MySpace, True.com's banner whoring stomping-ground, is running an ad that's made us double-take at least six times thus far.
Are they saying men are like dogs? That men should seek out dogs instead of women? That either one of the sexes should go canine and not carnal?
They also appear to be addressing us in pup language. Sit. Stay. Date. Bark? Jump? How high? It didn't occur to us how condescending True can be, not merely in language but in branding, until just now. Is this what we've come to? Docile men, interchangeable sex kittens and one-word commands?
Well, maybe. Despite the lackluster appearance of its website, True destroys competition in the dating world right now. So tonight we've decided to hit a bar and ask members of the opposite sex to wag tails and play dead and see if it gets us laid. There's a whole fetish industry that revolves around collars and commands, so we're feeling optimistic. Thanks, True.
What, exactly, is going on in this Dolce & Gabbana ad and does it really matter? Don't fashion labels get a pass when it comes to raciness and imagery that connotes culturally questionable activities? According to National Organization for Women President Kim Gandy who told BrandWeek, "It's a provocative ad but it is provoking things that really are not what we want to have provoked. We don't need any more violence," the answer is no. Her organization plans to protest the ad and has added to a section of its website that highlights ads it feels are offensive.
One could argue the ad certainly paints a questionable picture and perpetuates an activity that certainly does not need perpetuating. Others might argue the ad, and many other fashion ads, is so over-the-top cartoonish in its desire to be "edgy," that it's a harmless toss off passed over as one glosses through the fake world of fashion magazines. What do you think?
Everyone knows the Duck. Everyone's seen the Duck. Everyone's heard the Duck. Ben Affleck shared The Tonight Show couch with the Duck. The Duck has 85 percent brand awareness. But, what the hell does the duck stand for? That's the very question New Aflac CMO Jeff Herbert is dealing with right now. He claims the Duck has gained the company awareness for awareness' sake but hasn't done a good job supporting Aflac's brand messaging. He plans to lessen the Duck's role in future marketing and, surprise, actually explain what Aflac does. Gee, now there's a novel concept. Tell people what you actually do.
Herbert has reorganized Aflac's marketing department and plans to alter the company's media mix. relying less on television.
UPDATE: Aflac to media: Damn you, you trigger-happy journalists! A recent press release pumped out rom Aflac today states, "Contrary to recent media reports, Aflac has no intention of abandoning its use of the Aflac Duck." Herbert said, "Like all of America, we love the Aflac Duck. It is as central to our marketing efforts today as it will continue to be going forward." Um, Jeff, we never said the Aflac duck was disappearing. Ad Age said its wings would be clipped and we said it would take a backseat. OK, so maybe that was misleading and we (well, at least us here at Adrants) apologize if we misconstrued things.
However, we do think your brand needs to be identified with something more than a duck. You've achieved great awareness. We still don't know what you do. Maybe we're dumb but your advertising and that of many other's could stand to be a bit more descriptive and a bit less cute. After all, you do want people to hand their money over to you? They can't do that if they don't know what you can do for them.
The Colorado department of Public Health & Environment has a new ad campaign out created by Denver's Cactus Marketing Communications and produced by Reginald Pike. While the campaign leaves the duty of informing people they shouldn't smoke in the first place to others, this campaign suggest the only way to prevent children from inhaling second hand smoke is to "step outside." All three scenarios which include the use of a fan, blowing smoke out of a car window and using aerosol spray are common, however stupid, methods smokers use to make them think their doing the right thing. Maybe this campaign will kick some of those idiots in the ass. And for fuck's sake, can you all stop throwing your cigarette butts out your car window? That's what the fucking ashtray is for, idiot! No one wants your smelly butt bouncing off their windshield.
Fashion Label Airwalk has signed pro surfer Anastasia Ashley, whose been surfing since age five, to represent the company's Airwalk Footwear in Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 advertising campaigns. Anastasia will be joining longboard champion Josh Mohr, vert skater Andy Macdonald, street skater Rodney Jones and snowboarder Jimmy Dowd on the 2007 Airwalk team.
A Los Angeles native, Anastasia has been competing in surf contests since she was six. She's won 200 local, regional and national titles. The 20-year-old pro surfer has already taken two National Scholastic Surfing Association National titles, and other professional titles including winning the Professional Surfing Tour of America, being named the Hawaiian Triple Crown Rookie of the year, and being runner up in 2006 at the ECSC W.Q.S event.
Ashley is currently competing full time on the ASP World Qualifying Serie), and is currently ranked 13th in the world rankings. And as is required by any hot, female athlete, she's done the usual Teen People, Cosmo Girl and FHM appearances.
Gawker takes a look at a recent Banana Republic ad that features what, apparently, are architects all styled up with Banana Republic fashions. Gawker wonders, as we do too, if architects really dress like this. To discover the truth, Gawker spoke to an architect, "Frankie," who works at "a large firm downtown with an eccentric, megalomaniac starchitect at the helm." A taste:
Gawker: So what is it like being surrounded by nubile 23 year olds in khaki coordinates at all times?
Frankie: I am not really sure, to be honest with you. I think I may be involved in some different types of architecture than these people.
We're not too sure how many people would turn to a wet suit to improve their ability to contort into various sexual positions but, apparently, that's what Australian wet suit maker Radiator wants us to think. The campaign's tagline clinches it: "Not As Thick. Just As Warm. All the Rubber You'll Need." Innuendo much? This comes to us courtesy of Australian agency The Furnace. All fou of the as in the campaign are available here as a PDF file or here on AdPunch.
PETA continues its naked campaign with supermodel Joanna Krupa who appears "naked" in a new anti-fur "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" print campaign for the cause group. In a video, the Polish born model tells us she received a video from her sister that showed dogs being abused in China which motivated her to become part of the campaign. She tells us there's plenty of alternatives to fur although we hope most people, aside from supermodels, of course, don't choose to go naked.
Alumni from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) started production company The Dandy Dwarves and were tapped by their alma mater to create an interactive viral marketing campaign.
The fruits of their labour? SCAD Shorts. The object: guess the title of the bizarre spot playing on the screen. The trick: titles must always have the SCAD acronym.
This is harder than it sounds but results in some weird videos.
Repeat visitors get a running chance of winning - what else? - an iPod.
Until the arrival of Danica we didn't think of racing as much of a hottie sport. But these new Allstate spots with Evernham Motorsports' Kasey Kahne might just change our minds.
Set to air during the Daytona 500, the ads continue a campaign from last year and feature yummy Kasey getting repeatedly eye-raped by women from Allstate's Girls Day Out campaign. Watch him get bullhorn-frisked, and here's a spot where he tries driving away before damage is done.
In case you're wondering, the spots are for Allstate's Accident Forgiveness and Your Choice Auto Insurance packages. Unfortunately for us the Kasey package isn't one of the plans you can add to your policy, but that's okay, because he'd probably cause more accidents than prevent them.
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