Forget the Snack Bars; Want Some Eye Candy with that Cuppa?

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A UK-based Kellogg's Nutri-Grain campaign aspires to bring the office tea trolley back in vogue.

I have no strong feelings about mobile snack trays, but this glorified Nutri-Grain evangelist is sizzling. (So much hotter than his American counterpart, the break room bagel guy.) He can push my trolley any day of the week -- or at least stand around pouring me tea for an indecently long time before moving onto the next hungry cog.

by Angela Natividad    May-20-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Good, Guerilla, Online



Sweden Unleashes Even More Weird McDonald's Commercials

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Back in January, after viewing a crop of really weird McDonald's commercial from DDB Stockholm, I wrote, "OMFG! WTF? We don't know what drugs they use over in Sweden but, damn, we want some now! Or at least we want to know what goes on inside the minds of DDB Stockholm Copywriter Magnus Jacobsson and Art Director Frederik Simonsson who created these three off-the-charts whacked ads for McDonald's."

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by Steve Hall    May-20-08    
Topic: Best, Brands, Commercials, Strange



Samsung Fobs Soul-Seekers Off with Eye Tricks

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Like crows drawn to scraps of tinfoil, the average person cannot resist the temptation of an optical illusion -- no matter how many times they've visited the Imaginarium.

To promote the Soul handset, Samsung presents 10 optical illusions in under two minutes. And while the use of optical illusions to promote the Soul is confusing in itself, the video has sparked an argument on Engadget over whether the actual number of illusions seen is 8 or 9. (It's definitely not 10.)

If that proved as pointless and disappointing to you as it did me, please accept my apologies and some Magic Eye porn.

by Angela Natividad    May-20-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Promotions, Video



Amstel Light Teaches Us Dutch Word for 'Beer'

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And it's a lot like the English way, actually. Also see banner variation.

Sadly, the banner doesn't sing, dance or turn monitors into open bars. Guess it won't be joining the rich media gallery.

by Angela Natividad    May-20-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Online, Poster



Terry Richardson Discusses His Work For Belvedere Vodka

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If you're the sort of person who enjoys listening to creative people prattle on endlessly about their work and how what they magically make "flowers open up," then you'll love this new section of the Belvedere website in which photographer Terry Richardson discusses his work for the vodka brand. He even says "fuck" which seemingly makes sense since the brand is re-birthing itself as the bad guy of upscale vodkas.

To view, go here, choose country, answer age question, skip stupid intro, click Discover Luxury Reborn, Click Terry's Room. Don't you love the simplicity of navigating a Flashturbation site?

"Fuckin' Liberating!"

by Steve Hall    May-20-08    
Topic: Brands



Yellowbook Promises to Wipe Away Past Mistakes, Present Inadequacies

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To distinguish itself from its older and heavier rival, Yellowbook reimagines itself as a kind of digital genie, bestowing not merely phone numbers but self-confidence and clean slates. Instantly.

This is not the first time a lower-back tat has been used to sell something it shouldn't. The VW Touareg, Livescribe and Office Max have tread that valley before (and left the ink stains to prove it). Lower still: Hyundai.

Back to Yellowbook. The campaign is called "Say Yellow to the Future" and was put together by Gotham. No word on whether you can muzzle your virtual concierge if you find him too invasive.

by Angela Natividad    May-19-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Online, Television



Microsoft to Close Web With Yahoo Search, Facebook?

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Who can keep up with this insanity? Since Ballmer couldn't have his way with Yahoo, he's now going at it from a different angle allegedly discussing with Yahoo a partnership or acquisition of Yahoo Search. John Furrier also seems to think Microsoft will scoop up the rest of Facebook as well.

While nothing, of course, is clear and won't be until if and when any deal is penned, Microsoft taking over Facebook is a scary thought. Robert Scoble makes the argument a Microsoft acquisition of Yahoo Search and Facebook would lead to a closed web over which Microsoft would have complete control while Google would be locked out leaving "data and social graph portability ... dead on arrival."

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by Steve Hall    May-19-08    
Topic: Brands, Online, Social



Current TV Takes A Look at Dov Charney's T-Shirt Obsession

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If you weren't already skeeved out by Dov Charney and his racy (pedophilic?) American Apparel antics, you will after watching this CurrentTV Super News video which takes a look behind the scenes at Dov and his t-shirt fetish. Dov calls this success citing America Apparel's role in helping America out perv the top five pervy nations "by a perv factor of six and a half inches."

by Steve Hall    May-19-08    
Topic: Brands, Good, Racy, Video



This is called 'Get in the Loop.' That Doesn't Mean You'll Want To

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For its client Qwest, Draftfcb uses the common man -- and the common woman, and their common kids -- to appeal to their counterparts in your living room.

The campaign is called "Get in the Loop" and is not at all extraordinary.

by Angela Natividad    May-18-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Outdoor, Television



Reason #246 to Never Move to Cleveland: Vermin-Infested Home Games

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It's hard to imagine an ad like this would compel you to buy seats to an Indians game. But you have to admire the players' focus despite such uninviting conditions. (The Yankees, in contrast, look flustered and pitiable.)

Alternatively, the bugs may just be flocking because the team never bathes, in which case it's easy to imagine the Indians are so "focused" because the bugs are part of who they are. Remember Pig-Pen?

Anyway, this spot is part of the Indians' "Are you in the Tribe?" campaign. The idea is to instill a sense of territorial pride in Clevelanders -- kind of an offshoot of MLB's Baseball Country effort.

by Angela Natividad    May-16-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Television