Why Date When You Can Engineer? Introducing the Manquarium

We totally dig how girl power in marketing is manifested in self-imposed inaugurations and, now, opportunities to actually build men.

This is for the Venus Manquarium campaign. Fembot future, here we come.

The Lumberjack Returns, Pay Homage to Maddox

Adpulp passes us another goodie via the Scotsman, who posits sweet-smelling metrosexuals are (finally!) bowing out for the retrosexual - or, as Maddox would say, the lumberjack.

While Adpulp ruminates over the presence of Burt's Bees in the market, we're going to take a shot in the dark and say the guy who gave us "9 things I learned about the world according to anonymous stock photo models" is also directly responsible for the return of the flannel-sporting burly man.

And if you don't believe us, you clearly haven't read The Alphabet of Manliness.

Maddox fucking rules, in great part because his homepage was bitchslapping society even before the post-post-modern hipsters snorting the Kool-Aid were old enough to chat on AOL.

Candystand Finally Develops a Sudoku Game

Our surrogate employers at Wrigley's Candystand have leaped on the Goodship Sudoku with a casino twist that we're sure will sell plenty of gum.

What the deal with Sudoku, man? If it weren't enough that everybody on the train in the morning is playing it, a few college buddies have expressed an interest in learning the game to earn some social clout. That's like playing Tetris to get laid. What's the correlation?

If somebody can give us a good logical explanation of why Sudoku has taken the nation by storm, we'll give you a present.

Burberry Spotlights the Monarchy of Sex, Drugs and Rock

Adpulp observes Kate Moss has just been consigned in her 10th Burberry campaign. Shot by Mario Testino, the prints feature the Coke Captain herself rubbing elbows with the sons of rock stars.

Good to know royalty's as decadent now as it was once upon a time. It really brings the fairy tale close to home.

Outside is Inside for Some, and Apparently It's Your Job to Fix It

Is it bitchy to say we think this is kind of funny?

Sorry, it's the whole parochial "Think on this!" vibe this ad for Actionaid India gives off.

We hate to be callous, but when we've finished observing the plight of those less fortunate, what next? Like this other homeless awareness ad, there is no apparent call-to-action to guide us down the right path once we're in the proper emotional state.

Would it be at all possible for some group to start proliferating ads that include calls-to-action for the homeless themselves? Here's a shelter. Here's a number for aid. Here's where you can get food. Here's job training.

You can't always put the burden on one side of the fence. Improving the lot of the common man is a reciprocal process that involves the common man moving his own ass, too.

Yes, Even Cats Can Be Catty

The Toronto Zoo likes bestowing human characteristics on animals, a tactic we first saw them lever with Bugzhibitz.

And that's nice - it lends the sense they may see their furry charges as more than just caged cash cows, as Noah would have one believe.

With a hand (or a paw?) from Lowe Roache, the Toronto Zoo runs this trash-talking campaign starring the domestic allies whose pride you'll betray if you dare take a step into the caged garden.

It's cute. Adverbox has more.

Dali, Yes Dali, Sold Out to Cash In

If you harbored the fantasy that master artists pre-dating Shepard Fairey and Andy Warhol never sold out to ad hype, be forewarned: your fantasy is just that.

Boing Boing points us to Dali himself pushing Lanvin chocolates, Veterano and - of all things - Alka-Seltzer.

The marketing minds behind brands like Red Bull and Apple can vouch for that legend goes a long way. Rumour has it Dali was stillborn, coming violently to life only after an uncle blew cigar smoke into his face.

After seeing the ads (which, because of or despite weird whimsy, are quite fascinating), you just may believe it.

Kia Plays Musical Cars

This Kia commercial has been out for a few weeks now but it's worth sharing for its pure fun and nod to the childhood game musical chairs. In the commercial, cars slowly drive in a circle around parking spots and when the music stops, well. you know what happens next. If this were an actual game and not a car commercial, you can be sure there'd be a whole lot more carnage than the beautifully choreographed ballet-style motion that makes this spot fun to watch.

Pure CGM Celebrated, Influenced CGM Trashed

Factory Publishing is promoting a Triumph Motorcycle-sponsored computer-generated online graphic novel called The Many Worlds of Jonas Moore which stars British actor Colin Salmon. Viewers and musicians are being asked to participate in the storyline by creating their own adventures and submitting their own soundtracks for the show.

In a tandem effort we're not completely clear on, Factory Publishing has created two videos that trash media and ad agencies involvement with consumer generated media somehow labeling them unnecessary middlemen. While it's true some agency managed consumer generated media campaign have resulted in work that's far from pure CGM, these videos paint agencies as a sort of Hitleresque evil which stunts the growth of unadulterated CGM.

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Bud Light Hangs With Beach Blanket Bimb...Uh...Beauty

No sooner to we take beer marketers to task for foisting idiotically staged and sexually charged commercials, do we stumble upon these Cannonball Agency-created, Cutters-edited ads for Bud Light's Have Soome Fun With It Campaign. Oh sure, some might say these are just as idiotic and sexually charged as every other beer marketer's work but we'd disagree. There's just something intriguingly different about these ads that different enough to maintain interest. Feel free to disagree because we know some well. But you all know we love a good debate.