Tootsie Pop Redo, Ageism Wrong, Verizon Tickets, MySpace Photobuckets

fergie_verizon.jpg

- Classic "How many licks does it take?" Tootsie Pop commercial gets a makeover. not sure we like.

- With rampant ageism in this industry, here's a few reasons why it isn't always such a great idea to cast out over 40s.

- Cynopsis reports, "MySpace agreed to acquire PhotoBucket for a reported $250 million in cash and bonuses. Photobucket, one of the darlings of the Web 2.0 phenomenon, is the web's dominant photo sharing site with 41 million registered users."

- ABC will air Lost three more seasons ending in 2010. That's two seasons too many.

- Do you design movie posters? Do you think they are stupid/ Think you can do better? now you can design your own with Movie Poster Toolbox.

- Verizon and Fergie have teamed to offer mobile phone-based wireless tickets to her upcoming tour.

- MySpace is said to be purchasing Photobucket for $250 million.

- Fewer and fewer people may not be watching your TV ads but if your target audience is kids under 2, you're in luck. Ninety percent watch.



MTV Movie Awards Adds Consumer-Generated Category, Contest

united_300.jpg

Hopping on the now very crowded consumer-generated media train, MTV has launched a consumer-generated movie spoof to coincide with its upcoming Movie Awards. MTV has added this new User Generated spoof category to the show and will award the top submission just as it does other category winners. To get the ball rolling, SecretSauce.TV's Andy Signore has submitted spoofs of 300, Little Miss Sunshine and The Departed. We particularly like The Departed spoof which is entitled The Defarted. You can just imagine what that's all about.

If you're interested in getting yet another award to place on your ego mantle, check out all the contest details here in a video by director Brett Ratner.

by Steve Hall    May- 5-07    
Topic: Cable, Consumer Created, Spoofs, Video



Turner Joosts, Cingular Hated, Fallon Loses, Webbys Unveiled

- Today, Joost announced that Turner Broadcasting will begin to distribute content on Joost from its well-known brands and properties, including Adult Swim and CNN.

- Here's a little bit of consumer-created hate directed towards Cingular whose phone's apparently can ruin speakers if placed too close to them. The video promotes Feeling Cingular, a site that is less than complimentary to the carrier.

- Fallon isn't happy. Citi has just moved most of its global creative account to Publicis Worldwide.

- The 11th annual Webby Awards has unveiled winners in 14 new categories.

by Steve Hall    May- 1-07    
Topic: Agencies, Cable, Consumer Created, Industry Events, Online



Consumer-Generated Confessions Come Clean For Mom

dawn_confess.jpg

Damn! Just when we thought this consumer-generated trendlet was dying down, online video network Capessa and Dawn had to go and partner to create Come Clean For Mother's Day...The World's Cleanest Video Contest. Now we have to watch random people confess to their mothers such gems as stealing wine from the fridge (oh, the horror!), eloping three months before the real wedding (that's pretty shocking), dating mom's co-worker, getting a tattoo (Angela?), Lake Acapulco cliff diving and all sorts of other mundane escapades. Thankfully Mom doesn't have to watch all these videos but she does get a year of free maid service if her kid's confession is the best. Even so, we're thinking Mom would much prefer to watch Xtra-pine's Cleaning Hunk rather than their sons and daughters copping to their adolescent dirty deeds.

by Steve Hall    Apr-29-07    
Topic: Brands, Consumer Created, Video



Rubel Reprimanded, Lonelygirl15 Spins, Mamet Directs

usb-dancing-shoe.jpg

- PC Magazine editor in chief gives Steve Rubel an earful over a comment he made about the magazine on Twitter. Steve Rubel responds.

- Cynopisis reports, "Google CEO Eric Schmidt mentioned his company was 'very close' to releasing a new digital filtering system called "Claim Your Content" that would automatically identify copyrighted content via audio and video fingerprinting technology. Speaking at a keynote session at NAB, he claimed two or three partners are currently testing the tools. Schmidt also said that YouTube is also working on a video advertising network that will involve pre-roll and post-roll spot ads."

more »

by Steve Hall    Apr-17-07    
Topic: Commercials, Consumer Created, Policy, Social, Tools, Video



Campaign Launched For Perfect Facebook Pic

courtney_podvin.jpg

With the advent of consumer-generated media and YouTube, Spring Break just isn't what it used to be. Or maybe this guy just didn't get any action. Either way, he did accomplish something during his break in the form of a video that spoofs a parody of the Dove Evolution video. Entitled "Campaign for the perfect facebook pic," Courtney Podvin undergoes the usual evolutionary transition with the end product ending up on his facebook profile. Insightfully, the video ends with the statement, "No wonder our perception of people on facebook is distorted."

by Steve Hall    Apr-12-07    
Topic: Consumer Created, Good, Spoofs, Video



Sloggi Shares the Lingerie Love, Lets You Choose Ass, Make Billboard

Fresh Creation tips us to yet another bit of salacious ad fun. If you've got time to waste and want to stare it thong-clad Sloggi models while making your own billboard with the Sloggi Billboard Director, have at it. Famous for their banned billboards and propensity to show as much ass as often as possible, the lingerie maker is now letting everyone in on the fun having. After all, why should art directors and photographers be the only ons to stare at ass all day long?

by Steve Hall    Apr-11-07    
Topic: Consumer Created, Online, Racy, Social



Miller Looks, Youth Conferences, Asbestos Does WTC

rent_a_wife.jpg

- Miller is looking at five agencies after exiting Crispin: Saatchi, Y&R, Mother and two unnamed agencies.

- On July 16-17, youth-focused YPulse will host a conference called The 2007 Mashup which will cover all aspects of youth marketing.

- Hadji Williams gets a nice review for his book, Knock the Hustle: How to Save Your Job and Your Life From Corporate America.

- Copyranter dug up an old pro-asbestos ad that touts the material's fire-retardant qualities and features an image of The World Trade center. Particularly prescient is the ad's headline which reads, Whenthe fire alarm went off, it took two hours to evacuate New York's Trade Center."

- Mr. Clean has launched a consumer-generated effort and is offering $10,000 to th person who creates the best 60-second ad. Nothing like getting what would normally cost about $100K for a tenth of the cost.

- In Belgium, you can Rent A Wife. Actually, you can rent a lot of stuff.

by Steve Hall    Apr- 6-07    
Topic: Agencies, Brands, Consumer Created, Industry Events, Strange



Nike McFly Effort Contunues With Petition Site

mcfly_2015.jpg

It seems the very dedicated Al Cabino just might have his way after all. For years, the man has been behind a grassroots effort to get Nike to manufacture the sneakers Michael J. Fox wore in the 1989 movie Back to the Future 2 during the year 2015 scene. A petition site McFly 2015 has been launched to collect signatures and convince Nike there's a market for the shoes. Oh, naturally, there's a MySpace site too.

by Steve Hall    Apr- 3-07    
Topic: Brands, Consumer Created, Online, Social



VH1 Web Junk Names Numa Numa Guy Greatest Internet Superstar

vh1_top40_web.jpg

On March 23 ay 8PM, VH1 will air its Web Junk Presents: 40 Greatest Internet Superstars and name Gary Brolsma, otherwise known as the Numa Numa guy, the number one internet star. The special will highlight the 40 most memorable internet stars of all time which will include the Star Wars Kid, Lonelygirl15, Tila Tequila, Trin Guy, Mahir, Perez Hilton, the Diet Coke/Mentos guys and many more. It outta be good for a few laughs.

more »

by Steve Hall    Mar-22-07    
Topic: Consumer Created, Online, Viral