TheFind Blog

Super Bowl Revisited

I watched the Super Bowl in it's entirety this year. Typically, I only watch the ads, but I actually watched most of the game. I think I fell asleep before half time, there was so little activity. I was starting to wonder if the score would ever move again. Thankfully, the action started back up during the second half. I don't recall if it was during third quarter or not, but I know that the fourth quarter was very exciting! I have to say, I was pretty happy to see the underdogs pull up and win it. That was really cool.

The real reason that I watch Super Bowl is for the ads, but this year was pretty disappointing. There were only about a handful of ads that were at all memorable and that also deserved to be aired during Super Bowl. I don't know what happened, but it seemed like the ad writers went on strike along with the TV writers this year. Tragic!

For first quarter, the only ad that I really liked was the Bud Light flame thrower. Remember the guy that was allergic to the cat and started sneezing fire all over the apartment? That was pretty entertaining and Super Bowl worthy IMO.

During second quarter, I really enjoyed the Budweiser commercial featuring Hank who didn't get to work with the hitch team, so he trains with the dalmation and gets in shape to join the team. So cute! The Tide to Go commercial with the talking stain was entertaining. I figured out what they were advertising early into the commercial, so that was cool. I also enjoyed the Bud Light commercial with all the guys with accents trying to pick up women in the bar. It was funny, but it wasn't a new concept for Bud Light.

I found the Planters nuts commercial to be disturbingly funny. And I was sorely disappointed by JT's Pepsi commercial. That ad received a lot of hype beforehand and I don't think it delivered at all. So he did his own stunts, wow. I guess that was the big claim to fame for that ad!

For third quarter, I'd say that Vitamin Water with Shaq on a racehorse took the cake, along with the new ETrade baby - he was pretty cute. The Coca Cola ad with the Thanksgiving Day Parade inflatables was funny, but I thought the ending was a real let down. They could've payed that off in so many ways, but they just gave the Coke to Charlie Brown. What?!? I think I would've had a battle between the two inflatables end in one of them being impaled by a pole on a building or something exciting like that.

And finally, fourth quarter I thought the Toyota Sequoia ad with the big wheel races was lot of fun! And Amp Energy's dancing car jumper was disturbingly funny (almost as disturbing as the Planter's commercial). The Gatorade G2 commercial that had the really cute dog drinking out of the bowl left me asking WTH?!? Cute dog, but the commercial did nothing for me.

As far as the ads go, Bud Light wins the Super Bowl. Here's my favorite ad this year:

So, that's it. No gut wrenchingly funny ads this year. I hope that the ad superstars come back to play ball next year and make those multi-million dollar ad spots really pay off. It is the advertising Super Bowl, after all.

Happy Watching/Searching/Shopping,
Payton

TheFindGreen on NBC11's Bay Area Today Show!

TheFindGreen’s Larisa Hall was on hand on the morning show at NBC11 in San Jose, to show some of the best eco-friendly toy choices this Holiday Season. Here are the toys that she showcased during the show:

The King Eider Toy Set, Animal Alphabet Puzzle, Balancing Cactus, and Dig-A-Dino.

Larisa also talked about some tips that can help parents make smart eco-friendly choices. Those include 3 simple steps:

1) Always look for the words “organic, recycled or sustainable” on toys, product packaging, and product descriptions.

2) Avoid plastics as much as possible – as little as 3-5% of all plastics end up being recycled. The rest, sadly, end up in landfills or in our oceans. If you do go the plastic route, choose recycled plastic items. For safety, look for PVC-free materials, which ensure there are no toxic chemicals in the plastic products.

3) Look for educational toys that help kids learn about the environment and their place in the world. Many green-friendly toys come with additional books and pamphlets that engage children, and get them thinking about natural habitats and environmental issues.

And of course, TheFindGreen makes it easy to find any green products – from toys to clothes to household cleaners – and you can save and share your lists with friends, to encourage everyone on your list to Go Green this Holiday Season!

Are you looking for more ways to contribute to "green" initiatives? For the next few weeks, consumer searches for eco-friendly products on the TheFindGreen that include the word “green” will generate $1 per search for leading environmental charity, Global Green USA. Josie Maran Cosmetics, a Global Green supporter and innovative cosmetics company dedicated to developing environmentally responsible beauty alternatives, has also endorsed the charitable campaign.

"Green" Search Examples:
green tea candle
green lip moisturizer
green jeans

Best Friends Week -- More Things to Do

Okay, so yesterday I introduced the concept of this week being "Best Friends Week," right? I gave a few ideas of things to do with your best friend. Well, now it's time to get down and dirty and create a list of things to do with your best friend! You're welcome to comment to add to the list (and I will), so please feel free to contribute!

1. Shop online (at TheFind.com, of course!)
2. Shop at the mall
3. Try a new restaurant/cuisine
4. Go to the movies (try a premier or opening night of a really hot movie)
5. Check out a "B" movie
6. Get a makeover
7. Go to the salon together for new hairstyles
8. Clean out your closets and swap clothes (donate the rest to charity)
9. Buy new furniture and assemble it together
10. Have a garage sale
11. Host a tea party
12. Go out and support your favorite local band
13. Attend a concert
14. Try a new sport
15. Join a yoga class
16. Join a gym (and actually go workout regularly)
17. Go ice skating or roller skating
18. Learn how to play ice/roller hockey
19. Go rock climbing
20. Train together for a running, walking or cycling race
21. Train for a triathlon
22. Join Weight Watchers or a diet center of choice
23. Attend a monster truck show
24. Go check out Nascar
25. Get in the driver's seat and race go-carts
26. Hang out at the beach
27. Host a bon-fire party at the beach
28. Adopt a puppy and enroll in puppy training
29. Take your dogs to the dog park (after they're trained)
30. Buy a right hand ring
31. Go wine tasting
32. Go beer tasting
33. Hang out in a biker bar
34. Take tennis lessons
35. Take cooking classes -- sushi anyone?
36. Take a jewelry making class
37. Take a pottery class
38. Volunteer at a soup kitchen
39. Tackle house work (or spring cleaning) as a team
40. Write a story or book together
41. Go golf or learn to golf
42. Make fondue
43. Go out and sing karaoke at a bar
44. Play laser tag or paint ball
45. Have a TV or movie marathon at home
46. On a rainy day, go out and stomp through puddles
47. Learn how to knit or crochet
48. Join an online community and get involved
49. Join a dating service (if you're single)
50. Go on a blind double date (again, if you're single)
51. Have a spa day
52. Go for a manicure & pedicure
53. Be an animal/mammal trainer for a day at a participating zoo
54. Go on a ride-a-long with a cop
55. Tour a fire station
56. Have a sleep over and stay up all night
57. Host a game night (play all night, if you can)
58. Go to San Francisco and play chess or checkers against someone on the street
59. Play pool with pool sharks
60. Go to Coyote Ugly and dance on the bar (among other things)
61. Go out for a nice dinner and a play/musical
62. Go out for a nice dinner and the opera or ballet
63. Go to the flea market and haggle 'til you get what you want
64. Sell things at the flea market
65. Host a "Cook for the Cure" dinner (Susan G Komen foundation)
66. Take a trip to the wine country
67. Go camping in the Sierras (or destination of choice)
68. Go horseback riding
69. Make crafts and sell them at a craft fair
70. Host a cookie exchange
71. Paint ceramics and give them to one another
72. Sneak "drinks" into a movie theater (21 and over only, pls)
73. Create match.com profiles for one another
74. Brush each other's hair
75. Shop for engagement rings
76. Ghost or Guest blog on one another's blogs
77. Redecorate a room in one another's house
78. Host a poker party
79. Create a time capsule
80. Scrapbook together and/or host a scrapbooking party
81. Go to farmers market
82. Create a secret sorority or fraternity
83. Give each other nicknames
84. Make a comic book of your adventures
85. Host a pleasure party
86. Host a fake bachelor/bachelorette party
87. Learn how to fly a plane/helicoptor
88. Go skydiving
89. Take a beer or wine making class
90. Visit a convalescent home (take your dog)
91. Have a belching contest
92. Make Christmas ornaments
93. Take a Santa picture together
94. Make chocolate truffles
95. Scrap each others cast off clothes and make a quilt
96. Shop for books for one another in a used book store
97. Find a festival (music, art, wine) to attend
98. Go hot tubbing and/or skinny dipping
99. Take pole dancing classes
100. Take a spontaneous trip without luggage
Reader Contributions start here...
101. Hang out drinking a great bottle of wine
102. Go surfing
103. Watch sports on TV all day long

So, what do you think? I'm sure there are plenty of things on the list that you have done, but are there any you haven't done? Do you have more ideas to contribute? Comment now and let us know!

Happy Adventuring/Searching/Shopping,

Payton