Caffeinated posts from a copywriter/adgrunt. I write about advertising, design, astronomy, cooking, and pretty much anything else that strikes my fancy, including random bits of reference info for work purposes. You may also know me as 'that other gal' who helps run Adland. | make contact | RSS Feed | ATOM
Saturday, September 27, 2003
[
Fun and ads- updating the week ]
Learn math with the Simpsons.
Lots of tiles in Philly and New York. Toynbee idea in Kubrick's 2001 is the most common theme of them. Weird.
Commerical Alert wants to keep commercial culture in its proper sphere...whatever that means. Personally I have issues with this. These are probably the same folks who complain that they don't want their taxes raised to help their community schools get enough funding to properly educate their children. If the taxes aren't raised then the schools and other groups have to find funding some other way.
Five billboards showing Beckham's face have been covered with black cloths and the tv spots have been pulled.
Return of Napster - On the eve of its relaunch, the infamous file-trading company Napster appears to be defacing other companies' billboards with stickers of its distinctive kitty logo.The stickers -- showing a cat wearing headphones -- are appearing on street-level billboards, the kind that feature blocks of identical posters. (via dab)
Flash badgers are just weird. Heh. (via clay)
Ferocious animals with cute names are the faces of a £2.5m anti-smoking advertising campaign, created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty, which aims to finally get over the message that low-tar cigarettes are just as lethal despite sounding otherwise. More details on the campaign can be viewed here.
Billboard bathroom ads and some of the new-fangled technology advertisers are experimenting, however, which leaves room for speculation. Take, for instance, talking billboards. This breed of bathroom billboards is equipped with motion-control sensors that set off audio recordings as unsuspecting people draw near. ABC News reported late last year that Zoom Media, a Montreal-based company, had placed LaBatt beer ads in nearly 150 bars and pubs in Canada and on university campuses. The audio components jarred a lot of people. One woman told the news program that, at first, she found the ads intrusive and annoying since mostly male voices were used. "It's jarring to hear a male voice in a woman's washroom," she said. One man, who was subjected to an ad that was made to sound like an answering machine with voices of family members, didn't like having to hear a message from "his mother" while he was urinating. Plus, he said, "they scared a lot of drunks at the urinals." Then there was former "Saturday Night Live" comedian, Norm McDonald, who was shocked and dismayed to learn several seasons ago that advertisers at ABC-TV had created talking billboards for public restrooms to promote his short-lived sitcom "Norm." McDonald told several reporters, including Post-Dispatch TV critic Gail Pennington, that he believed when making the recordings that they were not actually for public consumption. Furthermore, he was highly embarrassed by the vulgar, "must-pee TV" ads. I don't have a problem with bathroom ads, but I have a problem with talking ones. I can see why they would freak people out. I'd rather not hear voices while I pee.
Euro and the Dollar posters have been pulled in Russia. Great job on these. Shame they are taking them down.
New Subway spots get the thumbs down.
Brandalism taking over London and other major cities.
Labatt Blue flash fun. Reminds me a bit too much of a Corona setting though. But nice.
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
[
No more eroticism ]
Brazil is to ban the "use of eroticism" in alcoholic drinks advertising, according to Brazil's independent advertising industry regulator Conar. A spokesman for Conar said yesterday that these new guidelines will also include regulations that state that any ads that run between 6 am and 9:30 pm should avoid symbols that might be attractive to youngsters, such as cartoon characters. Those people featuring in the advertising must also be and appear over 25 years old. The use of scantily clad women and cartoon characters are fairly routine in Brazil's alcohol advertising. Conar said the new rules would come into effect in 30 days for outdoor adverts, 60 days for print media, and three months for radio and television."
Is this going to be the first of a trend that will be global? It's an interesting step at least.
[The Freshmaker ]
Mentos is launching its new packaging for Mentos mints with college football-themed television ads. The company will air 20 animated spots that feature Mentos marching out of their original roll packaging and into the new Mentos box. According to a news release, the mints march to the tune of some of the best-known football fight songs and marches. The ads were created by Cincinnati's Barefoot Advertising. View them here. (bottom of the page).
Mentos "game" is actually more of a movie short. Strange.
New Mentos commercials- only one at the moment, but looks like there will be more. Mentos is also calling itself the Offical Chewy Mint of the California Recall Election. "Since Mentos helps liberate fresh ideas, California’s Governor Gray Davis and all the declared candidates taking part in the October 7 recall process are receiving a selection of Mentos in the hope that hundreds of fresh ideas will be liberated and the State can look forward to a bright future."
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
[
Meme time ]
Unconcious Mutterings: I say … and you think … ?
Wedding:: Dress
Roach:: Spray
Expense:: Money
Fight:: Song
Air:: Miles
Protect:: Safe
Glance:: Look
Boo:: Ghost
Steamy:: Sexy
Caviar:: Nasty
Funky 50s advertising (via promoguy)
Area 404 is a nice collection of some fun 404 pages. I feel a bit geeky, but heck, they're neat-o. (via boingboing)
[Games ]
Adgame (the advertainment network) has some funky stuff. Sad I don't read the language (dutch?) though. But you can still check out the games. Or go straight to make your own historic tale (needs flash.)
[Chocolate, toothpaste, and jam ]
This article poses the question to whether advertising will need to change agency structure in order to meet the demand of clients wanting more communications solutions.
"Hershey Foods will spend upward of $30 million in advertising early next year to support the launch of several extensions of its core brands, including Swoops, a chip-like version of top candy bars, and to introduce Hershey's S'mores."
Emeril and toothpaste-Crest announced Monday that Emeril Lagasse, renowned chef and restaurateur, will be featured in a new TV campaign that will launch Crest Whitening Expressions, a line of uniquely flavored whitening toothpastes. The advertising will debut this month. "Emeril Lagasse's flavor philosophy is the same as that behind Crest Whitening Expressions,'' says Diane Dietz, North America marketing director. "We created this line of flavored toothpastes to enhance and personalize the brushing experience, because, just like Emeril does with food, we want to transform an everyday routine into something extraordinary."
All I can say in light of this news is NO! No no no no no! Enough of that man. Enough. Just enough.
Seattle PI does a reader's poll on best/worst ads and the winner is AFLAC...although there were more worst ads submitted than best. Does it reflect the state of creativity in ads? Probably.
Smuckers gets sued for false claims because "some, if not all of Smuckers' "Simply 100 Percent Fruit" products actually contain less than 50 percent fruit." A quote from the article: "Courtney Harrison, a UW senior and loyal Smuckers consumer, said she thinks the lawsuit is a waste of Loeb's time. "Maybe it is false advertising, but it's not like it is endangering his health in any way. If you want 100 percent fruit, go out and pick some strawberries and put them on your toast," she said. Harrison also said consumers should be able to see through advertising claims. "Maybe they shouldn't have claimed it, but what are they going to say? '69 percent fruit, 31 percent corn syrup -- come buy my jam'? I don't think it is that bad," she said. heheh.
The US$20 bill will be getting a new look. For the first time since 1905, US currency will use peach and blue in its design. WPP Group's public relations agency Burson-Marsteller, which is spearheading a global integrated campaign for the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Engravings, has tapped Omnicom Group's Davie-Brown Entertainment and talent titan William Morris Agency to help market the new money. The bills will begin distribution through commercial banks Oct. 9. "The Wheel of Fortune has been showcasing the new money all week as part of its Big Money Week," said Mark Owens, executive vice president at Davie-Brown. The bill was also shown Sept. 14 as part of Pepsi Play for a Billion on the WB Network.Wal-Mart Stores and Pepperidge Farm are also assisting with the marketing efforts, Ms. Brauer said. Wal-Mart plans to produce a public service announcement to air on its in-house satellite TV network. Pepperidge Farm is adapting 3 million Goldfish packages to promote the new bills.The tagline reflects the key reason for introducing the colorized currency: "Safer, Smarter & More Secure." Click to see it.
Friday, September 12, 2003
[Design update ]
Made a few minor changes to the design. Still working out the kinks and fixing a few things. Do you like it?
[Linkie-poos ]
Need to make a decision? Flip a virtual coin.
Funky commerical animation art from the 50s and 60s done from the Ray Patin Studios.
Funky packages from back in the day. Interesting to see which ones have changed, and which ones have stayed relatively the same.
Take a tour through some old ad icons/characters. I'd love a collection like that!
Wordblog, aka Scrabblog, is the place to practice your word skills. Based on the game Scrabble, every day new letters are given to see what you can come up with. Neat.
Thursday, September 11, 2003
[ ]
Randomness
A rant on advertising and warning labels. "Warning labels have gone far beyond such obvious health risks. The latest one to trouble me was on our new minivan. The very long label begins: "WARNING: Motor vehicles contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects. . . ." hehehehe.
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
[ ]
Random bits
Vote for your favorite BBC comedy show in the upcoming year. The top 100 are listed with blurbs about the show.
Crazy list of toys and games from a variety of fast food places. Includes ad icons, like the Noid!
Advertising board games! Scary. I had no idea so many advertisers made games.
unconsious mutterings - I say … and you think … ?
Bookends:: Twins
Compliment:: good
Gutter:: Ball
Obsession:: Addiction
Heavy:: Big
Real:: True
Disposable:: Camera
Breeze:: Cool
Work:: Annoying
Sweetheart:: Sexy
Far out
Singing black holes- "Astronomers were not surprised to find the supermassive black hole making a strong sub-bass sound. Though these greatest known matter sinks are by nature dark and invisible, they create bright and chaotic environments in which many forms of radiation -- from radio waves to visible light to X-rays -- have been recorded. These electromagnetic waves all travel at the speed of light."
[ ]
Beer and Cars
Think Fresh, Drink Fresh -"Beginning this year and stretching into next, Anheuser-Busch will throw much of its marketing might behind this premise: Budweiser is the freshest beer in the country and therefore tastes the best. That's a pretty lofty pitch, one that any beermaker would make. But unlike its competitors, Anheuser-Busch can back up its "Think Fresh, Drink Fresh" campaign. The company's 12 breweries and 700 wholesalers make, deliver and replenish beer faster than anyone in the business."
I don't know. It couldn't be that Bud is one of the cheaper beers out there and a lot of college kids, unemployed, and others who drink beer by the case are looking for something they can afford. Nah. A pint of Boddys or Guinness still tastes a 1000 times better than that piss-swill, no matter if it's not as "fresh".
"A full advertising and marketing campaign, entitled "The Power To Move Forward," will support the introduction of the all-new 2004 Prius gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle when it goes on sale in October, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., announced today."
"The next generation Prius is a no-compromise vehicle that will appeal to mainstream buyers," says Deborah Wahl Meyer, Toyota's corporate marketing manager. "As a result, the new marketing campaign is designed to reach a wide range of buyers with increased use of mainstream media."
"The advertising, developed by Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles, will include 30 and 60 second versions of a television launch commercial entitled "Move Forward." Two additional commercials will be product-oriented, focusing on fuel economy, increased performance and the increased interior room of the Prius. Both product commercials will point out that the Prius never needs to be plugged in for recharging, still a common misconception among consumers."
Tuesday, September 09, 2003
[ ]
Just news
Comments are down...hopefully they should be back up later today if all goes as planned.
Ads in a world of consumers
Pepperidge Farm about to break new campaign- "Six new animated television ads (in 15- and 30-second versions) promote Pepperidge Farm icon products-like Chocolate Chunk and Milano cookies, Farmhouse and Swirl breads, and Texas Toast frozen garlic bread-and introduce the newest addition to the brand portfolio, Mini distinctive cookies. Using animation for almost all components of the commercial-including the products it's promoting-is unusual for the food category, and a first for Pepperidge Farm. The star of the campaign is an animated character who was designed to personify the company's commitment to delivering quality taste, freshness, and caring to the cookie, bread, and frozen aisles. The character, who lives in the "Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse" with his family, is clearly proud of the wonderful products he delivers, and is delighted to share them with everyone he meets. Sometimes he's sweet, other times a little nutty-but he always has the best intentions. He's as basic as bread and delightful as a cookie. And his offbeat likeability always brings a smile to your face."
"New York said on Tuesday it has signed a $166 million deal making Snapple the city's official drink of choice. The deal will make Snapple the exclusive provider of drinks in the city's 1,200 schools and will also see the company's drinks being sold in parks and other city facilities. As part of the deal, Snapple will also pitch for the Big Apple, promising that some of its advertising will promote New York to tourists."
Yay for Mr. Goodby!- At the AAAA Account Planning Conference, Mr. Goodby complained that account planners were not sufficiently involved in the creative process. "I heard planners talk about being disenfranchised from ideas and people complaining that planners took the instinct out of advertising," Mr. Goodby said. "All this was really bad. It seems unlikely that this is just happening at my agency. We are one of the dyed-in-the-wool planning agencies." He suggested account planners should try and change their demeanor. "Be less confrontational. Planners shouldn't decide whether the work is right or wrong; creatives hate absolutism and truth. There is a perception that we have to separate dead campaigns from live ones. Guide, don't judge. Planning is not an end, it's a means to an end." He did issue two more recommendations to encourage improvements. He pleaded with planners to kick the habit of focus groups and come up with something more insightful, and suggested that planners seek a change of moniker."
There is such a gap in a lot of cases between the planners, AEs and creatives. And it shouldn't be so. Everyone should understand and respect each others jobs, since in a way, at the end of the day, it's a team effort. Sadly, in a lot of places, that's just not the case. And the work shows it.
The Best A Brand Can Get- a great article by Mr. Foster. Read this now. :-)
DOH!- Newsquest has issued an apology after one of its newspapers mistakenly published an advert featuring the World Trade Centre towers. The Basingstoke Extra ran the picture of the Twin Towers as part of a promotional advert with the strapline 'Take the leap of faith...'. Bosses say they were unaware that the image used was that of the Twin Towers, and that at no point during the production process did it give anyone cause for concern."
(UPDATE: an article was found by Dab with images of the ad.)
Magazines have to go further for ad dollars- "While special advertising sections are nothing new, the heightened production values are. Magazine companies are investing more time and money and sometimes their editorial staffs to see that special sections like these leave advertisers feeling a little special as well. "Special sections have always been around, but now they have gone on steroids," said Michael A. Clinton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Hearst Magazines. "They have become much more complex and sophisticated." They are also less lucrative than regular advertising, leaving some in the industry wondering whether advertisers are being taught that an elaborate, custom editorial package is a better environment for their marketing messages than the magazine. Sometimes, in an effort to meet the increasing demands of clients, publishers have engaged in tactics that leave some in the industry wagging a finger and readers scratching their heads over what separates editorial content from advertising. Editorial executives say they are seeing more blurring of that line than ever."
Ads that Make News survey is out. The 118 118 ads got first, followed by Walkers crisps campaign, and the Virgin Mobile anti-orange campaign.
The Advertising Show is a newish radio show all about...yeah that's right...advertising. Donny Deutsch is the guest for this Saturday. Interesting idea.
Even as KFC is in the middle of an agency shootout for its advertising account, the fast-food chain is asking its consumers to pitch in on ad duties. The Yum Brands chicken chain is giving consumers a chance to create their own "reality TV" commericals to promote KFC's popcorn chicken. It would be the chain's first attempt at reality TV spots, a spokeswoman said. The contest asks consumers to top an existing KFC ad that broke Sept. 1. That spot shows a man in a reclining chair tossing a piece of chicken in front of him that is then volleyed into his mouth by a giant fan. A second spot shows a person tossing chicken pieces from a city rooftop. In addition to having their commercial aired "as is" in prime time in October, contest winners will receive $10,000, and two runners-up win $5,000. Participants must turn in their commercials by Sept. 23. KFC is backing the effort with a KFC Bigger, Better Fan Club sweepstakes at its Web site, www.kfc.com, where those who register are automatically entered for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston."
Thursday, September 04, 2003
[ ]
Fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun
Cleese hawks vacuums "Salton, Inc. announced that it had named movie star John Cleese, as the new host of both short-form and long-form commercials introducing the Westinghouse Unplugged Cord free vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner is battery operated, eliminating the need for access to an electrical outlet during use. The battery is rechargeable. Mr. Cleese agreed to do this campaign with Salton because his and Salton's views coincided in presenting entertaining, humorous and innovative advertising to consumers. A series of five 30-second commercials, as well as a long form commercial, are expected to show a new standard of creativity in the way products are promoted on television. Mr. Cleese and Salton have options for promoting future Westinghouse products for Salton. The short form commercials will begin airing at the end of September; the long form will begin airing mid-October. The company has already shipped the first production units of the product and expects to be near full-production levels in time for Christmas."
This should be interesting to see. Especially the "long form" commercial (read: infomercial). (via clay)
Police take new steps to stamp out binge drinking among the young. "Officers in Blackpool have created a series of sexy posters featuring a local model as part of a £15,000 drive to stamp out drink related violence. Rachel Hall, 22, will appear dressed in skimpy clothing in the posters appearing on advertising hoardings, buses and in sixth form colleges. Slogans will tell young drinkers they are less likely to be attractive to girls if they are drunk."
Slogans include: "Hi girls! If he's too drunk to walk away from trouble, show him how it's done." and "Hi boys. I'd rather have a laugh with you than see you in stitches."
Definitely a novel approach, but will it work. Guess that's always the big question.
Madonna has concluded a long-awaited publishing venture with her book, The English Roses, aimed at six to eight year olds. It's to be sold in American-owned Gap stores under an exclusive deal. The Material Girl, who is said to have worked closely with her publishers Penguin, will have the satisfaction of seeing her tome on sale among the socks at Gap Kids outlets. It may be a precedent but it's not going to be a trend, I'm told. A spokesman for Gap, for which Madonna is currently fronting an advertising campaign, says the deal applies only to the first of her five-book series. "We have no plans to stock any more books at all after this one," they tell me. "We don't intend to become a bookstore."
Wonder if this was a part of the deal when she decided to be in their TV spots. Scary. The last time she published a book, well, it was interesting to say the least.
Elvis is about to get behind the wheel of a new Toyota Solara. His song 'Rubberneckin' will be driving the advertising campaign in the USA. 'Rubberneckin' is the 34 year old Elvis song originally released as a B-side for his hit song 'Don't Cry Daddy' and resurrected for a remix by Paul Oakenfold for Elvis' new compilation album '2nd To None'. The advertising campaign jingle is built around the 'Stop, look and listen' hook from the song and will run on US TV from this weekend. The Solara is a 2 door Camry but only available in America. Mike Breen of Toyota Australia tells Undercover News "the car won't be released in Australia. It is an image car and we do volume. If we had another 100 million people, then maybe".
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
[ ]
Be afraid...very afraid.
Ad rant from the Collegian. This part is scary. "Speaking of bad ideas, I read in the Sunday paper that manufacturer Blue Box International is going to release a new action figure in October -just in time for my birthday, thank goodness! What is this exciting new 12-inch plastic doll you ask me with bated breath? Why dear consumer, it is an obvious and shameless attempt at social conditioning, conveniently on the market a year before the next presidential election when ratings for Mr. Bush are down. The action figure is named "Elite Force Aviator: George W. Bush" based on the president's flight in a fighter jet onto the USS Abraham Lincoln earlier this year to announce the end of major combat in Iraq."
See it here. Be afraid. Very afraid.
[ ]
Brain farts
Lileks is full of lots of interesting things to stare at. Old adverts, gallery of regrettable food, and much more. Don't be a fool- check it out.
Espresso Stories are "short enough to fit into the time it takes to slurp that bitter little cup, as you ponder on how even the briefest experiences can make life more meaningful." Stories of 25 words or less. Signup and write your own!
Java jig
Espresso and Donuts- "As Dunkin' Donuts expands its product line to include espresso beverages, long the province of Starbucks and other high-end outlets that emphasize ambience and attitude, the Randolph doughnut and coffee chain is banking on speed, efficiency, and lower prices. Dunkin' Donuts's new process is "lots of preprogrammed button-pushing, and not a whole lot of eyeballing," said Brian Dudley, the Dunkin' Donuts executive in charge of product development. "We can't afford that kind of subjectivity." "
Hmmm. Going after the Starbuck's crowd. I wonder if it'll work. Only time will tell.
[
Fun and ads- updating the week ]Learn math with the Simpsons.
Lots of tiles in Philly and New York. Toynbee idea in Kubrick's 2001 is the most common theme of them. Weird.
Commerical Alert wants to keep commercial culture in its proper sphere...whatever that means. Personally I have issues with this. These are probably the same folks who complain that they don't want their taxes raised to help their community schools get enough funding to properly educate their children. If the taxes aren't raised then the schools and other groups have to find funding some other way.
Five billboards showing Beckham's face have been covered with black cloths and the tv spots have been pulled.
Return of Napster - On the eve of its relaunch, the infamous file-trading company Napster appears to be defacing other companies' billboards with stickers of its distinctive kitty logo.The stickers -- showing a cat wearing headphones -- are appearing on street-level billboards, the kind that feature blocks of identical posters. (via dab)
Flash badgers are just weird. Heh. (via clay)
Ferocious animals with cute names are the faces of a £2.5m anti-smoking advertising campaign, created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty, which aims to finally get over the message that low-tar cigarettes are just as lethal despite sounding otherwise. More details on the campaign can be viewed here.
Billboard bathroom ads and some of the new-fangled technology advertisers are experimenting, however, which leaves room for speculation. Take, for instance, talking billboards. This breed of bathroom billboards is equipped with motion-control sensors that set off audio recordings as unsuspecting people draw near. ABC News reported late last year that Zoom Media, a Montreal-based company, had placed LaBatt beer ads in nearly 150 bars and pubs in Canada and on university campuses. The audio components jarred a lot of people. One woman told the news program that, at first, she found the ads intrusive and annoying since mostly male voices were used. "It's jarring to hear a male voice in a woman's washroom," she said. One man, who was subjected to an ad that was made to sound like an answering machine with voices of family members, didn't like having to hear a message from "his mother" while he was urinating. Plus, he said, "they scared a lot of drunks at the urinals." Then there was former "Saturday Night Live" comedian, Norm McDonald, who was shocked and dismayed to learn several seasons ago that advertisers at ABC-TV had created talking billboards for public restrooms to promote his short-lived sitcom "Norm." McDonald told several reporters, including Post-Dispatch TV critic Gail Pennington, that he believed when making the recordings that they were not actually for public consumption. Furthermore, he was highly embarrassed by the vulgar, "must-pee TV" ads. I don't have a problem with bathroom ads, but I have a problem with talking ones. I can see why they would freak people out. I'd rather not hear voices while I pee.
Euro and the Dollar posters have been pulled in Russia. Great job on these. Shame they are taking them down.
New Subway spots get the thumbs down.
Brandalism taking over London and other major cities.
Labatt Blue flash fun. Reminds me a bit too much of a Corona setting though. But nice.
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
[
No more eroticism ]Brazil is to ban the "use of eroticism" in alcoholic drinks advertising, according to Brazil's independent advertising industry regulator Conar. A spokesman for Conar said yesterday that these new guidelines will also include regulations that state that any ads that run between 6 am and 9:30 pm should avoid symbols that might be attractive to youngsters, such as cartoon characters. Those people featuring in the advertising must also be and appear over 25 years old. The use of scantily clad women and cartoon characters are fairly routine in Brazil's alcohol advertising. Conar said the new rules would come into effect in 30 days for outdoor adverts, 60 days for print media, and three months for radio and television."
Is this going to be the first of a trend that will be global? It's an interesting step at least.
[
The Freshmaker ]Mentos is launching its new packaging for Mentos mints with college football-themed television ads. The company will air 20 animated spots that feature Mentos marching out of their original roll packaging and into the new Mentos box. According to a news release, the mints march to the tune of some of the best-known football fight songs and marches. The ads were created by Cincinnati's Barefoot Advertising. View them here. (bottom of the page).
Mentos "game" is actually more of a movie short. Strange.
New Mentos commercials- only one at the moment, but looks like there will be more. Mentos is also calling itself the Offical Chewy Mint of the California Recall Election. "Since Mentos helps liberate fresh ideas, California’s Governor Gray Davis and all the declared candidates taking part in the October 7 recall process are receiving a selection of Mentos in the hope that hundreds of fresh ideas will be liberated and the State can look forward to a bright future."
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
[
Meme time ]Unconcious Mutterings: I say … and you think … ?
Wedding:: Dress
Roach:: Spray
Expense:: Money
Fight:: Song
Air:: Miles
Protect:: Safe
Glance:: Look
Boo:: Ghost
Steamy:: Sexy
Caviar:: Nasty
Funky 50s advertising (via promoguy)
Area 404 is a nice collection of some fun 404 pages. I feel a bit geeky, but heck, they're neat-o. (via boingboing)
[
Games ]Adgame (the advertainment network) has some funky stuff. Sad I don't read the language (dutch?) though. But you can still check out the games. Or go straight to make your own historic tale (needs flash.)
[
Chocolate, toothpaste, and jam ]This article poses the question to whether advertising will need to change agency structure in order to meet the demand of clients wanting more communications solutions.
"Hershey Foods will spend upward of $30 million in advertising early next year to support the launch of several extensions of its core brands, including Swoops, a chip-like version of top candy bars, and to introduce Hershey's S'mores."
Emeril and toothpaste-Crest announced Monday that Emeril Lagasse, renowned chef and restaurateur, will be featured in a new TV campaign that will launch Crest Whitening Expressions, a line of uniquely flavored whitening toothpastes. The advertising will debut this month. "Emeril Lagasse's flavor philosophy is the same as that behind Crest Whitening Expressions,'' says Diane Dietz, North America marketing director. "We created this line of flavored toothpastes to enhance and personalize the brushing experience, because, just like Emeril does with food, we want to transform an everyday routine into something extraordinary."
All I can say in light of this news is NO! No no no no no! Enough of that man. Enough. Just enough.
Seattle PI does a reader's poll on best/worst ads and the winner is AFLAC...although there were more worst ads submitted than best. Does it reflect the state of creativity in ads? Probably.
Smuckers gets sued for false claims because "some, if not all of Smuckers' "Simply 100 Percent Fruit" products actually contain less than 50 percent fruit." A quote from the article: "Courtney Harrison, a UW senior and loyal Smuckers consumer, said she thinks the lawsuit is a waste of Loeb's time. "Maybe it is false advertising, but it's not like it is endangering his health in any way. If you want 100 percent fruit, go out and pick some strawberries and put them on your toast," she said. Harrison also said consumers should be able to see through advertising claims. "Maybe they shouldn't have claimed it, but what are they going to say? '69 percent fruit, 31 percent corn syrup -- come buy my jam'? I don't think it is that bad," she said. heheh.
The US$20 bill will be getting a new look. For the first time since 1905, US currency will use peach and blue in its design. WPP Group's public relations agency Burson-Marsteller, which is spearheading a global integrated campaign for the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Engravings, has tapped Omnicom Group's Davie-Brown Entertainment and talent titan William Morris Agency to help market the new money. The bills will begin distribution through commercial banks Oct. 9. "The Wheel of Fortune has been showcasing the new money all week as part of its Big Money Week," said Mark Owens, executive vice president at Davie-Brown. The bill was also shown Sept. 14 as part of Pepsi Play for a Billion on the WB Network.Wal-Mart Stores and Pepperidge Farm are also assisting with the marketing efforts, Ms. Brauer said. Wal-Mart plans to produce a public service announcement to air on its in-house satellite TV network. Pepperidge Farm is adapting 3 million Goldfish packages to promote the new bills.The tagline reflects the key reason for introducing the colorized currency: "Safer, Smarter & More Secure." Click to see it.
Friday, September 12, 2003
[
Design update ]Made a few minor changes to the design. Still working out the kinks and fixing a few things. Do you like it?
[
Linkie-poos ]Need to make a decision? Flip a virtual coin.
Funky commerical animation art from the 50s and 60s done from the Ray Patin Studios.
Funky packages from back in the day. Interesting to see which ones have changed, and which ones have stayed relatively the same.
Take a tour through some old ad icons/characters. I'd love a collection like that!
Wordblog, aka Scrabblog, is the place to practice your word skills. Based on the game Scrabble, every day new letters are given to see what you can come up with. Neat.
Thursday, September 11, 2003
[ ]
Randomness
A rant on advertising and warning labels. "Warning labels have gone far beyond such obvious health risks. The latest one to trouble me was on our new minivan. The very long label begins: "WARNING: Motor vehicles contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects. . . ." hehehehe.
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
[ ]
Random bits
Vote for your favorite BBC comedy show in the upcoming year. The top 100 are listed with blurbs about the show.
Crazy list of toys and games from a variety of fast food places. Includes ad icons, like the Noid!
Advertising board games! Scary. I had no idea so many advertisers made games.
unconsious mutterings - I say … and you think … ?
Bookends:: Twins
Compliment:: good
Gutter:: Ball
Obsession:: Addiction
Heavy:: Big
Real:: True
Disposable:: Camera
Breeze:: Cool
Work:: Annoying
Sweetheart:: Sexy
Far out
Singing black holes- "Astronomers were not surprised to find the supermassive black hole making a strong sub-bass sound. Though these greatest known matter sinks are by nature dark and invisible, they create bright and chaotic environments in which many forms of radiation -- from radio waves to visible light to X-rays -- have been recorded. These electromagnetic waves all travel at the speed of light."
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Beer and Cars
Think Fresh, Drink Fresh -"Beginning this year and stretching into next, Anheuser-Busch will throw much of its marketing might behind this premise: Budweiser is the freshest beer in the country and therefore tastes the best. That's a pretty lofty pitch, one that any beermaker would make. But unlike its competitors, Anheuser-Busch can back up its "Think Fresh, Drink Fresh" campaign. The company's 12 breweries and 700 wholesalers make, deliver and replenish beer faster than anyone in the business."
I don't know. It couldn't be that Bud is one of the cheaper beers out there and a lot of college kids, unemployed, and others who drink beer by the case are looking for something they can afford. Nah. A pint of Boddys or Guinness still tastes a 1000 times better than that piss-swill, no matter if it's not as "fresh".
"A full advertising and marketing campaign, entitled "The Power To Move Forward," will support the introduction of the all-new 2004 Prius gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle when it goes on sale in October, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., announced today."
"The next generation Prius is a no-compromise vehicle that will appeal to mainstream buyers," says Deborah Wahl Meyer, Toyota's corporate marketing manager. "As a result, the new marketing campaign is designed to reach a wide range of buyers with increased use of mainstream media."
"The advertising, developed by Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles, will include 30 and 60 second versions of a television launch commercial entitled "Move Forward." Two additional commercials will be product-oriented, focusing on fuel economy, increased performance and the increased interior room of the Prius. Both product commercials will point out that the Prius never needs to be plugged in for recharging, still a common misconception among consumers."
Tuesday, September 09, 2003
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Just news
Comments are down...hopefully they should be back up later today if all goes as planned.
Ads in a world of consumers
Pepperidge Farm about to break new campaign- "Six new animated television ads (in 15- and 30-second versions) promote Pepperidge Farm icon products-like Chocolate Chunk and Milano cookies, Farmhouse and Swirl breads, and Texas Toast frozen garlic bread-and introduce the newest addition to the brand portfolio, Mini distinctive cookies. Using animation for almost all components of the commercial-including the products it's promoting-is unusual for the food category, and a first for Pepperidge Farm. The star of the campaign is an animated character who was designed to personify the company's commitment to delivering quality taste, freshness, and caring to the cookie, bread, and frozen aisles. The character, who lives in the "Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse" with his family, is clearly proud of the wonderful products he delivers, and is delighted to share them with everyone he meets. Sometimes he's sweet, other times a little nutty-but he always has the best intentions. He's as basic as bread and delightful as a cookie. And his offbeat likeability always brings a smile to your face."
"New York said on Tuesday it has signed a $166 million deal making Snapple the city's official drink of choice. The deal will make Snapple the exclusive provider of drinks in the city's 1,200 schools and will also see the company's drinks being sold in parks and other city facilities. As part of the deal, Snapple will also pitch for the Big Apple, promising that some of its advertising will promote New York to tourists."
Yay for Mr. Goodby!- At the AAAA Account Planning Conference, Mr. Goodby complained that account planners were not sufficiently involved in the creative process. "I heard planners talk about being disenfranchised from ideas and people complaining that planners took the instinct out of advertising," Mr. Goodby said. "All this was really bad. It seems unlikely that this is just happening at my agency. We are one of the dyed-in-the-wool planning agencies." He suggested account planners should try and change their demeanor. "Be less confrontational. Planners shouldn't decide whether the work is right or wrong; creatives hate absolutism and truth. There is a perception that we have to separate dead campaigns from live ones. Guide, don't judge. Planning is not an end, it's a means to an end." He did issue two more recommendations to encourage improvements. He pleaded with planners to kick the habit of focus groups and come up with something more insightful, and suggested that planners seek a change of moniker."
There is such a gap in a lot of cases between the planners, AEs and creatives. And it shouldn't be so. Everyone should understand and respect each others jobs, since in a way, at the end of the day, it's a team effort. Sadly, in a lot of places, that's just not the case. And the work shows it.
The Best A Brand Can Get- a great article by Mr. Foster. Read this now. :-)
DOH!- Newsquest has issued an apology after one of its newspapers mistakenly published an advert featuring the World Trade Centre towers. The Basingstoke Extra ran the picture of the Twin Towers as part of a promotional advert with the strapline 'Take the leap of faith...'. Bosses say they were unaware that the image used was that of the Twin Towers, and that at no point during the production process did it give anyone cause for concern."
(UPDATE: an article was found by Dab with images of the ad.)
Magazines have to go further for ad dollars- "While special advertising sections are nothing new, the heightened production values are. Magazine companies are investing more time and money and sometimes their editorial staffs to see that special sections like these leave advertisers feeling a little special as well. "Special sections have always been around, but now they have gone on steroids," said Michael A. Clinton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Hearst Magazines. "They have become much more complex and sophisticated." They are also less lucrative than regular advertising, leaving some in the industry wondering whether advertisers are being taught that an elaborate, custom editorial package is a better environment for their marketing messages than the magazine. Sometimes, in an effort to meet the increasing demands of clients, publishers have engaged in tactics that leave some in the industry wagging a finger and readers scratching their heads over what separates editorial content from advertising. Editorial executives say they are seeing more blurring of that line than ever."
Ads that Make News survey is out. The 118 118 ads got first, followed by Walkers crisps campaign, and the Virgin Mobile anti-orange campaign.
The Advertising Show is a newish radio show all about...yeah that's right...advertising. Donny Deutsch is the guest for this Saturday. Interesting idea.
Even as KFC is in the middle of an agency shootout for its advertising account, the fast-food chain is asking its consumers to pitch in on ad duties. The Yum Brands chicken chain is giving consumers a chance to create their own "reality TV" commericals to promote KFC's popcorn chicken. It would be the chain's first attempt at reality TV spots, a spokeswoman said. The contest asks consumers to top an existing KFC ad that broke Sept. 1. That spot shows a man in a reclining chair tossing a piece of chicken in front of him that is then volleyed into his mouth by a giant fan. A second spot shows a person tossing chicken pieces from a city rooftop. In addition to having their commercial aired "as is" in prime time in October, contest winners will receive $10,000, and two runners-up win $5,000. Participants must turn in their commercials by Sept. 23. KFC is backing the effort with a KFC Bigger, Better Fan Club sweepstakes at its Web site, www.kfc.com, where those who register are automatically entered for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston."
Thursday, September 04, 2003
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Fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun
Cleese hawks vacuums "Salton, Inc. announced that it had named movie star John Cleese, as the new host of both short-form and long-form commercials introducing the Westinghouse Unplugged Cord free vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner is battery operated, eliminating the need for access to an electrical outlet during use. The battery is rechargeable. Mr. Cleese agreed to do this campaign with Salton because his and Salton's views coincided in presenting entertaining, humorous and innovative advertising to consumers. A series of five 30-second commercials, as well as a long form commercial, are expected to show a new standard of creativity in the way products are promoted on television. Mr. Cleese and Salton have options for promoting future Westinghouse products for Salton. The short form commercials will begin airing at the end of September; the long form will begin airing mid-October. The company has already shipped the first production units of the product and expects to be near full-production levels in time for Christmas."
This should be interesting to see. Especially the "long form" commercial (read: infomercial). (via clay)
Police take new steps to stamp out binge drinking among the young. "Officers in Blackpool have created a series of sexy posters featuring a local model as part of a £15,000 drive to stamp out drink related violence. Rachel Hall, 22, will appear dressed in skimpy clothing in the posters appearing on advertising hoardings, buses and in sixth form colleges. Slogans will tell young drinkers they are less likely to be attractive to girls if they are drunk."
Slogans include: "Hi girls! If he's too drunk to walk away from trouble, show him how it's done." and "Hi boys. I'd rather have a laugh with you than see you in stitches."
Definitely a novel approach, but will it work. Guess that's always the big question.
Madonna has concluded a long-awaited publishing venture with her book, The English Roses, aimed at six to eight year olds. It's to be sold in American-owned Gap stores under an exclusive deal. The Material Girl, who is said to have worked closely with her publishers Penguin, will have the satisfaction of seeing her tome on sale among the socks at Gap Kids outlets. It may be a precedent but it's not going to be a trend, I'm told. A spokesman for Gap, for which Madonna is currently fronting an advertising campaign, says the deal applies only to the first of her five-book series. "We have no plans to stock any more books at all after this one," they tell me. "We don't intend to become a bookstore."
Wonder if this was a part of the deal when she decided to be in their TV spots. Scary. The last time she published a book, well, it was interesting to say the least.
Elvis is about to get behind the wheel of a new Toyota Solara. His song 'Rubberneckin' will be driving the advertising campaign in the USA. 'Rubberneckin' is the 34 year old Elvis song originally released as a B-side for his hit song 'Don't Cry Daddy' and resurrected for a remix by Paul Oakenfold for Elvis' new compilation album '2nd To None'. The advertising campaign jingle is built around the 'Stop, look and listen' hook from the song and will run on US TV from this weekend. The Solara is a 2 door Camry but only available in America. Mike Breen of Toyota Australia tells Undercover News "the car won't be released in Australia. It is an image car and we do volume. If we had another 100 million people, then maybe".
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
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Be afraid...very afraid.
Ad rant from the Collegian. This part is scary. "Speaking of bad ideas, I read in the Sunday paper that manufacturer Blue Box International is going to release a new action figure in October -just in time for my birthday, thank goodness! What is this exciting new 12-inch plastic doll you ask me with bated breath? Why dear consumer, it is an obvious and shameless attempt at social conditioning, conveniently on the market a year before the next presidential election when ratings for Mr. Bush are down. The action figure is named "Elite Force Aviator: George W. Bush" based on the president's flight in a fighter jet onto the USS Abraham Lincoln earlier this year to announce the end of major combat in Iraq."
See it here. Be afraid. Very afraid.
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Brain farts
Lileks is full of lots of interesting things to stare at. Old adverts, gallery of regrettable food, and much more. Don't be a fool- check it out.
Espresso Stories are "short enough to fit into the time it takes to slurp that bitter little cup, as you ponder on how even the briefest experiences can make life more meaningful." Stories of 25 words or less. Signup and write your own!
Java jig
Espresso and Donuts- "As Dunkin' Donuts expands its product line to include espresso beverages, long the province of Starbucks and other high-end outlets that emphasize ambience and attitude, the Randolph doughnut and coffee chain is banking on speed, efficiency, and lower prices. Dunkin' Donuts's new process is "lots of preprogrammed button-pushing, and not a whole lot of eyeballing," said Brian Dudley, the Dunkin' Donuts executive in charge of product development. "We can't afford that kind of subjectivity." "
Hmmm. Going after the Starbuck's crowd. I wonder if it'll work. Only time will tell.
Cup of Java © 2002-2009
keep on using that brain.