In Response to That Casey Jones Dell Probation Thing

enfatico_hammer.jpg

It's clear, Enfatico is the industry's current whipping boy, whether or not anything for which we are whipping the boy is true or not. This industry can't live without a continual dose of ego-boosting schadenfreude and the security it offers allowing us to say, "At least we aren't as screwed up as those fuckers over at Enfatico!" As long as someone else is screwing up, it's all good.

AgencySpy is having a field day on this one lambasting Dell VP Casey Jones and claiming he's on probation for "lackluster performance" in his creation of the Enfatico machine. Unsurprisingly, there's bound to be some strife when a giant brand attempts to consolidate its work from 800 agencies to one. It's to be expected.

more »

by Steve Hall    Aug-15-08    
Topic: Agencies, Brands, Opinion



Evian Shrinks, True Blood Examined, Multimap Lets the Pigeons In

word-clock.jpg

- It's targeted you with limited-edition designer bottles and luxury facial sprays. Now Evian wants your kids. Introducing Evian Les Petits!

- Greenwich aspires to seize the spotlight as soon as it's off Beijing.

- Microsoft UK's Multimap uses pigeons to promote its "bird's eye view" feature. Created by digital agency LBi, it marks the first time Multimap has used cartoons to advertise.

- Check out the Word Clock typographic screensaver, which one Bos AD thinks is the "coolest screensaver EVER." It's pretty cool. Kind of like UNIQLOCK without the girls, or the music, or the colors.

- If you're following HBO's online campaign for True Blood, you should catch this 3-minute Ad Age video about virals. True Blood premieres September 7. Dude, sometimes it sucks to not have cable.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-15-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Online, Packaging, Promotions, Strange



Nissan Flirts with the Mold, but Fails to Break It

nissan-escape-the-pattern.jpg

This new spot for Nissan (:30 and :60) immediately piqued interest: one car circulates a vinyl album. Interesting retro tones punctuate the background. The camera pans out, revealing many vehicles circulating many vinyls. It's an image that brings Warhol to mind.

What's going on? What'll happen next? Will Nissan pull a Dell?

Nah. One jalapeno-red maverick races off its track (cut to big Nissan logo!), encouraging others to do the same. (A vaguely familiar idea. Got a quote for me, Mazda?) They briefly fall in line, a tactic car advertisers seem to love, then park with a screech in haphazard fashion.

The 350Z, arguably Nissan's sexiest model, pulls abruptly into the foreground. The tagline follows: "Escape the pattern. Nissan."

Bleh.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Aug-15-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Magazine, Poster, Television



Bionic Lobster Takes On Disability, Alienation, Maniacal Chef

bionic-lobster.jpg

"After finding a Leatherman on the ocean floor, our hero transformed himself from clawless freak into BIONIC LOBSTER: the handiest lobster alive."

Awesome premise -- one-clawed lobster gets new lease on life -- by STICK and MOVE/Philly for client Leatherman. (If Finding Nemo taught us anything, it's that everyone loves a story about broken fish prevailing over life's hard knocks.) Happily, they went all the way with it: See spot where Bionic Lobster fends for his life, MacGuyver-style, in a seafood restaurant. And there are comic books! Three parts so far, and if you bother to download the PDFs, well-made and funny too.

Looking forward to seeing more stuff by STICK and MOVE.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-15-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Good, Online, Television



Southern Comfort: What to Have when You're Just Trashed

southern-comfort-lime.jpg

Southern Comfort (with Lime!): for when you're beyond sensory cognizance. The music sucks, your conduct questionable, everyone's funny, and Ugly at left is starting to look like a Good Investment.

The spot's called "Suspended Moments" and is part of a big hard year-end push. Also, in efforts to get down with the music scene, Southern Comfort goes by SoCo now. (It worked for J-Lo, Diddy and BevMo, right?)

Beginning next month, "SoCo Music Experience" webisodes will air on Heavy, My Damn Channel, Pitchfork.tv, Complex.com and DeathandTaxesMagazine.com. I'm not sure what a "Music Experience" is, but if I had to guess, I'd say they're like trashy music videos with slipperier floors. And heavy on the indie bands for good measure.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-14-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Online, Television



New Colorado Lotto Spot.

instant-fun.jpg

See the new Colorado Lottery spot by Cactus. It promised instant fun but didn't deliver, although the spot probably would've been mildly amusing if it weren't buttressed by a threat to hit us with talent fees if we host the goddamn ad and don't take it down by October 6.

Fucking wet blankets.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-14-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Online, Television, Worst



In China, the Miniskirt is the New Beetle

vw_china_bejing_olympics_long_short_skirt.jpg

Is sex (or the hint of) allowed to sell in China? If you are Volkswagen and Dynamic Marketing Group is your agency then, it seems, yes. Or if it isn't sex, maybe it's the realization that things have changed in Chinese culture and the country wants the rest of the world to know it.

Out with the old and in with the new as it were. Up with the hemlines and out with subservience. China wants to join the rest of the world and wallow in rampant commercialization. Welcome to the party, China.

by Steve Hall    Aug-14-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Trends and Culture



What, Thespians Don't Play Charades?

THEATRE-HOLLAND-CASINO.jpg

Check out "Theatre" for Holland Casino. It clearly identifies its audience, demonstrates why casinos are more entertaining than a "high culture" jaunt ("It's more fun when you take part") and even made us laugh. I srsly almost choked on my couscous when dude was all, "IS IT A BOOK...?!"

Nice change from gaudy and cheesy. Good stuff by agency TBWA and production company Czar/NL.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Good, Television



Cup-a-Soup Improves Brain Power

cupasoup-strongman.jpg

And if you believe that, then you probably need it. Produced by Czar/NL for agency TBWA.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Brands, Commercials, Strange, Television



Liberty Mutual Believes in the Kindness of Man

lighthouse-libmu.jpg

In "Lighthouse," a (very!) short film by Exopolis, a wee seaside community helps light a path for ships long after technology fails them. Very cute. Created for Liberty Mutual's "Responsibility Project" by Hill Holliday.

See a previous effort, "Mandy and Lester" by RSA.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-13-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Online, Video