Forgive me, but I’m feeling a bit nostalgic. Maybe it’s the fact that we celebrate 10 years in business as Reuben Rink in the coming year. Or maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been working to clear out our agency storage area of 23 years of ‘stuff’ accumulated as both The Bloom Agency and Reuben Rink. Regardless, I’ve been thinking about days gone by and the earlier years of my career.   

We would be forced to turn in our advertising credentials if we didn’t give you our “expert” take on ads from Sunday night’s big game. However, as much as we love this business and digging into the merits and shortcomings of each commercial, we have chosen to give you our picks, not of the best or worst spots, but the commercials that simply made us stop gnawing on chicken wings for a moment to turn to the TV and then to each other and say, “what the heck was that?!”

In our own version of the two-minute drill, Reuben Rinkers give their quick thoughts on which ads scored big and which ads fell short during the Super Bowl. The consensus among our crew was that there was no consensus. What we picked as our favorites was all over the board. And a quick search of different online reactions suggests that we are not the only ones.

In April, we wrote hopefully about how disruption from the COVID pandemic could force us to be creative, problem solve, and innovate. As we approach the five-month mark of social distancing—and in our case, working from home—we’re reflecting on our ‘new normal’ and sharing the things we’ve learned and experienced. What we found has included new perspective, deeper appreciation for things we once took for granted, and more willingness to try our hand at something new. Here’s what our team has been up to:

Written by Martha Murphy

As a marketing firm with deep roots in Winston-Salem, we spend a lot of time listening to our clients discuss their marketing and advertising challenges. Through our conversations with them and our own extensive network of community contacts, we became aware of a need that exists in our community.

Given that I’m a Panthers fan, the big game this year was a big bust. But regardless of the outcome of the game, there’s one thing at Super Bowl time that never disappoints: the commercials. Brands roll out their very best creative and go head to head during the priciest ad placement slot there is. All for a shot at being relived around the water cooler on Monday.