What’s In This Issue?
Bugsgiving With "Roaches That Taste Like Blue Cheese"
Did you know last Thursday was "Bugsgiving"? It's a ten-course "banquet" featuring insects. As long as there is no cauliflower, the meal seems edible enough. Now I just need to convince my family to let me put "grasshopper kebabs" on our Thanksgiving menu.
What Verizon's Emotional Ad Says About Evolving Masculinity
One of the trends I have been paying close attention to is the evolution of masculinity (spoiler alert for the Non-Obvious 2019 trends which you will get an early look at in next week's email!) and this ad was a perfect demonstration of one aspect of the shift. In the ad, a man writes an emotional message to his father about Thanksgiving.
It has all the hallmarks of being a big hit. A relatable message, a timely tie-in to a holiday (the ad will debut during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade) and a well crafted brand tagline for Verizon that fits perfectly into the story of the ad: "You find the words. We'll make sure they get there."
What I love most about this is that the underlying story features something that we hardly ever used to see in advertising ... a man willing to be vulnerable and open with his feelings. This is not another ad featuring a "doofus dad" who is just a bumbling domestic idiot. It is also not about a "manly guy" who spends most of his time chasing women and high-fiving other guys. This is a new type of man, and one that I suspect we will see far more examples of in the coming year.
