I'm back! Sorry for the delay, but we have been SLAMMED with work these last few weeks. When you work in marketing and almost 70% of your clients are in retail, the holiday season can get cluttered, quickly.

Anyway, as we look toward the new year, I think it's only fitting that we take a quick review back at the last one. Specifically, the clever ads that have attempted to get Americans to start spending, investing and pouring money back into the slowly rebounding economy.

2009 saw some really brilliant use of children in TV advertising (a safe move, but impressive all the same). It's always a sure bet to use cute kids in ads, but agencies really pulled out the stops this year.

Then, over the next few months, a relatively small bank called Ally charmed us with possibly the funniest campaign of the year. The ads depict unsuspecting kids being excited by the prospect of dream toys (like monster trucks, bikes and plastic ponys) only to learn that their toys have hidden, unsuspected catches. Genius.

Then, just as the year was wrapping up, American fashion chain GAP unleashed a catchy, slightly obnoxious, but flawless campaign... you probably know it as "how cute are these boots, how cute are these boots."

There is nothing particularly special about GAP's winter line, but 10 year old girls across the country were mesmerized.

Happy 2010,

-JM