The American Legacy Foundation, fresh out of its legal battles with the tobacco industry and in partnership with Arnold Worldwide, and Crispin Porter + Bogusky, has launched a new campaign entitled Infect Truth. The campaign consists of TV spots - airing on MTV, Comedy Central, G4 Tech TV, BET and others - and print as well as a host of digital elements including "Infections" in the form of screensavers, video, desktop themes, games and stickers all filled with juicy facts such as cigarettes containing sodium hydroxide, the same ingredient found in hair removal products. An email widget also allows people to send message written in back hair.
more »
In yet another version of the eBay forehead/pregnant belly advertising thing, the very cute Leah Culver is asking for donations to retire her six year old G3 iMac and buy new MacBook Pro. In return, she promises to etch the names/brands of those who donate onto her new laptop for all to see in the San Francisco area for as long as the new computer lasts. She's already raised $2,687.44 which would appear to be enough to buy the MacBook but she's still selling adspace. Leah, tell us when you sell out, buy the computer and design the laptop cover. We'd love to see it. (Photo by Tantek)
Here's a seriously strange commercial that's part of Chicago's Healthy Streets campaign, an effort that aims to "redesign streets around the needs of people rather than motor vehicles alone." Last we checked, roads were for cars but, then again, in America, we tend to blur definitions to satisfy as many people as possible without offending anyone. PC tirade aside, this commercial, in a refreshingly un-PC like manner promotes Bob's Fuller Roadside Memorials, a company that delivers memorials to accident scenes so the person who killed someone can honor their victim. It's done so seriously that, at first, you think it's real until you realize you were an idiot to think so in the first place.
We're told some in Chicago are up in arms over the crass approach this commercial takes but we applaud it for it's in-your-face originality and departure from the standard lecture approach most "drive safe" campaigns take.
This commercial could have been so much more emotional. So much more effective. After all, what's more spine tingling that a heroic firefighter doing their thing to douse fires and save lives? Unfortunately, this Duracell spot didn't capture emotion of any kind and, instead, went the boring, announcer-read route to tout the fact its batteries are used in a firefighter's T-PASS III, a device that notifies firefighters it's time to evacuate a building.
While there might be some situations in which it's perfectly acceptable to impress one's girlfriend by saying, "Babe, this thing gets hard in 12 seconds," one might want to choose one's words a bit differently when explaining to a non-girlfriend the hard top of one's new Mazda MX-5 opens in 12 seconds. That concern didn't seem to bother Mazda Europe, it's agency JWT-Dusseldorf nor Maverick Media, the company that created three videos touting the 12 second closing time of the car's convertible hard top.
The campaign, called 12 Second Thriller consists of videos (with agonizingly slow load times), posters, wallpaper and tools to create your own non-sensical 12 second trailer. While the speed of up and down times may be fun to celebrate, it's the lasting durability that counts most.
Seattle, home to Seattle Grace, McDreamy, McSteamy and...oh wait...that's the TV show. Though just like the show, the real Seattle likes to make up words too and has defined itself as Metronatural, a sort of mash-up representing the Seattle metro area's close proximity to vast, natural wilderness. No doubt, this word will get much play in the media and we can't wait for New York-based Gawker's take on it seeing as New York is/was home to the Metrosexual. Anyway, we're told this bit of brilliance is the result of a year's work. Seattle-based agency Exclaim is to be blamed...uh...credited with creating the concept which will, we're told, be plastered all over the world as part of a worldwide publicity campaign.
GSD&M, working with Zugara along with WINDOWSEAT Pictures, has launched a website for the US Airforce that, through the use of training video footage, aims to demonstrate a typical day in the life of Airforce personnel. Called Do Something Amazing, it's hard hitting and enjoyable to watch. We especially like the navigational sound effects.
Maybe some of you remember that thing called CueCat which made it's appearance about seven years ago. The purpose of the device, a plastic, cat-shaped object that plugged into your computer, was to scan bar codes in ads and, if connected to the Internet, take you to a page that would deliver more information about the advertised product. It failed. Miserably. Now, we have AdLink, a service that does the same thing yet without that cumbersome plastic cat. We predict it will have about as much success at the CueCat did.
more »
"You Stank!" Or rather, "No Stank You!" is the rallying cry in a Washington State Health Department ant-smoking campaign that focuses on the negative social and cosmetic aspects of smoking. With lots of weird videos, interviews, TV spots, radio spots and a huge collection of downloadable, spreadable messages, the campaign is way more fun that the TRUTH campaign by far. Scare tactics ain't everything my friends. This one works.
That agency with the strange name - Wexley School for Girls - has come up with an interesting promotion for Microsoft's Windows Live Expo.Through a partnership with the band Presidents of the USA and MercyCorps, the program will also raise money for various global communities. The Presidents have created a new video based on their new song, "Zero Friction," with the help of Windows Live Expo. Every item featured in the video will be available on Live Expo for sale. All proceeds from the sales will benefit MercyCorps. Neat.
Random note. The mermaids in the middle of the video and pictured here work at Wexley School for Girls. Kinda makes us want to work there too.
|
|
