Music Site Mercora Introduces AdWords-Like MadWords

Music search site Mercora has launched a self service, Google AdWords-like keyword advertising program called MadWords. It lets advertisers choose music keywords such as genre, artist or band names, and similar or related artists, so that relevant advertisements are displayed while users perform searches or listen to music on the Mercora Network.

Agency Challenges Current Marketing Methods, Gives Adrants Headache

We're all for forward thinking and innovative new advertising models but Heller Communication Design's old but new "system thinking" model was too much for us to take so we're just going to let you read the press release:

CREATIVE SERVICES FIRM CHALLENGES TENETS OF COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES BY BRINGING SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY TO THE CREATIVE PLAYING FIELD

NEW YORK - Taking a quantum leap from traditional marketing thinking, Heller Communication Design (HCD), a leading strategic design, advertising, and branding consultancy headquartered in New York City, today unveiled the agency's unique new approach to developing successful marketing campaigns for its clients. By adapting the scientific principles of systems thinking to marketing communications, HCD now has the capability to design what will be the most appropriate, success-generating steps for a client's overall communications program going forward

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Ad Says Cheap Flights Kill the Earth

After Art Director Stuart Wilson and Producer Mike Connolly had a discussion about extreme weather this planet has experienced in the last 12 months, the two created a simple spot with a powerful message called SkyOpener and partnered with the U.K.'s Green Party to promote their cause. In the face of declining travel costs, the spot puts forth the notion there's no such thing as cheap air fare as it costs the earth by affecting the ozone layer.

Virgin Mobile's Hot Box Fondling Angels Cause Complaints

As part of a promotion for its Hot Box cell phone, Virgin mobile Canada created some Christmas wrapping paper that shows angels kissing and fondling one another. Ottawa's Alan Dean wasn't too pleased when his 12 year-old daughter was handed some of the paper as part of a promotion following a screening of Harry Potter at the Famous Players Coliseum. Mr. Dean had no kind words for Virgin Mobile marketers telling the Ottawa Citizen, "Somebody had to have their head screwed on wrong to put out a promo like that at a family theater. Even though they said they wanted to hand it out to 18-year-olds, it doesn't matter. It shouldn't have been on the premises." Oddly, we agree. It's just a little sick.

Bruce Willis Says Ad Business More Cutthroat Than Hollywood

While in New York to film the psychological thriller The Perfect Stranger with Halle Berry, Bruce Willis, who plays an ad exec in the film, spent some time with Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners learning the industry's ropes and lingo. After spending a bit of time at the agency, Willis, humorously, commented to Richard Kirshenbaum and Jon Bond, "Wow, this business seems more cutthroat than Hollywood." You got it Bruce. Hollywood is for pussies. Madison Avenue is for tough guys.

Knife Company Offers Gruesome Holiday Gift Ideas

Oregon-based Johnson Cowan Hanrahan in Portland, Oregon has created a Holiday-themed site for its knife client Gerber Blades. The site, like those Holiday calenders with a chocolate for each day in December, offers gift ideas which are a bit out of the norm. Gift ideas range from using a bushy-tailed woodrat as a tree ornament to creating a smoothie out of a Bison to killing a bear to make mittens out of its paws to stuffing a rabbit in a box to make a jackrabbit-in-a-box to using skunk meat to make French-fried skunk. Not unsurprisingly, making these gifts requires the use of a knife. It's sick. It's funny. We like it.

TBS Hosts Funniest Commercial Poll And Show

TBS is, again, broadcasting its Funniest Commercials of the Year show, hosted by Weeds' Kevin Nealon. Visitors to the site can view the spots and cast votes from ten choices then see the finalists on the broadcast December 28 at 9PM. On the list for consideration are Big Pong Broadband, CareerBuilder, Carlton Draught's Big Ad, Dodge Durango's Bathroom Stall, Dr. Pepper's Do Anything, Ikea's Home Delivery, MTel's cellphone shower babe, Nextel's office groove, Science World's conference room facial suckage and the Toyota Vios sea monster ad. Any of yours on the list? Tell us why you should win.

Gallup: Ad Folk Still At Bottom of Honesty and Ethics List

According to Gallup's annual honesty and ethics poll, we all still suck. The poll says advertising practitioners rank below congressmen and just above car salesmen and telemarketers Just as in past years, there's not much respect out there for us ad folk. We'd venture to say purveyors of pop up/unders sure haven't helped our cause. Anything to say in answer to that FastClick, ValueClick, Casale Media?

Site Says Cut The Bull, Calls For Respect

Connecticut-based Outhouse Communications has created a site for Operation Respect CT called Cut the Bull, a site that urges respect among kids, teens and everyone while hoping to eliminate bullying. At the website visitors can spread respect in various ways by making a unique, one of a kind custom respect poster, by sending friends respect notes, by downloading ringtones and by purchasing a "No Bull Shirt" T-Shirt. Outhouse is using billboards to promote the site.

Adobe Melds Macromedia Into Product Offering With New Bundles

For you creative types, Adobe has launched three new product bundles that combine Adobe Creative Suite 2 and Adobe video tools with the just-released Macromedia Flash Professional 8 and Macromedia Studio 8 software. Adobe acquired the Macromedia product line when the company purchased Macromedia, a transaction that formally closed on December 3, 2005.

The new product configurations are: the Adobe Design Bundle that combines Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium with Flash Professional 8 software; the Adobe Web Bundle that brings together Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium and Studio 8; and the Adobe Video Bundle that delivers Adobe video solutions coupled with Flash Professional 8. The Adobe Design Bundle and Web Bundle are available for purchase today and the Adobe Video Bundle is expected to ship in early 2006. Go get creative.

Unemployed Copywriter Suggests Jobs For Unemployed Copywriters

Jordan Buntain sent us a site he created that's aimed at unemployed copywriters and offers tips on the kind of jobs they might try as they wrestle through the difficulty of being unemployed during the holidays. Several suggestions include becoming a Christmas Movie Screen Writer, a Street Musician, a Sandwich board Advertiser or a Scammer Spammer. By the way, Jordan is unemployed as well. Give him a look and give him a job.

Virgin Mobile Reveals Aussie Viral Campaign Details

Virgin Mobile in Australia has summed up a recent viral campaign involving a fake soapstar, Jason Donovan. There's a long and involved story about how Donovan was trying to sell his Range Rover by placing a For Sale sign, which contained his cell phone number, in the window of the SUV, how a photo of Donovan, his vehicle and his cell phone number was taken, how he was harassed by callers, how Virgim Mobile got involved and how the whole thing turned into one big viral. It's the only time we've ever seen a company publicly lay bare all the details of one of its viral campaigns. It's insightful and refreshing. Though, sadly, we have no explanation for the woman in the upper right hand corner of the site who looks like she's having a killer orgasm.

Messenger Bag Company Sells Bags In Exchange for Beer

In a week long promotion, Australian bag maker Crumpler sold messenger bags in exchange for beer. Patrons entering their stores could buy beer and then give the beer back in exchange for a bag of their choice. To see detail of the promotion, drag the eight ball or one of the stars to the hand in the lower right hand corner of the site. Promotion aside, do check out their website. It's one of the more odd sites out there and was created by Sputnick Agency.