When Everybody Plays, We All Win

Does it reveal my biases that I already have a favorite commercial from this year's Superbowl and it's still more than 30 hours before kickoff?

Look, every now and then several factors overlap to give you something better than the sum of their parts. Beans: mmm, pretty good. Rice: not too bad. Rice & Beans: DELICIOUS!! So it is with a particular Superbowl commercial this year.

Without belaboring it, here are some of my passions & devotions that come together in this inspirational work of art. Yeah, I said that about a commercial.

I was a special education classroom teacher for almost ten years. For the past 15 years I have quietly volunteered my time as an entertainer for children at a monthly event that allows the parents an evening of respite while trained, compassionate volunteers take care of their children; children with physical, mental, and/or emotional challenges that most families never have to struggle with. So I am and have always been an advocate for children with these sorts of challenges.

I'm a gamer. I don't watch much TV at all, but I spend WAY TOO much screen time in Tamriel forging weaponsand armor that use as I rid the land of bandits and dragons. And when I'm not there, I'm in post-apocalyptic Boston or Washington DCeradicating the wastelands of raiders and super mutants. D&DOnline, pen-and-paper Pathfinder, sometimes I wonder if I spend more time in fantasy realms than in the real world!

And my degree is in Business with a heavy focus on Marketing. So I've always loved effective advertising. People love to complain about advertising, but that's because they are complaining about INEFFECTIVE advertising: when you are bombarded with stuff you don't want, need, or care about. Effective advertising is the opposite. We LOVE to hear about things we want, need, and care about. Clearly, the ad below is NOT relevant to most consumers. But I DARE you to watch and say you don't care.

Lastly, I happen to actually know one of the families in that story. I've known Owen since he was a little kid. I drink beer and watch football with his Dad. I've followed Owen through countless surgeries and emotional, fearful times. It's super exciting to see him as he becomes, sort of the face of Microsoft's new Adaptive Controller.

Anyway, here's the ad...