ADVERTISING WORKS. NO, REALLY, IT DOES!

By: Vivian Santos

   You would think that after 30 years in the Advertising Business (15 of them as the VS of VSBrooks) I would be used to it. But, I’m not afraid to say it, “I’m still in awe that it works!”
   Diana (she’s the Brooks of VSBrooks) and I still get hives right before a campaign is about to break. Like the one that is about to happen Monday, Nov 15. This year AEP (that’s Annual Election Period for those of you who are neither in healthcare nor retired) is only until December 31, which means we only have 45 days to get seniors to switch from their health insurance plan to OURS!
   This year we’re going to keep calm and not surrender to our usual obsession. I refuse to be outside at 5 am waiting for the Miami Herald to be delivered. And Diana is NOT going to TiVo every commercial, on every station we’re on! We’ve done our job and it’s going to work! Why do I know this? Because we are professionals, damn it! And we know what we’re doing.

 One. We live and breathe the brand.
 Two. We know what our 65+ seniors want even before they know it.
 Three. Our strategy is straight-out on the money! Did you know that Seniors (65% of them) still get their news from TV?
 Four. Our creative works, it’s that simple. We make sure we have a message that is clear, honest and informative.
 Five. We light a candle and say a little prayer.
 So I’m going to relax and enjoy the ride. Taking comfort that we’ve done a damn good job!

   Oh-oh, my husband is beginning to stir, I’d better close my laptop and get back to sleep. Or maybe I should just get up? I’ll make breakfast for us - I WILL NOT GO OUTSIDE TO GET THE PAPER. Although ...the dog DOES have to pee. It’s not fair to make him suffer just to prove my point and if the paper is already there, might as well pick it up, right?

ONE OF THE MANY PERKS OF WORKING AT VSBROOKS ADVERTISING: MEETING SPORTS LEGENDS!

   Shriners Hospitals for Children’s goal is to help improve the lives of children through pediatric specialty care, specializing in burn care, cleft lip and palate, orthopaedics, and spinal cord injury. Any child up to age 18 is eligible for care based SOLELY on the child’s medical needs. Shriners Hospitals for Children relies heavily on donations and gifts to pay for treatments they administer. Having been around since 1922, they have come up with fun and creative ways to raise funding, with events like the East-West Shrine Game, that has become an annual tradition for the Hospital.
    Miami-based Inspira Films and VSBrooks ADVERTISING were hired to develop and produce the TV campaign for this year’s 85th annual East-West Shrine Game in Tampa with Super Bowl-winning Tony Dungy and Pro Wrestler “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan. Our own Diana Brooks and Eric Zamorano got a chance to meet these sports-world legends and both came out of there with a newfound respect for Tony Dungy and Jim Duggan and their involvement with the Hospital. “I admire them for their work done outside of the sports world. They were genuinely compassionate with the children,” said Diana. More exciting than the chance to meet such celebrities, however, was the effect that meeting the children and their families had on our crew. Diana was moved by the tenacity and drive of the children and their mothers'. Diana’s and Eric’s experience at Shriners Hospitals for Children brought home the purpose of the cause for the East-West Shrine Game.

   As the Hospital’s biggest event of the year, the East-West Shrine Game has been played every year since 1925 and directly benefits Shriners Hospitals for Children. It is one of the Hospital’s longest standing traditions and is considered the most-respected all-star college football game in history. The quality of athletes and coaches that participate in the game ensures an exciting match each time. Last year, the East beat the West 13-10, with the point difference of a simple field goal!

   We’re thrilled VSBrooks ADVERTISING and Inspira Films has been allowed to help promote such a worthwhile cause. No matter the outcome of the football game, the real winners are the kids.

  This week Diana, Eric and the Inspira Films crew are out shooting commercials for Shiners Hospitals for Children’s East-West Shrine Game. On set they have Super Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy and Pro Wrestler “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, both of whom will be talking about the game and their participation with Shriners Hospitals for Children. Diana and Eric are huge football fans, and who didn’t love wrestling in the 80’s? So, on top of the wonderful opportunity to work with Shriners Hospitals for Children, they get to meet these legendary sports heroes!