moore for posting their names and info to her Instagram…
If you missed the setup of this forbidden pairing, check out Episode 1 below.
It’s not really a gamble to pick up new Brooks running shoes when your old pair is about to be retired. For the entire year of 2024, I’ve trained and competed in the Brooks Hyperion Tempo shoes and I’ll be honest, the beginning of our relationship had some growing pains. So much that I wasn’t sure I’d keep them. Tightening the laces caused more pain than I expected in the first few weeks. After adjustments (new insoles, swapping laces out), the yellow shoes and I were inseparable. I feel connected to them after all the training and racing we’ve done together… totaling over 450 miles.
But…. it’s time for a new pair.
I loved these shoes. So light. So fast. If I were to change one thing, I’d add more cushion in the sole and thickness in the upper material. Well, lo and behold, Brooks actually makes other styles that have more cushion in the sold and thickness in the upper material. Who knew!? As the life of this pair is coming to an end (or maybe it ended weeks ago), it’s time for something new.
Naturally, I spent way too much time recently researching on the Brooks Amazon page for what I want next. At this point, I’ve narrowed it down to 2 styles: Ghost 16 and Glycerin 21.
The three things at the top of my list are comfort, weight, and color. I’m not really one to want attention and while most running shoes you’re probably thinking of are neon green or so bright yellow you need sunglasses, there ARE more modest color schemes. Black, white, dark blue, etc. I actually enjoyed the mentality my yellow shoes ignited for me. I sometimes think about those professional athletes who have gold shoes (runner Michael Johnson, for instance, and a few in the NFL). If you’re wearing gold shoes, you better back it up with elite athleticism because people are watching. So while my shoes weren’t super bright, I still felt a responsibility to be worthy of them.
My next pair probably won’t stand out quite as much because I’m focusing more on comfort. But if they happen to be as bright as the surface of the sun, I guess I’ll have to keep trying to be as fast as the speed of light.
We can’t all be born wild. We can’t all be born hot. Fortunately for Santa Claus in 2024, he’s both! That’s according to comments on social media to the tune of: “I’m glad I’m on the nice list” and “here for hot Santa” and “Love these commercials. Ho, Ho, Hottttt!!!!” Check out Santa’s second job (this economy, am I right??) as a customer care specialist at whatever Target is closest to the North Pole. Then scroll down for the name of the actor, the song info, and more!
The Actor. Playing the part of Kris Kringle is actor Brent Bailey, who you might recognize from his recent appearance on the show “The Lincoln Lawyer.” His faux silver hair disguises him pretty well in the Target spot but you’ve definitely seen him in other stuff, too. Trust me, you have. Take a look at a long list of other projects he’s been part of in his IMDb biography. Also be sure to follow him on Instagram – @BrentMBailey. I reached out to him to find out what his experience was like for this shoot, recalling my days working in television and I thought it would be fun to talk about a favorite on shoot days– craft service. There’s nothing better than a great meal on 12+ hour shoots, let me tell ya! Here was his response…
It was honestly one of my favorite jobs without a doubt. The spots were so clever and the whole team behind it all is amazing. It’s funny you mention the food, because I posted constantly about how delicious the catering was. It was one of those jobs where all aspects of it were perfect. I can’t wait to see the rest of the spots we shot and I really hope we make more of them!
Congrats to Brent and the rest of the cast and crew, and Target for a charming, funny commercial that doesn’t overdo it. Just goes to show that when you have good idea, it doesn’t have to be super complicated. A job well done!
The Music. If you don’t know this song by now, where ya been? From 1968 it’s “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf. Check out the whole track below…
I like that Santa trades in his reindeer for some horsepower, riding through town in a Ford Bronco. And not a new one (which are cool, too), he’s in a classic. Do you like the commercial? Chime in below!
Out of the Wilderness 