the buzz log

Tennis champ Serena Williams made plenty of headlines with her bad behavior at the U.S. Open. But that tough-as-nails 'tude seems to be working for her. She is boldly going where few celebs have dared to tread. Serena will be a spokesperson for Tampax.

You can see the Web-only video of sassy Serena (in tennis whites) taking "Mother Nature" on the court, slamming balls her way as she tries to deliver a red-wrapped package. The two rivals also have competing press conferences where they talk smack about each other. The print version of the ad will go in mags like Teen Vogue.

While the endorsement strikes a light tone, the approach might not go over well with everyone. The New York Post called the ad "uncomfortably graphic." Still, the New York Times points out that it's a huge win for Tampax to land such a huge star, even one dealing with the aftermath of her courtside kerfuffle.

Filed under: Ads

Garrulous and ever congenial, Billy Mays believed in what he preached. Or pitched. In a month of unexpected celebrity passings, the man who sincerely believed in his hype died reportedly of hypertensive heart disease on June 28.

In a month of too many celebrity passings, people took a moment to honor the bearded infomercial hawker. Searches on Yahoo! were so massive on Sunday that his name "billy mays" bypassed even "michael jackson." (Cumulative queries for Jackson's music, biography, and so on, however, continue to overwhelm the Web). Mays' searchers wasn't just old couch potatoes. Everyone from teenagers to 50-somethings joined in.

Media outlets also paid their respects. CNN called him "handsome in a Brawny Towel Guy sort of way" with a "sunshiny attitude." The Los Angeles Times reminisced about how he joined in video parodies of his infomercials with his own joke spots. AP repeated Mays' favorite story of giving away OxiClean as wedding favors.

Unlike spammers or telemarketers, the former football player did more then get people to sit up and watch (and sometimes order). Mays specialized in solving the nagging aggravations and pet peeves modern society, and he managed to do that with the sheer force of his normal-guy charisma, volume turned up to maximum.

Discovery Channel plans to honor him July 1 with a marathon of "Pitchmen," a reality series that started April 15. Mays would probably be pleased with another posthumous tribute: Along with searches into his biography, family, and beard, people also checked out his products.

Below, the top 10—and please note, even though Shamwow lookups also saw an online surge, that's that other guy.

Top 10 Billy May Product Plug Searches on Yahoo!, June 28

1. OxiClean (stain remover)
2. Kaboom (all-purpose cleaner)
3. Orange Glo (wood cleaner)
4. Impact Gel (shoe inserts)
5. Mighty Putty (epoxy)
6. Awesome Auger (garden digging tool)
7. Big City Slider Station (hamburger press)
8. What Odor? (deodorizer spray)
9. Zorbeez (all-purpose cleaning cloth)
10. Hercules Hooks (wall hanger)

Filed under: Ads, Marketing, Death, Sales

Super Bowl Sunday is way more than a gridiron face-off. The all-American event is the ultimate couch-potato gathering, complete with guacamole dip, unashamed partisanship, and commercial excess. Amidst the usual fan frenzy of looking up the roster and betting odds and searching for team gear, a few die-hards actually zone in on "2009 super bowl commercials."

Web interest aside—and 100 million pairs of eyeballs are estimated to tune in on Sunday—ad sales have been a bit sluggish, and not all the regulars are coming back. At last count, NBC still had two empty slots out of 67 of the 30-second spots. Still, spots cost up to $3 million (higher than last year), which means companies are paying out $100,000 a second for airtime (math courtesy of The New York Times), about 3 cents per viewer (math courtesy of WCCO).

That assumes no one will blink when the commercials come on, but one poll does estimate more than half won't. And, 1 out of 5 viewers come just for those fleeting seconds between the field clashes.

As for the 2009 line-up, USA Today lists a "roster of Super Bowl ads," down to which quarter the pitches will roll. If you want a more detailed game plan on how it's all going to go down, below is a rundown on who took themselves out of the game, what didn't make NBC's standards, the special effects, and what you can get for (almost) nothing.

Getting a Pass. Among those not making a return visit: FedEx ("time for us to call a time out") and General Motors (with the mild understatement, "we're in the midst of cost-cutting"). CNET tracks the steady decline of tech ads, which saw their glory days in 2000.

Nixed. NBC has standards for its commercial (the programming, well, that's another story). The network couldn't stomach the PETA ad depicting lingerie models cavorting with cruciferous vegetables and gourds. Of course, rejection (and did we mention the lingerie?) inflamed the Buzz and prompted searches for "peta" (+142%) "banned peta commercial" (off the charts). (Incidentally, The Hollywood Reporter listed 8 cuts that PETA would have had to make to get a Sunday showing, like the "licking eggplant" moment.) On the other spectrum, NBC also said no to a pro-life video with President Obama as an unborn child, according to the Washington Times. Given that "banned super bowl ads" is a Search sideshow, these companies get to save the cash and reap the publicity.

Dogs, Denny's, and Tony the Tiger, Oh My. Among those stepping in for their pigskin premiere: Pedigree, Denny's, and Kellog's Frosted Flakes. Yes, the glam days have given way to comfort foods (well, except for maybe the dog food). Denny's pitch for its Grand Slam Breakfast doesn't quite match the sport, but the restaurant chain aims to get at audience stomachs through the funny bone. The dog-food maker will focus on adoption, while Kellog's feline flak Tony the Tiger wants viewers to choose which kids' playing field on its website should be renovated.

Three for 3D. A trailer for the animated "Monsters vs. Aliens," energy drinks, and an NBC comedy (airing the day after) will get a 3D treatment. PC Magazine gets into the technical details, although DreamWorks movie exec Jeffrey Katzenberg points out in a video blog that football fans will probably be too sloshed to appreciate the effect. About 125 million 3D glases were made and are free at places like Target and Best Buy, if there are any left.

Bribes and Surprises. Denny's promises a "special message that is sure to surprise and delight millions of Americans" (WSJ reveals it's just a breakfast give-away). The Universal Orlando resort says to look for an "unprecedented offer." Hulu aims to make a splash. Hyundai's sign-o'-the-times offer almost verges on anti-buy: Lose your job, you can change your mind on your purchase.

Ad Reruns. Because you can never watch enough ads, at least according to advertisers, some are already available online. Naturally, since this is the 21st century, the campaigns also go offscreen: The Orlando Sentinel reports E-Trade's talking baby has a Facebook profile, a food company created an iPhone "Shake and Bark" app, and a job site lets people "give tips to annoying co-workers." Does all this work? Yup, if one believes the Nielsen Company report measuring a 24% average increase in Web traffic for Super Bowl advertisers. (Album sales of the halftime acts don't do so badly either.)

Counter-programming Relief. Yes, the Puppy Bowl V returns, inducing high-pitched cooing squeals over packs of unbearable cuteness. Anthem singer: Pepper the Parrot. Token cats: Kitty Half-Time Show.

Filed under: Business, Super Bowl, Ads, Economics