"Before they sat down, one more time, just for themselves..." This BOA commercial tells the story of a family, and all the ups and downs they have gone through, backwards in time through family portraits. It's a very interesting way of peeking into a large families life, and perfectly art directed fashion era references will push recognition buttons in nearly everyone. The small moments of acting a much larger story are great too, like the mothers glare after Brad's "brief brush with the law".

"We know we're not the center of your life" says Bank Of America, who probably lent this family the money to buy the house with the fireplace we see in every photo....."But we'll do ur best to help you connect to what is."

These posters are meant to act as teasers. Eventually these inspirational they will be replaced with headline executions encouraging people to “Believe in Something Bigger” with Powerball. So hang on a second, a women’s suffrage march, you know the ladies who Were imprisoned and foce-fed when they fought for their rights, the fall of the Berlin Wall - chipped away by thousands of people fleeing the east, and the first man to walk on the moon after years of brutal training.... Then there's Bethany Hamilton, the teenage girl who lost her arm in a shark attack but kept surfing, and Robbie Knievel’s infamous jump over the Grand Canyon. These things have what in common? "Believe"

Giant billboards with the single word “Believe” have appeared all over California leading up to the launch, and here it is, the powerball snowfall. Believe in something bigger. A god? The fall of the Berlin Wall? The power of women demonstrating for the right to vote? Or you know, just a lot of white balls falling from the sky like slow-mo snow when a choir sings their version of "California Dreaming". See, I don't have a problem with this spot*, it's full of beautyshots, isn't all Sony Bravia, and ends with the one lucky guy catching the red ball in the end. In short, it's pretty and builds a lottery up to being awesome, but a step away from the usual humor strategy.

I do not know why the men in thick coats are eating burgers in the middle of nowhere surrounded by buffalo, but I do know that it could have gotten funnier had the state farm agent accidentally teleported a buffalo into the office. I bet someone nixed that because it would sort of insinuate that state farm agents would make matters worse....

Knab is bank backwards. It's also a new way of banking. So why smash the bottle against a boat when you can smash a whole boat into the bottle?

Lernert & Sander bring their own brand of smooth imagery to a simple yet unexpected idea, summing up Knab's philosophy in a single shot. When they zig, you zag. Or launch ships into bottles.

The little things in life matter, like sacred lobsters, high-maintenance flock of sheep, and small towns gangs.

The Pillsbury doughboy sneaks a deadly baking pin through security and a TSA agent tries to frisk him without tickling him. Suddenly the cobranded tag is useful again, because Geico has done this sort of thing before. Isn't hilarious that advertising mascots are celebrities too? The Pillsbury Doughboy is in his own league, he starred in a Milk ad already back in 2004. That was epic.

So Maxwell the pig (as in the one who yelled WEE WEE WEE all the way home) is on a date, and parked... because the car broke down... and his lady hopes this might mean steaming windows.....

Alas, Maxwell is a pig but not that kind of pig so he suggests they lay games on his smartphone instead of the back seat. This would be just your regular ad if it wasn't for the fact that one million moms claims it promotes bestiality.

A ventriloquist and his dummy, Tommy, are daydreaming while scratching their California Lucky for Life Scratchers. Yep, if they win they'll be finding a girl ventriloquist riding on an ATV with her dummy alongside them, into the sunset. Ho-kay. I suppose there are silier things to do with your money.

American Express teamed up with Twitter Twitter to allow users who sync their card to Twitter to buy directly on the platform.
Great news for Amex who continues to be at the forefront of technology. And even better news for Twitter who continues to look for ways to make money.

Sounds great. Also I imagine a lot of drunken impulse buys. Win win! Can I buy a kidney?

Also, when did product demonstrations become the benchmark for ads of this nature? Sorry but iPad ads are boring as shit, and we all know it.

If you're this rich why wouldn't you fake an alien invasion just to take a cell phone photo of your scared friend?
Why indeed.

"We need dip jokes." he he he. Nice Andy Richter cameo, too.

First it was Dance Fight, now it's Bar Punch. Man, Wexley, what's up with gettin' all hardcore on the bankers? Head spins and punches from vague Austrian sounding body-building types who sound more like they're saying "Nuke man," than "Milk man?" I don't think that's what the FDIC had in mind, yo.

This one comes from Wexley School For Girls, and their ever so friendly bankers from HomeStreet.
It takes friendly neighborhood banker to a whole new level. A Step Up level. I'd settle for bankers who knew what they were doing.

Hey you. You will live long. Better save some dosh.

Air time: 3rd Quarter

Guy Shelmerdine from Smuggler directed this demanding little brat, sorry - Bundle of Joy - for BBH shilling a rather clever savings account from Barcleys. Kids are demanding little sods, and eventually they'll demand a house. You can help save up for their mortgage, and if the payments are made on time you'll get your money back after three years. Nice.

This spot features Chris Paul, NBA All-Star and #1 point-guard for the Los Angeles Clippers.. and his long lost twin brother Cliff Paul who is a state farm agent as they are both born to assist. I see what you did there.

* not this campaign launched Christmas day 2012

Los Angeles, Calif., Jan. 2, 2013 – Farmers Insurance, one of the country’s leading insurers, will unveil its latest advertising campaign, “It’s Smarter to Have a Plan,” during this week’s series of college football bowl games.

Designed to help consumers become smarter about insurance by showing a number of important and practical insurance tips, the new campaign also reinforces Farmers Insurance’s position as a strong and experienced company with knowledgeable and industry-leading agents.

Joe Pytka has left the bizarre ice-bears behind him and returned to making kids say seemingly heavy stuff, when they're just talking about a rollercoaster they once knew. Yep, hurricane Sandy did a proper number on the Star Jet Roller Coaster at Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, NJ. Tossed it straight out to sea, or as one of the children here say "it drowned". They're sad about this. They remember that they screamed when riding it. And that their brother threw up. And that there's cotton candy. They want it back. With more loops.