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

Thursday, March 30, 2006
[ :: adgruntie :: Bits and bobs for today ]

+ Crap. Should do a last minute trip to Scotland. Why? free entry to Historic Scotland attractions this weekend.

+ UK National Archive is celebrating its 60th. You can view ads & propoganda public information films from 1945-2006

+ Underpant toast. Yes. You read that correctly.

(via i like)

[ :: adgruntie :: Another award thingy ]

+ Yes, another awards show. The Green Awards aim to "recognise excellent creative work that illustrates and communicates the importance of CSR, sustainable development, and ethical best practice. And they will be awarded to brands or organisations that have demonstrated their commitment to these issues in a creative and effective way across different media platforms and marketing disciplines."

[ :: cooking :: Trader Joes links ]

+ This is more for me for reference. Although the Tracking Trader Joes site was found through a NYTimes article from October 2005 on brand blogs run by fans that are not offically associated with the company they are writing about. Interesting stuff. Oh and then there's the TJ's fan site. Perhaps this should get tagged as branding...oh well.

[ :: adgruntie :: New CocaCola campaign to break ]

+ Get ready. Coca Cola's "Coke Side of Life" campaign is ramping up and will probably be one of those campaigns where we are bombarded with frequency. Oh joy!
From the press release:

The first round of television spots in what will be a fully integrated, global campaign -- including digital components, promotions, properties, and new graphic treatments -- begins airing in the U.S. this weekend during broadcasts of the NCAA Final Four on CBS and American Idol on Fox. Simultaneously, outdoor and print executions will appear across the country and an extensive online campaign that features exclusive viral videos and other unique content will help dimensionalize The Coke Side of Life in the digital world.
"We live in a world where we make choices every day and The Coke Side of Life encourages people to make those choices positive ones," said Marc Mathieu, senior vice president for carbonated soft drink core brands, Marketing, Strategy and Innovation, The Coca-Cola Company. "This new campaign invites people to create their own positive reality, to be spontaneous, listen to their hearts and live in full color."
Coca-Cola has always been at its best when it reflects the simple, optimistic moments in life. The Coke Side of Life recognizes that the most universal experiences are those where Coca-Cola is refreshingly honest and uplifting.

Because the choice of sugar water is always better than real water, right? ;)
Although it may be slightly better than the Diet Coke "light it up" tag. I find it amazing that the company bought off on that.
Past poop on the campaign can be found at AdLand.

[ :: adgruntie :: Samurai Ad Agency ]

+ I haven't had time to finish this game but, you should check it out if you get some time. Creative Bushido where you send Ad Samurai to battle. The names of agencies you battle against is pretty funny - and obvious who they are spoofin' on. Nice art direction too. (via AdLand)

[ :: adgruntie :: More on creativity ]

+ Checking up on posts at Creative Generalist, I found he had posted on an article from The Observer from 2002 on creativity.

Reverie is crucial to the creative mind. And although this predominantly comes down to nurture over nature, creativity is lost without an instinctive ability to access free-floating mental states. The myth goes that creatives either lie back and let the muse come to them, or force it out through hard work and lengthy trial and error. The reality is somewhere between the two - a combination of inspiration and evaluation, of being able to let an idea come to you and then crafting it into shape.

[ snip ]

Creative people do, however, intuitively know the value of alternating the rhythms of work: when to let the mind wander, when to get down to hard work and when to put a problem on the back burner and leave the subconscious to mull it over. This is a crucial flexibility of mind demonstrated by the way creative people, even during periods of intense activity, manage to create little holes for themselves where they will instinctively take the mini breaks they need to let ideas come to them.

Time out feeds the quietness of mind that is essential to creativity.

Ain't that the truth! Sometimes when working on billing it's tough to figure out exact amount of time working on a project. Clients have no idea what deal they get as while not working on the project physically, so often I find my brain pondering ways to creatively solve the client's problem while in the shower, washing after dinner or while driving. ;)
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
[ :: adgruntie :: Inspiration ]

+ Guardian Arts has an article from a couple weeks ago titled "Divine Inpsiration". Here's the overview:

It's the vital ingredient of creativity, but what exactly is this thing called inspiration? Psychoanalyst Adam Phillips seeks its source while diverse artists from all fields reveal how the muse strikes them.

And here are two excerpts from the article:

Just as you can't try and have a dream, or decide beforehand what it will be, inspired work, whatever its prehistory of crisis or trauma, can seem to just happen. When Keats wrote that poetry must come as easily as leaves to a tree, or Picasso said, 'I don't seek, I find', they were both as post-Romantic artists reminding us, and presumably themselves, that inspiration is beyond the realm of calculated intentions. It happens unannounced, more like bursting out laughing or making a Freudian slip than a quest or an ordeal. It is an affront to our guilty selves for good things to come easily; and it is an affront to our sovereign selves that good things might come in spite of us and not because of us. That what matters most to us is quite beyond us.

[snip ]

We need to be receptive to the unfamiliar; and we need to be able to wait, without certainty, for the thing we want. This, in a sense, is the faith of the believer in artistic inspiration. It is perhaps not surprising that the wish to fake it or the wish to dispense with it altogether is so pervasive. It is difficult to get our minds round something that is so unlike a commodity and, in actuality, so unlike a religion. There are, of course, superstitions around inspiration, and probably all artists have their own; but there are no dogmas about inspiration except that it is required for work of the highest value. And there are no laws, natural or otherwise, of inspiration, except the ironic law that it is mostly unpredictable. And there are no experts who can teach it, though there are people who can teach us how to recognise it.

[ :: adgruntie :: Face2Face 2 ]

+ I just checked out Adcritic's second installment of Face2Face with Clow and Bogusky. A hell of a lot better and a thousand times more interesting than their first clip. I have to say I loved the fact that Bogusky says he doesn't go more than 30 minutes into the future because he can't predict any more ahead of that. And also that we're still waiting for some sort of model to shake out.
Yes yes yes!
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
[ :: copy :: Words, ah yes. ]

+ Irony?
Looking up synonyms for comprehensive:
Main Entry: catholic
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: general
Synonyms: all-embracing, broad-minded, charitable, comprehensive, cosmic, cosmopolitan, diffuse, eclectic, ecumenical, extensive, generic, global, inclusive, indeterminate, large-scale, liberal, open-minded, planetary, receptive, tolerant, unbigoted, universal, unprejudiced, unsectarian, whole, wide, world-wide, worldly

[ :: adgruntie :: Fun in the office ]

+ An art director I'm working with was electronically sent a PDF product shot by a client. The client has asked for him to send it back now that he's done using it.

Yes, this really happened. Scary but true.

[ :: adgruntie :: Reagan sells Borax ]


+ I'm not exactly sure how I ended up on a page about Borax but it had this public domain image of Ronald Reagan selling the stuff. And perhaps it's my frame of mind (silly) from the project I'm working (trying very hard to focus) on, but I found it somewhat amusing.

I need more sleep and more caffeine I think.

[ :: adgruntie :: Welcome to AdChat... ]

+ Ad Critic has the next installment of Clow/Bogusky up. It cannot be any more dull or pointless than last time...I hope. Will have to watch it later.

[ :: adgruntie :: Thoughts in my head ]

+ I don't have much time today to write or post but here's a few things I've been thinking about and would maybe revisit when I've got time.

1) One issue with all the adblogs out there that post creative, the majority don't put any information on when it was done. And because most folks don't put the year it ran or don't know when it ran I've started to see the delayed posting of a bunch of ads that are yonks old. Not that it's horrible, but hell, if you don't know when something ran, say so. Don't try to pass it off as new or news. (heh, actually that's probably enough on that subject!)

2) Why is it that there are people out there who still don't get that successful advertising draws people in...this means it dosen't yell at them, doesn't offend them, doesn't make watching paint dry seem like a more interesting way to spend their time or make them want to throw out their TV change the channel?

3)Is it really so horrible for ad agencies to say they don't have all the answers right now in a realm that seems to be in a constant state of flux, with loads of contradictory statements and claims as to "best practices" for the industry (gag me for typing that...seriously!). It's not reinventing the wheel but there is change going on...and many seem just too idiodic wasting money on things that aren't going to work (and by that I don't just mean commercials...)

4) Product placement in TV shows is starting to near the line. Sunday Family Guy crossed that line...with a huge giant jump. Granted, I think they crossed the line probably last season a few times. I get they were brought back to be able to make more DVD sales. But come on...Peter in a scene from Ice Age??? No...bad...bad *hits Seth and FUX over head with newspaper* There is a limit to what people will accept for product placement...and in some cases perhaps we're there. *holding up Smegma Cola* ;)
Thursday, March 23, 2006
[ :: creativity :: Brainstorming and brainfood ]

+ How to brainstorm from the TimesOnline, which is actually an excerpt from a book.

1. What's in a name? The term "brainstorming" was coined in the 1940s by Alex Osborn, an American advertising executive. Alternatives such as "thought showers" and "idea storming" have been used to avoid offending epilepsy sufferers. But a 2005 survey by the National Epilepsy Society found that 93 per cent of sufferers did not find the term "brainstorming" offensive.

Serious? That's kinda odd. I would never have guessed someone could see "brainstorming" as offensive. *shrug*

3. More, more, more. Quantity not quality is the key to better brainstorming because it increases the likelihood of useful ideas.

4. Anything goes. Encourage people to generate wild ideas rather than safe ones. "It's not necessarily having ideas that will be implementable instantly," Kitchin says. "A crazy idea might lead to a more sensible idea."

5. No criticism allowed. Junior members of staff are likely to feel more relaxed if they know that their suggestions will not be dismissed. The aim at this stage is to generate ideas, not to evaluate them.

6. Piggybacking allowed. Developing further ideas from people's suggestions, known as piggybacking, can be very productive. Ideas can be improved on or two ideas can be combined to create something new.

7. Change the scenery. Going somewhere different often helps to stimulate creativity. Some firms have brainstorming sessions outdoors or on an away day, others have them in someone else's office or home. As long as it's not where you spend the rest of your working day.

9. More than words. Use drawings, symbols, colour, cartoons. You could even have music and get staff to brainstorm without talking.

Some good advice there.

Now even more interesting, or different I guess, is SpaceForIdeas in the UK. Their website has lots of info on ideas and how to come up with them and nurture them like the delicate gossamer things they are. They even have a section on feeding your ideas and have recipes from chefs using "brain foods" as ingredients.

Apparently, there are a few groupings. Foods rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids: fish like mackerel, herrings, sardines, fresh tuna, trout, pilchards, salmon, anchovies, and enriched eggs (not sure what they are enriched with though). Foods rich in iron, are broken down into two types. Haem iron: Beef, liver, turkey, oysters, clams, mussels, and those sardines pop up again. Non-haem iron: Lentils, soybeans, spinach, dired apricots, seaweed, and enriched breakfast cereals. The last grouping they list are the slow-release carbohydrates (all you Creatives on Atkins better find something else!): Pasta, noodles, porridge oats, beans and pulses, nuts, dried fruit, and fruit and veggies.

[ :: adgruntie :: VW doesn't have cojones anymore ]


+ Volkswagen pulled billboards with the headline "Turbo Cojones" this week. The ads were created by Creative On Demand. They have also created other components (tv spots) targeting the new GTI's at the Hispanic community featuring Speedy Gonzales, which you can view here if you're a superadgrunt (Speedbump, Cats, and Replay).

We wanted something that broke out of the mold and carried the connotation of being strong and gutsy," says Daniel Marrero, creative director for the Miami-based agency, CreativeOndemanD, that came up with the ad. "This is a word adapted in the American vernacular. We never thought it would be an issue."

Spanish speakers found the billboard offensive. Clear Channel wouldn't put it up in Miami. But CBS Outdoor was fine with putting it up.

The billboard went up last Monday in Little Havana. By Wednesday, the barrage of complaints had prompted the billboard company to consult Volkswagen about how to proceed. "Our marketing department said let's go ahead and pull it," said Steve Keyes, a spokesman for Volkswagen's U.S. headquarters at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Meanwhile, the billboard went up in New York and Los Angeles, where there were no immediate complaints. But Thursday, Volkswagen decided those should come down, too, said Keyes. They will be replaced with other billboards that play on Spanglish, or Spanish-English blends: "Here Today. Gone Tamale," says one of them. The other reads: "Kick a Little Gracias."

[ :: adgruntie :: CBS in the market ]

+ No, no not stocks. The supermarket. CBS has signed up to become a programming partner with SignStorey Inc., a Fairfield-based company that has video screens installed in 1,300 supermarkets nationwide.

Short-form programming designed specifically for shoppers on topics such as health, nutrition, as well as short news and sports items and entertainment.

Schweitzer said some material would be drawn from CBS shows but revised for the supermarket screens, which generally appear in produce and deli sections, where people tend to linger and where there aren't shelves that would block the view.

"We know how competitive it is in the marketplace," Schweitzer said. "We saw this as a great way to reach out to our audience in an exclusive venue. We're not competing with our competitors there, and you can't change the channel."

"As it gets harder to reach people at home, everybody still goes to the grocery store," Cargill, CEO of SignStorey said. "If you want to reach people, it is not only an important place to be, it is a necessary place to be."

At least this won't take away from a quiet atmosphere - in fact, maybe it will help to drown out the screaming kids, fighting couples and gawd awful muzak.

[ :: viral :: Bad ass ]

+ Could this possibly be one of the worst examples of how to do a viral ad? I think so. Brand Republic writes about it, which I find somewhat shocking. Nothing good to write about today is there?

For those who don't know:

The campaign backs the new, 2006 model Renault Megane, which is being promoted with an above-the-line campaign based on the theme "still shaking it". Groove Armada's 'I See You Baby' first appeared in ads for Renault Megane in 2003, drawing dozens of complaints from viewers who said that the ad encouraged children to copy the bottom-wobbling of the ad. The campaign, created by Publicis, has continued although a 2004 ad was banned after more than 200 complaints that it made fun of people with Parkinson's disease.

And now you know. The problem with this that makes it a bad viral is that it's not really something people would pass along. Perhaps a young target audience below the age of being able to drive might find this amusing, but pretty much any other age group wouldn't. Especially the age groups that are making auto purchasing decisions. Quite frankly I'd be embarrassed to pass this on to someone I know. Not a good way to make something "viral".
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
[ :: adgruntie :: Good googly moogly ]

+ Feeling dirty? Why don't you do some cleaning?

Viral for Xtra Pine. Agency unknown.

[ :: adgruntie :: Waaa? Widmer Ads ]


+ Ad for Widmer Brothers Brewing Company based in Seattle.
Headline: Choose Widmer Hefewizen. Because other hefeweizens might have wet kittens in them. Find the whole series here.

The radio spots are worth checking out as well. Not sure if these were done by the agency of record, which looks to be WongDoody. The WongDoody site has some other ads for them up on their site right now. Either way, they are...I'm not sure how to describe them.

[ :: adgruntie :: An old Nokia ad ]


+ It may be a bit old (couple years), but it's a great ad.

[ :: adgruntie :: Radio ad so bad it hurts ]

+ Trying to work while listening to...yes the radio! I just heard a radio spot that made my skin crawl. Please tell me what normal person makes a list of how they save by shopping at "X Market"??? WTF?
Man: Hey Hon, what are you doing?
Woman: Making a list of how I save by shopping at X.
Then the man gets all excited and lists a ton of crap.

This is not good advertising. This is not how normal people behave. And if they did I'd be very afraid.

[ :: designy :: Too pretty to drink ]

+ Coffee Art - video instruction for making art with coffee and cream. (via swissmiss)
Sunday, March 19, 2006
[ :: sidetracks :: Savage Chickens ]

+ Savage Chickens - a cartoon done on yellow sticky notes. I found this mission statement one pretty funny.

[ :: copy :: Words ]

+ Why is the English language is so fun? Big ass words like this: Floccinaucinihilipilification. (noun) Definition: an act or instance of judging something to be worthless or trivial. Etymology: the parts of the word each mean 'at nothing' or 'with a small price.'
Now that's a Scrabble word!


Another related thing... MyFavoriteWord.com, where anyone can add their favorite word.

[ :: adgruntie :: Boomers ]

+ Article on the ways in which companies are tailoring products new and old for the aging baby boomer generation.

"We are going to have a huge jump, (where) one in four is going to be over 60," Manufacturers Alliance economist Cliff Waldman said. "The demographic shift . . . translates into enough revenue to be industry-changing for a number of U.S. manufacturers."

Just don't tell these customers that they're old.

"Boomers don't perceive themselves as old," AARP senior research adviser Sarah Zapolsky said. "They never grew up. They will say that they feel seven to 10 years younger than they are. And they are not echoing the typical life stages. Now it's, 'The kids are out of the house and I'm taking up inline skating.'"

Thursday, March 16, 2006
[ :: adgruntie :: Would Lorraine Collett be rolling in her grave? ]

+ 90 years ago, Lorraine Collett posed for Sun-Maid and became the iconic Sun-Maid Raisin Girl. This week Sun-Maid as launched a new campaign and website to celebrate their 90 years. But it seems the held out on the production budget by looking at the ad. See the :15 and :30 here. The client (Sun-Maid) is quoted in Brandweek saying "We're excited with the resulting television commercials, which put a modern spin on our message that raisins are 'Just Grapes and Sunshine'." Please. This fella must have stared at way too many gawd-awful powerpoint presentations if he actually thinks this animation is good. Just as scary as those lame Nasonex bee ads...but thankfully not quite as horrid as this crappy Dole Banana ad.

[ :: ranty :: Pay for air ]

+ Just a quicky...why is it that some gas stations actually charge for air? It's the stupidest thing ever! Pet peeve for the day brought to you by Schmermam's Owl Buffer. Cleans even the dirtest of owls.

[ :: adgruntie :: Microsoft has a sense of humor? ]

+ Advergirl points to a post over at ipodobserver which claims that Microsoft spokesman Tom Pilla on Tuesday to confirm with them that his company initiated the creation of the iPod packaging parody video.

"It was an internal-only video clip commissioned by our packaging [team] to humorously highlight the challenges we have faced RE: packaging and to educate marketers here about the pitfalls of packaging/branding," he said via e-mail. [snip] Mr. Pilla noted: "While MS did not release the video, it's natural to share funny things with friends. So while we didn't publicly share the video, it was shared with appropriate teams internally. We're happy to see others enjoy the laugh as well."

See it here as it was removed from youtube.

[ :: adgruntie :: Orange leaves Mother ]

+ Mother loses 50 million pound Orange account...goes to Fallon London and Euro RSCG London. Hmm.

[ :: adgruntie :: New Virgin Atlantic TV spot ]

+ Today, Virgin Atlantic is launchs a new TV campaign promoting its Upper Class product for business travellers.

The 50-second spot, developed by Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, is set on the beaches of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

The ad opens on Orville and Wilbur Wright standing alongside the world’s first plane, 'Flyer 1'. A lone Englishman approaches them over the dunes and describes such apparently fantastical things as a chauffeur service to and from the airport, beds onboard, eating on board and sitting at a bar. He ends by pointing out they’re "going to need a bigger plane". The spot ends with the brothers staring at him in amazement, before the ad cuts to the interior of the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class cabin.

[ :: adgruntie :: Sales or Profit? ]

+ An article takes a look at a presentation by Syracuse University Professor John Philip Jones at the annual Southern African Marketing Research Council (SAMRA) conference, which was themed around the question: "Are you in business for sales or profit? How promotions produce sales but only advertising produces profit."

Jones emphasizes that scientific research has proved that higher continuity has far greater reach for brands: "rather add weeks to the media schedule than throw more money at campaigns. This is standard practice at many big brand companies now".

He shared the following recipe: 'Good Cooks Make Briyani'(substitute Boerewors in SA!)
G = Gatekeeper: short term effect
C = Continuity
M = Medium-term effect
B = Brand-building

And his final word on advertising effectiveness: "Make sure you are using advertising properly in terms of creative, media and advertising. You need to apply skill and resources. You have to observe - know what is going on. Strong brands are only possible with strong market research."

Definitely some interesting points to consider.

[ :: adgruntie :: Hill's blog ]

+ Yeah, I'm sure you've heard about HHCC's blog/site. It's sorta funny that the blog goes back to Feb 9th, because I swear I went to the site after that and was still getting their horrible powerpoint influenced layout, that they had put up after getting rid of the very cool although not super user friendly moving bridge image thing (can't think of a better way to describe it right now- had to be the shade of blue though that made me think of it.) I guess I'm wrong...or maybe they started posting before the whole thing went live.

I do find it interesting that they hired Ernie Schenck to help write their blog for them. Don't they have any skilled writers in house that could do the job? Or I guess perhaps they are too busy doing the work for the client that they needed to outsource. Or maybe Ernie gave up the freelance gig and they hired him on. Who knows. Just pointing it out.

I have to say my favorite poster bio has to be this one "I don't know Victoria's Secret, my beard came in 2nd in two categories in the latest beard contest." Scott...you rock!

It will be interesting to see how their blog "evolves", as most do with time.

[ :: designy :: This and that ]

+ Etsy - Handmade stuff for sale, kinda interesting.

Layout Gala - tested CSS layouts...and, bonus, they're free! Sweet.
(both via swissmiss)
Saturday, March 11, 2006
[ :: adgruntie :: Forums/Symposiums ]

+ I wish I had the funds to go to this Shots Forum in London. It's a one day dealio March 21. Looks like there will be some interesting discussions and panels. One of the downsides to freelancing is that you don't have a company to foot the bills for industry related stuff like this. Yes, I can write it off but, this one is £410.08, which is nearly $800USD, and that's not including hotel or airfare. There was a recent symposium in my area which I wanted to attend, but again, the price for attending was over $800! A bit steep if you ask me. Perhaps they do that on purpose so that they are only getting either extremely successful freelancers or agency only types. *shrug*
Friday, March 10, 2006
[ :: sidetracks :: Brainie the Pooh ]

+ A fabulous Pinkie and the Brain episode spoofing Whinnie the Pooh, Brainie the Pooh and Pinklet.


[ :: sidetracks :: Mmmm Beer ]

+ Because, it's Friday. Beer Troubleshooting Chart.

[ :: adgruntie :: Viral or not? ]

+ This was sent to me by my mum and has been going around the net for ages (well a few years at least). I find it interesting that it's not "toothpaste" or "tomato paste" for most of these, but specific brands. Is it viral marketing or just a coincidence?

Keep this on the Fridge - You Know That?
Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers."

Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously
strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria. (Apparently Heinz vinegar listed further down doesn't matter here)

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly -- even though the product was never been advertised for this use. (Note: Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine is not the same..and contains aspirin, which can cause stomach bleeding if you have ulcers.)

Honey remedy for skin blemishes...Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus...Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection...To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Coca-Cola cure for rust...Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer...If menacing bees,wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home andyou can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

Smart splinter remover...just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt's tomato paste boil cure....cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters...To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine...a powerful antiseptic.

Heinz vinegar to heal bruises...Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Kills fleas instantly. Dawn dish washing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor... Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Eliminate ear mites... All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief....It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

Thursday, March 09, 2006
[ :: sidetracks :: Mr Flibble says "Game over boys" ]

+ Yes, that's Mr. Flibble...and now the Red Dwarf UK shop is selling the Mr. Flibble Glove Puppet! Brilliant! If you're not into Red Dwarf or don't even know what the hell it is, it is a UK sci-fi comedy show and Mr Flibble is a deranged killer penguin that attempts to fry the crew with his Hex Vision. Buggery-boo that this doesn't come with Hex vision though...would be cool if his eyes lit up red or something. Maybe lasers shooting out of his eyes! yeah! Would be good for the little kiddies! Also check out the head knockers available.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
[ :: adgruntie :: Mary Woodbridge viral ]

+ Spillmann/Felser/Leo Burnett in Zurich Switzerland have recently moved their viral campaign featuring an 85-year old woman who had bought herself a Mammut jacket and suddenly found herself wanting to conquer Mount Everest with her dachshund Daisy, into a cross-media campaign for Mammut.

According to the press release I was sent, the story has been making headlines around the world in newspapers, internet chat rooms, on the radio and on news portals. Some of the stories reported on the "story" are linked to on the website. The first comments on the site date back to December 19, 2005. Mary even joined a forum for climbers where the site was appreciated, once people stopped worrying that she might hurt herself and realized it was a viral. The large warning by Mammut ("Warning: Equipment this good can cause loss of common sense")on the site was also a bit of a give away, although that might be a more recent addition.

Now Mammut is featuring Mary Woodbridge in its current advertising, and she figures in a million new Mammut inserts (in no fewer than six languages!) being distributed with magazines. On the site you can download a PDF of the flyer, which very nicely ties Mary into the layout. The website also has some films to watch, one of which is a behind the scenes.

Directed by Chris Niemeyer and production by Plan B Film, Switzerland, the spots feature Mary Woodbridge played by Sheila Latimer, Daisy played by Mr. Ben, and of course, jacket styling by Andres Lietha. Agency credits include: Peter Brönnimann, Raul Serrat, Sabien Roder, Mathias Stådeli, and Sebahat Derdiyok.

All and all it's a good campaign. It's engaging and totally all about the product. And it's fun. And from the responses on the climbing forum that I saw, it looks like it was well received by the target audience too.

[ :: adgruntie :: Firefox Flicks ]

+ The folks at Firefox have created a FirefoxFlicks ad competition, which you might have seen on google. The creative brief looks for a unique 30-second film commercial that introduces Firefox to mom and pop. The spots will be judged by Jim Denault (Cinematographer), Scott Goodson (Founder/CCO StrawberryFrog), McG (Film/Television Director and Producer, Freddy Rodriguez (Actor), Geo Santini (Music Video Director), Ben Younger (Film Director), and Warren Zide (Film Producer).

Also interesting to note, the winning entry will automatically qualify as a Shortlist finalist in the 2006 New York Festivals of Advertising competition.

All in all it sounds pretty darn cool. Deadline is midnight March 31st.

(I've been horrid at keeping up with COJ emails/submissions. I feel terrible about that. Sorry to all you who have sent in news.)

[ :: adgruntie :: List of categories to avoid ]

+ Old news really but still worth posting. A list of categories to avoid for award shows by W+K London joint Creative Director Tony Davidson and Andy Berlin of Berlin Cameron /
Red Cell after judging the Andy Awards in Florence.

[ :: adgruntie :: Caddy folk "disgusted" with SB ad ]

+ Moderinsta! picks up some Caddy work.

Cadillac's Liz Vanzura was reportedly disgusted with the brand's Super Bowl spot that depicted the new 2007 Escalade in a fashion show. The ad apparently flopped in all the meters measuring how much the audience liked the commercial. In response to Cadillac's flailing marketing effort she has transferred the marketing duties for some of the brand’s models away from Leo Burnett, the agency responsible for the Super Bowl fumble, to an agency called Modernista.

Shame she wasn't smart enough to get them to come up with another idea. This ad was a good example of a brand really being so into itself that it misses connecting with it's target. If the folks at Leo fed the client this trite crap then they deserve to lose some of the business.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
[ :: sidetracks :: Python silliness ]

+ Hurrah! The shows that PBS has been airing, Monty Python's Best, are now on sale. And they've created the Silly Walks Generator to help spread the word. (hat tip from the loverly Dabitch at AdLand)
Monday, March 06, 2006
[ :: adgruntie :: Add some tragedy to your next campagin ]

+ Over at Media Guardian, Naresh Ramchandani rants about the lack of tragedy in advertising.

But tragedy and brands are not comfortable bedfellows. Brands need to be positive, so sadness, regret, frustration and longing tend not feature in their advertising.That's not a happy state of affairs. Advertising is missing a trick. I was schooled at early HHCL where the simple mantra was to produce advertising that was "different". Later, I read Jean-Marie Dru's book Disruption, where the mantra was to break conventions. If every ad tries to be funny, surely an immediate difference or disruption would be to try the opposite. A campaign of moving love stories for a tissue. Or if that's too obvious, then a perfume campaign about someone missing a lover, missing their scent.

[ :: adgruntie :: Stunts in Spaaaace! ]

+ On July 31, cosmonaut Panel Vinogradov will play golf during a six-hour spacewalk on the International Space Station as part of a publicity stunt for golf-club manufacturer Element 21 who is paying the Russian Space Agency. Timed to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the first golf shot in space, Vinogradov will hit a gold-plated golf ball into orbit. It will be the longest drive ever hit, because this ball is expected to travel 2.1 billion miles before it plunges into the Earth's orbit and burns up in three years or four years.

[ :: adgruntie :: Arnold St. Louis no more ]

+ Arnold Worldwide closes St. Louis shop and is moving all those accounts to the Boston office.

"It's a loss of prestige and a loss of a creative opportunity in the community," said Tim Rodgers, founder and partner of Rodgers Townsend. One of the region's largest agencies, Rodgers Townsend handles similar national brand advertising for AT&T, the former SBC Communications.

Arnold's St. Louis employees learned of the decision in late February, days after the agency moved to the second floor of the Fashion Square Building at 1307 Washington Ave. Arnold signed a five-year lease to be the lead tenant in the building, which McGowan Brothers Development spent $25 million renovating. Swanson said the timing of the decision to close its St. Louis office is unfortunate. Arnold selected the new space 16 months ago because its lease was due to expire in the Gateway One building downtown.

Ouch!

[ :: adgruntie :: Teens love their Mums ]

+ A recent study by BBDO found that teens throughout the world consider parental relationships more important than peer relationships. And teens report it is more important to spend time with Mom than with anyone else.
Friday, March 03, 2006
[ :: adgruntie :: Another Virgin Music Find ]

+ You have to check out this Virgin Music spot where you have to find the 50 or so song titles. Very cool. I adore the Victorian inspired animation (by National Television) and the song it's set to rocks.

+ Is Rachael Ray going to be the next Martha? She's got a new mag and apparently a new daytime tv show.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
[ :: adgruntie :: Cow abductions ]

+ Goodby's new Got Milk? spots feature aliens. Five new spots will start airing March 13th ("Landing Party," "Farmer," "Communication," "The Ship" and "Homecoming") and in conjunction there's a site that's been set up too - CowAbduction.com

Odd. But good. At least the site is...curious to see what they've cooked up for the spots.

[ :: wisdom :: No duh ]

+ If anyone tells you advertising is an exact science, they're trying to sell you something.

[ :: adgruntie :: A NZ MS ad that doesn't suck ]

+ Apprently this is old, but it's new to me. The Register posts about a crazy MS Office Student and Teacher Edition 2003 print ad. It's so not Microsoft...I have to wonder if this is for real. But apparently it did run for a short while in NZ. Why do the Kiwi's get to have fun with Microsoft while everywhere else we're stuck with those crappy dinosaur ads?

[ :: adgruntie :: Brands vs. generic ]

+ This article takes a look at brands vs. private labels in Australia. Some interesting brand-y points.

"Another challenge is that, until recently, Australian consumers have not been exposed to a wide range of high-quality private-label alternatives, but we are now starting to see this change," says ACNielsen Australia's communications manager, Deanie Sultana.

"Trust versus perceived risk is certainly a key component. Within Australia, private label enjoys the highest share in categories such as sugar, butter, paper napkins, flour and disposable cups and plates where many consumers appear to perceive little difference between branded and generic offerings. At the other end of the scale, private label has a very low share in categories such as incontinence products, cough and cold, skin care, razors and blades, batteries and soft drinks. It will be more difficult for private label to gain significant share in these types of categories," she says.