 Hands Off Guys! It was only a matter of time before the politically correct powers of the very un-politically correct empire of Joseph Francis, the man behind Girls Gone Wild, caught up and yielded another division of the 31 year old entrepreneur's clothing-challenged business model. For years, Girls Gone Wild videos have been produced building a $110 million operation purely from girls flashing their boobs. Now, it's guys who are being asked to flash for a Guys Gone Wild video series.
Francis went out and hired the very hot looking Misty Nicole (really, it's not a stripper's name), a 24 year old Texas native to shine the camera on drunk guys more than willing to display their nude selves to Nicole. Of course, guys being guys in the presence of a hot chick, the job posed some occupational hazards for Misty. Nicole explains, "They were asking me out on dates, trying to get me involved and grab my camera. That was the most annoying part of the job. It's flattering, but after you go over it a million times it gets annoying." Now why can't the guys leave her alone like the Girls Gone Wild girls left their camera men alone? Oh yea, that thing called testosterone. Hmm, not so easy to control.
Apart from rampantly drunk nudity, Francis is broadening his empire to other segments licensing the "Gone Wild" brand to restaurants, clothing manufacturers, music and movies.
"Girls Gone Wild is an entertainment franchise," Francis said. "I want to put that name on everything I can." MGM has even purchased rights it might use to take the brand to a teen comedy or reality movie. If Francis can stay out of court enough, he just might make this work.
A Nextel billboard in Cleveland Ohio has caused as many as five accidents in the past few months because motorists are shocked at what they see. The board features extensions which appear as mannequins of students working on their laptops. Motorists have complained that it looks as if someone is trying to jump off the board and perhaps commit suicide.
If Nextel wanted attention, they sure got it.
The Game Show network will air a four episode series called "National Lampoon's Greek Games" which will pit teams against each other competing in embarrassing games. Framing the show honestly, host George Gray says the show is "an excuse for girls to wiggle in corn syrup." And, it's just another excuse to place a gratuitous picture with this story.
Games will include the above referred to "Gooey Ten Yard Dash" that calls for contestants to run ten yard through three inches of corn syrup, "Geek Distance Throw" where a bunch of frat brothers through a geek as far as they can into the water and "Human Baklava" where contestants stuff bread down their pants to....well, look like they are really excited about the games. The series premieres July 13 on GSN. Thanks to Adrants reader Charley Brough for the tip.
If you're sick of ads before movies this Summer, you're out of luck. Caravan to Athens, an NBC Olympics mini-movie starring five likely U.S. Olympians and four Chevrolet vehicles, premieres nationwide in Regal Entertainment Group Theatres on Friday, July 2, 2004. Caravan will run during the month of July on more than 5,000 screens in 415 Regal Cinemas, United Artists Theatres and Edwards Theatres encompassing 46 of the top 50 U.S. markets.
Through the use of dramatized stunts, Caravan showcases the athletic prowess of five likely Olympians on their way to Athens for the 2004 Summer Olympics: Swimmer Natalie Coughlin, long-jumper Dwight Phillips, weightlifter Shane Hamman, gymnast Paul Hamm and sprinter Tyree Washington. Their transportation to Athens is provided by four Chevrolets vehicles: Corvette, Malibu, SSR and Silverado. If we have to sit through this, let's at least hope their not produced weepy Olympic vingette style.
An innocent Coke promotion called "Unexpected Summer" has the military up in arms. Coke has outfitted 120 cans of Coke with built in GPS cell phones which have been distributed around the country. Consumers who find one of the 120 cans can use the embedded phone to call and register for prizes such as a new Chevy Equinox SUV, a chance to win $1 million from Harrah's and Disney vacations. Once registered Coke "search teams" will use GPS to find the individual and surprise them on a random day within a specified three week period.
Apparently, the military feels threatened by these phones, thinks they could be used as an eavesdropping device and have banned them from some military bases. Coke says it is impossible for the can to be an eavesdropping devise. The military isn't buying it.
"In the remote possibility a can were found in one of these areas, we'd make sure the can wasn't activated, try to return it to its original owner and ask that they activate it at home," said Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Spokeswoman Sue Murphy. "It's just another measure we have to take to keep everyone out here safe and secure."
A little paranoid are we? The military might have big guns but Coke isn't scared. Coca-Cola spokesman Mart Martin say of the can, "It cannot be an eavesdropping device. There's no reason to" stop the campaign. Thanks to Tom at TheMediaDrop for the tip.
What's that old saying? Once something's cool, it's not cool anymore? Yea, that's it. Well, groovy, hip, cool Anthem Magazine has launched a new groovy, hip, cool website that's supposed to be all groovy, hip and cool. There's not much there. But we did find some pics of a six-packed guy and some hotties in bikinis so we guess the site can be groovy, hip and cool if it wants.
Boob-obsessed fans of Lindsay Lohan will be happy to know the "Mean Girls" star will soon be seen in handbag designer Dooney and Bourke's advertising campaign. Lohan will appear in a national U.K ad campaign for the designer's new heart and charm handbag collection, available in August.
Following Karen Jacobs leaving her position as head of Starcom's print investment group four months ago, Andrew Swinand, formerly group client VP at the agency, has been named the new print head. This move completes a restructuring of the agency's print buying group.
Notably, Swinand says magazines are complacent and need to adapt to marketer's needs including the bending of the line between church and sate. While it's to be expected that the medium adapt a bit the changes in the ad industry, the thought of full on editorial brand integration within magazines in a scary thought.
Be sure to listen to Howard Stern at 8:30 AM Wednesday for a big announcement. FMBQ thinks the announcement will revolve around Stern's signing on to new stations replacing the six Clear Channel stations that dumped him. Perhaps. More likely, it will revolve around his plans for the future and what he plans to do when his contract expires. In any event, it will sure make for an exciting morning.
UPDATE: Here's the news. He started by politely slamming the press for their slanted coverage of him. He reviewed his 25 years of controversy leading up to the whole Super Bowl thing. He claims that event had no negative effect on anyone but acknowledged that it was not appropriate for a so-called "family" show. He said the event gave the government an excuse to "freak out." He questioned FCC Chairman Powell's credentials.
He went on to claim Clear Channel is "in bed" with Bush. He then reviewed his feelings about Bush. He said Clear Channel's removal of him from six stations had a chilling effect on broadcasting and the FFC's attack on him is a "witch hunt." He says no one cares the first amendment is being eaten away.
He's considering satellite radio saying it may be the future of radio. Satellite promises "no censorship." He doesn't want to simply be able to swear but he wants to be able to express himself freely. That said, he doesn't have definitive plans to move to satellite.
Clear Channel has "thrown me under the bus" Stern said referring to Clear Channel's throwing him off the six stations. He also appreciates Infinity's support of him.
The big news is he's not going to satellite but will go back on the air in nine markets including Pittsburgh, San Diego, Palm Beach, Rochester, and Orlando. He's also adding Houston, Austin, and Fresno. There's a few more markets as well. He says he will gleefully slam Clear Channel in the ratings in these markets.
Even though Stern will return to these markets, he still feels there's a very good chance he will somehow be thrown off the air in the near future. He says listeners, ratings and advertisers should decide whether he should stay on the air, not the FCC. It should be market-driven, not politically-driven.
If you're a fan of 80's rock band Survivor, you'll love this commercial for Starbucks. To promote its canned DoubleShot, Survivor gives a Starbucks coffee drinker a little morning motivation with its hit song "Eye of the Tiger."
Note: Sorry, had the band name and song title incorrect before.
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