'Pushing Daisies' Promo Gives Chance to Revisit Daisy Pushers

There's something strangely appealing about this simple promo for ABC's Pushing Daisies. Developed by True North Inc., Plant a Daisy lets you write out a name and a question for your beloved (or detested?) deceased, then plant a daisy. The field of daisies gives way to a teaser for the show, which walks a line between funny and touching in some sad way.

The show premieres tomorrow.

Stand Advertising Tethers Boss to Buffalo Billboard

This just goes to show that holding executive status in the same universe as Virgin's Richard Branson is an increasingly ridiculous job. Janet Stanek of Stand Advertising has committed to spending 30 hours perched on a billboard overlooking a highway in Buffalo, NY.

She was set up there yesterday morning and will remain there until noon today.

The stunt accomplishes (?) three goals: to celebrate Stand's 6th anniversary, raise $30K for Make-a-Wish, and "get out of those interminable Monday morning status meetings." We feel you on that one, Janet.

Janet will be tethered onto the billboard with little more than a sleeping mat and a tent (which, we hope, includes a loo). Watch her brave the elements (for the children, no less) at Boss on a Billboard.

Any way we can get a soccer ball up there with her?

Derek the Mascot Joins Big Boobed Cheerleader For Movie Promotion

In mid-September, we shared with you a series of videos featuring an eye catching, very large breasted cheerleader hanging out in a locker room to promote the upcoming Fox film The Comebacks which will star The Office's Melora Hardin, Carl Weathers, Reno 911 and The Office alum David Koechner and Andy Dick among others.

In a new video, our cheerleader, Amy, who is now on crutches, tells us about a cheering accident she recently had. After she hobbles in to the locker room, falls over a bench and gets up (while showing us her pink panties), she pulls out a pair of Barbie dolls to illustrate how her spotter threw her up but didn't catch her causing her to land in the stands. Of course, we had to watch the video five times before our brain finally transferred cognitive abilities from our eyes to our ears.

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There's a (No-Bullshit) Textbook for Making Money in Marketing. Who Knew?

Ahh. Here's what Profitable Marketing Communications aspired but failed to be because the authors were too busy trying to be memorable writers. Jason Burby and Shane Atchison make no such pretension.

Actionable Web Analytics reads more like a textbook than an indulgent marketing tourguide. Its lessons are practical, actionable, simply explained and well-illustrated.

Buy it. You don't even have to read it; if it's on your shelf, you'll actually seem smarter. We'll even overlook the fact that co-author Shane looks like a hipster.

Dove Pummels Young Girl With Sexual Imagery in 'Onslaught'

After watching Dove's new Ogilvy-created commercial Onslaught, a follow up to Evolution, you might become a bit sickened you work in an industry that forces impossible ideals down the throats of innocent children. Now if you think that's overstating things a bit, just watch the new commercial. You know it's true. You know there are far too may "bigger, better, more beautiful, clearer, slimmer, fuller, trimmer" ads out there incessantly bombarding people with messages that basically say you're too fat, ugly, flat, dowdy, slobby for your own good and you simply must rush out and buy product after product after product that promise to turn you into a super model but will do nothing but drain your purse.

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Wendy's Hot Juicy Burgers Go Social

It might be because we're a sucker for anything with Jerry Bruckheimer-like theme music but we do think this new Saatchi & Saatchi created online promotion for Wendy's is pretty cool. It's a call to arms of sorts but not the military kind. Wendy's believes everyone should be entitled to a fresh, hot, juicy burger and not some frozen crap. And it's crafted a site to spread the gospel.

Those who join the cause can spread the word social networking-style by emailing friends and posting the character they create on the Wendy's site to one of their social networking sites. Points can be earned by spreading the word and by using the site continuously. It's pretty simple and a nice use of viral and social networking tactics.

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YPulse: Why Whyville Ain't Just Fun; It's Useful

After YPulse on Friday, we're a little crazy about the idea of Whyville.

Whyville's yet another post-Second Life virtual world, except it's for tweens. Its citizens are mainly female, with girls comprising over 60 percent of the populace.

To explain why Whyville is so cool, we'll use the Scion example. Whyville erected the first virtual dealership for the boxy vehicle, which ended up yielding more test-drives for it than any physical place in the world.

Now, Kids can buy Whyville Scions for 15,000 clams - and if they're a little short, they can hit the Toyota lending agency to finance it.

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Electric Prom Concerts Get Song Naming Contest And Find-A-Band Site

BBC, to promote its upcoming music event, electric proms, has launched two digital efforts. The first is an image puzzle in which you try to find the 80 bands in the image who will be performing at the concert. This sounds very similar to another effort we saw about a year or tow ago but now can't remember who it was for. Virgin?

The second is a song name writing competition called Live Song which asks people to come up with song names. Five winners will have their songs written and performed by bands that are part of the electric proms event.

The campaign was created by Fallon and Hyper Happen. Rubber Republik handled viral distribution.

Schwan's Helps Housewives Break Through Glass Ceiling

Unleashing the anachronistic term "housewife" or perhaps simply tossing aside silly, politically correct euphemisms like "stay-at-home-mom," Frozen food home delivery company Schwan's claims (in a headline) "Research shows that 95 percent of housewives could use a housewife."

Now, AdFreak picked up on the lesbian vibe toward which this headline hints. We, contrary to what one might assume, believe that, yes, the job of a housewife, particularly if she's a doesn't-stay-at-home-mom needs all the help she can get. Why trek to the grocery store with three screaming brats when you can lock the snots in their rooms, order from Schwan's and down a gallon of Cookies 'n Cream while issuing missives via laptop to the hundreds on minions you oversee at the office from the comfort of your couch? Minneapolis agency Hunt Adkins created the campiagn.

Second Life Becomes Useful in Obesity Prevention Campaign

We all know Second Life jumped the shark long ago but when an Ad Council campaign pokes fun at something you know it's really over. This PSA for obesity prevention has fun with Second Life oddities while urging people to wait 15 minutes before having seconds because, as most people don't know, it takes the brain longer to realize the stomach's full than the stomach itself. The ad points to a site, launched Thursday, called Small Step which, among other things, educates people on portion control.

Other elements of the campaign kick off next week.