Helvetica Kicks Crap Out of Arial

So this has been around for a while but it's always fun to engage a bit in Microsoft-bashing. In Helvetica vs. Arial, this game lets you stamp out Microsoft's very-similar-to-Helvetica Arial because like, ya know, Helvetica was here first and why should Microsoft get all the glory just for copying Helvetica, calling it a different name and making it the default typeface on everyone's computer?

WCBS Anchor Receives Muppet-Style Welcome

After 17 years with FOX 5's Good Day New York and several months off, supposedly to write a book and spend time with family, Jim Ryan is returning to New York airwaves as co-host of CBS 2 News This Morning's Avenue 2. Ryan's return is being celebrated by an Avenue Q-inspired promotion in which he joins the other muppet-like news hosts. The promotion has been running since September 12. Ryan starts September 19.

Seifert Code Oddly Similar to Australia Code

Examining a couple of pages of Shona Seifert's recently written Proposed Code of Ethics for the Advertising Industry as part of a sentence for her mishandling Ogilvy & Mather funds, New Communications has found striking similarities between Seifert's code and the Adverting Federation of Australia's Agency Code of Ethics and wonders just how much Seifert has learned about ethics. While Seifert does site reference to the Australian code in her code, the similarities are, indeed, striking. Of course, there's aren't too many ways to say, "Don't Cheat. Don't Steal. Be Honest. Work Hard."

LeTigre Rips Back Off LaCoste

American-based LeTigre, makers of those preppy Tiger-emblazoned shirts is having fun with a street poster campaign which shows a tiger ripping into the back on an alligator (crocodile for detail freaks), icon of French-based LaCoste, another pretty shirt brand. It seems both these brands are making a comeback but neither will ever achieve the popularity both had back in the 80's which you can now marvel at by watching FOX's Reunion - at leasts for a few episodes as each episode moves ahead one year.

Scion Ad Encourages Inspiration...But Not Too Much

Bucky Turco points to recent ad in L Magazine for the new Scion tC which promotes the cars ability to be customized with 30 available accessories. It's all about realizing one's inspirations and how the Scion tC makes that possible. However, there seem to boundaries to this realization as indicated by the disclaimer under the car's image which reads, "Vehicle featured is modified with non-Genuine Scion parts. Check with your local dealer as some accessories may void warranty, negatively impact vehicle performance, and may not be street legal."

Basically, Scion is telling buyers to go ahead and realize inspirations with their car as long as those inspirations live within the confines of Scion's available and, likely, highly priced options. Have fun, but not too much fun. It's a mixed message at best. Scion wants tuner wannabes to believe this car will be the answer to their dreams...as long as those dreams aren't too broad.

Phil Dusenberry Tells It Like It Was, And Still Is

Former BBDO Chairman Phil Dusenberry, the guy that worked on the Reagan campaign and the famous Michael Jackson Pepsi spot, has written a book called, Then We Set His Hair on Fire, a title nodding to the media circus which surrounded Michael Jackson's hair catching on fire while shooting the Pepsi spot. The book is great. The subtitle on the book "Insights and Accidents from a Hall-of-Fame Career in Advertising" sums up the tone of the book: humble and helpful commentary on a very successful career. It's the most enjoyable book we've read in a long time. Dusenberry takes readers through his very long and very successful career at BBDO as well as several years he spent on his own running his on shop. The book is all about the power of the Insight and how insights are related to but very different than Ideas. Many times the two terms are co mingled but after reading this book, the differences and similarities between the two are clearly understood. Ideas are great but it's insights you really want. It's the "Ah ha" moment.

more »

Quark: We Didn't Mean to Copy Your Logo

OK, so this is old news but it's still worth poking fun at. Not that it was intended or anything but Quark has found itself in an embarrassing situation having introduced a new logo that looks almost exactly like the logo of the Scottish Arts Council. Quark says they did all the usual research and vetting but must have missed SAC's logo. Back to the drawing board.

Sharapova Mobile Billboard Supports Canon Wall Postings

OK, then. So that's how those tennis balls got embedded in the brick wall we saw a few days ago. The tennis star is driving around on a mobile billboard, ready to attack the next, unadorned wall with a rapid fire collection of tennis balls.

Ad Campaign Tells Boys to Control Testosterone

Mix one part drug of choice, one part attractive girl and 3,846 parts not-yet-tamed testosterone and you have the perfect recipe for sexual violence. According to the Department of Justice, girls 16-19 are three and a half times more likely than the general public to become victims of sexual assault and 84 percent of the time, they know their attacker. A recently launched California ad campaign, called My Strength with taglines such as, "So when she wanted me to stop, I stopped," and "So when I paid for our date, she didn't owe me" is encouraging boys to eschew the usual boys club silence and become more active in preventing sexual assaults and reporting them after they occur.

McDonald's Promotes Sandwich With Positive Thinking

Using the stereotypical motivational speaker, McDonald's, with this viral, is encouraging people to improve lunchtime blandness by helping them shatter boring lunchtime thoughts and replacing them with, of course, thoughts of McDonald's Toasted Deli Sandwiches.