Annoyance Not So Annoying by Commercial's End

This ad almost makes you work too hard but once you finally realize what message the commercial is delivering, the confusion pays off nicely. The spot promotes something that's around us all the time but is never thought of as more than an occasional annoyance. This annoyance turns out to have a very practical purpose as is revealed by the end of the spot.

Kansas City Infidelity Pimps Agency's Story Telling Abilities

Continuing its focus on its story telling abilities, Kansas City agency Kelly Russell has released a new video in which a wife, after being caught by her husband, attempts to explain why she's in bed with another man. Of course, it's all good becasue the husband wasn't happy anyway.

In terms of agency promotions, it's a lot more fun than an ad in Advertising Age or an Agency.com Subway video. Oh wait, that was fun. It just didn't turn out so well for the agency.

Inflatable Push Pins Mark Seattle Hot Spots For Microsoft Maps

Created by Wexley School for Girls to promote its Live Search Maps, Microsoft has launched the Pushpin Project, a program that recognizes favorite bars, restaurants, and local businesses by affixing an 8 foot by four foot inflatable push pin to the location. We're guessing it's all to make the online search service a bit more real world useful. Of course, any push pinned location is then added to a Live Search Map where Seattle residents can keep tabs on what's supposedly cool.

Pot Noodle Courts UGC for ... Pots ... of ... Noodles.

AKQA London has launched a weird little YouTube campaign for Pot Noodle in the UK.

We like the campaign mainly because, in exchange for user-generated fare, they've opted not to dole out the usual $10K. Instead, winners get a FREE CASE OF POT NOODLE!!!, which is probably exactly what they're worth.

Oh yeah, you can also win a PS3.

11 Seven Elevens Get Kwik-E Mart Treatment

For some, a dream has been realized: a slew of Seven Elevens have evolved into Kwik-E Marts for a month to promote The Simpsons Movie. The evolution has improved business for one Burbank, CA store by about 300 to 400 percent, according to AdCritic.

The metamorphosis includes changes to the exterior, interior and employee uniforms. The stores are also littered with myriad opportunities to snap a shot of yourself with a character from The Simpsons.

After years of less-than-tactful trashing on the show, we think it's a nod in the right direction for Seven Eleven to embrace its alter ego with such abandon.

Fage Brings New Meaning to 'Pearl Diving'

We enjoy this print effort between Greek yogurt brand Fage and jewelry label Honora, in which the latter's pearls are given extra dimension by the parallel illusion of a dip into the rich Greek yogurt.

Fage may ring provincial, but its Ogilvy & Mather billing and collaborative dip-ins with brands like Honora suggest anything but.

IKEA Adds Yet Another Oddity to Dorm Room Activities

The college dorm room. Ah yes. That tiny, not so personal space that sees more action in one semester than in the entire run of Big Brother. Is there anything that hasn't happened in a dorm room? Not anymore thanks to IKEA who's released a video in which heads randomly pop out of a dorm room's enclosed spaces and begin to beatbox. It's all to get people to head over to roommateliving.com on which IKEA hawks its college room-ready wares. And yup, there's even an IKEA College Night promotion from July 6-9 where college students and high school seniors can bring their IDs to IKEA stores for a chance to win free stuff.

Boy Band Lovers Get Juicy Fix in Fruit Guys

We never get tired of a rip on boy bands, especially when the pith is as thinly-veiled as it is on Fruit Guy Fans, a site for a Fruit of the Loom-sponsored boy band whose costumes are just as fruity as its music.

The concept's actually pretty sound, resisting the urge to go over the top like so many other parodies (or not) tend to. Download MP3s for would-be one-hit wonders like "You Can't Overlove." Our favorite is "Dream."

Thanks Bill for the heads-up and the bad poetry.

Why Deal with Unpredictable Personalities When You Can Make Your Own?

This really takes egocasting to the next level. For those who find even virtual networking a problem, Brando gives you USB Virtual Friends, which enable you to invest a little plastic buddy with all the qualities you really need in a desktop partner. Including a photo.

Far from a mere memory-logger, these dolls give you a virtual world where you are master. Give them personalities and your choice of over 100 preprogrammed dialogues for communication.

Available in Virtual Boyfriend, Virtual Girlfriend ($17, respectively) or sets ($30).

The Sun Shall Not Shine OnThis Cold Fosters

Some people will go to great lengths to keep their beer cold. Other people, such as the chap in this M&C Saatchi-created Fosters commercial, are simply insane. Or, he have the ability to detect, perhaps, a tenth of a degree temperature difference that might be caused by the sun walking from the bar to his beach chair. While his buddies are ogling beach beauties, this guy is acrobatically following tiny bits of shade to protect his beer from the sun.