Rory “Snake” – Bogey
It looks cool, is well edited and dramatic but honestly what the heck is going on here? Is this a modern day version of “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”? Or is it “I got a great idea, let’s put a rattlesnake in the commercial so people will say “hey there’s a rattlesnake in the new Nike commercial!” What does it have to do with Rory or Nike or golf? And is it selling one single ball, article of clothing or piece of equipment? I think not.
Rolex “This Watch” -Birdie
Melodramatic? Kind of. Artistic? Certainly. Evocative? Definitely. Who doesn’t like seeing classic images of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in each’s prime? Oh and by the way I want that blue faced watch!
Zurich “Lie Detector” – Par
Clever, mildly amusing and great acting by Ben Crane. If it actually helped sell insurance it might get bumped up to a birdie.
AT & T Jordan Spieth “Caddie” – Par
I’m sure the people who really like Jordan Spieth think this is a better commercial than I do. Don’t get me wrong I think Jordan is a really good player and I think this spot is a pretty good one. My problem is that the whole “we” concept in professional golf is an immediate turn off for me. Also the payoff is okay with the mispronunciation of Jordan’s last name at the end but it would have been so much better if Retief Goosen, Jose Maria Olazabal, Joost Luiten or Tyrone Van Aswegen had delivered it. I mean, why not? Tony Romo is in it!
IZOD Webb Simpson “our team” – Triple Bogey
Does anybody, who knows anything at all about golf or Webb Simpson, think this is a good commercial? I can’t think of a more dramatic misread on the “green” that is somebody’s brand. The 2012 United States Open Champion is a good player. I’m sure he is also a tremendous family man and a more than decent guy. What he is not is a frat boy on a boat. The guys on his “team” don’t look remotely fun, aspirational or enjoyable to be around. They look like obnoxious jerks and Webb is tainted with that same brush. This ad is a creation of an agency that thinks it’s “edgy” but knows nothing about the audience it’s trying to reach, the sport it’s hoping to showcase, or the spokesperson of the product they are trying to represent. How they got Webb to agree to this is beyond me.
Callaway “Boeing” – Bogey
Really? There hasn’t been this big of a disconnect between a company and golf since… Okay there has never been this big of a disconnect between a company and golf.
