RAY: I like it. Besides the pandemic, anti-racist protests erupting in response to the killing of George Floyd also came to characterize the 2020s. VanSanten was born in Luverne, Minnesota. The blue looked great in fact, better than the orange but I liked the orange material, because it stayed fresh and wasnt baggy. For nearly 25 years a growing radius of TV viewers were introduced to his signature black glasses/blue sweater combo, his giant grin, and his seemingly relentless enthusiasm for home improvement. This declaration would have a major effect on how everyone understood and approached the virus, from world leaders to your average joe. Two more locations are coming to Kentucky: Bowling Green and Richmond. For about a year, every Friday I got to work alongside Ray as we shot the opener, closer, and narration of anywhere from eight to 10 commercials. Menards 60sec Donut Jingle. Elected in 2016, Donald Trump was US President at the start of the 2020s. His friendly, fun-loving personality and enthusiasm has made a lasting impression on Menards and its customers, the Menards bio says. Took me a half an hour. And he said, Ray, Im the president of this company. (laughing). In 2012, Menards opened its first Kentucky location in Owensboro. Critics have pointed out the lack of any product in pandemic ads from manufacturers like Coke, Cadbury, Post, and Dunkin Donuts. Enoch Powell (b. PANTRY TOYS DCOR, Best of the Their slogan, "Save Big Money!" is legendary. He truly was a kind and generous man. Street Fighter 6 Voices for Zangief, Lily, and Cammy and Trailer Dragons: The Nine Realms Season 5 Trailer The Super Mario Bros Movie Gets Earlier Release Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Adds Karan Soni Pokemon Concierge New Series and Teaser J.K. Simmons Joins Baldur's Gate III and Recording Booth BTS Video Would he have an ego and scoff at the idea of being in our magazine? localstore@volumeone.org(Store,), TermsofUse / PrivacyPolicy He has been pretty quiet about his involvement with the company, but it's safe to say that he's done a great job. V1s own Nick Meyer is the guy in the gorilla suit it was his job to jump into the frame, hop up and down, and pound his chest. Invoice billed purchases are do within 50 days after the date of purchase. His career with Menards began in 1976, where he was a fixture of the ads until his retirement in 1998. Nessel said that Menards would have 10 days to respond to the letter, or she would potentially take legal action. Menards TV Commercials We don't make the ads - We measure them Sign up to track nationally aired TV ad campaigns for Menards. For 2022, advertising researchers predict that both the number of viewers and the number of hours each day they spend watching TV will increase. Thats a lot to shoot, and we needed to hustle to get it all done. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. A little frustrating, I imagine. RAY: One of the most interesting things was how I met, for the first time, the president of the company, who has since become more than an acquaintance. Go to the tax exempt section under "My Account". His career with the Eau Claire, Wis.-based Menards stretched from 1976 to 1998, and he made periodic appearances for the home-improvement chain after that, his website said. RAY: I never thought of that. In the wake of Donald Trumps presidency, the US political climate was one of intense disunion and heated rhetoric between right and left. V1: I also heard that youre a drummer, as well. Nick Meyer, V1 Staff | May 7, 2018 A Special Note from Volume One Owner & Publisher Nick Meyer Today the news is spreading that Ray Szmanda, the Midwest-famous "Menards Guy," a multi-decade TV commercial pitchman for everything from paint to faucets to lumber, passed away May 6 at the age of 91. Careers, Have questions? It then continues to stock footage of the tools being sold while Ray gives a basic description of the tool and lists the price. I cant tell you how long Ive wanted to chat with the almighty Menards Guy Ray Szmanda, a living legend for these past 83 years (his birthday is June 22). Despite the turmoil surrounding us, the products we have come to know and trust continue to be there. Report. This commercial tapped into sentiment at the time when anti-racist protests were raging across the US. He is a former INDYCAR racing team owner, and the father of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Paul Menard. Miss Piggy. In 2022, Samsung showed its advertising chops in a wildly popular commercial in which a spider falls in love with a Samsung device it sees on a billboard outside its window. You have everything set up, the lighting and so forth. Anyway I had another fella I was in the carpeting department doing a commercial and I said, Good morning. You know, friendly, because thats the name of the game. The AMC Theaters Cast. Presented by Silver Spring. In 2020 alone, among adults in the US who watch TV, viewing time increased by 9.2% to approximately 4.5 hours daily. This is a place for all to share their highdeas with the community. Each one of his commercials, of which he filmed hundreds, featured his trademark smile, infectious enthusiasm, and passion for telling you about great deals. V1: What kind of stuff did you guys play? [6] In 2022, Menards announced that they will open a fourth West Virginia store in Bridgeport. What do you think of that likeness? They were having a party at their dorm, and they said, Is this Mr. Menard? And I said, Well, yeah, this is Ray Szmanda. And they said, Will you say it for us?. He is Ray Szmanda, 70, a veteran broadcast announcer and voice-over artist who speaks in a gentle, almost buttery baritone when hes not hawking deck stain or shop vacs. In fact, Szmanda is a professional announcer and even an. We should learn how to do that. How To Position a Pop Filter With Your Microphone. When I lost her, I lost a lot with it. Keaton graduated from Humber College's Journalism program, specializing in Television and Online Media. Absolutely. Menards is an American home improvement retail company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.Menards is owned by founder John Menard Jr. through his privately held company, Menard, Inc.It has 351 stores in 15 states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming, but there are plans to . 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It also alleges that the company is strongly anti-union, to the point that it will not hire anyone who has ever worked in a union shop, even if they did so while in their teen years. Raymond Jack Ray Szmanda, Sr. (June 22, 1926 May 6, 2018) was an American radio and television announcer known throughout the Midwestern United States as the spokesperson for Menards, a position he held for more than two decades. localstore@volumeone.org(Store,), TermsofUse / PrivacyPolicy document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Follow me on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/moalivoiceover/Follow me on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@moalivoiceover . Ray was known to carry around a briefcase full of head shots because so many people would ask for his autograph. Having fun with people. Then sweaters. Imagine for years hearing Rays voice on TV selling you carpet and yard supplies and then suddenly youre actually in Menards and you hear him in real life in the aisle behind you. voiced by Bill Barretta. I was on the radio years ago, and it was just great. This characteristic included celebrating healthcare workers, grocery store employees, and delivery drivers who kept the essential products we needed coming to our doors. V1: Do you have any specific memories during that time that stick out? Contributors Follow Jason Vosburg and others on SoundCloud. An interview with Ray Szmanda (a.k.a. Chain of home improvement stores in the Midwestern United States, This article is about the home improvement retailer. I was a professional drummer. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! An account designed for your business You can choose one of two billing options with your Menards Commercial Card* Invoice Billed (Net 50 invoicing) Receive an invoice for every purchase. Its a good hobby, but a very expensive hobby. Its just fun. Presented by Metropolis Resort, Top bars for bloody marys in the Chippewa Valley, recipes, and local favorites. The effort is well worth it. Legal fight over student debt a prelude to political. V1: What jobs have you held other than Menards? Receive an invoice for every purchase. I thought about an animated spot for television, but its a very difficult and expensive thing to do. as well as Spanish language commercials ending with "Garda mucho dinero en Menards!". I cant imagine what a cashier thinks. APPAREL BOOKS ART Presented by Silver Spring. Menard Inc. Deceased (19262018) Several TV commercials in the 2020s stand out for their popularity and prolificacy. Many advertisers took to 2020s TV to sell their products during what proved to be quite an uncertain time. People were in shock. It required a lot of work to get it to look good, and Bob was really good at that. Will Lyman Who does the voice over for the Paragard. He is one of the more famous infomercial pitchmen. He was known as "The Menards Guy." A Milwaukee native and World War II Navy. Plus, John pitches Chuck ideas for the funeral - and Chuck takes them! 2002-2023CopyrightVolumeOneMagazine. Ive got a film major grandson in Colorado, and he wants to do it. voiced by JK Simmons and 1 other. Menards guy Ray Szmanda, who said Save big, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Submit to Stumbleupon (Opens in new window), Menards guy Ray Szmanda, who said Save big money, dies at 91, TikTok star knows the best sandwich ingredient is sincerity, Kirk Cousins, Patrick Mahomes, Marcus Mariota part of new Netflix NFL docuseries, Kevin McCarthy gives Fox News Tucker Carlson access to Jan. 6 footage, Don Lemon to return to CNN, undergo formal training, Ryan Seacrest to leave Live with Kelly and Ryan in spring, The Oscar universe belongs to Everything Everywhere, Super Bowl averages 113 million, 3rd most-watched in history, St. Paul man dies after fall from Edina construction site, 'We all saw it coming': Harding teachers flagged violence long before fatal stabbing, WWII machine gun seized in Washington County now headed to Camp Ripley museum, Local chef and his cousin identified as St. Paul double homicide victims, Jessie Diggins adds another gold medal, and U.S. first, Special St. Paul school board meeting after fatal stabbing yields 63 speakers, $2M in federal funding granted to Rondo community land bridge project in St. Paul, Cirrus Aircraft engineer identified as victim of fatal Duluth plane crash, Minnesota GOP pitches tax rebate checks, Social Security tax cut, Derek Chauvin's ex-wife pleads guilty to tax evasion, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. | In reference to creating the musical piece, Shaw said, "I just started playing on it and they said, 'That's perfect; that's exactly what we need.' Menard Inc. found him in. A good-quality microphone is a primary tool for any voice actor. PUBLISHER / EDITOR / OWNER web@volumeone.org(Website,) Rather than featuring products, advertisers in pandemic ads tended to use what they were selling as a metaphor for making it through difficult times. The mail comes to the chain's Eau Claire, Wis., headquarters addressed to "The Menards Guy," or, more formally, "The Menards Man." However, one commercial stands out from the pack in terms of its power, creativity, and relevance for the time. The advent of the pandemic ad resulted from the global spread of COVID-19 and advertisers accompanying desire to continue selling products during this devastating event. I never got my license to talk to other countries. Voices is the world's #1 voice marketplace with over 2 million members. "[citation needed], John Menard got involved in Indycar racing in the early 1980s working with his neighbor, driver Herm Johnson. And I dont intend to disappoint them all by getting myself slightly killed.Ernest Lehman (b.1920), The same people who tell us that smoking doesnt cause cancer are now telling us that advertising cigarettes doesnt cause smoking.Ellen Goodman (b. Then this guy wearing jeans and cowboy boots walks in. Stocks are very reasonable right now. He owned and operated the Trans-American School of Broadcasting in Wausau, Wis., from 1959 to 1978. So that was interesting, and Ive always remembered that. He did, however, make occasional ads with the company starting in 1999. Here are 10 examples. This commercial is the best of the 2020s for many reasons. Ill never forget it. On May 12, 1997, the Chicago Tribune ran a great article on The Menards Guy. [15] Ray Szmanda was the "Menards Guy" who used the slogan "Save big money at Menards" regularly on television advertisements from 1976 to 1998, and occasionally from 1999 until his death in 2018. The 2020s have been a tumultuous and unprecedented time in world history. RAY: No. For other uses, see, An example of the older exterior of the Menards store in, "Bloomberg Billionaires Index - John Menard Jr", "Meet The Best Hardware Store In the Nation, And The Midwestern Billionaire Who Built It: John Menard Jr", "Menards is building centers in Iowa, Ohio instead of Eau Claire", "Home improvement store Menards opens Morgantown (West Virginia) location; 207,000 square feet", "Menards Bridgeport, West Virginia build shows signs of life", "Menards shows signs of life in Parkersburg", "Major investment planned in Ravenna in 2022", "Ravenna planners OK Menards' $52 million project", "More details emerge about Menards coming to Fayette County", "The Marketing 100: Menards: John Menard", "Seasoned Menards guy is hard to wear out", "The "Save Big Money at Menards" Jingle: A History", "Menards to Continue Partnership with RCR XFINITY Programs - Richard Childress Racing", "Crafton, Menards extend ThorSport partnership", "Menards doubles sponsorship deal with Penske, Pagenaud for 2017", "Menards to continue IndyCar sponsorship with Team Penske", "XFINITY Series race results for Menards 250 at Michigan", "ARCA and Menards Announce Partenership Expansion", "NASCAR's Matt Crafton Enters May 15 Menards 200 - ARCA Racing", https://speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-truck-series-news/75161-matt-crafton-and-menards-mark-a-historic-20-year-partnership, "Home Improvement Retailers Fight Inflation with Stand-Out Customer Service, J.D. 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