Motherlode of Video Game Commercials

If you are a video game maker, ad agency for a game maker or just love watching video game commercials, this site is for you. It has over 1,635 ads from August of 2002 through June 2004. Most are Japan based. Don't rape the guys bandwidth for your own "for profit" needs though. He's just one guy doing it out of the goodness of his heart - or out of some video game induced insanity.

Weblog Promotes Panties

Rick Bruner over at BusinessBlogConsultiong didn't think it was appropriate for his site - even though he covered it anyway - but he did think it was appropriate for Adrants and he's right! We love anything you're not supposed to see in the office so we give it to you here. This weblog, Hotpants, covers that all important area of women's undergarments. Claiming "all panties, all the time," the site reviews the latest in pantie fashion, tells you about pantie fashion events and tells you where you can buy the stuff. If there isn't already a marketer behind this or tapping (uh...oops..was that a pun?) this, there should be. Got lingerie? Send it to girlnyc and she/he will surely write about it.

Bikini Model Ad Real Or Desparate Attempt For A Date?

You see these Craig's List ads show up all the time in the advertising category of the help wanted section. Model wanted. Trade Show Hottie Needed. Send Picture. Here's another. One wonders if these ads are for real or if they are just from desparate guys looking for a date or porn auteurs looking for new meat.

Adrants Billboards: Wife Swapping, Cute Editors and More

Ad Age doesn't like this Ikea spot that eludes to wife swapping but I find it hilarious.
Bush runs Olympic themed commerical on fitness center network.
New Gawker Editor Jessica Coen is really, REALLY cute!
Big brand goof: Google forgets to tradmark Gmail.

Cannes Sale Reveals Obscene Profits

Roger Hatchuel's sale of the Cannes Ad Festival to EMAP Communications for $96 million has revealed just how much money Cannes has gouged from agencies for an event which has absolutely nothing to do with the resulting monetary success of an ad campaign for a client. The 2004 festival is expected to see a $12.8 million on revenue of $22 million. Many, including DDB Canada CEO Frank Palmer, are appalled at that level of profit.

Every agency wants to win awards at Cannes and will pay dearly to do so but has a study ever been done to correlate the number of awards an agency has won with its new business win ratio and bottom line profits? If so, I'd like to see it. And if it has ever been done or ever will be done, it will be looked upon with a grain of proverbial salt since we all now how "honest" those reported figures would be.

While there are award shows that are based on campaign performance, none have the notoriety or cache of Cannes. Is there any other industry out there that values things on how pretty they are versus how successful they are? OK, art and porn but you get the point. Will agencies continue you poor money down the Cannes drain next year? You bet! See you there.

Fashion Label Sick of FCUK'ing

You've seen the the words spread across a T-shirt or some item of clothing and done the double take. Well, fashion label French Connection is doing the double take as well and ceasing the use of their brand acronym FCUK in future advertising. In the new ad campaign, the FCUK logo will be replaced by a series of ironic, self-referential phrases such as "Don't make us say it", "Something beginning with F" and "Haven't you had enough influences for one day?"

Weblogs And Paris Hilton OK With Adrants Readers

In two brief polls on the Adrants Network, members responded to two unrelated questions regarding weblogs and Paris Hilton. When asked whether weblogs have future as an ad medium, 87 percent said they do. When asked whether Paris Hilton's appearance in the new Guess ad campaign will help or hurt the brand, 80 percent said she would help. I'd agree. There's just enough "controversy" with Paris to give a bit of cool factor to Guess. Besides, the art directors made her look fantastic.