Is there anything quite as ridiculous as the Bud light "Dilly, Dilly" campaign? Methinks not. However, it's also a juggernaut, having entered into the zeitgeist--with its apex so far being the epic, production-intensive Super Bowl commercial. But the silliness belies some incredibly smart thinking from the top--and some useful takeaways for anyone who's in the position of making marketing decisions. 

Now that the dust has settled, we finally get around to talking about Super Bowl commercials--beginning with what may be the single quietest, most potent and sexy sales message in a typically unsexy style of advertising. It also comes with a takeaway that is utterly relevant to the no-budget, small-business advertiser. 

Would you be willing to put it all on the line and work without a net? Because that's what couple entrepreneurs do. They risk their careers and their marriages by going into business together. And at Slow Burn, we've decided to develop a podcast specifically about these people, telling their stories as inspiring tales of success (or caution, depending on who you are) in CoupleCo: Working With Your Spouse For Fun & Profit. Here, we talk about the first three couples profiled in interviews that are full of laughs and wisdom. 

In the wake of the Super Bowl, we here at the screed ignore the commercials for at least a week and allow the dust to settle. Instead, this week, we are telling the story of a friend who may or may not have had his work plagiarized by a state department of tourism, and how his story underscores the challenges faced by writer and non-writers alike when it comes to creating good advertising.