Microsoft Scoops Up $240 Million Stake in $15 Billion Facebook, Google Weeps

Late Wednesday, Microsoft announced it has taken a $240 million equity stake in Facebook, recently valued at $15 billion. As part of the deal, Microsoft will increase the scope of its existing ad sales agreement with Facebook. So it seems Microsoft is back in the online ad game. That is until Facebook flames out from hype and overexposure.

Lexus Tells Cautionary Tale in Pop-Up Form

For its "safest accidents" effort by Team One and a52, Lexus illustrates a series of hypothetical accidents with a life-sized pop-up book and quirky music.

Collisions and street scruples take on a quaint sort of charm when a paper tab slides that slick RX350 to its unfortunate fate. The company's last set of ads for this same message shared this soothing effect, clearing away the result of an accident as if it were only a matter of rearranging the props on a set.

Naturally, the moral of this story is, "The safest accidents are the ones that never happen."

Get Laid. And Maybe Paid!

No, you don't have to move to Nevada. Durex is conducting a cattle call for condom testers, ostensibly -- MBP wryly adds -- to find out how its products are performing.

"Sexual intercourse enthusiasts" who volunteer at the Condom Tester site get a handy-dandy toolkit with vibrating rings, condoms and lubricants. One volunteer gets $1,000.

Try explaining that one to mom and dad.

Anyway, we of course have registered because we're always good sports where a noble cause is concerned. Post-registration, the brave are invited to The Pants Whisperer -- which we've seen -- and Propose the Ring -- which we wish we'd caught earlier, because damned if a vibrating ring isn't a better take on the De Beers manifesto.

Kuro Turns TV into Sensual Dramatic Experience. Maybe.

Here's a spot for Pioneer's Kuro television by TBWA/Chiat Day and production firm Superfad. It's called Enter.

The ad promised to blow us away but never got around to it. Maybe our headphones need more bass or something.

Levi's Launches Branded Universe in Asian Market

Levi's has just launched a virtual world in Hong Kong and China. It has the amazing effect of chafing both our American and Asian sensibilities.

Way to go, Tequila\TBWA.

LG Goes UGC to Describe 'Life's Good'

For about $18,000 worth of electronics, LG is running a video contest where users finish the sentence, "Life's good when..."

It's a fairly interesting theme but the entries we've seen thus far have a suspiciously professional veneer and cheesy premises. There's Young at Heart, Grandma Rocks! and You Reminisce.

It all feels very Full House.

This is a more than ample opportunity to blow LG's minds. It won't be hard. And the prize seems more than worthy - our LG 22-inch screen rocks well, and it only cost a fraction of that 18 grand.

We'd shoot for it ourselves but we can't think of anything more imaginative than "Life's good when somebody sends us a super-awesome ad that isn't shrouded in press hyperbole or ripped off somebody else's idea," but that probably won't warm Danny Tanner's heart.

UPDATE: The folk at LG have informed us that the YouTube videos we saw were promotional spots. See the real stuff here. There's stuff like "Life's good when your appliances work" and "Life's good when you get retakes." Sounds sufficiently jaded to be realistic.

For Evian, It's the Outside that Counts

The bottle at left is a limited edition Evian container created by Christian Lacroix. Evian makes a line of designer bottles every year to celebrate its commitment to "chic sophistication." If you want to spend between $5.99-$9.99 for a bottle of water, you'll find this one at high-end grocery stores and good restaurants.

If your taste is too fine for a Lacroix Evian bottle, you might consider the Haute Couture variation, which is so special the PR people wouldn't even give us a cost on it. Imagine an Ice Queen variation of Mrs. Butterworth's maple syrup. She seriously looks like she'll bite off your face.

All right, Evian. Think you can spend any of that Haute Couture cash on your Second Life efforts?

Nokia: Not Just a Phone; a Cathartic Evolutionary Tool

This short video was gleaned from Nokia's Go:Play press material.

Under the premise that three screens have dramatically changed human interaction and understanding, Nokia contends that its Nseries represents the fourth such screen. Charming (could be the organ music, though). Definitely more compelling than what came out of this, and let's not even talk about that maiming-computer thing they had going on.

Props to Fresh Creation for pointing it out.

Toyota Tundra: So Tough, It Evades Disaster While Hauling 10,300 LBS!

This spot, which seems to be targeted exclusively to truckers, lumberjacks and Wrangler jeans owners, was put together by Anonymous Content.

We like how at the end you can hear everyone going, "YAAARR!"

Lexus Winks: Even Classy Cars Have Naughty Streaks

Here's a wink-wink nudge-nudge type of spot meant to tell us that while Lexus would never actually approve of making doughnuts, tearing into corners or nailing sweet spots, its '08 GS is certainly equipped to.

We like to compare this subtle new tongue-in-cheek attitude to those gleefully bad-ass -- but still luxury-class -- Audi ads.

The spot, which debuted this evening during Boston Legal, is brought to you by Team One Advertising, LA, and visual effects firm a52. We wish Lexus would try being funny more often. Generally speaking it can be a bit ho-hum.