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Don't Tick Someone Off With Your Click

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In advertising, translating a concept from one culture to another is never easy. Often, it results in humorous errors such as the classic Chevy Nova/NoGo. Textappeal hopes to alleviate that with its Cross Cultural Disaster Check and this Duval Guillaume-created commercial does a nice job pointing out potential pitfalls. Though it's not quite clear how likely it'd be to run into a click talker while you're out walking your dog.

And yes, translation is much more than just words but that's a topic for another discussion. And, no doubt, someone out there is offended at being referred to as a click talker. Maybe TextAppeal should have checked out this piece before it was published.

by Steve Hall    May-27-08    




Something Promoted With Microwaved Phone That Turns Into Monster

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Oh the nasty things you can do with a microwave oven. From blowing up Gremlins to inflating a balloon to sterilizing a sponge, the microwave has many, many interesting capabilities. You can even place your cell phone in the microwave and turn it into a monster. Seriously. Watch the video.

It's unclear what this is promoting but it's gotta be something. Why go to all that special effects work when you could just watch the thing fry?

by Steve Hall    May-27-08    




Sanjaya is Back! In A Nationwide Insurance Commercial

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Following in the footsteps of Fabio, MC Hammer and Kevin Federline might be considered a dubious career path, then again, who thought KFed would come out of the Britney Spears nightmare on top (or at least looking a lot better than Britney)? Next in line for the feature role in a Nationwide Insurance 'Life Comes At You Fast" commercial, filming today in India, is none other than Mr. Pony Hawk himself, Sanjaya Malakar.

Yup, Nationwide wants Sanjaya to help the company reel in some South Asians who, according to Nationwide, have the highest annual income among the U.S. Population.

more »

by Steve Hall    May-27-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Celebrity



Heroes' Hayden Panettiere Saves Whales With eBay Promotion

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Hayden Panettiere, star of NBC's Heroes and whale lover, has signed an endorsement deal with social site Zude and Shopit to sell clothes and raise money for Save the Whales Again, a Whaleman Foundation and Animal Welfare Institute campaign to "create awareness about the industrial slaughter of whales and dolphins."

The effort is getting added awareness with promotional placement on the homepage of eBay which points to a branded eBay page for Save the Whales Again.

As part of the promotion, an auction is being held to raise money with the winning bid (bidder plus five friends) getting tickets to a celebrity fundraiser held at Eva Longoria's Beso restaurant and a whale watching tour with Hayden in the Channel Islands.

by Steve Hall    May-27-08    
Topic: Cause, Celebrity, Online



Doritos Wants to Be Synonymous with UGC

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Surprise, surprise. Doritos.co.uk has made a YouTube channel for people who want to make their own Doritos ads. My favourite was the one put together by the Doritos staff. It's called "Hair" and it reminds me of a My Little Pony doll I used to have.

more »

by Angela Natividad    May-26-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Consumer Created



Down's Syndrome Sufferers Showcase Their Own Capabilities

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For The Prodis Foundation, Vitruvio Leo Burnett demonstrated how versatile children with Down's Syndrome are by letting them put together their own ad.

Well, that's how it was sold to us. The ad is more like a (professionally produced?) patchwork of their everyday activities: laughing with friends, winning karate trophies, going dancing, etc.

The video's about two minutes long and quite moving, though it's probably more so when you understand what's being said. In any case, it won an ADC Gold Cube in Corbis' Search for Justice awards show.



Toyota Prank Call Campaign Gets Double the Mileage Out of UGC

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In exchange for a little bit of personal information, Toyota Matrix will trick one of your friends into thinking that some nightmare stalker version of you wants to live with them.

But that's not the best part!

Promote this effort in a video ad and turn it in here. If your video goes live on Current.com, you could win $2500. And if Toyota decides to use it somewhere else, expect to cash in on up to $60,000, depending where the spot appears.

The campaign is called "Your Other You" -- which I guess is apt, since it's the "dark" you that will be freaking out your friends, and the lame aspirational Ashton Kutcher-wannabe you that will be proliferating the idea on video.

Way to ride the same mule twice, Toyota.

by Angela Natividad    May-26-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Games, Online



Bad Credit? Girl Wrestlers. OF COURSE!

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Hot girl-on-girl arm-wrestling action preaches the gospel of First Premier Bank. Link takes users to where you, yes you, can contribute to the credit crisis.

by Angela Natividad    May-26-08    
Topic: Best, Online



How to Transform Tomorrow? Make Like Mama Said: Be Bold

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Steel company ArcelorMittal has the trade secret on "transforming tomorrow" (TM). The trick is to be bold.

How do you get bold? Easy: turn "boldness" into an all-purpose euphemism whose outcomes, however suspect, are always appealing. See below.

more »

by Angela Natividad    May-26-08    




Cold Call Carl Sells Twitter to the Masses

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Because why master Twitter yourself when you could pay a consultant $400 per hour?

Via Jetpacks.

by Angela Natividad    May-26-08    
Topic: Good, Online, Spoofs



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