Best SuperBowl Commercial

Is the Radio Shack’s blast from the past commercial its ticket to a successful retail future?

Defying the norm of being phenomenally inspirational or outrageously funny, this years RadioShack ‘Phone call’ Super Bowl commercial by GSD & M evokes nostalgia. Nostalgia, emerging from a trip down memory lane of a beloved era – The 80’s.Bringing back pop culture icons was a tactful idea to communicate this new & improved retail model.

The humorous, yet powerful opening line, “The 80’s called, they want their store back,” immediately cracks up viewers. Further, the sudden ransack by the celebrities of that decade: Hogan, Sgt. Slaughter, Mary Lou Retton (Olympic gymnast), Twisted Sister, Erik Estrada (The Chips star), Kid ‘n Play (the old-school rappers), Devo (The alt band), Slim Goodbody, Alf, Teen Wolf, Chucky, Bubo (the Owl from Clash of the Titans), the California Raisins, Jason Voorhees (from the Friday the 13^th), Solid Gold dancer, Slimer (from Ghostbusters) QBert and A Delorean remind you of guilty pleasures from the past.

Besides the use of celebrities and music, the commercial humorously depicts a technological transformation with the trashing & taking back of huge boom boxes, VHS players, and bulky computer screens.

“It would be fun for folks to sit around at a Super Bowl party and talk about recognizing their favorites or learn about those they didn’t already know”, said Jennifer Warren, RadioShack’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.

Gauging the responses and reactions to a broadcasted message was a smart move as it enabled a sense of reassurance and belief in creative. Sometimes the joke’s on you, but it doesn’t seem like much if in the bargain, you make an emphatic comeback. The commercial is proof that humor, immersed in pop culture makes for a memorable, enduring and most importantly, funny ad campaign.

The power of the commercial to connect with audiences and make them “feel” is truly remarkable. Its ability standout as a memorable Super bowl spot shows substance below the surface. Overall its ability to grab attention, spark conversation, make people laugh & deliver the “It’s out with the old Radio Shack” message; speaks volumes of the creative strategy and equally promising executions.

The awesomeness of big ideas lies in their ability to be successful not only in traditional media but also the digital space. In keeping with the rebranding efforts, Radio Shack also launched the ‘80s Giveaway’ campaign with #InWithTheNew, #RadioShack on Twitter to keep its digital audiences engaged and active. The campaign sparked interaction on Facebook.

Moreover it ultimately created the desire in people to go check out the new & improved Radio Shack. The medium and message synergized beautifully to make Radio Shack one of the big winners in the Super Bowl advertising contest. It was ranked among traditional top performing players like Budweiser and Chrysler. It was also bestowed the best ad of this year’s game by Entertainment Weekly.

As a creative, it was a pleasant shock to see that many 80’s characters together at one place. Commercials like these restore your faith in the power of creativity beyond random humor or extreme extravagance. They make you believe that there is still hope for advertising.