TV Squad sums up some of the recent non-traditional marketing promotions the networks have engaged in to insure their new shows are seen. NBC is promoting Three Wishes with street teams that perform random acts of kindness by buying stuff for people with dollar bills affixed with promotional stickers. The WB is giving Supernatural a boost with coffee sleeves that project project images on the walls and ceiling. And FOX is promoting Reunion (good show, by the way) with a sweepstakes with a reunion vacation as the prize.
Flickr user Dave Ward has created a second spoof Hummer ad, this time, referencing the notion that blood shed in Iraq is only to support America's oil requirements. Needless to say, GM won't like this.
Here's a less political yet far more on-target spoof from Tian.
While everyone's bitching about Crispin Porter + Bogusky taking on VW and dumpimg Mini, Random Observations points to a billboard for Mini at the entrance of the Hollan tunnel that's quite good. Granted, it's the agencies last work for the client but the board, which shows a 3D image of a worker, apparently, falling off billboard scaffolding and into the Mini does grab attention.
Talent Zoo has launched a campaign to offer assistance to Katrina victims in the communications industry. The company is asking every professional in the communications industry to donate $5 to this relief effort. Talent Zoo says one hundred percent of the money raised will go toward helping professionals in the advertising, marketing, and public relations industries who have been affected by this tragedy. Talent Zoo is kicking off the effort by donating $10,000. If you'd like to make a donation, please visit this page to donate.
Those little Target-branded cars have been making their rounds. This past weekend they were spotted at Boston's Quincy Market. The tiny, little cars are emblazoned with the "target" and roam the country in search of ogling consumers.
Procter & Gamble has signed a deal with 2005 Indy 500 female Rookie of the Year Danika Patrick to promote the CPG company's Secret deodorant and body spray collection. Under the deal, P&G will slap the Secret logo on Patrick's car and uniform. Yes, she wears more than a bikini when she drives. In addition, she will appear in commercials.
Danika, 23, seems excited about the deal, saying, "I have been fortunate throughout my career to be associated with some outstanding companies as sponsors. "For an established brand like Secret to expand their marketing efforts into IndyCar Racing, because of what I represent as an athlete, is extremely flattering." Photo by George Holz.
While we're quite sure this wasn't planned, this advertiser might want to consider asking the transit company to reposition its bus poster a bit lest the advertiser be accused of overexciting its models during photo shoots.
With Rush Limbaugh, you either love him or hate him. Those that hate him have created a parody of a recent ad changing the headline from "America's Anchorman" to "UnAmerican Ranchorman the the tagline from "The Nation Trusts Rush" to "The Nation Trusts Rush to Make Shit Up." Here's the spoof. Here's the original.
Perhaps to help win back some of its lost business or to poke fun at the ad concepting process, Deutsch has launched The Ad Conceptor, a menu-driven, concept-in-a-box parody of ad creation. The site promises to make your Advertising Week enjoyable by providing the tools to come up with a quick idea so you don't get stuck in the office working while everyone else is out partying and depleting the agency's expense budget.
Following the launch of Curious and timed, perhaps, to refocus attention away from tawdry, marriage/pregnancy news coverage, Britney Spears will launch a new Elizabeth Arden fragrance called Fantasy Britney Spears. Which, intriguingly, is exactly what the girl needs right now to whisk her away from the less than glamorous aspects of real life. Adrants reader Chris Peterson points us to the launch site which doesn't contain much more than Flash-y imagery and a form to sign up and receive messages about the product.