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Like most of the marketing community, I was generally disappointed with this year’s Super Bowl advertising (see my post at Beyond Madison Avenue). Generally, I felt they were uninspired, they failed to make a strong connection with their intended audience, and with the exception of the user-created Doritos ads, they lacked originality.

With that being said, one redeeming moment came. Thanks to the good people at Vizio, we now have proof that Gary Brolsma, aka the Numa Numa Kid is alive and well.

If, for some weird reason, you’re unfamiliar with the Numa Numa Kid, check out this Wikipedia article and the corresponding video below. Essentially, the Numa Numa saga is the story of how a Web cam, a super-catchy Romanian pop song, and the power of YouTube turned one nerdy kid into a worldwide sensation.

I remember laughing pretty hard the first time I saw this video over five years ago. It was as ridiculously goofy then as it is now. Of course, that didn’t stop it from racking up tens of millions of views and leading the way for countless imitations, interpretations, and parodies.

In fact, Mr. Brolsma has taken his unexpected Internet fame and turned it into an actual career. Long after I thought the video would have faded away, the dancing doofus (and I say that lovingly) has remained a vital part of our popular culture, and he’s not the only one.

In Vizio’s Super Bowl ad, which touted the Web functionality of the company’s new televisions, viewers were treated not only to Gary “Numa Numa” Brolsma but also the silky baritone voice of Tay “Chocolate Rain” Zonday and the world-famous Dramatic Chipmunk.

While I thought Vizio’s ad was only mildly effective (the peak of both Brolsma and Zonday’s popularity hit several years ago), it really made me think about the nature of celebrity in the Internet age. The things that we do online have never been more important to our real life successes and failures. Post a stupid picture of yourself on Facebook and you might lose your job. Post a crazy video of yourself on YouTube and you might turn it into multiple sponsorship opportunities, two music video appearances, and a spot in a $3 million Super Bowl ad.

What do you think makes an Internet meme go viral, and how long do you think these Web celebrities can keep milking the spotlight?

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In case you haven’t noticed, nerdy is the new sexy.

Don’t believe me? Just look at how much nerd culture has spilled over into mainstream society in the past decade. From movies (“The Dark Knight” showed superheroes could be serious, while James Cameron’s epic “Avatar” showed space opera is a billion-dollar genre) to video games (“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2″ recently eclipsed the $1 billion mark) to the widespread adoption of social media technology (if Facebook were a country, it would be the third-biggest country in the world), things traditionally associated with geeks have become mainstream.

The latest example comes courtesy of Adidas. Recently, the company rolled out the Star Wars Collection as part of its ongoing Originals series.

To kick off the campaign, which features a collection of pretty awesome “Star Wars”-themed shoes and apparel, Adidas put out a star-studded commercial featuring professional soccer player David Beckham, rapper Snoop Dog, and famed music group Daft Punk.

You can check out the commercial below.

While I don’t think the spot is particularly effective (What does stickball have to do with “Star Wars”?), I was impressed by the dance remix of “The Imperial March” and the mysterious appearance of Daft Punk at the end of the commercial.

What do you think? Would you buy anything in the Star Wars Collection? Personally, I’m digging those Luke Skywalker kicks.

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Advertisers strive for creativity. It is at the core of practically everything we do. Sometimes, however, our efforts fall flat, leading to complete and utter embarrassment. This is an example of what can happen when creative goes bad.

New York City Council candidate Joe Nardiello sought a way to catch up in the polls. Facing long odds, Nardiello and his campaign staff tossed around ideas that could close the gap. In a flash, an idea came: If Nardiello’s opponent was elected, then residents in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood would see their free street parking come to an end, replaced by a $200 annual parking permit. What better way to inspire the masses than to let them know you’re the guy who doesn’t want to take money out of their pockets?

Perhaps sensing the dynamic of the race needed to be shaken up, Nardiello and his team figured out a way to call attention to the issue in the most creative way possible. Rather than knocking on doors or distributing leaflets, Nardiello decided to call people to action with a more visceral approach. During the night, his campaign workers walked the streets of Park Slope and left flyers on cars (an illegal act, by the way). The catch? The flyers were made to look like New York City parking citations.

The New York Daily News reported the aftermath. “You see a ticket and you run down there with your heart beating,” a woman named Lisa said. “People were very angry. Even if we liked him, we might not vote for him now.”

In this instance, people cared more about the method than the message. Nardiello’s campaign voice mail filled with furious calls. People yelled; they spewed insults. They expressed their feelings in short and punchy words.

There are those who would argue that Nardiello’s parking ticket stunt was harmless and actually a creative way of getting his message out. At first, I was one of them. I asked whether or not people could take a joke. Then, I remembered my reaction the last time I got a parking ticket. Seeing that evil orange and white envelope tucked under your windshield wiper or stuck to your window is one of the most frustrating things that can happen to a driver, especially when you know you weren’t parked illegally. As much as I appreciate Nardiello’s strategic goal, I believe his tactics would have upset me as well.

In our efforts to create effective marketing, we sometimes ignore what makes a campaign work in the first place: the message. If what you’re selling has value, sometimes the best thing you can do is simply share it. Forget shock or humor, just be honest. “Gotcha” marketing tactics seldom attract new customers; they tend to upset people. If your goal is to stir a reaction, fine, but if your goal is to win an election, sell a product, or promote your business, you should reconsider your approach.

What I appreciate even more, however, is the NFL’s latest creative video series, “Fantasy Files.” Modeled after the now famous Lebron James Powerade ad, where he seemingly sinks multiple full court shots, the “Fantasy Files” use clever editing to show a number of NFL players accomplishing impossible feats of skill, endurance, and strength.

Check the videos out below.  My favorite features U of M alum Braylon Edwards (1:46 in), though I think Chris Simms (3:50 in) looks the most realistic. While you’re watching, I’ll be mentally preparing for the first Sunday night game of the year: Bears v. Packers. Chicago will be rocking.