Revo Shoots and Hits
Pretty entertaining commercial out of Ukraine. I like the animation, but the song is kind of annoying.
5.31.2007
Schick Quattro Wipes the Clouds Away
Awesome idea here. The second part of the banner is sky blue, making it appear to be erasing the clouds as it passes. Would suck if it was a clear day, though.
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Pinstripes in the Park Hosts Roger Clemens
Tonight I checked out Pinstripes in the Park. It's an event in Bryant Park where the Yankee game is broadcast live on a giant screen for fans to sit and watch in the park. It was a really fun event, with a huge turn-out. Yankees legends made appearances, as well as newly returned Yankee Roger Clemens, shown in the video above. The night was sponsored by Continental Airlines, and they held raffles all night long for airline tickets, Yankee tickets and memorabilia. The Yankees even managed to win the game, which made the night even better. I definitely recommend Pinstripes in the Park to any Yankee fan. Can't wait for next year.
5.30.2007
Agency Website Crashes Beautifully
Forget about all the agencies with flashy Flash sites. Who cares where your VPs came from and what they do in their spare time? Atlanta agency WestWayne has one of the best company sites out there, and it looks as if it doesn't even work. But read the copy, and you're hooked. A very gutsy move, and I think it was worth it.
Wall Street Journal is Looking for a Few Good Creative Leaders
The Wall Street Journal is holding a challenge. The challenge is to nominate your favorite creative leader by crafting an ad featuring them. Seems like a great way to kiss both cheeks of your boss' ass. The winner of the contest will have their ad featured in "one of the industry's most respected campaigns". I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds real nice. You'll also get to travel to NYC and attend a creative leaders breakfast at MOMA. Now that's a prize.
The Wall Street Journal Creative Leaders site seems to still be under some development, but you can browse around and get more info, as well as headshots of Alex Bogusky. He's so dreamy.
Smart Advertising is Very Smart
This is one of the last places I would have expected to see advertising, but it proves to be one of the best. I love the creative idea, the only thing I don't quite understand is how much traffic this ad would actually see. Do that many boats really pass under this bridge? The copy of the diagram above states that this "could be seen from miles away." Really? Doesn't seem so to me. Whatever the case, this is a great piece of advertising.
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Shedwa's Six: Dave Polonsky of Manhattan
Name: Dave Polonsky
Title: New Yorker
Blog: Can You Dig (launching soon)
SHEDWA: What appealed to you about New York City to make you move here after college?
DAVE POLONSKY: It was essentially a no-brainer. I decided that after I graduated I wanted to stay in the States for a few years, and in my opinion, when comparing the different areas and cities within the States, nothing appealed more to my interests and lifestyle then our fair city.
It is difficult to sum up what makes New York; New York. Sometimes it is the small strange things, like a friendly and talkative 4 year old jumping rope at 3 AM outside a laundry mat when you are bar-hopping. Sometimes it is the larger scale things, like being in an amazingly diverse city that allows no limit to the amount of culture you can absorb. But I constantly find myself thinking, "Shit, only in New York."
You just meet amazing people from different backgrounds on almost a daily basis. The convenience of choosing between a Vietnamese, Greek or Polish restaurant at 4 AM is certainly a perk. NYC is limitless in its ability to show you something new, whether it is discovering a new park, or mosying around a new area of a various borough that you never got a chance to discover before. I guess the simple answer is that New York is a gigantic playground for adults, and within my travels around the US and abroad, I haven't been to a city that has captured that magic so beautifully.
S: How's living in Hell's Kitchen been?
DP: Hell's Kitchen is an interesting area of Manhattan. It boasts an amazing selection of bars and restaurants, and it is a convienent area to get from place to place within Manhattan. It definitely does not possess the edge or fire of Brooklyn or the Lower East Side. I suppose that is my only quip with the HK, its convenient and affordable; it just needs some more people with tattoo's on their face or something to brighten my day.
S: What's your favorite area for nightlife?
DP: Depends. If I just want to go out and have a good time, my bread and butter has to be Alphabet City, an extension of the Lower East Side. They have some amazing bars, all with fantastic themes going for them. A personal favorite is Lava Gina, where everything is shaped like a pink triangle….it also has some great spots for dining as well, I suggest Les Enfants Terribles to satisfy your North African cuisine needs. It is an incredible place to just walk around and find new spots; it never ceases to amaze me.
If you are in the club mood, the Meat Packing District, while quite expensive, will allow you to get your boogie on! I suggest looking into one of the many email newsletters and/or Time Out New York that gives weekly updates about special events going on around town. Every week brings a new shipment of DJs and musicians from around the world.
S: Mets or Yankees?
DP: Ha! I'm surprised you tee'd this one up! I don't understand how anyone can really be a fan of paid mercenaries, who don't appear to have any fun at all on the field. It's like aspiring to work as a data entry clerk, there is no heart involved and you only get noticed if you fail. I can't imagine a more pointless fandom then being a Yankees fan. It's like rooting for the dealer in blackjack.
A quote from one of my favorite blogs, Faith and Fear in Flushing:
"Now, soulless front runners are slow on the uptake, the Yankees have been good for a long time, and we've only been good for a short time -- because of all that, most of them currently fancy themselves Yankee fans. (I guarantee this annoys real Yankee fans, too.) If the Yankees got bad and we stayed good, the soulless front runners would indeed take off their Yankee caps. But their next move wouldn't be to hide in their apartments and shut the fuck the up for the rest of their lives, unfortunately -- they'd go out, buy our caps without an ounce of shame, and start woofing about the Mets. This pool of New York asshole semi-fans is loyal to nothing but fashion and the standings. If you're wishing statistical famine on the Yankees, you're accepting that this tide would start washing up on our shores.
Put another way, some of my friends like to bemoan the march of crappy chain restaurants and touristy bars into New York City. I like to counter with a fervent plea for more such places -- if there were a Planet Hollywood on every corner, it would be like a drain for the clueless to get sucked into, leaving more room for me and my friends at more-interesting locales. The Yankees are the Planet Hollywood of baseball -- a glitzy, soulless, overheated brand name for dolts and louts to gawk at. Close down Planet Hollywood, and those dolts and louts might crowd you out of your local spot. So peace of a sort be on you, Yankees. From now on, I wish you just enough success to keep the mooks hypnotized by your various three-ring circuses."
S: If you could change one thing about New York City, what would it be?
DP: The winter, but then again, I imagine New York summers wouldn't be such a treat without those horrible New York winters. That and all the slow, oversized tourists from Texas (sorry V!) clogging up Times Square on my walk to work.
S: Any suggestions or advice for tourists or people new to the city?
DP: Dive right in, find your groove, don't be shy (did I just accidently quote a 60's R&B lyric?). In a city that is as eclectic and fun as NY there is absolutely no reason to not be yourself and find the part of the city that connects to you.
Get yourself a Time Out New York or check out Craigslist and you'll find people who are into your scene, or maybe discover a new scene that you never knew existed. New York offers what no other city can offer, and its just a matter of appreciating where you are and taking advantage of the opportunity!
P.S. Also, please, don't stop in the middle of the sidewalk to snap a photo. Move to the side!
Check back each Wednesday for a new Shedwa's Six interview.
Absolut Pillow Protest
Kind of a strange direction for Absolut, I think. But, it's an entertaining commercial. I like how the pillows explode on impact.
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Volkswagen Uses Rabbits to Recreate Rocky
Quick commercial for the Volkswagen Fox. It tells the story of Rocky in 30 seconds with the use of animated bunnies. Hooray!
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Yellow Pages Billboards Get Creative
These are very nice. They look like spec work or mock-ups, though, with most of the scenery being the same in different executions. Great ideas though, they should definitely run these.
5.29.2007
Animal Food Hybrids are Funny
Haha...these are funny looking. Copy reads, "Don't let smells mix. Biolyse system refrigerator." The idea isn't really that great, but the execution is just fun to look at. I want one of those clay food animals for my desk.
Volkswagen Steals Landmarks
These Volkswagen ads are kinda strange. Why are they jamming the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty into trucks? Can anyone translate the copy and shed some light on these?
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SOK is a Super Cheap Supermarket
Not ground breaking, but simple and gets the message across. Copy reads, "The real cheap supermarket." I like it.
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5.28.2007
Toyota Commercial Plays Out Wonderfully
This Toyota commercial is different than any car commercial I have seen lately, and I love that. It's entertaining and the style is unique. The only problem is that it leaves me wanting to go see a play more than go buy a car.
5.27.2007
A Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge
Today, my girlfriend and I took advantage of the great NYC weather and embarked on a walk across The Brooklyn Bridge. We walked from the Manhattan side to the Brooklyn side, and it was a lot of fun. There are lots of scenic views along the trip across, including the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the South Street Seaport. A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge is definitely recommended to any New Yorker or New York City tourist. Enjoy the pics from my stroll.
Berkeley Snowboards Sound Great
I really like the copy on these Berkeley Snowboard ads, but I'm a little on the fence about the art direction. I don't really get why they chose to make it look like a fairytale book. There doesn't really seem to be any reason for it. Anybody have any ideas or disagree?
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Adidas Adicolor Ads are Brilliantly Designed
These are great. I love how the cut-out stripes allow the posters underneath to show through. Great idea, great plan and great execution.
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People Make the Best of Global Warming for WWF
Great global warming commercial for the WWF. Simple, but oh so sweet. Plus, I was a huge Mister Rogers' Neighborhood fan, so there ya go.
5.26.2007
Seinfeld's Tom's Restaurant Visit
Today, I made the long journey up to Tom's Restaurant, the famous diner from Seinfeld. It's located at 112th St and Broadway in Manhattan.
From the outside, the place looks exactly as it does on the show, but once you walk in, it's not a thing like the portrayal on show. The only thing that reminds you of the Seinfeld connection is the autographed photos on the walls and customers taking photos of themselves in the booths. Don't expect Elaine and George to walk in and sit down next to you, or Kramer to stop by trying to pitch his latest scheme. Nope, what you can expect is decent priced food at a classic New York diner, complete with paying cash only at the old time cash register. Definitely a spot worth checking out for any Seinfeld fan.
Free Star Wars Advertisements
I came across these Star Wars wild postings today on the Upper West Side. What's cool about them is that they are actually free posters! They tear right off for you to take home. Admittedly, I'm not a big Star Wars guy, but I grabbed a few for my little brothers, who are. Get 'em while they last.
Orange Makes the New York City Blackout Fun Again
This is a pretty touching spot from Orange. It takes the New York City blackout of 2003 and turns it into something for the better; just as a lot of people did during that time.
Thanks Chandrachoodan.
Memorial Day Heat Hits NYC
Happy long weekend everyone. Get out there and enjoy the warm and sunny NYC weather while you can. It's supposed to turn to rain by Memorial Day.
Virgin Atlantic has Huge Puke Bags
I came across these oversize Virgin Atlantic puke bags yesterday in the West Village. They're a really great idea, but who is actually going to stand there and read all that copy? And then the logo is just small in the bottom corner. I don't think anyone who is just wandering past will really notice them or pay them any attention.
Skoda Fabia is Good Enough to Eat
Great commercial here for the new Skoda Fabia. The music fits perfectly, and the cake building is entertaining. Enjoy.
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5.25.2007
Nothing is What It Seems to Be in Germany
These ads are for Süddeutsche Zeitung Criminal Thrillers, out of Germany. Copy reads, "Nothing is what it seems to be." and is strategically placed next to something sinister in the image. I really like these a lot. They look great, and have a good idea but don't try to hard. Very intriguing and they make me want to know more.
Crest Makes a Giant Manhattan Rent Statement
This is a good try for Crest. I like the giant letters that spell 'Manhattan' and then word 'rent' between them, but the whole thing just doesn't really do much. It kinda just sits there, trying to give you a message, but I really don't know what that message is trying to say. You're never going to take the rent out of Manhattan. Crest would have done better, I think, with something more practical or true.
UPDATE: This is an extension of the print campaign, shown below.
Campari is Pleased Salma Hayek has Big Melons
Here's an old picture of Salma Hayek's wonderful chest used in an ad for Campari. That's really all I have to say about it.
UPDATE: Now with another boobtastic execution.
UPDATE: Now with additional images from the photo shoot, below.
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MTN Goes and Makes Something
Great commercial. Very fun and entertaining. I'm not sure what MTN is, though. Anyone know?
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Shedwatoon 6: Free Lunch
This cartoon is the sixth in a weekly series drawn by a talented illustrator named Victoria Levan. Check back each Friday for a new Shedwatoon.
HD-bot Wanders Aimlessly
I want to like this Comcast HD commercial, but I don't get it. What the hell is the HD-bot doing? I was waiting for a payoff at the end, but I was just left hanging. Anyone have any insight?
Havainas Outdoors Walk All Over the Building
A couple days ago I posted about the Havaianas sandals print campaign. Now, here's the outdoor effort of the campaign. I like these even more. The art direction and design is great again, but the strap being a sculpture popping out of the building puts it over the edge. Awesome work.
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CIA Athletica Offers Connect-the-Dots Training
Copy reads, "Draw your new body." Ah, if only it were that easy. I think for most people, 'Erase your own body' is more their goal.
5.24.2007
Havaianas Sandals Bring in Summer
These are great. I love the art direction and all of the bright colors. So wonderful and summery. It's definitely feeling like sandal weather again.
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Drinking Leaves You in a Giant Glass the Next Day
These are great. Copy reads, "Was last night really worth it? It's not the drinking - It's how we're drinking. Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand." I love the idea of the glass encompassing the person in their own little bubble. Man, hangovers suck.
Crash Dummies Come Alive
Great commercial. Kinda of graphic at the end, but it sends a good message. I love dummy land!
5.23.2007
Land Rover Gets Closer
I really like this ad for Land Rover, but I just have a few questions. First of all, what kind of lizard/dinosaur/alligator is that? Secondly, what the hell is the Land Rover doing driving into the water? Strange. Copy reads, "Get closer."
Sprite Shows Wind Surfing and Airports Don't Mix
This is a viral attempt for Sprite. Good try, but I don't think it has the goods to make many rounds on the web.
Aspirin Headline Needs Deciphering
Headline reads...of course I don't know what the headline reads, I don't have the time to sit and decipher the damn thing. Good Aspirin ad anyways.
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Nikon Coolpix Comes with Complete Lighting Crew
I kinda like these. Tagline reads, "Invisible assistance with every picture." Art direction is nice and the idea is pretty solid. It matches nicely with the tagline.
Sanyo Xacti Makes Your Hand Crazy Looking
These are pretty cool looking. The art direction is nice, and the idea isn't bad.
Shedwa's Six: Shawn Waite of Shedwa
Name: Shawn Waite
Title: Publisher
Blog: Shedwa
The following questions were submitted by David Wen of Welcome to The Ranch.
DAVID WEN: What is living/working in NYC like?
SHEDWA: Exciting. I love it. I work at a small art and design studio with a team of about 5 people, plus freelancers here and there. We work on a wide range of projects from books to websites to board games to packaging for powerful clients. Every day is different and there's always new things popping up. NYC has been a great place to get my career started because there are so many resources and opportunities. I love grabbing a bagel each morning, going to work on the subway and seeing people of all walks of life doing the same thing. It's very motivating.
NYC life is amazing. I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, one of the most up and coming neighborhoods in New York City. It's a hipster crowd, full of young artists and musicians. There's always something to do or somewhere new to explore. I love roaming the Manhattan streets or lounging at Sheep Meadow in Central Park. I come from a very small town originally (it's ordinary to see a tractor stopped at the town's lone stop-light there), so the city is much different, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now.
DW: What is the cost of living like?
S: Horrible. I've never really lived anywhere else on my own before, so I don't have much to compare it to, but it's steep. Apartments are very expensive, but I was lucky to find a relatively low cost share. Granted it offers waterfalls from the ceiling to balance the lack of heat, but it works for now. Food is expensive too, but I've managed to find some deals around the city that get me by. I think the lifestyle and opportunities the city offers are well worth the cost of living.
DW: Would you ever move somewhere else?
S: I always wanted to live in New York City. I loved coming to visit and really liked the atmosphere and vibe of the place. Now that I have lived here for a good amount of time, I'm seeing that it's not where I want to plant my roots forever (at least right in the city). I want to stay here for quite a while longer, but I think I will eventually move out into the suburbs, raise some kids and paint a picket fence white.
DW: Is it really the "city that never sleeps"?
S: Definitely. There's always something open and always people somewhere. You could walk out of a club at 4am and there's still tons of people in the streets, traffic, restaurants open, etc. Besides the social life aspect, the working city never sleeps either. I've had some late nights Photoshopping images and sweating out deadlines. It's not my favorite part of it all (I do love sleep), but it's just another unique aspect of the Big Apple.
DW: I heard taxes are horrible. Is that true?
S: Again, this is the first place I have really lived on my own and paid my own taxes. I suggest that people hire a Certified Public Accountant to prepare their taxes, rather than online or HR Block for example. It may cost a bit more than some other services, but they will find you more money and you'll save in the long run. It was so simple to file and deal with all of the federal, state and city taxes.
DW: Why do you think the global advertising industry is centered in NYC?
S: For many reasons. There are so many cultures present here, that the talent pool is very diverse. Companies can hire a wide range of people and therefore offer a wide range of services. Also, so much business goes on in NYC and I think clients like having their ad agencies close and able to meet with them when needed. I do, however, think that with all of this social media and the changing face of advertising that the global ad industry may not be so NYC centered in the future. I don't think huge agencies will dominate the business to such an extent, and therefore smaller shops will be able to thrive in other regions and cities.
Check back each Wednesday for a new Shedwa's Six interview.
BrandBase Wants You to Give Them a Call
Dutch agency BrandBase has released this viral hopeful, where you can call this poor schlub, Gilles and he will answer the phone. He'll be speaking in Dutch of course, so have your translator ready.
Juicy Fruit Shows that Sex is Fun
These are great. Copy reads, "Compressed fun." The sex one is especially fun. Click to enlarge and explore the images.
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5.22.2007
KFC Recycles Videos to Sell Buckets of Chicken
This is a new KFC ad that uses CGM from MySpace and YouTube and mashes it all together to make it appear the people are happy about their chicken. You'd think being that they were handed millions of videos to work with, they could have come up with something a little more exciting, engaging or entertaining. My little sister could have made this thing, and I don't even have a little sister.
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Mac vs. PC South Park Style
There's been many spoofs of the Mac vs. PC campaign, but this has to be one of the best. It's funny and they do a great job of highlighting the annoying error messages and wheels that come along with the machines.
Couple Makes Out All Over Town in Ray-Ban Viral
Here's a viral video from Ray-Ban. Watch as the couple drags their public display of affection through the streets. I wonder if they take the sunglasses off during actual sex.
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Border Patrol is Just a Big Football Game
Such a great commercial. It's not new, but I just had to post it. Goalllllll!
ProBlogger Meetup in NYC Again
Well, if you missed the first one, ProBlogger is holding another NYC meetup. This one will be held Saturday, June 9th from 7-10pm at The Speakeasy. The event will be hosted by Chitika. I attended the last ProBlogger meetup, and it proved to be a good time. It was fun to meet other serious bloggers and mingle in a social setting. I'm not sure if I will be able to make it this time, but it's a possibility.
ProBlogger Meetup
Saturday, June 9th, 7pm to 10pm
The Speakeasy
442 Amsterdam Ave (b/w 81st and 82nd St)
Renault is a Great Bait for Giant Fisherman
Man, I love when car commercials are actually good. This Renault spot, featuring a giant fisherman is one hell of a spot. I can't wait for the sequel, where the giant eats all his catches.
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Chupa Chups Get Scientific
Kinda cool. The art direction is nice, and the visuals are fun to look at.
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5.21.2007
Diesel Hopes for Global Warming this Season
Copy reads, "Global warming ready." What the hell kind of tagline is that for a clothing line? Are they actually using the threat of global warming to their advantage and try to sell more clothes? At least the art direction is amazing. I like seeing what the world might look like under water.
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Axe Presents Essence Beach Showercam
Playing on the voyeur in all of us, Axe has launched the Essence Beach Showercam. Strategically placed over the public shower, you get to control the temperature of the water and watch the results play out. Hot or cold? Choose wisely.
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Cowboy Equestrian for Shweppes
Ha...I don't really get it, but it's interesting. I'd rather see the bull destroy the equestrian ring.
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5.20.2007
Belgian Senate Candidate Willing to Give 40,000 Blowjobs
This is Belgium's NEE party senate candidate Tania Derveaux, and she is serious about jobs. So serious in fact, that she is promising to give 40,000 blowjobs to anyone who signs up for one on the NEE page. She's even done the math, and that will be 80 blowjobs a day for 500 days. Man, Belgian elections are so much more fun.
UPDATE: Tania has received more than her share of blowjob requests, so her assistant has taken over. You can get your virtual blowjob right here (NSFW).
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Toyota Land Cruiser Will Eat Everything in Its Path
Copy reads, "Land Cruiser. Be top of the food chain." I like the art direction, the idea is kinda flat though.
5.19.2007
New Animated AIDS Ad
Here's another version of the AIDES campaign out of France. I love these things. The soundtracks are great, and the animations are so amusing. Check out the previous two here.
Dance Parade 2007 Hits New York City
Dance Parade 2007 hit the streets of Manhattan today. It was the first annual Dance Parade, and quite a sight to see. Lots of dancers of many various styles and music blasting from floats moving down the streets. The parade concluded at Washington Square Park, where the party continued with live music and of course more dancing. Enjoy some video from the day, above.
Volvo Holds The Hunt for Pirates of the Caribbean Treasure
Attention treasure hunters. Volvo is holding an online contest, along with Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, called The Hunt. You have the chance to find a treasure chest containing $50,000 and the keys to a Volvo car. You can play around online for a while, but eventually you have to visit a Volvo dealership to continue your hunt. Good luck, buckanear.
Convert Your Videos to iPod Format
Want to enjoy your favorite videos and movies on your iPod? PQ DVD iPod Converter does just that. It makes your DVDs iPod friendly, and does it fast. You can purchase, download and install the software easily and be on your way to jamming your iPod with great videos. If you're not completely sold yet, there is also a free trial version. So, get the most out of your iPod with PQ DVD today.
This is a sponsored post.
5.18.2007
Land Rover Lenticular Garners Attention
Saw this while walking on West 44th Street today. It's an outdoor ad for Land Rover that uses lenticular images to create the appearance of the car driving towards you as you walk past. Definitely eye catching.
Get Addiction Treatment and Information Today
Are you addicted to an illegal substance? Do you want to get help now? Here's a great 28 day drug rehab program, located in Michigan, offering detoxification and social education to fight and beat drug addiction. Stopyouraddiction.com offers lots of information about treatment, as well as information on abuse and recovery. Take the first step to a healthy lifestyle today, or tomorrow may never come.
This is a sponsored post.
Shrek the Third Opens with HP Ad
Shrek the Third comes out today. Enjoy Princess Fiona's HP ad, above, and see more clips from the movie at the YeTube page.
SPI Insulating Windows Keep Predators Out of Your Home
Pretty nice art direction, but the message is kind of off. Copy reads, "Insulating windows." Are they trying to communicate some underlying global warming thing? Whatever. Anything that's keeping polar bears and sharks out of my living room is alright in my book.
Cartoon Girl Strips in Eye Chart
Haha...that's one way to encourage good eye sight. This is for Bausch&Lomb. Click to enlarge and maybe you can make out some mosquito bites.
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Renault Brings Pictograms to Life
I love these. It's a great idea to bring the pictograms to life, and the results look awesome. Copy reads, "New Renault Megane. It's dangerous out there." Fantastic work.
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Pepsi Energy Cola Saves You from Being Shamed
Highlighting what your "friends" will do to you if you pass out at a party, Pepsi brings us these ads for their energy cola. Copy reads, "Don't sleep at the party." Thanks for the warning, bud.
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Shedwatoon 5: Account Loss
This cartoon is the fifth in a weekly series drawn by a talented illustrator named Victoria Levan. Check back each Friday for a new Shedwatoon.
Burger King Tells their Own Fairy Tales
These are kinda nice. For the kids, at least. They are student work from the Miami Ad School of Brazil. Copy reads, "It's another story." which doesn't really make much sense to me.
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5.17.2007
Rev It Up with Fresh from Florida
Here's a campaign from Florida Agriculture, which is a $87 Billion industry providing food to throughout the globe. Fresh From Florida markets Florida Agriculture all over the world, showing the importance and impact of Florida's Farmers. This video features their race car marketing effort. But where's the Florida oranges? Where's the beaches? Come on Florida, show me something.
This is a sponsored post.
WWF Uses the Sun to Stop Global Warming
I think this is such a great idea and execution, but I'm curious as to where this ad is placed. If it's on a highway, then forget about it. No way anyone passing by at 60mph would ever see the incredible genius of the shadow creeping up. Great job, though.
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Free Classifieds with Itsmymarket.com
Want to browse your local classifieds? Need to search for or sell something? Then check out itsmymarket.com's free classifieds. The site offers tons of categories for you to browse, or freely post to. Itsmymarket.com also offers a dating service, blogs, localised weather reports and even local cinema listings, so they are sure to have something for everyone. You can find the love of your life, buy a boat to sail her in and get tickets to her favorite show all in one place. Oh, and then of course buy a baby carriage for the product of your love. The site is primarily UK based, but could also appeal to anyone, anywhere. So, get over there and find what you want and need.
This is a sponsored post.
5.16.2007
Sprite Spot Sucks
What the hell? I literally threw my arms up in disgust at the end of this commercial. It had so much potential, so much intrigue, and it all ended leaving me feeling cheap and dissatisfied. Seriously Sprite, get a clue. Sit in your corner office for fifteen more minutes and develop a decent ending.
You Could Change Advertising Forever, but You Probably Won't
This is a little video for Change Advertising Forever, a site that is trying to connect advertisers and media generating consumers via their social media type program.
How it works according to the site, is that advertisers will pay to have their "requests for brilliance" posted, people can browse them and create ads for those they want to try their hand at. The advertisers then may choose to actually use your shit and maybe pay you something for it. The site has yet to launch, but I have a feeling it's not going to last very long. Why would advertisers want to do all the work of posting their assignments and then have to wade through all the trash they get back. And on the other end, the 'creatives' throw out their ideas for free, hoping someone might bite and then throw them a bone. Come on.
I guess this is one step towards making the CGM even more main stream. Whether that step is moving forward or backward is for you to decide.
McCann Shows You How Your Future Sucks
Ha...sad but true. Copy reads, "See what happens when you leave school." These are for the McCann Worldgroup Internship program.
Matchbox Makes Your Car Look Small
So great. Put this together with life-size toys and soon our whole world will be a giant miniature.
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Shedwa's Six: John of Homeless Family
Name: John
Title: Publisher
Blog: Homeless Family
SHEDWA: When and why did you start Homeless Family's Blog?
JOHN: The blog started at a point that I realized I was making attempts that weren't making headway within resources in just getting out of a hotel room and onto floor space, before getting to the 'street stage'. I thought that creating a running log would illustrate this problem in a chronological manner, as well as be able to give me firsthand knowledge for others to know where to go without wasting time. It's horrible being homeless with a family. It's another to have to drag them needlessly across town from one location to another, just to be told "So sorry, try elsewhere."
S: What was the biggest impact of the blog on your homelessness?
J: Validation. Some of the simplest words of encouragement from other bloggers, local and international, gave me sparks. "Compelling," "pundant" and other words I've never compared myself to were being said of me on other blogs. There were people that read posts I made that in many cases were gut wrenching periods to think about. You're your own worst critic I guess, but those are strong adjectives. Sometimes my eyes water thinking about it...what I went through...what I wrote...what someone thought when reading...and what they wrote.
S: You were not alone in your homelessness, as you have a family. What things kept you together and strong through that time?
J: Iraq. In the early 1990's, many families had to flee Iraq's leader's forces or face death. They carried and hauled what they could, many times blankets, and headed north to the mountains. They made tents out of sticks and those blankets, and had to walk sometimes miles for fresh water. I kept that image in my mind when things got painful inside at first, knowing THEY got through homelessness. They were families, they were laughing, they were living. It showed me that to live as a family does not mean to have that image tied to a place.
S: What is the single most thing you attribute to beating homelessness?
J: Better parenting. Regardless of whatever individual factor, you have to look at the relationship of the person that's homeless and the parenting that was afforded them as a child. That's the real cause of chronic homelessness. Everything else is a blame shift. If you blame the job or career, then it's not accepting the fact of better career choices not looked at years ago. To get to the root and solve the problem more effectively, service providers need to revamp their business model and how they do things. Look at any location's staff and determine if these people are employed in jobs or actual career paths.
S: Now that you are not homeless, what purpose does the blog serve?
J: While we're no longer homeless, we're still in the first year of transition out of it. The reason for continuing on for the moment is to give the readers the chance to see the mindset and difference a person has while in two very different situations, as well as the 'migration of the mind'. There's many things that are still barriers during this phase, and the blog is a chance to see that as it occurred over different time frames.
Also, vanity. My Google PageRank is 2, while a search of 'homeless family' on both MSN and Yahoo search engines puts my site as #1! Google...that's tougher. If you look at the blog, there's not many links to other blogs or 'linklove'...a few, but nothing compared to other sites. That's something I want to use as a positive manner in some way with future endeavors at Homelessinjax.com. I don't know just how yet, but I'm patient.
S: What are your 5 favorite blogs?
J: Joey Marchy's Urban Jacksonville and Karen's daysleeper are two of my favorite locals. Joey and Karen were two of the people that commented (on their blogs) about my blog when it hadn't been out long. Both are local and have really nice blogs. Both of them touched my heart when I first read their posts and comments. Since then I've followed them quietly and really enjoyed the styles both have.
The next two are a combination of sorts: I am a member of MyBlogLog and FuelMyBlog. The sites of other members I find there of initial interest I plug into my Google Reader. Both Eric and Kevin (from the respective sites) are really putting effort into their work and have commended me for my effort. I'm really pleased where both have been, and where they're going.
Lastly, my local media sites. Most noteably are local news television Fox30's Jeff Butera and freely distributed news magazine Folio Weekly's Owen Holmes, and their coverage of homeless issues in Jacksonville, Florida without being sided. They've put a face and great effort in their stories about me and my family, while showing people that homelessness isn't a dirty word.
Check back each Wednesday for a new Shedwa's Six interview.
Elave has Nothing to Hide with Naked People
Elave has nothing to hide, and neither does their web spokeswoman. She bares it all while guiding you through the brand's site (NSFW). You can watch the commercials there too, which also feature lots of big breasts and naked asses. That casting process must have been fun.
5.15.2007
Baby Gets Kicked in Face in NYC Subway Station
Wow...gotta love when babies make guest appearances in NYC subway shows. This was at the Times Square station in Manhattan.
Aqualtis Underwater World is Magnificent
Very, very cool spot for Aqualtis. I love the world it creates and the simple message.
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VW Ads Need Translation
These VW ads look really interesting, but I have no clue what they say. A little help from my friends please?
Fanta Looks Fantastic
Very nice. I just love the look of these. The colors and textures make such a nice composition. So much better than those annoying "Wanna Fanta?" girls.
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Subway Hero Wesley Autrey on Deal or No Deal
Continuing his string of fame, freebies and lifetime chances, New York City subway hero Wesley Autrey is set to appear on Deal or No Deal next Monday. The preview for the episode looks crazy with Autrey receiving offers of $305,000 before his friend/wife faints. I love this guy, he really is my hero. Watch him go for the million May 21st at 8pm on NBC.
UPDATE: Autrey had a pretty good run at the million. He made it to the three final cases and a $305,000 offer before choosing the million dollar case. He ended up going home with $25, but got a free Jeep out of the deal.
SilverJet Offers Restrooms for Lesbian Mile-High Club
Alright, so I guess men just have to hold it. At least they might catch a lesbian mile-high show while they do.
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VW Says Marry a Gas Attendant
Pretty funny spot. Giving hope to gas station attendants everywhere. These are a series of ads, the following two are below.
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5.14.2007
Michel Gondry Makes Personal HP Ad
I like the whole HP "The computer is personal again" campaign, but this might be my favorite. It features director Michel Gondry. Very nice animation and effects.
Happy Mother's Day from MaternaCord
Wish I would have found this yesterday, but oh well, it's still worth a belated post.
Malibu Banana Asks How Do You Banana
Another consumer generated media (CGM) contest. This time for Malibu Banana. These things are becoming too standard; create a video, upload it to YouTube, have others vote, win some prize. If anybody even cares to enter these things anymore, do so over at the MalibuBanana YouTube page.
Australia's Biggest Toy Sale Advertised with Giant Toy Men
That is so awesome. Two guys dressed in wrestling suits with giant hands strapped on them. Copy on the floor reads, "Australia's biggest toy sale." I love it. I wish I would have seen this in person.
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5.13.2007
Axe Shower Gel Makes a Mess
Copy reads, "Any excuse to get dirty." Pretty pointless, but they've got some nice views.
5.12.2007
Day After Tomorrow Billboard Gets Submerged
I'm not sure if this is real or fake, but it's a damn good idea. A little late though. That movie came out like 15 years ago.
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Animated AIDS Ads are Awesome
These animations (NSFW) are French ads promoting AIDS awareness and condom use. They are pretty entertaining, and well done. The sex scenes are hillarious. The straight version is above, the gay version below. Enjoy.
5.11.2007
Dead Rockstars Still Love Dr. Martens
Who said you can't endorse anything after you die? Proving it can be done are Kurt Cobain, Sid Vicious and Joey Ramone for Dr. Martens. They all look bored and lonely.
UPDATE: Now with Joe Strummer of The Clash.
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Namaskaar Magazine Doubles as a Flying Carpet
Are the magazines supposed to be airplane wings or flying carpets? I'm gonna go with flying carpets, because they're cooler and I want one. Copy reads, "The most widely traveled publication in the Indian skies."
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Ladies Get Juiced with LifeStyles Condoms
Possibly one of the best headlines I've ever written. Copy on these ads reads, "No ribs, no juice. LifeStyles Ribbed Condoms." This clears the way for a new pick-up line, "I got your juicer right here."
Drugs and Alcohol Make You a Monster Behind the Wheel
Scary, scary stuff. Copy translates, "With a mix of speed, alcohol, marijuana and fatigue, you’re no longer yourself on the road." I'm gonna go cry in the corner now.
WTC Memorial Ads Could be Better
These ads for the World Trade Center Memorial have me torn. I don't want to say anything bad about such a touchy subject, but the ads are kind of boring. I think they could have done a better job finding imagery and blowing out the big idea. They still get the point across though, I guess.
Shedwatoon 4: Creative Tweaks
This cartoon is the fourth in a weekly series drawn by a talented illustrator named Victoria Levan. Check back each Friday for a new Shedwatoon.
5.10.2007
Stella Looks Stellar
Love the illustration/art direction in this ad. The type treatment is nice as well, spread across all of the bottles.
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7 Eleven Has Their Way with Men
This ones for the ladies. 7 Eleven has objectived men in these Australia Slurpee ads. Copy reads, "Something juicy for the ladies." I feel so cheap.
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Lays Get Sensual
Interesting Lays ads out of BBDO Athens. Copy reads, "New Lays Sensations. Seductively Irresistable." They look pretty good, but now sure I get what the visuals are going for. And what's with the agencies logo on the ads?
Head and Shoulders Erases Dandruff
I think this is a pretty great idea, but not very practical. How many people are really going to see this ad? Maybe a few hundred college students each day, but they are going to be pretty resistant to it in a classroom setting, I think. Good try though.
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Sundeck Breaks You Out of Your Giant Egg
What the hell is going on here? The slimy girls are hot and the art direction is great, but what the hell? Can anyone explain this to me? Copy reads, "You've never touched water before. Sundeck surfwear."
Ioli is Nature You Can Drink
I don't particularly like the big idea in these Ioli Mineral Water ads, but I think the art direction is very nice. Copy translates, "Contains all the freshness." and "Contains all the pureness."
MasterCard PayPass is Faster than a Speeding Banana
Ok, alright. Not bad. Copy reads, "Faster with MasterCard PayPass." I wonder what happens when there is a price check on aisle 1? Massive 6 produce pile-up?
Self-Defense Helps You Kick the Shit Out of a Lion
Ha...I wanna learn how to kick animals' asses. Copy reads, "Self-Defence Against Predators."
5.09.2007
Axe Extra Sexual Perception Book is a Fake
A few months ago I came across a website for Axe Boost that was offering a book to boost my Extra Sexual Perception. Obviously I was dying to get my hands on such knowledge, so I ordered me up one (they were free of course). Well, the stupid thing came today and it's just cardboard engineered to look like a book with the 'pages' cut out to conceal a sample of the Axe Boost shower gel. Thanks for the lady luck, Axe. There's a girl in my bed right now, so the shower shit must be working.
Crave CR-V Ads
These are short, but pretty sweet. I like the animation and how it's not a typical crappy car commercial. See a couple more execution below.
Corona Births a Beach
Finally, Corona shows us how the wonderful beach was formed that's in all their damn commercials. It's been bugging me for years. Too bad I'm still recovering from Cinco de Mayo and can't fully appreciate the spot.
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Recover from Your Breast Pump with a Mars Delight
Copy translates, "Mars Delight. Only women know how much they deserve it." How much do you want to bet a couple of guys made these ads targeted at women?
Dextro Energy Turns Your Brain into Manly Men
Kinda cool, but kinda gay orgy-esque. Copy reads, "Brawn for your brain."
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Get Good Karma Says Stay on the Universe's Good Side
Interesting campaign from the Ad Council. Get Good Karma promotes civic engagement (volunteer work and good deeds, genius) with the old adage, "What goes around, comes around." If being a good person isn't enough motivation for you to do good in the world, the commercials hit it home with threats of multiple limbs and locusts.
Get your journey to goodness started at getgoodkarma.org, where you can control a weird little creature in virtual worlds. Feed frogs, throw away trash and become the best weird little creature you can be. See another of the campaign's spots below.
Peep at the Peep Campaign
Very cool animation and a really interesting world created in this video. It's an ad for Peep: The 21st Annual Fashion Cares, which is a benefit for the AIDS committee of Toronto. The website brings the video to life, allowing you to sort of zoom back and forth through the rooms shown in the video while exploring the event info. The posters (shown below) are very well done also. Great job all around on this campaign.
Shedwa's Six: Tom McAdams of McCann-Erickson
Name: Tom McAdams
Title: Intern
Company: McCann-Erickson
SHEDWA: How did you land an internship with McCann-Erickson, and what will you be doing for them?
TOM MCADAMS: This past January, my professor nominated me for the AAF Stickell Award, which gave me the title of "Penn State's most outstanding member of the AAF". Through this award and an arduous application process, I was selected to receive an advertising internship and scholarship. The internship that I was placed at was McCann-Erickson , and I will be working in account management for 10 weeks this summer.
S: What do you most hope to learn and experience during your summer at McCann?
TM: My number one goal for the summer is determining what it takes to be successful in the ad industry. I've gotten a lot of experience lately managing a sales team and selling advertising for a local website, Lion Connection, and I am pretty excited to see how that will translate to account management in an actual agency setting. In particular I am excited at the opportunity to work furiously to meet deadlines and manage relationships that aren't simply worth a grade, but millions of dollars. I want to watch how the rising stars of the agency operate, so that I can learn to emulate their attitude once I start out following graduation.
S: Why did you choose to pursue a career in advertising?
TM: I'm going to have to say, it's because I just love it. Every Sunday from as far back as I can remember, I would sit at the table and read every single ad insert that came in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Not only did I pay attention to the sales, but I began to notice how they were laid out to better entice consumers. From there, I thought I wanted to pursue graphic design, but eventually settled on advertising by about my junior year of high school. I just think it's so awesome that success is measured in my ability to create ideas that are assigned a monetary value by clients. I have a competitive spirit and a desire to be the best that I believe will work to my advantage in what some people seem to think is a very cut-throat industry.
S: What advice do you have for other students trying to get advertising internships?
TM: Start early and get experience in the internet. I am lucky to have received the AAF Stickell Award, because if I hadn't I doubt I would have acted early enough to land a great internship in New York. Days before I heard that I was given an internship at McCann, I was starting to pull out all the stops on gimmicks to get me a job. To anyone looking to work at Brand Pharm in the future, don't steal my "resume in a medicine bottle" tactic!
S: How excited/nervous are you to be living and working among the mean streets of New York City?
TM: I am VERY excited to live somewhere interesting and with a bit of action. After growing up in the quiet suburbs of Philadelphia and now State College, PA, I am ready for a change. I just secured an apartment in Brooklyn, so hopefully I'll learn a thing or two about riding the subway to Manhattan every day.
S: What are your 5 favorite blogs, advertising focused or not?
TM: Man, 5 is a lot. Shedwa is definitely my favorite advertising one. Other than that, I frequent The Superficial a lot for all sorts of hilarious celebrity gossip. CollegeHumor is my homepage if that counts, but it probably doesn't. Facebook is too addictive to really read much else online. Sorry man.
Check back each Wednesday for a new Shedwa's Six interview.
Greenpeace Makes Your Finger Giant
I like, I like. Copy reads, "Face your power. If you join the cyber activists you can stop more. So today, join the thousands of cyber activists who think just like you. Be a cyber activist, and realize how powerful you really are. Enlarge this finger and stop all below! Don't forget, while u act cyber, the results are real."
Plates Makes Good Flags Make Good Ads
So simple, yet so perfect. Copy reads, "Authentic Japanese cuisine."
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Coppertone Sports Hurst Your Game
These ads are kinda horrible. I related the umbrellas to slower swings, not shade. Maybe the idea would work for brakes or some sort of slow-motion machine. As it is now, the ads make it look like the product hinders your ability to perform. Copy reads, "Coppertone Sport. Protect yourself from the sun."
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5.08.2007
Trolls Hate the Honda Pilot
This Honda Pilot commercial has been around for a little while now, but it's new to me. I thought it was a decent car commercial, so I guess it's worth sharing. Enjoy.
Warhol's Coke Art Part of New World of Coca-Cola Museum
Move over Campbell's soup, there's a new brand in Andy Warhol's artwork. Well, not exactly new, it's kind of old, but much lesser known. The pop artist's work featuring Coca-Cola is part of the new World of Coca-Cola museum, opening May 24th in Atlanta, Georgia. Grab a bottle and get your pop art on.
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Crest Showcases Puppet Love
Kinda cool Crest commercial. Not very often you see puppet love done so sweetly. Let's just hope the poor guy doesn't get splinters in private places. The wooden Crest logo at the end is a nice touch.
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Design Your Own Movie Posters
Ever wish you were a movie poster designer? Well of course not, but pretend that you did for a second and get excited about The Movie Poster Toolbox. It's a little website that lets you play graphic designer and put together a movie poster. Problem is the stars are limited and so are the graphics. Obviously Paris and Nicole are willing to be in anything, so you can play with them. Have fun for the 10 seconds it lasts.