As you’ll see more here on SmallBusiness.com, a lot of companies that serve the marketplace of small business decision makers use National Small Business Week to release products, kick-off advertising campaigns, or share research they’ve conducted. For example, VistaPrint has brought back a popular small business-themed commercial it first aired in January.

The Hit

The commercial is so great, go ahead and stop reading this and spend the next three minutes watching an extended version of the commercial called “The Postcard,” below. The only way this ad could be any better would require a scene to be added at the end where a golden labrador puppy rides in on the back of a clydesdale horse.

See what I mean? I’m probably responsible for half of those million views on YouTube..

And great timing, also, as the theme of the commercial–the DNA-level tug some people feel to carry-forward a family business–was a welcomed relief after reading over the weekend, a WSJ.com’s “expert’s piece” called, “Why I’m Pessimistic About the Future of Small Business” by Wayne Rivers, president of the Family Business Institute. (Suggestion to Mr. Rivers: Watch the VistaPrint commercial and turn that frown upside down.)

The Micro Miss

Unfortunately, on another front this Small Business Week, VistaPrint isn’t perfect.  They’ve broken my rule against taking marketing buzzwords outside the marketing department by branding a Small Business Week promotion, “Magnify Micro Business.” For more on the benefits of marketers sticking to the term “small business” (and not micro business, et al), see: “Tip for Marketers Targeting Small Business: SMBs Don’t Use the Term SMB”

Bottom line

But I’m going to give VistaPrint a pass even though they’ve made my pet peeve “micro mistake.” That commercial is just too good.