Creative Side of Brain Saved In Art School Ads

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Somehow, these two twisted spoots promote the Art Center College of Design. Something about the creative side of the brain. Watch the spots here and here.

by Steve Hall    May- 4-06    
Topic: Commercials, Good, Strange



Marmite Auctions Last Glass Jar, First Squeeze Tube On ebay

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Marmite, that weird spreadable, edible stuff those in the U.K. seem to love, is auctioning off its last 57 gram jar of the stuff on eBay along with the first sqeezable plastic tube of the stuff. Apparently, a glass jar of the stuff is considered a collector's item. Currently, there are 38 bids with the highest at 170 Pounds.

by Steve Hall    May- 4-06    
Topic: Guerilla, Online, Promotions, Strange



Ad Says Pump Until White, Gooey Stuff Shoots Out

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The people who created this ad are either living in a land far removed from current day culture, are completely clueless or, conversely, have a seriously twisted sense of humor. This ad for the Hasbro Super Soaker Oozinator features a gun that when pumped a few times shoots a white globular substance all over the faces and bodies of those in the ad. Sound familiar? We thought so. While we're sure it's fun to pump something until it shoots a bunch of gooey stuff, we can't help but imagine how this thing got created, reviewed and approved without a lot of snickering. Of course, we may be reading way too much into this but give it a look and decide for yourself.

UPDATE: Here's a hacked gif Hasbro probably doesn't want to see.

by Steve Hall    May- 3-06    
Topic: Bad, Commercials, Strange



Newsflash: Marketer Calls Marketer A Dick

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In really important news today, WOMMA's Andy Sernovitz has, reportedly, called BzzAgent CEO Dave Balter a dick. Read all about it here. It seems Sernovitz is miffed by all the publicity BzzAgent gets but Balter says that is no fault of his. It's just lazy journalists who hold BzzAgent up as the only practitioner in the space which, of course, is not true and Balter acknowledges that.. Ever since buzz marketing and word of mouth marketing started and back to the days of Justin Kirby (who seems to have disappeared off the face of the planet) there have been these in explicable tiffs among people in this space. I don't know if it's a young industry trying to define itself or the personalities of the people involved but I do know it's dumb and unproductive.

more »

by Steve Hall    May- 2-06    
Topic: Bad, Strange, Word of Mouth



Philips Bodygroom Adds An Inch to Manhood

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Philips/Norelco is marketing its new Bodygroom razor by focusing on what all men want: a bigger dick. Yes, following what the porn industry has known for years, the company is promoting the razor's ability to add an "optical inch" to one's manhood by making the trimming of that area simple, painless and rewarding size-wise. Forget five bladed razors. Gillette's beat that one to death. Now, it's all about removing body hair from hard to reach places and catering to men's obsession with size. Hey, woman want cleavage enhancing bras. Men ought to have a similar weapon at their disposal as well.

by Steve Hall    May- 2-06    
Topic: Good, Online, Strange



Best Buy Fearful of People Dressed Like Its Employees

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Improv Everywhere, a New York City group that likes to have "organized fun" recently gathered together eighty people, all dressed like Best Buy employees and entered, at 15 second intervals, the Best Buy on 23rd Street. The purpose of the "mission" and all of the group's missions was simply to create an event that would make for good story telling. As you read the mission here, you'll begin to realize different reactions people had and how a group of harmless people dressed alike can raise unwarranted alarm. What does this have to do with advertising? Not much but it is interesting to see how a big brand can can be so fearful of a bunch of people who happen to be dressed like the brand's employees.

by Steve Hall    May- 2-06    
Topic: Brands, Strange



Saforelle Solves Those Nasty Feminine Hygiene Issues

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Seeing a woman in a bikini is usually a very pleasant event. Not so for the poor creature in this ad that flew too close. Apparently, there are certain parts of a woman's body that carry such a stench it's murderous. This ad for Saforelle claims it doesn't have to be that way. We never knew feminine hygiene issues could be so deadly.

by Steve Hall    Apr-21-06    
Topic: Strange



Creative Directors Get Goofy For Portfolio Night IV

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If you can actually get the video to work (keep your mouse moving. We have no idea why but it helps), a collection of U.S. creative directors get their goof on to call attention to ihaveanidea's Portfolio Night IV, a multi-city portfolio review event where those interested in breaking into the business can get their work in front of America's top creatives...or at least in front of the people occupying the top spots in America's ad agencies.

by Steve Hall    Apr-19-06    
Topic: Agencies, Industry Events, Promotions, Strange



College Student Tells Donny Deutsch When She Graduates

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In a bid to get hired into the ad agency world right out of college, NYIT student Brittney placed an ad in the New York Times telling Donny Deutsch she'll be graduating May 20, 2007. Hmm...just where does a college student get enough money to place an ad in the Times? And why does she look way too model-perfect? And why would she do it one year earlier than she needs to? Something smells here. Oh wait, it's an ad for NYIT. There we go.

No matter. In an effort to provide the poor child who is about to enter one of the most cut throat, cynical vacuous business in the world, Copyranter offers some advice writing, "What Brittney hasn't put together yet is that Douche, Inc. is a shithole of a sweat shop that is coming off another shit year. Brittney, have you seen the inside of Douche's agency? It's an ugly macho concrete tomb. The days of those cute IKEA TV spots are looooong gone." Hmm, indeed. Yes, this definitely sounds like something other than a college student looking for a job.

by Steve Hall    Apr-19-06    
Topic: Agencies, Newspaper, Strange



'Sexy Champions' Rise On Cox And MTV

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Here's a commercial with way too much word play to leave alone. Placing the words "Cox," "rise" and "sexy" all in the same 30 seconds along with an over sexed Bio teacher just, well, rocks MTV2 style. Yes, this is a commercial for both Cox cable and MTV2 that uses the "rising" band Sexy Champions to gain street cred. There's another longer version of the commercial here.

by Steve Hall    Apr-12-06    
Topic: Cable, Commercials, Good, Strange