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'Rush Hour' Director Launches Brand Consultancy, Uses Idol Finalists as Guinea Pigs

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Brett Ratner, the director who gave us X-Men: The Last Stand and the Rush Hour trilogy, has launched Brett Ratner Brands.

Less an agency than a "consultancy," Ratner aspires to marry brand messages to pop culture.

His first such effort was for Guitar Hero. During the American Idol finale this week, two ads appeared -- one with Idol finalist David Cook in briefs, lip-synching to Old Time Rock 'N Roll, the other with David Archuleta in boxers, following suit, Risky Business-style.

Ratner said he wants to make ads "everybody wants to be in." His models include "Got Milk," HP's "Hands" and iTunes' "Celebrity Playlist."



Meth Airs Whine Reel, Chevy Laughs at Citroen, Yahoo Extorts for SEO, MoveOn Outs Hitler Lover

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- I thought this Meth Minute video would be a wacky cartoon about abusing methamphetamines. But it was just a reel of complaint calls.

- Oprah's Angel Network and Free the Children have formed the O Ambassadors project, which "encourages young leaders to dream."

- MoveOn wages war against Pastor John Hagee, who said Adolf Hitler was a God-sent hunter of Jews. Hagee is one of McCain's "key backers," and McCain is currently MoveOn's pet project.

- Chevy considers how impractical a dancing car would be.

- Yahoo offers an under-the-table paid program where you provide the description ad copy for the ORGANIC RESULTS of your website. And it'll only cost you TWENTY CENTS per click. This is because Yahoo's spiders might fail to properly process your SEO efforts. Little wonder Jolie O'Dell calls it "frikkin criminal." (We second the motion.)

by Angela Natividad    May-23-08    
Topic: Brands, Online, Political, Strange, Video, Worst



After Just 13 Months Nike Splits With Crispin Porter + Bogusky

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Well that was quick. Nike has ended its relationship with Crispin Porter + Bogusky after just over a year. George Parker broke the story and tipped us here at Adrants. The story was then picked up by Advertising Age which reports the 13 month relationship yielded but a single TV ad with Nike exploring relationships with other agencies such as 72andSunny. Nothing like treading water for 13 months. Time to get back in the game, Nike.

by Steve Hall    May-22-08    
Topic: Agencies, Brands



Even Rich People Need A Place to Live

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So how do you sell homes to people with boatloads of money when the homes aren't even built yet? You show them the view, of course and that's exactly what this Denver-based Cultivator Advertising & Design campaign does for Heber City, Utah-based Red Ledges, a yet-to-be-built community for adults 45-65 with household incomes of $250K plus.

According to the release, is sounds like a great place. "Red Ledges will be a private golf and four-season recreational second home community, encompassing approximately 1,200 homes across nearly 2,000 acres. Planned amenities include 18-hole and 9-hole Jack Nicklaus designed golf courses; a Jim McLean practice and instructional facility; a Cliff Drysdale tennis academy; a premier spa and fitness facility; an indoor/outdoor equestrian center; and a private ski-in/ski-out club at Deer Valley Resort. "

Now if only if only if a few advertisers would drop several hundred thousand dollar on Adrants, we'd most assuredly consider moving the offices to Utah.

by Steve Hall    May-22-08    
Topic: Good, Magazine



Shaved Primates Become Human In Braun Campaign

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I don't know what's worse, having so much facial hair you need a big ass electric razor to handle it or being cast in a big ass electric razor campaign because you look like a primate. So I feel a bit sorry for the models in this new print campiagn for Braun which "brings out the human in men." Blame (or congratulate) BBDO Dusseldorf for the work.

An escalator shaped like a woman's leg for Gillette Venus is much kinder. BBDO Guerrero Ortega crafted this work.

by Steve Hall    May-22-08    
Topic: Campaigns, Good, Magazine



To Celebrate Growth, Agency Offers Free Tattoos (Branded, of Course)

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In case anyone's looking for a job: "In recognition of the fact that Captains of Industry has won new business and is looking for more Captains to join its ranks, the company is offering free temporary tattoos of its logo*. Anyone who wants a nifty Captains tattoo should send their request to tattoo@captainsofindustry.com.

Get 'em while they last!

*For a limited time only, while supplies last, one per person, household or pet. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Offer void in Uzbekistan."

Have at it. Angela? The tattoo, not the job!!

by Steve Hall    May-22-08    
Topic: Agencies, Human, Promotions



Adrants Sleeps Through Barnes & Noble Quamut Promotion

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Sometimes public relations professionals send things a bit early in the game so as to favor you with a scoop of sorts. Not that this was the case last week with a press release for a Barnes & Noble graffiti promotion that landed in the Adrants inbox but, for some reason, it's still sitting there, unpublished. Today, it's published on Animal.

more »

by Steve Hall    May-22-08    
Topic: Good, Guerilla, Outdoor



Some Pig Wants You to Bring Out Your Dead

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Oink Ink Radio needs entries for its 11th annual Dead Radio contest.

"Disheartened copywriters are invited to submit their best radio scripts that have been rejected, passed up, and left to collect dust. Oink then treats the winning copywriter to an expense-paid weekend in either New York or Los Angeles, homes to Oink studios."

more »

by Angela Natividad    May-22-08    
Topic: Agencies, Consumer Created, Online, Radio



Economist.com Surrenders to the Web 2.0 Aesthetic

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The quote at left comes from a banner ad for The Ideas People, a "knowledge" campaign meant to school you on the modern pioneers of great ideas while slyly promoting The Economist.

It reads, "No one becomes perfect, but some become great." I thought it was apt in light of the launch of The Economist's fully redesigned homepage.

The current print edition says the designers sought to wed clean usability with informational depth. (In less diplomatic terms, it's another web 2.0 casualty. Think AJAX! Big FONTS! And widget-looking things!)

more »

by Angela Natividad    May-22-08    
Topic: Magazine, Online, Packaging, Publishing



Kevin Garnett's Just Like You -- Except Kevin Garnett Has FiOS in His Bathroom

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Tonight Verizon debuts this spot for its "This is FiOS; This is Big" campaign.

Put together by McCann Erikson, New York, it depicts Celtics player Kevin Garnett as a guy who can poke fun at his own rich-ass, gratuitous-technology-loving self.

Yeah. It's the "I'm human too! Now let me image-bomb you with everything you can't afford" shtick.

more »



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