Skywriting Goes High Tech

While we're sure this technology's been around for a while, it's exciting to see it in use. Over the Preakness in Baltimore May 21, five planes delivered precise puffs of smoke to form the Geico logo. Commenting the planes looked to be computer controlled flying wing to wing, flickr user spike55151, who took this picture, dubbed the skywriting dot matrix clouds.

Struggling Agency Looks For Buyer on eBay

Mad Injection, a division of New York agency Mad Dogs & Englishmen, facing closure at the end of May, placed an ad on eBay welcoming bids to buy the shop. With an ad that reads, in part, "This entire agency can be yours. Just incorporate their brand within your's, give the principals a reasonable employment contract, take good care of them ...and the creative benefits you receive are sure to be endlessly exhilarating," the agency is looking to get $10 million but will take closer to $1 million. For all those interested, bidding closes May 28.

Pink Panther Strikes Sweet 'N Low

Working with New York agency Pedone & Partners, Hornet director JJ & Maithy created a nostalgic (yet well timed to this summer's Steve Martin and Beyonce Knowles Pink Panther movie release) Pink Panther-themed commercial for Sweet 'N Low that captures the panther doing his thing until he runs out of pink. Of course, Sweet 'N Low is there to fill the guy back up so he can go on with his highjinks. See it here.

JibJab Founder Offers Advice to Viral Marketers

MarketingVOX interviewed JibJab Founder Gregg Spiridellis about the success of the company's "This Land" viral and queried Spiridellis about transparency, importance of email lists and working for marketers.

Some People Say DVR's Don't Look Good

While the reasons given - problems with installation, cost and unstylish to home decor - are fairly lame, a not so recent study, conducted between February and August of 2004 by Horowitz Associates for ESPN, found 57 percent of households given DVRs to try, returned them. Perhaps once DVR technology is built into televisions, homeowners won't have such a style issue with the mammoth sized set in which the DVR is contained.

Urban Outfitters Highjacks Crown Farmer

According to clothing company Crown Farmer, the Urban Outfitter chain has "stolen" two of the company's designs, cut them up, placed red x's over them, affixed them to the backs of vintage blazers and is, apparently, marketing them without Crown Farmer's permission. The two t-shirt designs say "the stuff you huff" and "take pills and chill"

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Metrosexualism and Parkinson's Highlighted in Commercials

This week's Ad Age TV Spots of the Week highlights two, among others, great commercial. The first, for Levis and part of their Uncomplicated campaign features the insanity of metrosexualism and how a nice pair of 501's can bring one back to reality. The second, for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, features Fox in a commercial that appears to be falling apart until Fox utters, "With your help, we can make it stop." Very effective.

Product Placement Hits Broadway

Even stuffy, upper crust Broadway isn't immune to product placement as recently illustrated in a deal between Neil Simon's Sweet Charity, starring Christina Applegate, and tequila maker Jose Cuervo for its Gran Centenario brand. Simon approved a script change to incorporate the brand into the dialog. The brand logo will also appear in set and ads will be placed in the playbill. New York-based Bridge to Hollywood/Broadway put the deal together. Bridge to Hollywood/Broadway has previously brokered product placement deals for appearances in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Raisin in the Sun. What are readers thoughts on product placement in Broadway shows and product placement in general? Over the top marketing insanity or standard modus operandi?

Disney Japan Brand Tarnished With Mob Links

Last Friday it was reported Tokyo Disney developer Oriental Land Co. had been outsourcing the resort's cleaning to Chuo Kohatsu, a company said to have ties to the Japanese mafia or Yakuza. The cleaning contract was signed in 1984 with a Kohatsu executive whose older brother, Saburo Shiga, is now said to be part of rightist group Zen Nippon Aikokusha Dantai Kaigi. Oriental Land President Toshio Kagami apologized and said the company will not renew its contract with Kohatsu.

Survival Advice Offered to Old Media

Accumulating opinion and commentary from across the media and advertising spectrum, The Wall Wall Street Journal has compiled an outlook of the media landscape from network news, advertising, newspapers, book publishing, movies and music. While there are a few insightful suggestions surrounding network news and movies, much, such as turning advertisements into programming and microtargeting has been heard before. All the same, it's nice to see it wrapped up all in one place others who don't analyze this stuff on a minute by minute basis.