« Jul-08 | This archive, pg:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7  |  8  |  9  |  10  |  11  |  12  |  13  |  14  |  15  |  16  |  17  |  18  |  19  | Sep-08 »

In China, the Miniskirt is the New Beetle

vw_china_bejing_olympics_long_short_skirt.jpg

Is sex (or the hint of) allowed to sell in China? If you are Volkswagen and Dynamic Marketing Group is your agency then, it seems, yes. Or if it isn't sex, maybe it's the realization that things have changed in Chinese culture and the country wants the rest of the world to know it.

Out with the old and in with the new as it were. Up with the hemlines and out with subservience. China wants to join the rest of the world and wallow in rampant commercialization. Welcome to the party, China.

by Steve Hall    Aug-14-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Trends and Culture



Don Draper Time Travels to Late Nineties World of Web 2.0

dondraper_twitter.jpg

Wait. What? Don Draper, the head dude on AMC's Mad Men has a Twitter account? And is following me? Huh? Time warp?

Oh I get it. It's not Don Draper. It's some dude over at AMC or their agency. Or...someone impersonating a person at AMC or their agency. Damn, why didn't I think of that? Oh who cares!!! Twit this, Draper!

by Steve Hall    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Cable, Social, Strange



Creatives Chat, Conversation Divided, Bottles Designed, Advergirl Comments

leigh_householder.jpg

- Advergirl's Leigh Householder made an appearance on a local NBC affiliate to comment on Obama's Vice Presidential mobile promotion. Go Leigh!

- Stock photography house Masterfile has launched City Forum, a chat room-style meeting place for designers, art buyers and creatives to mix, mingle and do business.

- Writing in Advertising Age, Pete Blackshaw weighs in on the divide between marketers trumpeting of conversation and their actual practice of it.

- Animal's Bucky Turco doesn't like Mountain Dew's Green Label art "Limited Edition Artist Series" which offers bottles designed by artists. Hey, it's more exciting than your usual product design but the pint is taken; how much can art be commercialized before it is no longer art?

- Enfatico's woes simply will not cease. Now it seems pink slips are being handed out and the Australian division of Dell wants out of the WPP deal.

by Steve Hall    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Social, Tools



That Slanty Eyed Asian Ad From Spain? Misinterpreted

spainad3.jpeg

Oops. In our hyper politically correct world, even gestures meant as a joke can be completely misunderstood and transformed into accusations of racism. The Spanish Olympic basketball team posed for an ad in which they used their hands to form what was supposed to be a wink to their participation in the Beijing Olympics but was interpreted as the not so polite slany-eyed Asian facial expression.

Interpret it as you see fit but we're a long way from becoming the fun-loving, all-loving planet which was on brief display during the Olympic opening ceremony.

by Steve Hall    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Strange



What, Thespians Don't Play Charades?

THEATRE-HOLLAND-CASINO.jpg

Check out "Theatre" for Holland Casino. It clearly identifies its audience, demonstrates why casinos are more entertaining than a "high culture" jaunt ("It's more fun when you take part") and even made us laugh. I srsly almost choked on my couscous when dude was all, "IS IT A BOOK...?!"

Nice change from gaudy and cheesy. Good stuff by agency TBWA and production company Czar/NL.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Good, Television



Yo, Bitch! Britney is Back! And she's Looking Good!

britney_mtv_vma_ad.jpg

Britney Spears used to be cute. Britney Spears used to be adorable. Britney Spears used to be the hottest thing in the planet. The came K-fed. Then came baby. Then came Bald Britney. Then came the MTV Video Music Awards debacle. Then came....two commercial featuring an adorably cutre Britney Spears promoting this years MTV VMAs? Wait? What?

Yes. It seems our adorable cutie is back. And if she's going to remain adorably cute then what's not to love? Do we really want to fester in her trashy life or do we want to go back to worshiping her for being the hottest pop start on the planet? Wait. Don't answer that for fear you've all been adversely affected by the last five years of blogloid "journalism."

See the spots here and here.

by Steve Hall    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Celebrity, Good, Video



Cup-a-Soup Improves Brain Power

cupasoup-strongman.jpg

And if you believe that, then you probably need it. Produced by Czar/NL for agency TBWA.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Brands, Commercials, Strange, Television



Obama? McCain? Nope. Miller High Life For President

millr_high_life_president.jpg

Who needs political platforms full of platitudes when you have the Miller High Life Guy stumping the Common Sense Platform? It's unclear whether or not a beer-fueled presidency is the answer to the country's ills but with our current president seemingly drunk and unable to navigate his way to his seat at the Olympics, things couldn't be much worse.

Miller High Life Dude for President!

Oh, and Drink Responsibly.

by Steve Hall    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Political, Spoofs, Strange, Video



Liberty Mutual Believes in the Kindness of Man

lighthouse-libmu.jpg

In "Lighthouse," a (very!) short film by Exopolis, a wee seaside community helps light a path for ships long after technology fails them. Very cute. Created for Liberty Mutual's "Responsibility Project" by Hill Holliday.

See a previous effort, "Mandy and Lester" by RSA.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Online, Video



Oh Look! It's A Blatant Advertorial!

OAHmoving-125x125.jpg

If you're into reports then you've heard of MarketingSherpa. If you've bought their reports, you know they're good. If you sometimes can't get approval from your management to buy the reports, you may be in luck. For the next three days, MarketingSherpa is offering a 30 percent discount on all reports.

Why? The company is moving to bigger office space and, well, perhaps they just felt like being nice. Here's some of their most recent reports:

- B-to-B Lead Generation Handbook

- 2008 Landing Page Handbook

- 2009 Search Marketing Benchmark Guide

- 2008 The Online Advertising Handbook + Benchmarks

- 2008 Email Marketing Benchmark Guide

Yes, Adrants does get a percentage of the sale but I've read some of these reports and they are excellent. If you want to call this an advertorial, feel free to do so. I just think it's something nice we can do for you.

by Steve Hall    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Online, Research



« Jul-08 | This archive, pg:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7  |  8  |  9  |  10  |  11  |  12  |  13  |  14  |  15  |  16  |  17  |  18  |  19  | Sep-08 »