What's your dream job?

The other day in an interview, someone asked me what would be my dream job. It's a common question, and one I know exactly how to answer in an interview.  But when the moment came that I realized that the job I was describing actually was the job I was interviewing for, I wondered if this job really was that great, or if it was time that I re-visited what my idea of a dream job could be, and think about more of the finer details.

This is a question that I've thought about often in my career, but I've gotten to a point where my dream job could be reachable soon, so it actually is time to start ironing out specifics.

I think we've all had a dream position and/or a dream company in mind.  But have we thought about all the details a dream job would entail? What would a dream job look like according to level of company influence, size of company, company culture, work style, work environment, location, industry, etc, etc?

It's a fun thing to dream about, but it's also a good practical exercise. Once you identify exactly what it is that you want, you can see the differences between what you want and where you currently are in your career. Then you can think about what steps you might need to take to get to the dream.

I'd recommend repeating this exercise every few years, both to see if the dream has changed at all, and to monitor your progress toward the goal. Not to mention, it's also just fun and inspiring to daydream a little bit now and then, to help you believe that the thing that you want is out there, and you can make it happen.

Happy dreams!

Super Bowl XLVII Commercials Review!

Here we go again, it's time for my annual post reviewing the Super Bowl commercials.  If you're joining me for the first time this year, this is something I do every year (except I missed last year--sorry about that).  I, like so many people, usually watch the Super Bowl just for the commercials (pro football? couldn't give a flying fart....), and while many people throw around their one or two favorites, I enjoy taking a bit more time to dissect the commercials of the year.  So I take notes on every last one, pick out my favorites, and add some commentary on my choices.  If you'd like to go back in time and catch up, you can find my posts about Super Bowl Ad History, Super Bowl XLIV, and Super Bowl XLV.

This year's commercials overall were much better quality than last year's.  Although I did not write up a review last year, I do remember that not very many of them stood out to me, and I certainly cannot remember any of them now (which says a lot).  A few overall interesting observations: one, this year's ads were not nearly as exploitative and overly-sexual in nature as the usual (exception: Go Daddy).  An interesting and welcome change of pace, in my opinion.  Two, while Doritos typically offers 3 or 4 spots during the game, all incredibly witty and entertaining, this year they only had one, which was kind of a dud in my book.

Alright, let's get right to it!  My top 5 of the year are:

5.  Taco Bell--"Viva Young"


Not everyone in my house got this one, but the track playing is fun.'s "We Are Young," but sung in Spanish--Sort of a "Taco Bell" joke, if you will.  The song goes well with the video of some folks sneaking out of the retirement home for a little fun out on the town.  The theme of living forever young goes well with the Taco Bell brand, and even though it wasn't my house's favorite, it made me smile.

4.  Best Buy--"Questioning Amy Poehler"


This holds a soft spot in my heart because the spot is for a retailer. But in addition, there is no denying how awesome Amy Poehler is. And, not only is this ad clever and funny, but it really sets up Best Buy as a service provider--one who can answer all those questions.  In an age when Best Buy is fighting off the "showroom" phenomenon with their business being threatened by the internet, it's an important leg to stand on.

3.  Coca Cola--"See the World Differently"

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This commercial actually isn't new--it came out last June, although if you're like me and have been a little bit out of the commercial loop this year, this may have been your first time seeing it.  (Also because it's been around a while, the internet police have already snatched it away from a lot of places online, it was a lot harder to find a video that I could share.  If the above embed doesn't work, try this link for the source).  And yet, even though it was an older commerical, it still stood out to me.  I have always loved the sense of optimism that is a theme in Coca-Cola's ads, and it is always a bright spot in a string of Super Bowl commercials that feature beer, sex, slutty girls, lazy guys, and other content that just makes me roll my eyes.  Perhaps that is one of the reasons why Coca Cola's brand is the biggest brand of the world.  Perhaps that is why they always have spots in my own personal top 5.  Well, whatever.  I just liked it.


2.  Oreo--"Silent Fight"


The internet BLEW. UP. after this ad aired, and so did my house.  We loved this.  The debate between cream or cookie is pretty straight-forward when it comes to Oreos (BTW, I'm on team Cookie), but the delivery of a whisper is clever and makes you pay attention to it amidst all the other commercial clutter.  Loved the extremes that it develops into.

1.  Budweiser--"Brotherhood"


*sniff* I always find it amazing how Budweiser can manage to create an entire mini-drama that is touching, heartwarming, and a complete story, all in a short clip that's just over a minute long.  This one was a standout tonight in the way it did all those things, and still stuck to strong brand position that's been around for years (and yet has not gotten old or stale!).  Good job, Budweiser.

Honorable mentions:

• M&M's "Anything for Love" - They took the classic (?) Meatloaf song and spun it into the drama that the red M&M faces in his relationship with a human lady, and where he draws the line.  Cute.
• Samsung "The Next Big Thing" - Paul Rudd and Seth Rogan are invited to brainstorm ways for Samsung to advertise the next big thing.  Their ideas range from stereotypical Super Bowl commercial fare to quirky weird oddities to things that can be found in the very ad they are featured in.  I loved the clever plays, like "If you get Lebron James, you won't need anyone else..."
• Jeep "Coming Home" - Featuring Oprah's voiceover, this was a tribute to our troops.  I loved the idea of Jeep saluting the troops, and using Oprah to read the script was a bold statement.  It was just too long and somewhat repetitive to make it in my top 5.
• Dodge RAM "God Made a Farmer" - Beautiful nod to all the amazing qualities of our country's farmers (who of course, get it all done with their Dodge trucks). Again, a bit lengthy for me, but I loved the spot, and it was a good brand fit.

Duds:

•  Budweiser Black Crown - There were a couple of these spots, virtually identical, and very beer commercial cliche--sexy people drinking beer at a party. Seems like they are introducing a new product that is supposed to compete in a premium market, but any premium beer drinker would laugh at the idea of "Budweiser" being considered premium.  Maybe they should have thought more carefully about using the Budweiser name for that.
• Go Daddy - They nearly always make my dud list, and while I do give them credit for making an ad that everyone will be talking about the next day (and the "shock and awe" factor is pretty much what they always stand for), this one really pushed the envelope even more than usual.  Not in a good way, either.  I didn't mind the fact that the hot girl was making out with a geek on principle, but I didn't really need to hear the detailed saliva-swapping audio of such an encounter.
• Subway - What's that?  Jarred's anniversary, lots of famous people who can't pronounce February or FebruANY or whatever? Meh, forgettable.  Nice try, though, I guess.
• E*Trade - I know that the talking baby is party of their brand legacy now and maybe I'm just going to have to accept it.  I just hate that thing.
• Pistachios - Crackin' Gangnam Style?  Oh please.

 Until next year!