VW - Star Wars Spots

i haven't blogged in a long time, and that's totally my fault. obviously. however, i'm ready to start blogging again - so please get excited.

i know the super bowl was a few weeks ago, and basically, everyone has exhausted all commentary available for the commercials. but, i'm going to add my two cents to one spot in particular: the VW spot, brought to us by ad agency Deutsch LA.

last year, the best commercial hands down was "the force," and can be viewed here if you don't remember it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0

it touched quite a chord with everyone, including myself. the magic of the spot, to me, is the cuteness of it. "cute," i know, sounds very contrived, like i'm patting someone on the head. it reminded me of my childhood, of being impressionable and playful. for the adults, there was a knowing wink at the end, with the raised eyebrow from the dad. it's something my dad would have done. it just touched that moment in all of us, to escape. and that's something many commercials don't do - they are so focused on the sell - rather than giving people a reason to engage. i can't tell you how many conversations this spot started for me. not just because i'm in advertising, and i talk about advertising, but because there was a story we could all be a part of.

anyway, VW came back this year with a "sequel" - which, they announced with a teaser spot, "the bark side":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ntDYjS0Y3w&feature=BFa&list=PL1A674757461E469B&lf=plpp_video

adage wrote a piece on how this was created and was quite insightful - finding the right dogs, cuing the barks and how it was shot/filmed/edited. i had high expectations for the sequel, especially after viewing the teaser. it was inventive. it played on the previous year, without making it feel like a retread. obviously, at the same time, VW/Deutsch LA was just running and building off of their previous hit.

well, then, the real spot aired ("the dog strikes back"): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-9EYFJ4Clo&list=PL1A674757461E469B&index=1&feature=plpp_video

WHY?! the payoff of the whole thing was just plain lazy and disgusting. weak. what sucks about this is the magic that i loved from "the force" spot, actually WAS there in "the dog strikes back"... until the end. cutting out to the canteen scene sucked all the fun and interest out of the spot, because it was really them, VW and the ad agency, reaching for something that wasn't really there or needed. the point i'm trying to make: we didn't really need to have a sequel to the spot. it was unnecessary and showed how little faith they have in the consumer - feeling we wouldn't accept a spot that wasn't something we were familiar with.

this, overall, reminds me of a current issue regarding "bridesmaids" - kristen wiig has said she has no intention of creating a sequel. and, like 'entertainment weekly', i applaud and agree with the decision. yes, the movie was a hit. yes, it was hilarious. but, it had a complete story - there wasn't, and isn't - a need to see what else happens in these women's lives. i feel similar to the VW spots. the worst part is how they even mentioned last years spot, like, they didn't believe in the spot themselves.

when you dream

so, it has happened. that one obstacle we must all eventually come too: the second job.

it's true, empty internet space and few readers - i have accepted a new job. this is important for a variety of reasons.

1) i am moving back into advertising. i have always loved advertising. i find it truly interesting and it is something i love through and through. i've grappled (i am sure you have read) with the notion of where i fit in with advertising and this new job is the perfect starting off point to get me where i want to be. plus, the client is just awesome.

2) as much as i love my current position and the people i work with, i was starting to itch. i think it was because it was my first job, and i wanted to really begin my career. i say that because when i graduated, i didn't know exactly where i fit in (point 1) and there were no job opportunities available because the recession was swinging its big stick and demolishing everything in site. so, i'm not saying i took the first job that was waved in my face, but i did take a job that i thought "maybe this will be perfect." and it was perfect for then, but overall, i don't think it was perfect for the future. someone else is going to get my job, and they are going to love it and make it theirs. i wish them all the luck.

3) i am living in the big apple, and have moved jobs. this. is. HUGE! yes, i am very lucky to have a job, and even luckier to not have a lapse in working. and it means i am mildly successful in establishing myself in the city. i hope that doesn't come across as cocky. i just am really excited that i can make a move and not be lost.

so that's that. i am going to miss some things about my job, but excited and overjoyed about the new things i will learn and experience. which is what is really important i do believe.

in other news, snow has fallen all over the city and it's past the point of acceptable. really, i would like to fast forward to early spring and enjoy the sun because i am in dire need of a tan. i think most of new york can agree with me on that. i mean, i saw a picture of me on facebook and it was insane - almost on par with edward cullen. yeah, i went there.

i'm off to go burrow.

i love advertising. but maybe not the advertising i thought i loved?

this might be a word vomit post.

the first few moments of spring have occured. and i must say, the city of new york is a glorious place to be. she looks great dressed in sunlight. all bright and cheerful. like a well dressed woman who is showing some leg for the first time in a while. a welcome shock that sends your heart racing just a wee bit.

a lot has happened in the past few weeks and i would love the chance to share.

first, we all know i have been trying to better myself through the education of higher learning from SVA. it's been a great run, but i have realized that i overdid it by taking two classes this semester. i should have stuck with one and focused all my attention on that. with that, i am thinking about taking the class, or one of the classes over again next semester. that is, if i don't have a job by then. which, let's hope i do. this economy better get the ball rolling in kicking butt again because i am not going to have it any longer. nor do i think most other people will either. it's a pretty depressing state still.

however, these classes have taught me something. and that something is this: i might not really love creative as much as i thought i did when i first started out. i mean, i love being creative and i love creating things and it is truely a gift that i have. so i am pretty fortunate. but, the whole experience has left this dreadful taste in my mouth. working on the ads, i find myself not even inspired or able to think. it becomes a frustrating endeavor because i just can't get into it! i don't understand. i stare and the paper and keep working on ideas and everything just feels ridiculous. not even a new idea comes to me. and i try to just go crazy.

but i have had this mentality that i am afraid of failing. i blame school for this. because it has ingrained in me this idea that i need to get an 'A' and if i don't, then i have failed as an individual, and therefore have brought shame to my parents for not succeeding and shame to my professors who thought i could have done better.

but i think the true error in all of this is that people in advertising try to pigeon hole you into one thing or another. Copywriter. Art Director. Account. i don't think that you should or can. i do agree some people are better with art than others. And some like words more than others. It's their choice. But i love both. i enjoy layouts and words. additionally, i think that it is important to know both and realize how both work. maybe though, that is what portfolio school is for? oh gosh, another can of worms i just opened.

through this storm of self discovery, i actually have some great news! an amazing agency by the name of mccann erickson called me and told me i was part of their summer internship program as a copywriter! which is by far awesome of awesome. i danced and jumped on the corner of 87th and lexington.

it might not be the best thing to take an internship. afterall, i am almost two years out of college and should get on with my life. but the world (read: the u.s. economy) managed to implode on itself and happened to do it right when i was graduating. sweet.

i am still looking for the job of a lifetime. or the job for right now. i am pretty blessed to have parents and friends who are still supportive. i owe them something nice when i get rich.

snow day.

today was a snow day for much of manhattan. which is really odd when you think about it because i figured as a city, we would be more than ready for a snow storm. we do have an underground transportation system afterall. but really, it gave everyone and their sweatered dog a reason to leave work early or not go to work at all. which is fine by me.

except, snow hurts. i was pelted in the eye twice by those pretty, light-as-a-feather droplets of frozen beauty. straight in the eye. and it didn't hit me gingerly either. it was like the firing of a musket from above straight into my eye. my left eye, both times, to be exact. that story is neither here nor there.

this week has also given me my first foray into food poisoning. judging by the effects i endured, i would never wish for that on anyone. the jury is still out on the culprit of said poisoning, but let's just say i haven't really changed my diet. i will never learn. but it did make me yearn for my mother and her tender care to take excellent care of me. instead, i hobbled to my own kitchen to fetch my own water which was just a tad to cold for my poor souls liking. and i am kidding. but not really. i do miss my mom and her always there with food and drink self. it's hard being an adult and taking care of yourself. i should have been better prepared for life.

internship is going well too. i have realized i excel in my writing once i have a greater understanding of the client and the actual goal of the campaign. and i guess that is a pretty duh statement, but once i get emotionally invested, we are good to go.

and classes are going well. i like the copywriting class more than the portfolio class. which is ridiculous because the are basically the same class, just in a different building with different professors. but i like the criticalness of them. and the ability to show my work, however shitty it is. more on the classes later for sure. i am going to bed because i am le tired.

oh look, the future is portable.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/02/ipad-future/

that above article is really quite interesting on what the future will be for computing. but also, will bring about a new way of advertising? a cleaner way of advertising perhaps?

i don't actually own an iphone. and it isn't because i don't dream about it on a regular basis. i am an apple person. but my family has a carrier other than AT&T, and really, this is getting quite personal isn't it? oh well. i love apple products. end of the paragraph.

but really, i am trying to make a point on advertising. such as, how will advertising work on these new pads? how will advertising work for these new "apps" that are what some say are improvements on the original site. and by some, i mean the person who wrote the article.

i hope advertising does become cleaner. and less annoying. but i wish we didn't need a new thing to do that for us.

i'm not afraid of school.

so, i have begun a grand escape into higher education. the school of visual arts (sva) is my new home for two classes - portfolio and copywriting. monday was my first class, and it was a doozy. it made me have a tidal wave of emotions that i haven't felt in a long time. most importantly, it made me realize my huge and undying love for advertising.

which, i think is the most important take away from this next semester. as i have been living in nyc for almost 2 years, i have constantly viewed my career as futile. i have had internships and minor jobs, but never a real job, with a real salary and benefits. so i think for me, and most other people in my predicament, i have searched and searched to understand if my job was the right one for me because if it was, then i would be employed.

but then, you have to remember you are one in a million, or thousand at least, in the same situation, gunning for the same thing. which sucks about as hard as being eaten by a bear. because it's a recession, and the economy is an ugly thing right now. and to add with that, you are also competing for the same thing as everyone else.

thirty minutes into the class, i knew i loved it. and i was going to love advertising. it has been a good while since i have been in a classroom, and a while since i have been allowed to think creatively. and it was a glorious and amazing thing to be given full freedom to just create.

i hope these classes give me some great and amazing and lovely things to put in my portfolio. because let's be honest, i want a job. it's my dream and it's exactly who i am.

good news.

The past few days have been rather interesting in job searching.

Part A)

I have been searching for internships to coincide with my schooling. I have just been cold calling agencies and someone actually answered. talking to the person on the other line, it sounded like i might have a decent chance. they never said no, or that they didn't have any space. i figured if they didn't have room, or weren't interested in general, they would have said no. or given me the brush off.

a few weeks went by and i heard nothing, so i followed up. it was right before the holidays and i knew most agencies were closed or not even thinking of hiring/internships/etc. again, she just asked me to give my link to view my work.

PS, i am trying really hard not to say "he" or "she" so i am doing my best to keep it generic.

anyway, received an email later that day saying they had viewed my work and didn't have anything at the time. fair enough.

it just got me really down because it sounded like i had a shot. or at least, something could come of it. and maybe i am not what they are looking for. which is fine. and i totally respect that. but it's rough and difficult to think you see some light at the end of the tunnel and it's gone. just like that. i guess i would have enjoyed a little more upfrontness of it when i first began talking to the agency. such as "well, we might have an internship. it depends on such and such." or "we don't have anything available."

the second sentence is actually what was responded to me. followed by keeping my info on file. it's terrible when all you want is experience and to do what you love and you can't even do that. but it makes me want it more.

Part B)

i had applied for an internship for an agency and went in for an interview this morning. turns out, they liked me and i I will begin next monday. it's a chance for me to remember what agencies are like, and to work on some excellent brands writing long copy. it's two days a week and i hope i will learn a lot that will give me the experience to hit up some bigger agencies or at least find a job as a junior copywriter.

the position will be for one month. talking to HR, she said if it is a good fit, and i am enjoying it they will extend it. sounds promising. i just need to soak up as much as possible during this stint and really make my mark.

interestingly, it doesn't seem like an internship program, like other agencies i have worked with during college. so i feel this might feel more like a "freelance" position, even though it will be an internship.

this doesn't mean i am going to stop looking for positions, or give up on school. this is just the start of what i need for the new year.

interview one of the new year

i have just returned home from an interview. that's right, a real interview. it is for an internship position as a graphic designer.

i was awake, bright and early - well, it was 6:30 in the a.m. so not that bright - and arrived at the pearly gates around 8:35. i was ten minutes early for my interview and waited patiently for security to make contact with my contact. for the next thirty minutes, i stood in the grand lobby waiting. around me, other interns gabbed and cooed at each other, while i stood around wondering if i was an idiot or had made a mistake on the time, location, etc.

eventually, someone i knew let me up to the building and i waited in their "lobby" for 5 minutes. the interviewee was about forty-five minutes late to the interview and apologized. that's all you really can do in that instance.

the interview went fine. she never looked me in the eye and kept saying "Hmmm, Hmmmm." Followed by, "you have a lot of experience." i do have experience. but not enough experience. i want more experience so people will hire me instead of saying "you have a lot of experience." it's a constant circular battle.

i actually do want the internship. it is for a great company and i know i would learn tons as a designer. and who knows, it might even parlay into an actual job.

what i have gained from this experience is that no matter how prepared you are, people are already going to have their perceptions of you and your work. there is no going around that. so it's all about presentation and being present. ready to jump on their critiques and prove them otherwise. i didn't do that as much this time, but i will next time i have an interview.

hitting the pavement

today, i was keeping with my resolutions and called/emailed for jobs.

so, i begin school in two weeks. and i am excited. i can't wait to get back into advertising, being creative and thinking creative and being with people who love advertising just as much as me.

so, to keep me involved, i am searching for internships/jobs. it's a painful experience and one i don't wish upon anyone. ever. jobs are hard right now, and i am completely aware of the competition out there. i just wish someone was on the other end to answer my phone call. or reply to my email.

today, i think i applied for about 6 "opportunities". they are ones i actually feel passion for, and they made me excited to submit my resume. so i hope i hear something.

as for the rest of my day, i did nothing. i stayed in my pajamas. grueling. i know.

on a total side note, i am wearing my retainer and hope my teeth stay straight. random, i know.

so, i have been meaning to blog for a while, and never really got to do it. and i realized it's because i don't have a reason to really blog. while i know my life is hugely entertaining to basically no one but myself and my close friends, who don't really read this, i didn't want to bore people with tales of grocery shopping and walking to the subway.

BUT! i have a reason. now.

i have been a graduate from OU for about 1.5 years. which is a good solid time to be out and about on my own. i've had excellent internships and work experience. but now, i am going back to school (portfolio school). and looking for a new job as a copywriter in advertising. so this blog, for now, will be of those adventures.

my goal is to document my interviews, school, and at the same time, write. i won't name agencies, or name people unless they are super famous and it has nothing to do with my advertising endeavors.

i'm excited about this. and hope you are too.

HSBC wants to be your friend.

HSBC has recently launched a campaign in New York. And I am not sure if it is global, or has reached other parts of the nation, but it seems to be a huge rebranding campaign. I remember them filming "soap box" in madison square park in the middle of july, asking everyone to choose a topic and state what they think about it.

an example would be bottle water. is it good? bad? apathetic? the individual could just rant or throw accolades depending on their views.

the tagline for the campaign is something along the lines of how they can't continue until they understand everyone. different values make us all different. my words are not as fine tuned as theirs, and i am having a hard time finding the actual ad for them.

side note, it seems in all the google searches i am finding different versions, so i think we were being tested. i could be wrong.

moving on, anyway. HSBC basically took the entire platform of advertising, and created a campaign using our very foundation! we try to understand people. and we interview people and try to find a consensus about them. we also try to figure out how they view things differently and then we create ads around them. but we don't expressly state that in ads. HSBC basically did that. like, could you imagine that board meeting?

"we need to understand our consumers. who are they? what do they think?"
"what a great campaign idea. we need to understand our consumers. use that. let's go."

it's like they went halfway, stopped and ran with it.

and it's annoying. i wish they could have come around and done something different. especially since they are taking these attributes that are not associated with banking and giving them this personality.

this is one example of the ad:

i understand a bank is trying to humanize themselves into a more friendly bank. but i think they should have just focused on banking. and worries about the future. not the bottle water or a shaved head.

what are your thoughts? am i wrong in this whole thing?

ps, this isn't against their banking or anything like that. just the advertising.

published.

since i am only beginning what i believe will be a long, fruitful career in advertising, i still have tons to learn. in fact, i will never stop learning when it comes to advertising.

last night, i was reading "rolling stone" trying to catch up on my music, when i came across an ad for speed stick. which probably won't matter to a vast majority of anyone reading this, but i honestly had to do a double take. it was the exact same campaign i had worked on last summer when i was interning for my agency!

the last few weeks of my internship were completely dedicated to the campaign. we went through all the phases of creating a campaign. we also went through client specifications: small budget, mostly print, and nothing ultra crazy.

but there it was, neatly tucked between a regina spektor article and an allman brothers piece, the campaign i helped develop, staring at me.

it's weird to look at something and realize you don't completely love it. not that i expect to love everything that comes out of my head, or have ever written - but life goes on. and to look at something, and touch it, no matter how you felt about it at the time, makes you nostalgic.

which is then quickly followed by rage because you can't believe they thought this was the best creative, and you really wish you could have stayed to see how it all went down.

and to see it in a magazine, that people read, is just crazy. i wish i could show it to everyone, to show them how my summer played out, and to at least get some sort of recognition. so i think that is what i have to learn. the recognition might never come. but that doesn't mean i should stop trying, or doing, or wanting, or loving. i love this industry. i want to grab it by the balls and squeeze.

ps, i don't have a copy of the actual ad, since i left it at home. but you can click to the site here

denim.

this article was posted in the NYTimes today.

it was interesting for a few reasons. one, i knew levi's was searching for a new agency last year, and i knew one of the agencies in the running - so i clearly wanted to know who was going to win the account. two, because of the agency they chose.

"Wieden & Kennedy was selected for the assignment, Mr. Sweeny said, because of its “track record for tapping into” popular culture for brands aimed at younger consumers like Nike." Mr. Sweeny, by the way, is the vice president of marketing for levi's.

i already do not like the campaign. i think it is generic. and it doesn't really make me want to jump on the levi bandwagon. and i say this because i am the target market.

also, i think it is ridiculous for them to choose W+K because of the work they do for Nike. yes, most likely there were other reasons in the choosing of said agency, and while i do enjoy the work they produce for nike, among other brands, i think it is because both have created this lasting, beautiful partnership together, while also being given the time to really understand one another, as well as the cultural landscape they advertise in. so, if levi's wants to get back to being awesome, creatively, i hope they are ready to spend the time and energy by building a relationship with W+K.

also:

this is a rebranding campaign, first and foremost. new agency. new creative. new tagline. and while as a country we are facing tough times, i find it odd to wrap a rebranding campaign strictly around the economy. their research shows the target market being optimistic about the future - we're resilient!

i think they should have built a campaign around what they want to be (while also keeping their heritage), and then add parts to it to fit the current climate. because when this is all said and done, they are going back to the drawing board to fit the new climate.

am i wrong in this thought? again, i was not part of the actual pitch, or the selection process, so this is just an opinion.

thoughts on advertising.

I am quickly beginning to realize the future of advertising is going to be purely digital.

personally, i love interactive advertising (specifically, the Internet). when i first interned with IMC2, i was able to think in a visual capacity, as well as a print medium. and the merging of both created a very interesting and exciting space and place for our message to get across.

As of late, i have noticed many buses carrying these sweet billboards that move. and glow. and provide excellent stimulus to my senses. and even when i was in school, and home in texas, i noticed billboards which changed every 10 seconds or so.

i say this because once, a long time ago, before newspapers were dying, and people didn't have the internet, people read. they read magazines. books. the paper. so i wonder if what people saw on a printed piece of paper, they went out to experience for themselves first hand. after all, an image can be a very powerful thing.

we now have billboards, first done by mini cooper which show RFID technology being used to relate to consumers.

And more importantly, we have fast food menus, television monitors at the box office using digital imagery to entice consumers. which don't get me wrong, is nice to see popcorn and a DP being all delicious looking, but i can get the same sensory satisfaction looking at a well-shot picture.

and late last year, Esquire magazine created the first digital cover to hit mainstream.

we are moving into a generation not content with stationary objects. and that isn't bad, per say, but i think my real worry is: it might eventually take the fun out of experiencing an event.

basically, i think there is a time and place for all advertising. and i think we need to tone down the digital bits. we need to allow user interaction across many mediums, instead of having an explosion all at once. a good campaign has the user seek out the product. gain information.

as a creative, i hope we don't lose touch with the past. someone once said my portfolio lacked "punch. it was boring, because it was print". and i was floored. i was sad. i was angry. i covered a lot of emotional ground in the span of 5 minutes, trust me. but looking back on it, i realized how wrong he was.

print advertising is HARD. it's difficult. it's a process. we are not able to merge visual (moving objects) with the print. we have one way to reach our audience. and it's what i crave. maybe people use both to hide behind their idea, thinking "if we tease them with moving objects, they won't notice the ad sucks."

once you get a good print idea, the rest just falls into place. and a great ad doesn't need a lot of layers. and if the digital parts work, as with my above example with mini cooper, than i say why not. just don't let being digital take precedence over what could become a good ad. and a great campaign.

commercial for you.

i freaking love this commercial



this ad from Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners, New York is for Wendy's, and it's just so much fun. I remember when Wendy's was going through their huge agency overhall and I was unsure of the direction. I haven't really noticed Wendy's advertising until now though.

work is grand

there is a stark difference as an intern and as an actual employee. there are the most obvious examples - salary, benefits and having a position that won't expire after 12 weeks simply because that is the length of the internship.

and it recently dawned on me that this job is my first. i have had summer jobs, but THIS job is the first one where i am doing exactly what i have trained to do for four years. this is my first job doing what i love.

so yes, there is a huge contrast between intern and employee. i am asked my opinion. i am trusted. people in the office assume i know what i am doing. and most of all, i am put to work doing actual work that is actually beneficial to the company.

i want to know how many times i will write "actual" or some form of it during this post.

i love my job. i love doing what i do, and it is only the third day. rock on.

here's to you.

for the past five months, i have been searching for a job. for those past months, i have been emailing my resume out, interviewing with those big and small, rejected by way of the silent treatment. yesterday, someone finally said yes.

life is tough right now. but it's always tough. so for someone to take a chance on me, i am utterly all smiles. and i haven't been smiles lately. i have been a ball full of worry. and stress. but now, i can relax and breath. i love my industry. i love my place in it right now. i can't wait to grow.

i have tried for so long to find a position where i know i will excel. and i found one. and those months of searching have lead to me have this unimaginable hunger as an advertiser. i have had some falls along the way. but i have had some amazing shots at greatness. and i am proud of every single one because i have done them, and i have grown and been taught some very important lessons.

so here's to you, people in the big offices of the big agencies who never return emails and phone calls. here's to you, people who say i need to be hungry for it all, who say i am entitled. here's to you, people who say my book isn't exciting, and to those who say "maybe next time".

but also, here's to you, friends who said to never give up. family who prayed. people who said keep going. those who wished for the best and those who said i have talent.

the people who turned me away gave me the drive and ambition. the people closest to me gave me the determination to keep going.

life change

so, i had an internship with EuroRSCG, which is an advertising agency. i was interning as a strategic planner, and i wish i could tell you what my job was, but i still can't.

yes, the word is 'had'. through a series of events and consequences, we broke up. and i'm not mad at all. or upset. the short time i was there, i realized what i loved to do was creative, and my account service dream was just a dream.

i learned a few things, but one thing i will miss is the fridge full of DP.

on a side note, the weather is finally getting its act together. thank goodness.

manners, please.

now, as a good ole southern boy, my mother taught me a few things. beating girls isn't a good idea. opening doors for others is always in season. and if someone writes/calls/corresponds with you, you reply back.

i know the world doesn't (sadly) revolve around me, but so far, it's done an amazing job. but what really presses my buttons is when i email people or leave a voice mail, and i get nothing. i mean, i could have shouted into a brick wall and i would have received my own voice as a response. but sending information and never hearing back is infuriating.

working in the advertising industry, i would hope and assume we would be best at communication. after all, we communicate with the world. and with blackberry on the verge of implanting itself into our brains in about 2.5 minutes, i don't understand why people can't reply to anything within a reasonable amount of time. seriously.

i am just confused as to where all of our manners have gone. some things should stay the same (stop messing with facebook...facebook) and some things should simply RIP (children who scream and cry in public). and it is my opinion that manners should stay. it frightens me when i open the door for a person (woman mostly. guys are on their own...unless it's jake gyllenhaal....i'm locking that door and throwing away the key) and they look at me like i am about to strike them down with my bag or fist and walk away like it's alright.

do people not do nice things anymore? does blair waldorf really exist? i am sure i have some emails to attend to.

if you know me, you know i love affair with McDonalds. it's borderline unhealthy to be honest. so it makes me sad when i see this commercial, created by Arnold Worldwide, because the love i have for McDonalds and their number one, or two, or three, or if i am really hungry, a number four, seems to dwindle every time i see this commercial. and it doesn't help the situation that it seems to run all the freaking time.