Ford Places 'Living' Billboard

The weblog "A is for Advertising" reports Ford has erected a "living billboard" in Dundas Square, Toronto to promote its Escape Hybrid. With the headline, "Makes everything a little greener," the board contains 900 real plants, kept alive by an irrigation system and tended to weekly by a landscape crew. Larger image here.

Converse Gallery Promoted With Street Art

To continue promoting its Converse Gallery, a site that allows people to submit 24 second films that "embody the value and spirit of Converse," the sneaker company is using large outdoor poster. One, which is located in the Tribeca area of New York City caught the eye of Bucky Turco, the man MediaBistro's FishbowlNY asked, "Who is Bucky Turco?", who claims Converse is doing outdoor, art-based advertising correctly saying, "You know you're looking at a huge Converse ad but it looks good. It's not hard on the eyes or obtrusive. It also merits integrity even while incorporating elements of the Converse logo in the actual art piece.

He further opines that only brands that have cultural relevance have business co-opting street art saying, "I think this is the main reason why sneaker companies can legitimately pull off artist series/graffiti or art-based programs much more authentically then other brands. Not only are they relevant but they also possess what many brands in the field lack, legitimate history and street cred."

So there you have it. Right from the mouth of the new "Webster Hall Curator Baird Jones," as it were.

Ty Pennington Goes Viral For Alltel

Ty Pennington of Trading Spaces and Extreme Makeover fame is appearing in a viral, security cam style, for Alltell. In the viral, Pennington appears to be getting ready to take a shower until, in the last frame, he pops up and shouts, "Hey! What are you looking at?" A link then takes you to an Alltel page promoting its "txt2win" million dollar sweepstakes which Pennington say will help you build the home of your dreams. OK, so the security cam thing has been done many times before but more than one person sent this link to us so, apparently, it's getting around which, afterall, is one of the major points to a viral efforts. And, anyway, who doesn't want a chance to win a million bucks?

Specialty Ad Shops Reach Out to Women

Four years ago, Diane Boulanger opened Boulanger Associates, originally, owing to her time as creative director at Leo Burnett Technology Group, to service high technology clients. As that market dried up like a Bounty towel wiping away dot com drool, Boulanger chose to direct her shop towards serving clients interested in reaching women. That decision has paid off handsomely more than tripling the agency's revenue over the last two years.

Most recently, Lowes Cinema hired Boulanger Associates to promote its Reel Moms program, a weekly morning movie screening geared towards moms and newborns which provides increased lighting, decreased sound, changing stations, and a first-run films. Boulanger is not alone in identifying this profitable segment. Other agencies, including Just Ask Women and Mullen's Frank About Women also focus on this growing niche of active Moms.

Hooters Expands Brand With New Ventures

The restaurant chain that has nothing to do with owls and everything to do with cleavage has, for a while, been expanding its empire into new channels. Two years ago, the company launched Hooters Air which was followed by a Las Vegas casino licensing agreement, a hotel and a magazine, all of which are designed to send more people flocking to restaurants to ogle tightly dressed waitresses serving average food.

Business has been good for the chain which did $850 million last year and plans to open 60 new stores in 2005 with sales projected at $950 million.

Industry Geared Up For Cannes

The annual advertising love fest, Cannnes, kicks off on France today and we won't be there. That's why we'll just point you to Ad Age, with its legions of reporters and hefty T & E budget, for continual coverage. On Ad Age's Cannes 2005 page, you'll find Bob Garfield's pick for Grand Prix winner, Scott Donaton's take on some of the show's changes that won't change anything, Leo Burnett's Cannes Reel and audio reports.

Subaru Uses Blog to Promote Tour De France Sweeps

The Race to the Tour Blog, sponsored by Subaru, is running The Race to The Tour Sweepstakes which offers a chance to win a cycling trip through France, plus blog live about the Tour de France. So all you blogger wannabes, here's your chance. Of course, it would be easier to just start a blog of your own.

Two winners of the contest will get week long, gratis trip to the Tour de France with Trek Tours. Once there, contest winners get a Nokia 6630 phone and a Nokia SU-8W Bluetooth keyboard to do mobile blogging from the Tour de France.

The promotion and blog were created by R/GA.

Car Fuel Promoted With Road Trip And Blog

GoE is North Dakota's blend of ethanol blended fuel. Since ethanol is made from corn, a renewable resource, it's said to be more earth friendly and reduces dependence on foreign oil according to proponents. The high-end blend, called E85, is made from 85% ethanol and is believed to be more economical yet only some newer vehicles can use it.

To promote this the fuel, ad agency Sundog sent a group of guys on a roadtrip around the state to meet-and-greet the residents, educate people on the benefits of ethanol and offer to fill up the tanks of individuals who happen to pull up to GoE pump at the gas station. Their trip is chronicled in a blog and photogallery here.

Clueless Coke Marketer Says Don't Link to Coke Site

Adland tells the story of a clueless Denmark Coke marketing manager who seems to be the last person of earth who knows the Internet is about linking one website to another. This manager, after forcing a Coke fansite to changes it's URL because it the Coke brand name in it, then asked fansite owner Andre Lund via email to stop linking to the Coke site with this oddball reasoning, "If you are to be allowed to link to a coca cola website (cocacola.dk) you have to send in a written application to us. I can not see that you have made such an application, and there is no agreement with you about this. So I have to ask you to remove the link to www.cocacola.dk."

Apparently, someone gave this marketing person a lesson in Internet 101 causing the Coke manager to relent and publicly apologize of the Coke site. It's hard to believe this kind of thinking still exists.

Peugeout Makes Tongues Wag

If you think kissing with tongues is fun, wait until you try catching a car with your tongue as these two car lovers do in this clip. This video, called Tongue Match, for the Peugeot 206CC and created by Euro RSCG 4D in Germany, directed by Thierry Poiraud, gives a whole new meaning to tonguing.