A problem advertisers sometimes have is finding the most cost effective way to publicize a product. What we often forget is that if it’s good enough, people get the word out on their own. A couple recent (and humorous) examples would be Old Spice and Allstate, but as much as I love to laugh, I’d say an ad that can instill goosebumps is even more likely to stick with me.

There are few who can make me react this way in just one minute’s time. Really, the only one who immediately comes to mind is Google. But I can now add Chevrolet to the list after viewing the best one minute ad I’ve seen all year.

We learned last week that this event was not staged, that Herb did in fact get his beloved Impala back after 20 years and seven owners, but the authenticity is apparent even without that information, isn’t it? Herb’s family knows how important the car was to him. It was more than a car, it was the memories that came with it.

Even Tim Allen, the new voice of Chevrolet, was given a supporting role as the family was allowed to tell the story in their own voices. The only time we hear Allen’s voice is at the very end, when he gives us the slogan.

Kudos to Chevy for making an authentic, touching, subdued, and shareable ad in just one minute’s time.

It’s often said that those who peak during junior high are in for a sad existence. Luckily for me, I most certainly did not peak in middle school. While all the cool kids were wearing Tommy Hilfiger apparel and trying to smoke cigarettes (and failing), I was living a naive, sweatpants-clad existence.

I was able to accrue a few solid friendships thanks to my ability to play sports, but I was never part of the junior high in crowd, which started and ended with the clothes you wore.

After watching that iPhone ad at the top of the page for the first time, memories of junior high flooded my brain. I was not then, nor am I now a part of the cool kids club, and I won’t be until I open my wallet for the Apple-developed cover charge.

I’m due for a phone upgrade, and I’ve been mulling over my next purchase for a little while. After watching that ad, I just may veer away from Apple.

If you feel compelled to type SOUR GRAPES!!! in all caps, feel free to do so in the comments. And if you’re pitying me because I’ll never know the thrill of paying for coffee with an iPhone, you needn’t worry. I’m sure Android will suit me just fine.

I’ve always believed that advertising should be persuasive (if your message isn’t compelling there is no reason for anyone to buy, sign up, or connect in any way), simple (complex messages are difficult to understand and often bore or become invisible), emotional (BBH famously developed the theory of the Emotional Selling Proposition (ESP), a direct move away from the older Unique Selling Proposition (USP) standard. ESP has become the basis for some of the most powerful advertising in the past century) and it should tell a good story (by leading viewers, readers or listeners through a story you can engage them on a deeper level and help them understand your product or service on a more personally).

I’ve also always felt Public Service Announcements (PSAs) are the low-hanging fruit in the world of advertising. Their accessible purposes are easy to understand by nearly everyone. How can you not agree that a mind is a terrible thing to waste, or that you really should give a hoot, don’t pollute and support the American Red Cross Haiti Relief effort. Agencies develop a mascot, line up some celebrities and write some wicked copy. But often these campaigns still fall short of greatness.

So I’m giving kudos to the United Kingdom’s Sussex Safer Roads Partnership and their new Embrace Life campaign which encourages seatbelt use. In America, we currently have our own simpleminded and threatening Click it or Ticket campaign and maybe a clever billboard, but honestly none have ever been persuasive.

Well done, Sussex Safer Roads Partnership. Persuasive, simple, emotional and it tells a story.

I have no idea how they got Warren Buffet to do this, but they have been trying to play-up his involvement in Geico (Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway owns Geico) for some time through their print ad campaign (see below). Cast in the spot are real-life Geico employees who actually do a pretty decent job of singing. Nicely done.