Hyundai's Smart Park - in Boston!

The Super Bowl is upon us once again, and that means only one thing…advertising! It’s the marketers’ holiday and every year I love every minute of watching all of the new advertising. It’s generally a buffet of entertainment, celebrity, social commentary, and yes, products and services.

And every year for 8 years now I hold a live Twitter Party during the game to discuss in real time the spots. It’s at #SuperBowlExp and I hope you can join me.

Previews have also become the name of the game, and they started rolling in about a week ago this year. Many brands are held off their scheduled pre-releases on Monday and Tuesday in respect for Kobe Bryant but I suspect the game will go on in respect as well. RIP.

One of the best, so far to my eye, is the spot from Hyundai featuring several famous folks from Boston showcasing their Boston accents. I worked in Boston for two years after college and I absolutely love the city and its people…and its accent.

But what I love about this video is how the brand uses the trademark accent to reveal and reinforce a new product benefit: a parking aide. Or what the brand calls Smart Park. Or what the folks in the video call Smaaaart Paaaark.

It’s just brilliant. It’s so hard to break through a product feature in a meaningful way without it sounding like every other product feature from every other brand. I mean parking is parking, right?!? Not when it’s Smaaart Paaark!

BTW, the automotive category is generally the biggest advertiser during the Super Bowl so watch out…

…and tune in! #SuperBowlExp. What’s your experience? JIM

PS - This spot could have perhaps been even better had the Boston folks had their team in the big game. ‘Just Sayin’