Can't Fight Monday? Cease the Lameness. GET BETTER JOB.

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There's something apocalyptic about this Monster spot by BBDO, NY. Called "Daybreak," the premise is you shouldn't have to fight Monday. To illustrate that, a bunch of people knock down their satellite dishes, grab trashcan covers and run out to do battle against the sun -- only to walk off in defeat when the sun rises anyway.

The ad made us sad. Can't a comparison be made against this futile race to beat sunrise, and the lame way we trudged (hung OVER) into the office and passive-aggressively trawled eBay for the first three hours of the morning?

The ad debuted in early January (another debuted during Lost last night), and is part of "Your Calling is Calling." Maybe we find the spots such a consistent bummer because that slogan sounds so promising. Shouldn't Sally Housewife be cupping her ear to the kitchen window and listening for the sunny Higher Calling (inevitably, her dormant talent as a Silicon Valley-based venture capitalist)?

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Microsoft Makes $44.6 Billion Bid For Yahoo

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Microsoft, following its unsuccessful bid a year ago, has made an unexpected and unsolicited bid for troubled Yahoo as it continues its efforts to compete with and/or topple (never happen) Google. In a statement Friday, Yahoo said it will "carefully and promptly" study Microsoft's bid. Even if the takeover doesn't happen, at least Yahoo will benefit from a 50 percent jump in its share price following the news.

Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer tells us, "This is a decision we have - and I have - thought long and hard about. We are confident it's the right path for Microsoft and Yahoo."

by Steve Hall    Feb- 1-08    
Topic: Brands, Policy



Adrants Plagiarizes Agency Spy's Love For UK Levi's Campaign

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There are a few of these, but here's our favorite from a series of new print ads from BBH UK for Levi's. Possibly because there's so much obsessive "maleness" here at Adrants we like anything with hot girls in it? Don't look shocked. You all knew it, anyways. Possibly because we were the guy drooling at every girl who passed by in the high school hallway and had a cheesy Gold's Gym T-shirt on? No matter. Love it. Love it.

Go check out the entire collection over at Scamp's blog. You'll see that BBH has made a very cohesive, simple and effective campaign. (Or so says Agency Spy)

by Steve Hall    Jan-31-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Spoofs



American Apparel Launches Video Channel With Booty Shaking

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Fearless follower of all things American Apparel, Copyranter brings us American Apparel's apparent video debut with its own channel on YouTube. Now, aside from all those racy images over which everyone obsesses, we can all now obsess over booty in motion thanks to impossibly hot American Apparel model Kristen who tantalizingly wags her ass in our face while wearing polka dot panties. WTF? Is this supposed to sell clothes or become the next masturbatory fixation for teenage boys?

by Steve Hall    Jan-31-08    
Topic: Brands, Racy, Video



Hey, Deja Vu. We've Seen this Spot Before.

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Hi, I'm American Airlines. I've got some wad to blow on a :30 Super Bowl 2008 spot, but oh, I can't be bothered to put together anything new.

Ooh, wait. What about this old thing? It'll fit right in. It's got an annoying co-worker, a team-building exercise (Super Bowl ads are big on bandwagon!), some awkward humor, and a pungent element of escapism. Hey. Think someone might confuse it for a Bud Light ad?

It's perfect. Thanks, TM Advertising! Bet you didn't know this little gem would play a starring role in the biggest ad play of the year ... did you?

by Angela Natividad    Jan-31-08    
Topic: Brands, Commercials, Super Bowl 2008, Television



Dell to Give Both Old and New on Game Day

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MediaPost says Dell will be joining the Super Bowl ad foray. It's paid for two spots. An old one, called "Out with the Old" by Mother, will appear before the game starts.

Then there's a new one that will appear during the game. No word on what it'll be like but we can probably safely assume it'll push Dell's "Now available in beautiful" message -- possibly tailored to its new project (red) line.

by Angela Natividad    Jan-30-08    
Topic: Brands, Commercials, Super Bowl 2008



Three Babes Suck Justin Timberlake For Pepsi Stuff

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Fleshing out its copy point "every sip gets you closer," this BBDO NY-created Super Bowl commercial hurls Justin Timberlake through the air in response to three girls sipping their Pepsi's by the poolside. It's a simple message for Pepsi Stuff. The more you drink the more you win: Justin Timberlake MP3s, HDTVs, and millions of songs from Amazon.

by Steve Hall    Jan-30-08    
Topic: Brands, Celebrity, Good, Super Bowl 2008



What Is Love? What Is Love? What Is Love? Damn, It's A Pepsi Ad!

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OK, what, what, what is it about Hadaway's head-bobbing, dance-inducing What is Love? song from the movie Night at the Roxbury that is so insanely catchy? We can't get it out of our head! It's been there since the friggin' movie came out! Ten years! Make it stop!! Please. And damn, if Pepsi had to go ahead and use it for one of their Super Bowl spots featuring Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Macy Gray, Missy Elliott, Troy Aikman, Joe Buck and a host of others for its Diet Pepsi Max. In fact, our head's bobbing right now as we write this. It's all we'll hear during the entire game Sunday! Eesh!

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by Steve Hall    Jan-30-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Good, Super Bowl 2008



Fancy a Spanking? Don't Forget Your Pink RAZR!

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Just more contextual ad placement awkwardness, except this one gives us an unpleasant P.C.-triggered "ick" feeling.

The Adrants reader, who found the image on the Spanking Art Wikia, observed the Verizon pink RAZR ad was "Probably triggered by the 'pink' cheeks of the physically abused cartoon child."

by Angela Natividad    Jan-30-08    
Topic: Brands, Online, Worst



Because Arturo Fuente Cigars Has So Much to Gain from the Everyday Man

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"Duardo's Brand," which has a UGC feel to it (don't tell Subway!) is Raging Artists' attempt to (possibly) accomplish two things for its client:

1. Associate Arturo Fuente Cigars with the elite Cuban crowd through its choice of talent, Duardo Cantana
2. Put cigars back in the domestic space -- into the mouths of men sitting around playing guitars, and men whose wives batter them senseless for smoking indoors

Or it might be an exercise in irony. Because it's kind of "ha-ha, laugh with this artist who's just like me and you" funny and sort of "ha-ha, laugh at this thrown together wannabe UGC crap" funny.

We don't really know.

by Angela Natividad    Jan-30-08    
Topic: Brands, Celebrity, Online, Video