It's Official: NEW PHONE NUMBER!

This is my new personal, direct line. It will be active sometime on Friday, February 16, 2007. In the meantime use my current number!

Hammer's NEW phone number: (704) 658-5236

Please update your phone books immediately. Thanks for understanding. This fully completes my move to the Charlotte, NC metro!

ATTENTION: New Phone Number Coming!

John Hammer: Techno Geek Dweeb...

After several years with my Blackberry, I've begun the process of changing over to the new Motorola "Q" smartphone.

I know, I know: "Big freaking whoop Hammer, why are you telling us?" Well, it's not just because I'll have all the features of my Blackberry (email, internet, IM, phone), but it also adds in a camera, real Text Messaging and a monthly rate that may be as much as 50% less than I was paying with NEXTEL (the BIGGEST motivator!)

Ahhh, yes, there's the point for you: I'm switching from NEXTEL to Sprint...and while they're the same corporate family, it appears I won't be able to keep my cell number. So, expect another mass email from me within the next week to share my new phone number with you. If you somehow don't hear from me, send me an email asking for it!

Oh, one more reason to get the "Q"... It's just so damn cool!

SuperBowl ads...you know I've got an opinion!

Sure, eveyone expects whiz-bang or hy-larious commercials during the SuperBowl these days.

But do they work?

Sitting at lunch with my wife & my sister in law today...they laughed at the Check Out Girl ad (don't remember what it was for), they grossed out at the one with the soapy guys on the car.

The Taco Bell spot with the Lions rolling their "r's" was a fave. So was the David Letterman / Oprah promo.

There were some great laughs for sure, but the Superbowl tends to have companies...er, AD Agencies, working all year long for a one-off hurrah. Its bragging rights in the creative industry. And much of it stinks if you compare it to proper brand building ad campaigns.

So which did I like? The Budweiser spot called "Spot - Wink" with the dog.


Why do I like it so much? Because it stays true to the Budweiser brand: the Clydesdale Horses are instantly recognizeable to Bud. It's witty, but continues building on the brand identity!

Genius!

Okay, I need to give an honorable mention to Cheerwine! Cheerwine is a southern tradition...sort of a cherry flavored soda pop, I think it tastes like a cross between a Dr Pepper & a Faygo Redpop (Detroiters know!). They had an ad that ran here in the South, where there has been a big influx of "Yankees" lately...many from New York!