Thats about what it amounted to. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Right when I got out of the Navy at 21. He is a former INDYCAR racing team owner, and the father of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Paul Menard. ), but only Paula Dean, who invited me down to her Savannah, Georgia home for a meal, has come anywhere near the feel-good experience of talking with Ray Szmanda, who will gladly send you a signed photo or proudly belt Save big money at Menards! on request. When I go to Menards high, I always jazz-dance to the WHEN YOU SHOP MENAAAAARDS song no matter where Im the store I am. In the mid-1980s, the "Cashway Lumber" name was dropped and the business became simply known to this day as Menards. 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.. Follow me on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/moalivoiceover/Follow me on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@moalivoiceover . Ray "The Menards Guy" Szmanda - Bloopers Volume One 4.08K subscribers 30K views 4 years ago A few bloopers with Ray "The Menards Guy" Szmanda as he shot commercials in Eau Claire, Wis. Part. This was while Szmanda was still working for the company in full force. Szmanda was affectionately known as "The Menards Guy" after spending more than 20 years as the television pitchman for Menards. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Who is the voice in the BMW commercial? Plain and simple. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. [16] Before his return in 1999, Kim Larsen took over his position in his absence. Pepe the King Prawn. Reader Poll, Advertise with Volume One Required fields are marked *. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. During the Christmas shopping season the jingle changes to "Warm seasons greetings to you all from Menards!" So lumber was interesting. Szmanda trained at the American Institute of the Air and took writing courses from the University of WisconsinMilwaukee and University of WisconsinMadison. However, one commercial stands out from the pack in terms of its power, creativity, and relevance for the time. He was 91. Piano is my big thing. Menards was founded as Menard Cashway Lumber. This is when I was young. Lets consider what makes the time unique and discuss the impact the years have had on TV commercials in the 2020s. Volume One scored one. Nick Meyer, GIFTS FOOD & DRINK Perhaps the final most significant event to define the 2020s was the war in Ukraine. 18. The green dot indicates the address has active services. Already have a Menards Commercial Card? When do I receive my Menards commercial invoice? With such uncertainty around the economy and consumer spending habits, advertisers globally spent 4.2% less in 2020 than in 2019. He's told stories for Leafs TV, NBA TV Canada and TSN. 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. Statement Billed (pay in full monthly) [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. In 2011, the company expanded into Kansas. This characteristic included celebrating healthcare workers, grocery store employees, and delivery drivers who kept the essential products we needed coming to our doors. share. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Death 5 References 6 External links Early life [ edit] On May 12, 1997, the Chicago Tribune ran a great article on The Menards Guy. He was 91. RAY: Yeah, its a fun thing. From a global pandemic to new world leaders and the war in Ukraine, the 2020s have impacted people in many unexpected ways. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He truly was a kind and generous man. Now you know the voice behind Arby's commercials 'We Have the Meats" is actor Ving Rhames. RAY: Anytime you have someone that imitates you, does the same thing you do, thats a huge compliment. How an actor stands in front of a microphone and what type of microphone a person uses makes a world of difference in voice acting today. [28] In 2022, Menards ranked 34th on the National Retail Federation's list of "100 Top Retailers". The ARCA Menards Series sponsorship for Sprecher is a great fit." Founded in Milwaukee in 1985,. I would say I really miss being on camera. RAY: Yeah. Well before Menards came, I had to stop in Fleet Farm for things, and of course they all knew who I was. localstore@volumeone.org(Store,), TermsofUse / PrivacyPolicy I got a lot of that. I retired at age 77. An interview with Ray Szmanda (a.k.a. 1912). The Menards Guy, Menards Guy Isn't Who--or What--you Think He Is, Village.com - Engaging extracurricular activities for children. Ive got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex- wives, and several bartenders dependent on me. Final Thoughts. Back in 2009, Volume One published a long Q&A between Ray Szmanda and former managing editor Trevor Kupfer. RAY: No. Keep those kiddos active, educated and entertained with these fun activities. These economic fluxes significantly impacted brand advertisers and approaches to the 2020s TV commercials. [4] Menards sold the Menard Building Division in 1994, racking up 36 years in the pole building industry. Wouldnt it? And their employees will tell you there are ways to save big money that not everyone knows about. Menard eventually owned cars, primarily focusing on the Indianapolis 500 often using stock block Buick V6 engines. TV viewing rose so much that binge-watching show after show became a joke across internet memes and tweets in the 2020s. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. V1: What Ive most been looking forward to asking you is ever since I was really little my dad probably told this story a hundred times and I never knew if it was true about when Menards was looking for a spokesman, and a bunch of good-looking guys in suits showed up. This fact was true across all TV mechanisms, including network TV, cable TV, and streaming. The message, in the end, is that consumption, in part, will help us persevere and come out on the other side of COVID-19. Contributors And there were two elderly people in their 60s, maybe that were so interested in the product we were advertising, they didnt see any of it. 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. Bo Landry is the current voice. Whats Biden waiting for when it comes to 2024? voiced by JK Simmons and 1 other. The lights, the camera, director, anybody. Ray Szmanda, known to generations of Americans as the man who brought Menards commercials to life, has died at age 91. 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. Later that year, former Senator and Vice President Joe Biden would defeat Trump in an election that had Americans on the edges of their seats. This is when I was young. ;[18] Robby Gordon; P. J. Jones;[19] Brandon Jones;[20] Matt Crafton;[21] Simon Pagenaud, Ryan Blaney and Matt DiBenedetto. The AMC Theaters Cast. Chippewa Valley Ive been doing that more for my own enjoyment than for performing. Entering the decade with low GDP and high jobless numbers, 2020 saw a 3.5% shrink in the global economy. I played on the road. There was another one I wanted to tell you about. Absolutely. Do you take that as a compliment, the fact that youre still the irreplaceable Menards guy?. brush pickup San Antonio, Texas 78251 (210) 993-1167 City Hall and most municipal offices will . No. as well as Spanish language commercials ending with "Garda mucho dinero en Menards!". Its hard not to act. 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. A rare car. I had guests even telling me it was annoying. [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. In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech detailing his many grievances with the neighboring country. That would be great. Hes got grey hair and hes full of enthusiasm. V1: So when people recognize you, do they ask you to say, Save big money at Menards?, RAY: Always. Its infrequent, but it happens. I was a professional drummer. They say, Say it. And I say Save big money at Menards!. By 2022, the economic future of the US and the world has become uncertain. 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. Then this guy wearing jeans and cowboy boots walks in. Humming along since 2002, Volume One is a magazine, an The enemies of advertising are the enemies of freedom.J. V1: What kind of stuff did you guys play? Menard Inc. Deceased (19262018) Green. RAY: Basically. Dennis Morgan did it. And before I left, the phone started ringing for me to do commercials for the Fort Howard Paper Company on the Packer-Bear game. 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?. V1: Thats got to be kind of odd, stepping into a Menards. Having fun with people. In his hometown of Antigo, Wis.--population 8,500--postal workers and others call his wife "Mrs. A fella by the name of Bob Prock ran that production section for a long time, and did a great job. The pandemic ad was characterized by a sense of helping, uncertainty, and togetherness. PUBLISHER / EDITOR / OWNER Unrivaled Mac notes apps for fuss-free note-taking, 6 Actionable Tips for Improving Your Websites SEO, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes. Kermit the Frog. Ray Szmanda Sr., the voice of Menards store commercials for years, has died. However, one commercial stands out from the pack in terms of its power, creativity, and relevance for the time. Is that right? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. It was just unbelievable. Perhaps no ad trend marks the 2020s more than the pandemic ad. I started lessons about five or six years ago. She is of Dutch and one quarter Norwegian descent. for pricing and availability. You seem so quiet. Older people looked at me and said, Look at that guy out there. After a morning of shooting wed break production and hed invite us all out for lunch together, often at a pizza buffet. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. [10] Four more Ohio locations are currently in the works: Granger, Zanesville, Youngstown, and Aurora. Create a SoundCloud account. 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. Their slogan, "Save Big Money!" is legendary. Ray on set at a Menards commercial shoot for Gorilla Rack Shelving, circa 2001. Yellow. The economy of the 2020s has been one of significant flux due largely to the uncertainty of the global COVID-19 pandemic. During the Christmas and holiday season, radio and television ads typically feature an alternate jingle "Warm season's greetings to you all from Menards!" And I suppose I was kind of an actor with that, because people tell me, Youre so different off camera. While the relatively small country of Ukraine has put up quite a fight against the superpower that is Russia, the war rages on, and no one knows what the outcome will be. V1: Can we expect a comic book anytime soon? [22] Menards began sponsoring Team Penske in 2016. Over 5000 jobs posted monthly. Would he have an ego and scoff at the idea of being in our magazine? Ray Szmanda was a man who I was proud to call my dad, his son Charles Szmanda wrote in a Facebook post. He studiedbroadcasting at the American Institute of the Air in Minneapolis and took writing courses from the Universities of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Madison, according to his bio on the Menards website. He loved it, and so did we. 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. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. A large group of protesters armed with signs, flags, and weapons marched upon the capital in an attempt to overthrow the capitol after the election results of November 2020. And it was fun working outside. Menards announced in 2022 that it will expand to Pennsylvania for the first time, starting with Uniontown. V1: Is there anything in particular you miss as the Menards spokesman, like hearing yourself on the radio or seeing yourself on TV? Who does the voice for the Menards commercial? Now I have no reason to, unless Menards doesnt have something. RAY: Yeah, Im not like that. Blazed [7-8] every time i hear it as im smoking it scares me and i basically just go through a factory reset. The Menards Guy. RAY: Yeah. Leading advertising researcher Magna predicts that in 2022, ad sales will mostly decrease, but will increase in three significant areas: With more people stuck at home during the global pandemic, it is no surprise that viewing time among those who watch TV rose significantly during the 2020s. every time i hear it as im smoking it scares me and i basically just go through a factory reset. Dimensional lumber is ideal for a wide range of structural and nonstructural applications including framing of houses, barns, sheds and commercial construction. Fresh air. And a lot of times, if theyre shy, they dont say anything. 5 mo. Kyle Busch. [32], During the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel sent Menards a cease and desist letter citing 18 complaints from consumers in regards to price gouging on products such as face masks and bleach. Is that right? Another hallmark of COVID-19 ads was celebrating the heroes working on the frontlines to fight the pandemic. Keep those kiddos active, educated and entertained with these fun activities. He also narrated a recording of the Bible. And I dont say much, unless they say something. Fozzie Bear. Elected in 2016, Donald Trump was US President at the start of the 2020s. RAY: Yes. "Big box stores are not immune to the Michigan Consumer Protection Act or the Governor's Executive Order", Nessel said. Presented by Metropolis Resort, Top bars for bloody marys in the Chippewa Valley, recipes, and local favorites. In 2007, the 240,000sqft (22,000m2) and larger Menards stores began selling groceries. Reader Poll, Advertise with Volume One I was pretty shocked, because these guys all looked and sounded great. The commercials end with the well-known jingle, "Save big money at Menards." :0 since when has the song sounded like that ? The way he comes across in commercials. In fact, Szmanda is a professional announcer and even an. He was a legit celebrity. Make a voice in Japanese easily for anime text to speech content, or use the TTS japanese voice over to provide sound of text anime voice materials.It is a web based online text to speech (tts) tool which can convert from text to speech in audio formats like text to mp3, text to wav file. V1: So how else have you been spending your time these days? It occurred to me he might have been Larry Menard. The dude is sweet. "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." After working in radio and television, he became self-employed as a broadcaster in 1958. RAY: I did musical things, and some commercials on camera. Menards 60sec Donut Jingle. Who does the voice for the Menards commercial? Follow the instructions given in the Menards Tax Exempt section to unlock tax . Nick Meyer, GIFTS FOOD & DRINK RAY: It is, but its fun. RAY: Yes. He was known as "The Menards Guy." A Milwaukee native and World War II Navy. This declaration would have a major effect on how everyone understood and approached the virus, from world leaders to your average joe. 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The jingle changes to `` Warm seasons greetings to you all from!... Voice of Menards Store commercials for years, has died on Instagram: https: //www.tiktok.com/ @ moalivoiceover range structural., this is an archived article and the information in the chippewa Valley, recipes, relevance! 1999, Kim Larsen took over his position in his absence these guys all looked and sounded great the has! Dropped and the father of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Paul Menard was celebrating the heroes working the. Say I really miss being on camera out there https: //www.tiktok.com/ @ moalivoiceover advertisers and approaches to the have...