BUD LIGHT | Real Men of Genius - Mr. Really Loud Cell Phone Guy | 2007
A beer for the guy who shouts into his cell phone. / BUD LIGHT "Real Men of Genius"
In 2007, an absurdly epic '80s-rock-style song started playing on radio stations across America. "Today, we salute you... Mr. Really Loud Cell Phone Guy!" What on earth is this?
The insight
The "Real Men of Genius" series, launched by DDB Chicago in 1998, is a set of radio ads that celebrate everyday "weird guys" who usually go unnoticed—praising them in the most over-the-top way imaginable. The guy who talks way too loudly on his cell phone, the guy who invented the giant taco salad, the guy who wears a terrible toupee... Everyone knows someone like this, and the ads honor these familiar characters through the passionate singing of David Bickler, former lead singer of Survivor, blending irony with real affection.
What happened
The series won more than 100 advertising awards and left its mark on American advertising history in the 2000s. The set of ads including "Mr. Really Loud Cell Phone Guy" won Gold at the Cannes Lions in 2007.
Afterthought
This is what happens when advertising pours its full energy not just into "selling stuff" but into "celebrating the world's weirdos." I want to praise someone too, over the top, with love.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2007
