We're told Tom Hanks is set to star in a Gus Van Sant-directed Universal movie based on a fictional memoir/book proposal called How Starbucks Saved My Life by former JWT exec Michael Gates Gill, son of long time The New Yorker writer Brendan Gill. We're not sure, though, how much the movie's going to focus on advertising because the premise involves a man in his 60's who gets downsized, goes through a divorce and gets a job at a Starbucks. A book, published by Penguin Imprint Gotham Books is also on the way. Let's hope, since this is written by someone who actually spent time in the business, we don't end up with account executives creating ads in the movie.
Distancing itself from the more barbaric forms of hair removal, Priciderm, with help from its Quebec ad agency Carte Blance, has launched an S & M themed campaign to promote its seemingly less painful laser hair removal process.Two of the ads use the queasiness of S&M to illustrate hair removal doesn't have to be a painful ordeal. A third execution, gets right to the point with blood in the sink. See the others two ads here and here.
Betty Crocker has connected with Ghost Whisperer's Jennifer Love Hewitt to help promote the company's Bake and Take Day, a meals-on-wheels sort of event March 31. Love Hewitt will deliver meals to area residents in need. "I'm very happy to be working with Betty Crocker and the Bake and Take program," said Hewitt. "It's a wonderful way to raise awareness about the importance of giving back to people in your community by working with organizations that directly contribute to a person's well-being, not only by providing nutritious meals but also human contact and interaction."
Miller Brewing has put a bit of money behind its Mickey's beer brand in the form on a new website that takes a bit of an opposite approach by telling visitors what not to do when it comes to drinking beer, talking about beer and clothing. Of particular educational value is a video in the What Not to Say section in which one guy says in response to a hot girl they see on TV, "My Mom's way hotter than that." And speaking of hot, what would a beer site be without the requisite hottie in the form of wallpapers, screensavers and buddy icons. Perhaps best of all are the points of advice given by Mickey's Vice Chairman Norwood Browne McManus IV. It's far better than most other beer site.
New York University student-run ad agency Sparkplug has created a promotional campaign and event called Make Room for the Fit which promotes Honda's new subcompact Fit. The agency created a mocrosite that contains a rap-ish video that's so bad it's good or so good it's "bad." We can't decide. It all promotes an April 6 event at Gould Plaza where students can check out the Fit, grad a pizza from Mercato and crank up on Red Bull. If you're in the area, stop by and see what Sparkplug came up with. We'll will say it's far better than our lame college print ad for some Dodge we, or should I say my teammates, came up with.
There's certainly nothing wrong with Filene's Basement and Svedka Vodka advertising beside each other on a New York City bus as caught here by Bucky Turco but it does get interesting when the visual in both ads are similar. "I'll have a shot of vodka with those panties please."
We think this one's been kicking around for a while but if you were ever curious where Burger King's Whopper Junior comes from, this "commercial" answers your question.
Here's another one of those very weird Asian commercials. As you begin to watch it, you might think you have stumbled upon something a bit X-rated. Have no fear, the ending makes it all clear. If your boss catches you watching it, though, make sure he or she watches it until the end before they wonder what you do in your cube all day long.
Childcare India is running a campaign in India that affixes life-like stickers of begging children to glass doors to call attention to apparently rampant child begging. The campaign's headline, placed on a sticker near the door's handle, is "Push him out of begging. Not out of your way."Some of us might call it creepy. We'd like to call it effective advertising.
