Microwave your cell phone at your own risk

What happens when you microwave a cell phone? The cooking process causes a nasty-looking monster to bubble up out of the handset, all screaming and pissed off. The spot, by Droga5 for pay-as-you-go cell service Net10, has something to do with other cell-phone companies being evil for imposing lengthy contracts. We expected the cell phone to create some microwave popcorn.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on June 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Ads tout Britons' skill at cleaning up vomit

Given England's established culture of drunken football hooliganism, one would expect the public to already appreciate how much puke their local city councils clean up. But oddly enough, they don’t. Hence, a lovely little ad campaign celebrating the down-and-dirty exploits of British garbage men, health inspectors and street cleaners. (See the full version of this ad here.) Some worry that the campaign will coarsen public discourse and cause “widespread offense,” but that’s hardly usual for a British PSA campaign.

—Posted by David Kiefaber

Published on June 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Free PR offering generates its own free PR

Possibly unable to lure any paying clients in these tough economic times, PR agency Porter Novelli says it's creating a “pop-up fashion agency” called Jack + Bill that will “provide free branding, buzz building, media relations and viral marketing services to one individual in each of the following categories: model, stylist, women’s apparel designer and jewelry designer.” (The name comes from founders Jack Porter and Bill Novelli.) What’s more, Jack + Bill “will host an open ‘casting call’ on July 15 and 16 to select its clients.” The average age of the Jack + Bill staff is 26, so you know Tweeting, texting, Facebook and phosphorescent street-art promos are on tap for the lucky clients who get selected. Maybe I’m cynical. I could actually use some fashion advice. Hey, Jack + Bill, what goes with black? I can never remember.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on June 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Had enough 'Dark Knight' marketing yet?

The latest Dark Knight advertising has made its way online, including an updated Gotham Times and some Joker journalism to match. Harvey Dent is also still touring the U.S. in his Dentmobile and leaving voicemail for his constituents. (It’s sad when the fake political viral advertising is better than the real political viral advertising. Some straight talk for the McCain campaign: Your rims actually suck.) Are the online newspapers, secret reveals and touring Dentmobiles working? According to Wired, tickets for many midnight screenings on July 17 are already sold out, and some theaters are adding 3 a.m. showings to meet demand. Of course, the rush might have something to do with this being Heath Ledger’s last screen performance. Either way, take that, Iron Man!

—Posted by Rebecca Cullers

Published on June 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (3)
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In Italy, more garbage means more balls

Art doesn't imitate life, it imitates advertising. Back in January, Italian artist Graziano Cecchini had the balls to create a crappier version of Sony Bravia’s award-winning ad, this time at the Piazza di Spagna in Rome. According to this video spotlighted on YouTube last week, Cecchini protesting the city’s Naples’ suspension of garbage collection in December due to lack of landfill space. Cecchini said the work “represented a lie told by a politician.” Clearly a colorful, bouncy lie. Either way, I can’t say much for the work itself other than, “nice balls.”

—Posted by Rebecca Cullers

Published on June 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
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At JC Penney, teen karaoke beats teen sex

JC Penney's Rock Your Look online karaoke promotion ties in with the Teen Choice Awards. The winner gets to present an award at the show. The show and the promo clearly target teens, so what’s with the retro—more like Stone Age—song selections? “Word Up” by Cameo? “I Ran” by Flock of Seagulls? “Ballroom Blitz” by Sweet!? That last one is something like 35 years old. Admittedly, these are good karaoke choices—for those of us past 40. But today’s teens can’t possibly like this music. “Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo” by Rick Derringer!? Sure, that’s the perfect soundtrack for popping down to the basement for a quick frolic after class, but I doubt that’s what the retailer had in mind. Word up to Adrants for pointing me to the site. “Word up.” That’s what kids say these days, right?

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on June 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)
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What else are they serving over at IHOP?

This IHOP commercial from 1969 is pretty weird, but is it really evidence of someone being "a little too Rooty Tooty on the Fresh and Fruity," as the YouTube description suggests? That sounds like something Potsie Weber would say. Regardless, we’re spooked by that helium-fed eunuch voice too, and even more so by the food shown in the ad. None of us could tell what any of it was, and being unable to recognize what you’re eating is more of a Waffle House thing.

—Posted by David Kiefaber

Published on June 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4)
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Do not mess with women who chew Orbit

Orbit gum can prepare you for the tough times in life. Like when your husband cheats on you. Thanks to the strong teeth you’ve cultivated through your Orbit habit, you’ll be able to destroy his clothes, his golf clubs, his shiny red convertible, photos of the two of you, even the cables connecting his home-theater system—all by simply gnawing on them. The husband, who may himself have bitten off more than he can chew, doesn’t appear in the spot. Quite possibly his head has already been chewed clean off. The commercial is by Energy BBDO in Chicago. UPDATE: The spot’s been yanked; hopefully we’ll see it back again soon.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on June 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (3)
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Fake social net, but real tomato-clam juice

Our neighbors to the north are an interesting lot. Leaving aside their eerie friendliness, they also apparently drink what sounds like a noxious concoction: tomato-clam juice. This would be a tough sell here, but Tribal DDB is having some fun with it in Canada by creating a fake social network, Lamato.net. The premise is pretty simple: we’re not doing any real socializing while sitting in front of our computers throwing sheep at each other. Tribal has put together a bunch of video vignettes of real-life situations that correlate to their online equivalents. Clicking on any of the social network’s “features” pops up a message that it’s all a fake and a reminder to get out in the real world and suck down some liquored-up tomato-clam juice.

—Posted by Brian Morrissey

Published on June 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4)
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Fellas, try on the 'ultimate fashion climax'

When you're a custodian by day and a sex machine by night, you don't want to bother with two different outfits. Luckily, there’s The Big Zip, a jumpsuit that’s 50 percent polyester, 50 percent cotton and 100 percent lust tarp. (See the full ad here.) Dear Jane Sample dug up this gem, although even she’s not sure if it’s for real. Either way, the lascivious copy—“Easy on, easy off, quick as a flick of her tongue”—is priceless when paired with a model who looks like a Doobie Brothers-era Michael McDonald. It’s sad this didn’t catch on, despite the best intentions of Sam Weir and Dr. Thaddeus Venture.

—Posted by David Griner

Published on June 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Cubs keep dreaming in Nuveen's billboards

Fallon, on behalf of Chicago's Nuveen Investments, has done a pretty nice job of capturing the essence of being a Cubs fan, particularly given that the agency is based in Minneapolis. Still, the ad above (“Look at it this way: If you’re a Cubs fan, the greatest day of your life is yet to come”) may seem a bit optimistic. Sure, the Cubs currently have the best record in baseball, but the sportswriters there are already jinxing them. The outdoor ads, at least for now, are appearing only inside Wrigley Field; see a bunch more after the jump. And Cub fans, click on the images for wallpaper-size versions.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

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Published on June 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)
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If you can fly, why would you need a car?

Honda is a perfectly fine car and all, but it'll take more than this ad from DraftFCB Melbourne to convince us that someone who can fly needs to buy one. This guy can take sharp turns better than any vehicle on the road, and he never has to worry about traffic, adverse road conditions, or tire wear slowing him down. Plus, there’s really no better fuel alternative than a superhuman control over gravity. Just ask Powdered Toast Man.

—Posted by David Kiefaber

Published on June 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Billy Dee needed to resolve Colt 45 ad fuss

Liquor ads in Philadelphia have come under fire for, can you imagine, being too appealing. The specific culprit is Colt 45, whose ads resemble graffiti and depict “comic book-style characters clutching bottles and cans of booze.” The slogan is the old-school “Works every time,” to which they’ve added: “Yo, enjoy our frosty malt beverages responsibly!” Parents are obviously fearful, noting how susceptible children are to bright colors and advocations of prudence. Some in the city are complaining that the ads are appearing in places not zoned for advertising or in neighborhoods like Fishtown, populated by people who apparently don’t need more encouragement to drink. Which is a fair point, really. Living in Philly is hard enough on its own.

—Posted by David Kiefaber

Published on June 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5)
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PETA latches on to pregnancy-pact story

A PETA ad in which the cast keeps its clothes on? It's true, but the animal-rights group still manages to court controversy with its “Sex Talk” PSA. Apparently inspired by the headline-grabbing Gloucester, Mass., teen pregnancy pact, it shows a mom and dad encouraging their daughter to have sex with anyone and everyone. The no-frills spot is nicely cast. Dad’s whiney, offhand delivery of lines about disposing of unwanted kids (“We can leave ’em in the shelter, dump ’em in the street, whatever”) is priceless. The point comes at the spot’s close: “Parents shouldn’t act this way. Neither should people with dogs and cats. Always spay or neuter.” They mean spay or neuter the dogs and cats, not the kids.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on June 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5)
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S.F. may name sewage facility after Bush

The George W. Bush Sewage Plant? It could become a reality if a group in San Francisco gets its way. Maybe they’re not Republicans. According to The New York Times, the group has enough signatures to place a vote on the ballot in November to provide “an appropriate honor for a truly unique president.” I assume that tongue-in-cheek quote is from the group—but it’s actually not attributed, and this is the NYT, so draw your own conclusions. “Regardless of the measure’s outcome, supporters plan to commemorate the inaugural with a synchronized flush of hundreds of thousands of San Francisco toilets” on Jan. 20, inauguration day. If the Bush naming falls through, I’ll gladly toss my hat in the ring. The “Dave Gianatasio Sewage Plant” has a certain ring to it. Or is that a flush?

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on June 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (3)
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Happy endings in Ryanair's business class

Sure, you could pay 10 euros to cross the Atlantic on Ryanair's new "long-haul" venture. But at a recent German press conference, shown above, CEO Michael O’Leary gave a pretty good reason to pay for business class. This clip might not be work-safe, so put on your headphones and skip ahead to the 1-minute mark. Maybe Ryanair should adopt JetBlue’s “Happy jetting” slogan. Via Consumerist.

—Posted by David Griner

Published on June 26, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Don't you just love people on cell phones?

This grand new U.S. Cellular spot from Publicis & Hal Riney is based on a pretty ludicrous premise: that people talking on their cell phones in public are a source of joy for everyone around them. Nothing could be further from the truth, but don’t let that get in the way of your obligatory sweeping 60-second feel-good branding spot. After seeing this ad, the company’s “Don’t be afraid to be that friend” gorilla ad is growing on me.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on June 26, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5)
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HP's TouchSmart PCs ready to leave mark

A hidden benefit of HP's TouchSmart PCs: fingerprints. I'm surprised Goodby, Silverstein doesn’t touch (ha!) on the subject in its new commercial. Like most office drones, I work myself into a paranoid lather about who might be snooping through my desk and accessing my computer files. (I suspect Fred, the guy in the next cube.) With my filthy keyboard, it’s impossible to lift a clean print. But with the TouchSmart, I can see when someone’s big ugly thumbs have been all over the screen. Look at those mustard-smudged prints! And there’s some turkey stuck to the screen! Oh ... that was my lunch. Ok, well, just to be on the safe side: Stay the hell away from my desk, Fred!

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on June 26, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Matt is back, still dancing for Stride gum

In 2005, a guy named Matt couldn't dance. So, of course, he uploaded a video of himself dancing frenetically in front of famous places. Stride gum saw the video and sponsored him to go around the world and dance his strange, leprechaun-ish jig. Stride's first Matt video, from 2006, has gotten almost 10 million hits to date. Last week, the follow-up, with fans dancing alongside Matt, was posted (see above). It already has more than 2 million views. It’s the feel-good movie of the summer! What I’m missing is the connection between the worldwide jig-a-thon and Stride, which currently seems more interested in beating the crap out of its customers to get them to stop chewing its gum. Maybe in the next commercial they’ll send Matt along with those dudes in lederhosen to help them put the pain back in gum.

—Posted by Rebecca Cullers

Published on June 26, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
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JWT curls up on the couch with 'Mad Men'

What to make of JWT’s decision to advertise itself via a brand spot on the upcoming Mad Men season-one DVD set? The shop apparently spells out the words “Mad Men” with letters and logos from its client roster. “Making brands famous since 1864” is the tagline. Sterling Cooper, the booze-and-sex-driven swingin’ Kennedy-era shop on the show, would’ve opted for “Making brands famous since 1864, baby!” (And made the exclamation point out of a cigarette, naturally.) “This is an opportunity for us to leverage our brand, baby!” said JWT global CEO Bob Jeffrey, though I tweaked his actual quote to add some pizzazz. Chris Vollmer of Booz Allen more or less told Brandweek: “JWT must feel that there is a big portion of the [ad] industry watching this, baby!” I’ve discovered Mad Men’s secret. This stuff writes itself.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on June 26, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Banks are now bribing you with ice cream

Webster Bank is introducing “ice cream truck brand ambassadors” via Horizon Media. From the release: “Through June 29, the financial institution will be giving away ice cream in a branded Webster Bank ice cream truck at a number of parks, recreational and shopping areas throughout Westchester County in New York and lower Fairfield County in Connecticut.” The stuff is free, so there’s no need to worry about your savings melting away (ha!). Maybe I should change banks. At mine, the tellers won’t even let me have any of those lollipops in the baskets by their windows. They say those are “for kids.” Hey, does Junior have Platinum Checking and two IRAs? I want my damn lolly!

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on June 26, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Gatorade takes a leap with 'ball girl' video

Another day, another viral campaign where you have to squint to find the culprit. This time it's Gatorade, whose “Amazing ball girl catch” has gotten a few hundred thousand views on YouTube (although much of the traffic seems to be coming from debunking posts like those on Deadspin and Snopes). I always have mixed feelings on these kinds of videos, especially when they only take off after being revealed as marketing projects. Still, if you know a video is the work of an ad agency—in this case, Chicago’s Element 79—and you still go watch it, they must be doing something right.

—Posted by David Griner

Published on June 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5)
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Wieden, Old Spice go places they shouldn't

The Skittles sheep boys will be bleating their approval of this new Old Spice spot from Wieden + Kennedy—advertising’s first recognition in a while of the all-too- often-marginalized human/animal hybrid segment. VFXWorld has a little background on how Digital Domain made the centaur look real. “Of course the centaur needed to look plausible, but an effect like this can get creepy really quickly,” says DD’s Vernon Wilbert. “The suds made it work. It worked better because the suds and the soap go places where they shouldn’t. That made it real ... and it made it funny.” Via Adverganza, whose headline made us laugh also.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on June 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4)
Filed under Freaky, Nudd, Old Spice, Personal care, Wieden + Kennedy

Holding companies in battle of odd names

It's a dire time for agency names. While some still slap the founders' names up on the door, others are getting creative, with mixed results. Let’s pause for a moment to remember Synarchy, the trial balloon for WPP Group’s Dell agency. That name was quickly shot down by blogs. WPP settled on Enfatico, which I guess is at least cheery. Publicis is rolling out a new ad platform thingy it’s calling VivaKi. It almost makes you want to put an exclamation point on the end. According to Maurice Lévy, the name is a combo of “viva,” meaning “life,” and “ki,” apparently meaning “energy flow.” How do you feel about it?

—Posted by Brian Morrissey

Published on June 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (3)
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Naked Cowboy suit vs. M&Ms will proceed

A judge this week gave the green light to the Naked Cowboy's lawsuit against Mars Inc. for trademark infringement, stemming from an animated video that ran in Times Square which showed the blue M&M done up in Naked Cowboy-ish garb. The other big news: The Naked Cowboy, aka Robert Burck, isn’t seeking $6 million, as reported in February, but rather $100 million. He tells CNN: “I have spent 10 years in every kind of weather and going through the legal, step by step [process of getting a trademark],” Burck said. “It is imperative that damages are pushed so ... an example will be set.” The blue M&M has not commented publicly on the lawsuit.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on June 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
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