Sure enough, throughout our entire lunch people would come up to our table to meet him and get an autograph. This isnt right.. Thousands of activists took to the streets to call for an end to racism and police brutality. [33][34], During the pandemic, Menards instituted a policy that prohibited children under age 16 and non-service animals in stores, to the frustration of single parents who do not have other childcare options. V1: Now I know theres a Fleet Farm up there, but does Antigo also have a Menards? And he loved every minute of it waving hello, shaking hands, and giving the people what they wanted with a boisterous Save Big Money! on command. Entering the decade with low GDP and high jobless numbers, 2020 saw a 3.5% shrink in the global economy. In 2009, Menards opened its first Wyoming location in Casper. He has been pretty quiet about his involvement with the company, but it's safe to say that he's done a great job. 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' $52 million project", "More details emerge about Menards coming to Fayette County", "The Marketing 100: Menards: John Menard", "Seasoned Menards guy is hard to wear out", "The "Save Big Money at Menards" Jingle: A History", "Menards to Continue Partnership with RCR XFINITY Programs - Richard Childress Racing", "Crafton, Menards extend ThorSport partnership", "Menards doubles sponsorship deal with Penske, Pagenaud for 2017", "Menards to continue IndyCar sponsorship with Team Penske", "XFINITY Series race results for Menards 250 at Michigan", "ARCA and Menards Announce Partenership Expansion", "NASCAR's Matt Crafton Enters May 15 Menards 200 - ARCA Racing", https://speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-truck-series-news/75161-matt-crafton-and-menards-mark-a-historic-20-year-partnership, "Home Improvement Retailers Fight Inflation with Stand-Out Customer Service, J.D. This declaration would have a major effect on how everyone understood and approached the virus, from world leaders to your average joe. We flew together all over the Midwest for commercials, so we got to know each other pretty well. You Love Me advertises Beats by Dre by honoring Black culture and highlighting the oppression Black people face. Already have a Menards Commercial Card? Nick Meyer, GIFTS FOOD & DRINK ago. Statement Billed (pay in full monthly) [30], In 2022, Menards ranked 28th on Forbes' list of "America's Largest Private Companies" with an estimated revenue of US$ 13 billion. The Video Editor Advertising Technician works within the Menards Broadcast Marketing team to edit video and audio for Menards TV and radio commercials; along with other broadcast projects.. 2002-2023CopyrightVolumeOneMagazine. Ray Szmanda: Yes. But for some reason--he says he has no idea why--in the past two years or so he's become a bit of a cult figure, a pop icon to whom viewers write fan letters and request autographed photos. Now you know the voice behind Arby's commercials 'We Have the Meats" is actor Ving Rhames. In it, actress Sofia Vergara attends a party where someone spills chili. His career with Menards began in 1976, where he was a fixture of the ads until his retirement in 1998. [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. V1: Thats got to be kind of odd, stepping into a Menards. I have a stack of pictures that I send to people that would like one. There was another one I wanted to tell you about. By that I mean he keeps me out of risky stocks. A Wisconsin company whose products sell vigorously throughout the Menards retail footprint. "Large corporations must also play by the rules, and my office will work diligently to ensure this state's consumers are treated fairly and not abused by businesses seeking to unlawfully jack prices up to line their pockets with profits at the expense of the public during this time of great need." The Menards Guy is the chain's only spokesman and has been for 20 years. Tony Stewart got his first Indy 500 starts for Menard, and in 1992 Al Unser Sr. scored the highest Indy 500 finish for the team (3rd) and the highest ever 500 finish for the Buick/Menard V6 engine. Indeed, in times of economic stress or uncertainty, businesses tend to cut discretionary spending, and for most, advertising is seen as discretionary. 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. APPAREL BOOKS ART READ: Menards Guy Isn't Who--or What--you Think He Is. Menards is an American home improvement retail company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Menards TV Commercials We don't make the ads - We measure them Sign up to track nationally aired TV ad campaigns for Menards. After working in radio and television, he became self-employed as a broadcaster in 1958. And I got negative things, too. 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 expand to Pennsylvania. PANTRY TOYS DCOR, Best of the Reader Poll, Advertise with Volume One In 2000, the company opened its 150th store. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Menards is a family-owned home improvement retail chain with more than 300 locations, primarily in the Midwest. Well I could hear the noise in the background the music and the clinking of the glasses and I said, Save big money at Menards! They said, Far out, and that was the end of the conversation. I used to be very active. There were a couple of elderly ladies that walked by my booth, and I was signing pictures. Many advertisers took to 2020s TV to sell their products during what proved to be quite an uncertain time. In the mid-1980s, the "Cashway Lumber" name was dropped and the business became simply known to this day as Menards. V1: I also heard that youre a drummer, as well. Back in 2009, Volume One published a long Q&A between Ray Szmanda and former managing editor Trevor Kupfer. A fella by the name of Bob Prock ran that production section for a long time, and did a great job. Mine are the commercials for Jim "The Hammer" Shapiro, who wanted to rip the hearts out of those who caused Rochester residents personal injury. He is one of the more famous infomercial pitchmen. [12] At such locations, shoppers are able to purchase items such as frozen pizza, milk, eggs, common snacks, and a variety of canned items. What got you into that? Perhaps the final most significant event to define the 2020s was the war in Ukraine. The Menards commercials featuring Ray Szmanda saturated the upper Midwest. Posted at 2:18 PM, May 07, 2018. and last updated 2:05 PM, May 07, 2018. Recent commercials, however, feature Bo Landry in his place; although, a cartoon version of "the Menards Guy" still appears in Menards' print ads and in some in-store signs. RAY: Just the love of automobiles. Kyle Busch. They covered a lot of fascinating ground, including his other gigs, how he got the Menards job, and funny things that happened while filming commercials. Szmanda was affectionately known as "The Menards Guy" after spending more than 20 years as the television pitchman for Menards. Spanish commercials are accompanied with a mariachi mix of the banjo accompaniment. I had guests even telling me it was annoying. Szmanda trained at the American Institute of the Air and took writing courses from the University of WisconsinMilwaukee and University of WisconsinMadison. Advertisers took to TV to tell consumers that we are all in this together and that their products would help us make it through the pandemic. voiced by Bill Barretta. I walked over and put my arms around the fella and I said, Would you like to be on television? And he popped up, Oh my gosh! And away they went. Chippewa Valley Press J to jump to the feed. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Ray Szmanda, known to generations of Wisconsinites as the man who brought Menards commercials to life, has died at age 91 . Do you have a special affinity for blue sweaters, or something? The green dot indicates the address has active services. 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Its hard not to act. The AMC Theaters Cast. Ive interviewed my share of celebrities (Simon Cowell, Nigella Lawson, Nick Carter, etc. It then continues to stock footage of the tools being sold while Ray gives a basic description of the tool and lists the price. voiced by Steve Whitmire. voiced by Robb Pruitt. 2 x 4 x 8-ft Brown Pressure Treated Lumber. V1: And theyre still using your cartoon image. TV viewing rose so much that binge-watching show after show became a joke across internet memes and tweets in the 2020s. Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S. John Robert Menard Jr. (born January 22, 1940) is an American billionaire businessman, and the founder and owner of Menards, a Midwestern chain of home improvement stores. Pepe the King Prawn. Best Commercial of the 2020s and Why With so many amazing commercials released in the 2020s, it's hard to choose just one for the best commercial spot. And I suppose I was kind of an actor with that, because people tell me, Youre so different off camera. Required fields are marked *. Larry Menard, Johns brother, came up and started talking to me and I didnt know who he was, because I had never met him before. I was on the radio years ago, and it was just great. He was a legit celebrity. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. I cant remember exactly, because I went back for a bit after I lost my son. And I dont say much, unless they say something. Their slogan, "Save Big Money!" is legendary. 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. He continued to appear regularly in commercials until 1998 when he started a semi retirement as the spokesman for Menards and would only show up on TV commercials occasionally. Hi guys!Thank you for checking out my short!So this is a commercial Voice-over done for Wesleyan University.Please check out my channel for more of my voice-. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. Menard Inc. found him in. It is also called as text to voice converter or type and . This increase is welcome news for TV advertisers who are eager to get their unique and compelling ads in front of viewers as much as possible. I mean, they offer everything. V1: Whats the trick to being a voice actor? Bo Landry is the current voice. The blue looked great in fact, better than the orange but I liked the orange material, because it stayed fresh and wasnt baggy. RAY: Oh sure. Swing lasted about 10 years, and then of course rock n roll came in. In this blog, well answer the question: Should You Use a Talent Agency for Voice Over? [31], According to Milwaukee Magazine in 2007, Menards was cited with more regulatory violations involving air/water pollution and hazardous waste disposal than any other company in Wisconsin. Absolutely. [29], In 2022, Menards ranked second in a J.D. [7] Then there will be a fifth Menards in West Virginia in Parkersburg,[8] followed by a sixth location in South Charleston. 100 Dundas Street, Suite 700 London, ON N6A 5B6 Call Us Toll Free at 1-888-359-3472. Go to the tax exempt section under "My Account". The same year, the "Helping You Build Americas Heartland" jingle was made. Its infrequent, but it happens. [4] Menards sold the Menard Building Division in 1994, racking up 36 years in the pole building industry. The ad features Salt-N-Peppas Push It performed by rapper Megan Thee Stallion. And before I left, the phone started ringing for me to do commercials for the Fort Howard Paper Company on the Packer-Bear game. Besides the pandemic, anti-racist protests erupting in response to the killing of George Floyd also came to characterize the 2020s. I had my own trio. Took me a half an hour. Ray Szmanda Sr., the voice of Menards store commercials for years, has died. | I was a professional drummer. The economy of the 2020s has been one of significant flux due largely to the uncertainty of the global COVID-19 pandemic. With an uncertain economic future in 2022, advertisers are being cautious. V1: Right. You have a chance to act and play different parts, even with commercials. [22] Menards began sponsoring Team Penske in 2016. He was 91. Along with the many Americans fighting racial injustice, this 2020s TV ad questions the notion of equality in the US, calling everyone to see and honor the Black culture that has contributed so much to America. When we started, it was an orange shirt, which I liked. 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. RAY: Well I spend a lot of time with stocks. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Ray Szmanda was featured in advertising for Eau Claire-based Menard starting in 1976 until his retirement in 1998. RAY: Oh yeah. PUBLISHER / EDITOR / OWNER audience & publishing schedule , Staff When Buick left the sport, Menard bought the engine tooling from Buick and began producing the engines under the Menard V6 name. One minute, we were all out enjoying time in close proximity to our friends and family members, and the next, we were wearing masks, social distancing, and sanitizing every surface in sight. localstore@volumeone.org(Store,), TermsofUse / PrivacyPolicy V1: Can we expect a comic book anytime soon? He was bitten by the tech bug during his stops at Shopify and EventConnect before landing at Voices. In 2007, Menards opened its third and fourth distribution centers in Holiday City, Ohio, and Shelby, Iowa, which are 669,000 square feet (62,200m2) and 735,000 square feet (68,300m2), respectively. My son did, but I didnt. Nick Meyer, GIFTS FOOD & DRINK editorial@volumeone.org(Editorial,) They heard that I was going to become a freelance writer-announcer-personality-whatever, but they called me and that started me off. This commercial is the best of the 2020s for many reasons. They were free. [11] In 2023, Menards announced it would open its first Joplin, Missouri location. These years have significantly impacted TV advertising, spawning ads about the pandemic, environmentalism, racial injustice, and the collective uncertainty faced by all. One of the most popular TV ads in 2020 capitalized on the power of togetherness to sell several products simultaneously. Who voices menards commercials. 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