Sadly, Creative Director Won't Eat Shorts. Happily, Agency Wins Account

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Back in March of this year, Captains of Industry Creative Director told the industry in a video he'd cook and eat his shorts if his agency didn't win a solar energy account by the end 2009. Happily, Ted doesn't have to eat his shorts as his agency recently won the Alteris Renewables account.

In yet another video, we see Ted prepping his shorts for consumption by adding all manner of marinade and spice to the shirts and then tossing them on the grill. But, as he meticulously sets the table for the dreaded feast, ted gets a call from the agency informing him Alteris has signed on as a client.

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by Steve Hall    Sep-15-09    
Topic: Agencies, Promotions, Social



Halo Rocks, Bruno Blocked, Crispin Aided, Bull Balled

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- Halo 3 gets its Orbital Drop on in a new trailer that's as realistic as any action flick you'll see on the screen. And, Halo 3 fans may actually get to see a movie version of their favorite game in 2012.

- Bruno ads don't get the love in Hong Kong. An outdoor company has refused to put the ads up.

- We like the guy but this is just weird. Very weird. Very very weird. All to...promote a book.

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by Steve Hall    Sep- 9-09    
Topic: Agencies, Consumer Created, Sponsorship



Cisco to Re:Birth Films: Welcome to the Legal Network

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Spec work with brand logos goes without saying. Everyone does it. Cisco Systems however didn't appreciate the recent Re:Birth Films' Creation Begins campaign and asked the shop to remove its logo from the work. (Clip below.) While you might sympathize with any shop that's just trying to build its portfolio/reel and gets caught like this, it's no longer enough to say well, it was only a spec campaign on our site, especially if they have licensing arrangements in place with agencies re: copyrighted material (songs, specific actors, etc.)

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by Bill Green    Sep- 4-09    
Topic: Agencies, Campaigns



An Agency Spot For... An Agency

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Well, you never heard of Danish agency We Love People until now but they've done one thing nobody in the industry has that we know of: Run a TV spot for themselves on national TV. Desperate move or why didn't I think of that headslap? It's not that the spot is memorable (below). At most, it's thoroughly generic, safe and disposable, like the majority of consumer advertising here. But it is notable for the self-promo move, something that raises another issue with the industry here.

How long before American shops start advertising themselves that directly? The unwritten rule is/was that the work you do is your calling card. No agency would've left any type of signature on the work. But, times be changing and all, and maybe this is what small - mid shops have to start doing. An earlier tourist campaign by Red Tettemer included their name in the credits. Small move to test the waters perhaps.

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by Bill Green    Sep- 1-09    
Topic: Agencies, Commercials, Television



Death by SMS, ABSOLUT Toasts Boston, MSFT Race-Swaps

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- Twitter's new It Guy: "Tennessee is nice. The first time I vomited was in tennessee, I think." The author -- allegedly a 28-year-old loafer just writing down whatever his 73-year-old dad says -- won over 40,000 followers since yesterday. We smell a deeper story.

- ABSOLUT toasts Boston.

- Fan tribute to Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear. It's like falling down a magic CG-woven rabbit hole. See official music video.

- Outcast changes gears.

- Ouch. We will never text-and-steer again.

- WPP revenue numbers, accompanied by potshots of William Shatner, because that's the way real men read charts.

- Microsoft bleaches for the Polish...?

by Angela Natividad    Aug-26-09    
Topic: Agencies, Brands, Campaigns



Candystand + Facebook; TimeOut Hooks Up; 4Chan vs, the Lord's Chil'ren

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- "The hottest ads on the planet!" Ivan of CreativeBits contemplates the Eternal Mystery: whether sex in advertising sells.

- Candystand leaps aboard Facebook Connect.

- After hurting Toronto's feelings, DraftFCB Coors billboards get pulled.

- TimeOut NY wantsta hook up. Dolla make ya holla? Yeah, baby, yeah.

- More premium Twitter account talk. Some features already in pilot-mode.

- 4Chan attacks the Facebook Christians.

- tweetzi -- another Twitter search site. Results toggling features are pretty saucy though if your eyes ever manage to adjust to thick-ass Courier.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-24-09    
Topic: Agencies, Brands, Campaigns, Social, Strange



Kentucky Mad Men, Queen Latifah and Woodstock Love

- Need a date? Mad Men need not apply.

- KFC wants you to Go f... fry yourself.

- More real fake designer bag bargains.

- Naked Netflix.

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CP+B Interns Get Their Rap On

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Only in the advertising business can the lowly function of internship be passed off as semi-glorious. Well, either that or these Crispin Porter + Bogusky interns are the best out there. After all, how many interns go to the trouble of created a four minute video to rap about how great (bad) it is to work at an agency? Can't count to five, yet? Right.

We like the effort. Our favorite line in the song? "Hey girl jump on my intertia and I'll give you a ride." Yup. Even in an intern video there's sexual overtones. Well, this is advertising, right?

by Steve Hall    Aug- 5-09    
Topic: Agencies, Good, Video



Insurer Hides, Comedians Fight, Interns Pimped, Mobile Explained

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- Some insurance companies will do anything to avoid paying a claim,

- I guess if you like Paulie and Dawn, you'll like this video.

- Ten Portland ad agencies are pooling resources and sharing talent to launch the second year of the ground-breaking COLABORATORY internship.

- Into mobile media? Here's and insider's guide to planning and buying mobile media

by Steve Hall    Jul-30-09    
Topic: Agencies, Commercials, Mobile/Wireless, Strange



Body Parts Candied, Charter Cures Idiocy, Graduation Hijacked

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- Be very wary of the kid who's mastered the art of turning important body parts into Fruit by the Foot.

- Yawn. American Legacy is still recruiting people to work for big tobacco companies.

- We have Charter Communications to internet access but we haven't transformed from an idiot to an employee of the month. Hmm.

- Mullen Creative Director Edward Boches outlines the seven thing Alex Bogusky should blog about.

- So what do you do when you're worried your movie won't be a hit? You pay a high school girl $1,800 to say she loves some guy she doesn't even like during her graduation speech.

- We got this box in the mail too. Didn't write about it at the time. Probably should have. Not a bad stunt.

- When your office building's revolving door doesn't work, don't call maintenance. Call the agency that created the marketing stunt.

by Steve Hall    Jul-29-09    
Topic: Agencies, Commercials, Guerilla, Promotions, Social