Condom Maker Says 'Let The Beast Go'

Now here's something you don't see all the time. Well, at least not in public that is. There's plenty of it in private. Likely, without all that paint though. These ads for Humo magazine promise to give away Durex condoms in its next issue. Freakish as they are there's an even freakier TV spot for them as well. Obviously this is not an American campaign as we are far too prudish for this sort of thing. At least in our advertising.

Buick Takes Precision Route With New Lucerne Campaign

Today, Buick launched a campaign, called "Beyond Precision," for its new 2006 Lucerne. Television spots focus on the exactitude with which the car is crafted which is not necessarily a new message but seems to work in this case. After all, there's not much else about a Buick that's all that exciting. At least we can be excited about the car's ad campaign.

A series of print ads will launch on Nov. 22 in USA TODAY and Nov. 23 in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal; and will run throughout the year in a variety of magazines and newspapers. Interactive inserts, coined "Buzz Prints," that feature product attributes of the Lucerne will begin running in publications in February. Additional campaign components include online advertising and promotional placements on prime time shows. Two of the spots can be viewed here and here.

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Ad Age Apologizes For SpecificMEDIA Cover Wrap Debacle

Following a MediaPost Real Media Riff's column that roasted Ad Age for an editorial cover wrap attached to 1,000 copies of the magazine distributed at ad:tech in early November, Ad Age's Rance Crain, today, offers up a mea culpa and apologizes for what MediaPost deemed a serious ad/edit line crosser. Apparently unbeknownst to the magazine's management, including Crain and Editor Scott Donaton, a last minute deal was struck between someone at Ad Age and a company called SpecificMEDIA to adhere a front page cover wrap that appeared to look like news content and distribute it at ad:tech. Crain writes David Klein, publishing and editorial director of the Ad Age Group, sent an email to the magazine's staff stating, among other things, the publications credibility had been damaged by the wrap. Crain also makes no excuses for misjudgment.

In a nod to an American Business Media "Editorial Integrity: Under Assault?" panel Crain moderated last week, he noted readers have increased protection from "overzealous advertisers" by blogs and other journalists who will call out moves such as this cover wrap debacle. It's encouraging that Ad Age chose to publicly deal with this issues as it could very easily have simply swept it under the rug and moved on. Welcome to the conversation, Ad Age.

'Sporting News' Gets 'Maxim' Cover Treatment

Next week's Sporting News sure looks interesting as indicated by this front cover image sent to us with a note speculating its roots: "Perhaps it has something to do with Sporting News general manager Jim Borth formerly being the head of circulation at Dennis Publishing." Perhaps, indeed.

Seventies Porn Fashion Returns

Wipe that smirk off your face, dude. This is a photoshoot for an ad, not a porn flick. Oh, and speaking of porn, those 70's pornographer sunglasses have got to go. No self-respecting hipster, metrosexual would be caught dead wearing those things so go back to your pad, turn on the lava lamp, push aside the multicolored, vertical beads in the doorway to your bedroom, turn on some Donna Summer and throw your women down on the red velvet sheets of your love nest and get vertical.

Danica Patrick Beats Paris Hilton in GQ Ad Babe Showdown

There's never a lack of ad babes peering, longingly, out of magazine ad pages luring guys into buying things they really don't need so it's without surprise that we find both been-there-done-that Paris Hilton and IndyCar babe Danica Patrick meeting our eyeballs as we flip though the December issue of GQ, which, by the way was a multi cover issue on which Jennifer Anniston appeared semi-nude but we, unfortunately, ended up with the Vince Vaughn version. Come on, Jim. You read Adrants. You know what we like. Send a memo to the circulation department, stat!

Paris, who, hands down, has the best "do me" look, is in GQ hawking her Paris Hilton For Men fragrance. Oddly, the container looks like a lipstick wand so we're doubtful too many men will actually be seen buying or using this stuff. Danica, who has the more girl-next-door, wholesome look, except here, is smirking for TISSOT Swiss Watches. The ad carries the headline, "A Woman's Touch...in a Man's World," which appropriately, references her place in the male dominated world of car racing.

So in terms of which ad does a better job selling its product, without doubt, the award goes to Danica Patrick's TISSOT ad. It's a product an actual man would actually buy and Patrick's demeanor, at least in this ad, is far more tangible and realistic that Paris Hilton's airy, empty, vacuous persona seen here.

Unicef Says Put Trash in Child's Mouth

This is not right. Sure, the message in this Unicef ad appears to be "don't be wasteful with food and other items because there are needy people in the world who need things" but an open mouth on a what appears to be a trashcan open wide, ready to have trash stuffed in. Wrong message. Very wrong.

Maxim Launches India Edition

Dennis Publishing has announced its Maxim magazine will launch its 30th international edition, this time in India, making it the first, according to international licensing director Richard Bean, international men's lifestyle magazine in India. The magazine will debut this month under an agreement with Media Transasia.

Maxim's India edition will have a distribution of 80,000 copies, edited by Sunil Mahra and published by Piyush Sharma.

Diesel Scalps Hair For Jeans

Of course this might be some sort of new sexual, hair-scalping fetish but how exactly does this sell jeans? Oh wait. this is Diesel. They don't sell jeans. They just make freaky ads.

New Toothbrush Excites

We're just not quite sure we, or anyone for that matter, could get this excited about a toothbrush. But, seeing that the device is battery powered, vibrates and the woman is gleefully grabbing it with joyous delight, we could be wrong.