Perhaps we missed Adventure Number One (oops, no we didn't) but Agency Provocateur, in its never ending quest to be as provocative as possible gives us Adventure Number Two, The Lady of the Manor, a full blown storybook-style glimpse inside the world of Manor living, the lady that runs the house and the maids who do her bidding. Of course, this isn't a story about your average manor living. It's a tricked out, male fantasy-focused version complete with lingerie-clad maids receiving spankings and morning frolics in bed.
We, of course, have absolutely no problem enjoying this creation to the fullest extent. However, we wonder what its appeal is to women. Apart from the few women who enjoy watching other women prance about in lingerie, we're curious how many women really want to witness the day in the life of an objectified, subservient maid. [Ed. Oh shut up you idiot. This is advertising. Can't you just leave a good T and A campaign alone?]
To help parents understand what their teenagers want for the holidays, Best Buy launched an online campaign called Wow the Un-Wowable featuring Nickelodeon's Drake Bell, a teen star who's really good at looking bummed.
In a series of videos, Drake "interprets" what teens want. Ideas include a laptop, a Lexus and a horse named iPod. (Yeah.)
In our expert view, the videos straddle parody and condescension. We haven't decided which halves of our emotional selves to give in to yet.
Whatever happened to the unfailing cash-and-card model? $20 may not buy a Lexus, but the recipient may score some fragrant pot.
Nothing says "I love you" like money with no strings!
For World AIDS Day, Escala Comunicacao e Marketing unveiled a self-standing billboard with AIDS spelled in yellow condoms. The client was the Health Secretariat of Rio Grande, Brazil.
Something like 500 condoms were distributed. All told, this promotional collage says more than 8000 pedestrians "interacted" with the poster.
We always get a little sketched-out about the word "interact." If only 500 condoms were available, how did thousands interact with the billboard? Did they lean against it? Take pictures of it? Yell at kids or beat up cops in front of it? Sell their freely-acquired yellow condoms to peers?
The world may never know.
Update: A representative for Escala explained that the condoms were replaced everytime AIDS vanished from the board. That's kind of poetic.
For Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, DDB, LA ran a campaign where real-life warmongers become video game reviewers.
We've been putting off covering it because watching all the spots (:60 EACH!) seems so labor-intensive. After sitting through all five, we've concluded they are less funny versions of this Hitler Xbox spoof.
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Like Apple, Alltel Wireless looks to old-school animation to bring a festive feel to its holiday ads.
If that doesn't work, well hell, maybe free RAZRs will. Or a discounted MotoROKR with 50 free songs (snowflake-shaped ninja stars not included). Or both.
Attempts by competitors, vying feebly to beat the good guy, come stock. Hey, didn't Apple do that in its holiday ad too?
Put together by Bent Image Lab.
We are brand snobs. "Sophisticated" and "sexy" aren't words we'd normally attribute to Kohl's, but this ad tells us the brand can reach yonder without embarrassing itself and alienating all its shoppers. You know, like WalMart did when it tried going luxe a la Target.
The spot's got a casual vintage feel, but isn't over-the-top decadent.
Agency: McCann Worldgroup; Production: Zoo Film; Editorial: Version2.
Nothing says BIG BRAND like a print ad with a big-ass typeface. With that, get to know the Foster's "BE ENORMOUS" campaign by StrawberryFrog.
Just another effort by a fermented beverage to make itself feel big -- real big -- by comparison. Instructions on BEing ENORMOUS are as follows (the spots are resisting our resizing tool. To see the whole thing, click on the ad and arrow down):
- Start an ATM conga line
- Become an urban legend
- Write your own theme song
- Make your middle name an adjective
Neato. Was "Australian for beer!" just not working out?
Ah yes, the Whopper Freakout. Or, "How Americans Obsess Over the Silliest Things." But don't listen to us bitch because this latest Burger King work from Cirspin Porter + Bogusky is good. Really good. They created an eight minute, candid camera-style video in which Burger King patrons are told the chain has removed the Whopper from its menu for good. People freak. We laugh. ANd the King shows up at the end to set the record straight: it's just a big joke. No worries. The Whopper is here to stay.
Particularly funny is a scene in which a man returns his bag to the counter because there's Wendy's burger in the bag. He gets angry. There were no fights though or they were edited out. It's nice piece of work. It's different. It's actually watchable.
Here it comes... Here it comes... Here it comes... No, not Dove's Onslaught. The ad industry onslaught of holiday cards. We know there will be many more but for now we have a few to share.
First up is Damashek Consulting which went green with its wildlife and environmentally focused approach that actually involves selling holiday-themed art created by artist Diane Grappasonno. All proceeds from the 200 signed prints will be donated to the World WildLife Fund. Nice. After all, Christmas is all about giving, right?
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Nothing says jackpot like a slew of copycats. So if (like us) you wondered about the success of the Elf Yourself campaign by OfficeMax, look no further than this moody spoof by Dunder Mifflin.
DM also built a website called Gnome Yourself, which features characters from The Office.
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