Big Tobacco ad interviewer meets his match
I'd grown weary of American Legacy's fake-job-interview "Truth" spots from Arnold, but the latest iteration, this Web-only clip called "Nostradamus," ranks among the campaign's best. The phony Big Cig exec almost gets one-upped by a guy who frankly comes off more like a professional actor or repressed psychopath than a job seeker unaware he's being filmed for an anti-smoking commercial. Anyway, he challenges the notion that the tobacco business will cause 1 billion deaths around the world this century, pointing out that the world could end on December 23, 2012, at least according to Nostradamus. If the 16th-century French apothecary and reputed seer is correct, the guy says, that's when "all the planets align ... it'll throw off the gravitational force, we'll go out of orbit, we'll leave this galaxy, and we'll just go into oblivion." The interviewer replies, "Um ... why are you lookin' for a job, then?" More to the point: If the world really will end in three years, now's the time to start smoking. —Posted by David Gianatasio Previously on AdFreak: |
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Published on November 20, 2009 | Permalink
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So, tell me again why vampires like Volvos?
Of all the inexplicable tie-ins, I would never have guessed Volvo and Twilight. The rationale is that Volvo keeps you safe, and vampires keep you safe! Well, not vampires in general, just Edward the Shiny. And how does Edward keep you safe? Well, he cares enough to drive a car meant for middle-aged women. Now, I'm not a Twi-hard or a Twi-hater, but this is possibly one of the worst collaborations I've seen since My Own Worst Enemy turned out to be GM's worst enemy. When the Twilight commercial I thought I was watching magically turned into a Volvo commercial, I knew it was going to be bad. I was right. They directed me to a Web site, WhatDrivesEdward.com, where I stared into Edward's sulky eyes and was asked to solve a six-part puzzle for a chance to win the same Volvo he drives in the movie. At that point, it was over between Volvo and me. But I wish Volvo (and agencies Euro RSCG 4D and Arnold) lots of luck in their attempt to convince moms to make major purchases based on the lust-crazed whims of their teenage daughters. —Posted by Rebecca Cullers |
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Published on November 16, 2009 | Permalink
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Big Tobacco still seeking best and brightest
American Legacy's "Truth" anti-tobacco juggernaut rolls on with new executions from Arnold that expand on the campaign's amusing faux-job-interview format. Above, we get a customer-service role-playing session, with the superbly smug "recruiter" playing a smokeless-tobacco user who complains about losing half of his jaw. It's too bad the job seeker doesn't ask him how he can speak so clearly sans half his face—you gotta be quick with the comebacks to work for Ol' Smoky! The spot below takes place in a college lecture hall during a career seminar. The students all put down their hands when the recruiter asks if they'd consider working in an industry that could cause 1 billion deaths this century. Clearly, none of them are going for MBAs, and they'd never make the grade in law school. |
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Published on July 29, 2009 | Permalink
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American Legacy smokes out new acronym
Arnold's latest "Truth" entry for the American Legacy Foundation reprises the "mock job interview" theme launched a few weeks ago, this time focusing on big business' love affair with acronyms. Here, the faux-recruiter for a tobacco firm unveils AMPED: "Articulate Motivated Passionate Energetic and Doesn't mind selling products that kill about 50 Americans an hour." That acronym's not so funny. Luckily, the actor's supremely smarmy performance—as he repeatedly asks the silent job seeker, "Are you AMPED?" in deliveries that range from coaxing and pleading to manic—is. Legacy swears these applicants believe they're at real interviews, but this particular hopeful seems to be dressed way down—in a leather jacket and bust-accentuating top, no less. IMHO, she looks a bit NSFW. OMG! LOL! WTF? —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on July 8, 2009 | Permalink
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Big Tobacco now hiring in new 'Truth' spotsI've disliked most recent Amercian Legacy "Truth" efforts, as they've gotten more toxic than actual cigarettes. Arnold's latest spots, however, are pleasing by virtue of their simplicity. The tiresome singing and dancing, electronic voice synthesizers, megaphone tirades against Big Tobacco and gross-out throat-hole close-ups from past "Truth" campaigns are gone. Instead, we get real-life job seekers quizzed in mock interviews by an exceedingly well-cast actor playing an executive recruiter. He looks a bit like Mark Wahlberg, but comes off smarmier and more pompous (which I didn't think was possible, but this guy's good). The theme is, "Do you have what it takes to be a tobacco exec?" The humor's silly, but on point and unforced. The guy informs one applicant: "One job I may have an opening in might require you to plead the Fifth a lot." The job seeker looks concerned, but she should just relax. They told me the same thing at my AdFreak interview, and I haven't done any jail time. Yet. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on June 2, 2009 | Permalink
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Ice Breakers may cause druggy nightmares
Stardust Studios animated this psychedelically cool "State of Mouth" Ice Breakers spot from ArnoldNYC that transforms a scruffy-looking poser into some kind of groovin' electric glacier god. At one point, he looks like an anime version of Mr. Freeze. Or a prospective member of Kiss who's way too cool for that band. Maybe he swallowed a couple of those, you know, wacky ice cubes instead of Ice Breakers. Too bad the brand's old ads with Hilary and Haylie Duff didn't end with icicles shooting through their eye sockets. Now, that would have been a trip! |
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Published on May 21, 2009 | Permalink
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Hershey builds its own factory of happiness
This Arnold spot for Hershey's Kisses apparently debuted a few weeks back. So, why did a local TV station just last night run the brand's "land of chocolate" animated commercial from last year? Anyway, this newer ad is an improvement, perhaps because it strongly channels Coke's "Happiness Factory" spot. Is it a rip-off, unintentionally similar or an homage? Did I even use the word "homage" correctly? Probably not, since I accidentally pronounced the "h" when I said it out loud. The Hershey's spot uses the "Hi-Ho Off to Work" song, which I never thought I could appreciate at all, but in its instrumental form here, it's better than that remake of "I'll Melt With You" from the '08 campaign. Come to think of it, one AdFreak commenter previously suggested that Hershey's "borrowed" Cadbury concepts on that earlier ad. What's next, a spot where a kid comes home to find an empty house and a note from his parents saying they've left because he hogged all the Hershey bars? |
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Published on April 8, 2009 | Permalink
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Fidelity ads map out your path to the grave
Arnold tries something different for Fidelity in the mutual funds giant's new "Turn here" campaign, rolling out a literal, presumably safe and steady financial pathway down city sidewalks for folks to follow. That pathway symbolizes the firm's financial guidance. Now, I think it's a bit presumptuous of Fidelity to suggest that we investors can't make our own decisions about money. I for one am perfectly capable of picking a well-considered course of economic action and sticking to it. Right now, even though I walk or take mass transportation to work, I'm liking some of those cars in the commercial. Hmm, guess I'd have to cash in my 401(k) to afford new wheels ... and I'd have to quit my job before I could get my paws on that retirement money. I don't see a downside! Thanks for the timely guidance, Fidelity! |
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Published on March 18, 2009 | Permalink
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Insufferable brats prefer to travel on Amtrak
This Arnold ad for Amtrak shows kids acting like their parents, but not in good ways. Basically, they bitch and moan about planes and automobiles, while trains are positioned as kinder, gentler modes of transportation. Try taking one from New York to Paris sometime, or from Levittown to Bayonne. Not so kind, is it? The spot seems off track (ha!), playing almost like a PSA for dysfunctional-family counseling services. It puts a negative spin on travel overall. Also, why takes these pampered brats on vacations anyway? Let 'em stay home and play with all those cool toys they got from Grandma and Grandpa. When I was their age, there were no family trips. All I had to play with was my imagination and the coal that Santa/Daddy left in my stocking. It built character, I guess, though certainly not mine. That red-haired moppet in the ad really looks like Danny Bonaduce from his Partridge Family days. |
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Published on March 12, 2009 | Permalink
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Arnold crafts virtual aquariums for Carnival
Holy mackerel, Arnold's creative output is totally seaworthy lately. They've got the lure of advertising down pat. I don't mean to carp on it, but their campaigns reel you in. OK, I feel better now. Anyway, the agency's singing fish for McDonald's is an Internet sensation, and now the shop has introduced virtual aquariums for Carnival Cruise Lines. They've been set up in vacant storefronts (plenty of those) in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Baltimore. The sea creatures in the high-tech exhibits move around when passersby make silly, wide-mouthed "fish faces" and exaggerated swimming motions with their arms. Does that sound fishy? Feel free to try it in front of a Carnival display on a crowded street today. Just for the halibut. You'll get hooked. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on March 11, 2009 | Permalink
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Wall-mounted fish not a big McDonald's fan
McDonald's gets the stupid-humor award this morning for this Filet-o-Fish commercial, in which a wall-mounted fish takes exception to his owner's choice of sandwich. "What if it were you hanging up on this wall," it sings. "If it were you in that sandwich, you wouldn't be laughing at all!" Pretty absurd, though still not as weird as Aaron Ruell's Filet-o-Fish spot. |
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Published on March 2, 2009 | Permalink
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Carnival dreams of a better, pantsless world
I saw this Carnival Cruise Lines poster from Arnold at a bus stop in Baltimore recently, and it cut right to the heart of me. I also dream of a world liberated from the tyranny of pants. Of course, Carnival is just drumming up interest in its Early Saver plan for booking cruises, but surely this sans-pants thing is a sentiment that the company's new fun director can get behind. Carnival isn't the first advertiser to reach out to the great pantsless hordes. Both Sprint and Burger King have been down this road before, with BK getting flak from notable reactionary idiot Rev. Donald Wildmon for its efforts. Let the naysayers sound their barbaric yawps, though, while the rest of us drop trou in appreciation. |
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Published on February 11, 2009 | Permalink
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Carnival enlists fun director who directs fun
As part of its new campaign from Arnold, Carnival Cruises has introduced a "fun director," though he doesn't seem like much fun to me. This dude's tightly wound and intense, a high-school track-coach type who puts guests and himself under extreme pressure to enjoy themselves. His catchphrase is, "Buckle up, buttercup," which for various reasons is the last thing passengers want to hear on an ocean voyage. His appearance makes me wistful for the ultimate cruise director: Julie McCoy, portrayed by uber-perky Lauren Tewes on The Love Boat, who never hesitated to upgrade guests to Captain Stubing's table for dinner if it would further the cause of '70s-era piña-colada-fueled love. Another thing that bugs me about the fun director: He sorta resembles Gopher. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on January 27, 2009 | Permalink
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Safety spot doesn't make Volvo feel so safe
[The spot's been pulled from YouTube. We'll repost when it's available.] There's nearly 60 seconds of crash-test footage in this Volvo spot by Arnold (set to the 1812 Overture?! Turn it off!) which all builds to the revelation that the new XC60 with the "City Safety" braking system can stop by itself. Frankly, I was distracted by the vintage clips, where overly bright blue-and-white "Volvo" stickers were plastered (digitally, I presume) across many of the ruined cars. So, time and again, the vehicles are totaled, but the stickers survive and clearly identify the wrecks as Volvos. My not-so-subliminal take-away: Volvo = crash. As for City Safety, you just know someone's going to claim they got whiplash or broke their nose because the car stopped unexpectedly. I'm sure Volvo would say that's impossible. Still, some of us have significant schnozes, and we don't pay close attention to the road, so it's just a matter of time before we ... ouch! I have got to stop typing these posts while I'm driving. |
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Published on January 15, 2009 | Permalink
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Billy Mays wants to sell you some ESPN360Arnold today launches a pleasingly goofy campaign for ESPN360.com starring Billy Mays, the bearded infomercial guy usually seen shilling for OxiClean. See all four ads here. This genre's been parodied to death, but the ESPN spots score by being even dumber than we've come to expect. They're almost parodies of parodies, so unrelentingly stupid that they're amazingly effective. Mays is no different here than in any of his other ad gigs as he shouts exuberantly about the ESPN360 service, which lets you to watch your favorite teams online, "anywhere, anytime!" The "secret," Mays confides, is the Internet connection. In the ad below, his wife and daughter are seen with thick black beards just like his. Nice! Their grins and gestures seem forced, and their line deliveries are as insincerely sincere as possible. Now that's great bad acting! Also noteworthy is the dead-eyed office drone who robotically explains that with ESPN360, "My job is way less soul-crushing." Hey, we need ESPN360 at AdFreak! Ow, my aching soul! |
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Published on December 23, 2008 | Permalink
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Carnival letting towel animals do the talkingI had no idea that "towel animals" were such a big part of Carnival cruises until this week, when the company unveiled a new Web-video series (running now on ABC.com and eventually at carnival.com/funville) featuring the glorified dishrags. Thanks, Carnival! The animated critters are pretty darn cute, but the thought of crabs in one's laundry on a lengthy ocean voyage makes me want to take a plane. The campaign, from Arnold, is tagged "Fun for all. All for fun," a credo that includes crustaceans. Ah well, worse fates can befall cruise-ship passengers, and I'm not talking about those nasty bouts of Norovirus that spread from time to time. Perhaps you'll recall a commercial Carnival siren named ... Kathy Lee Gifford. If they bring her back, cast all hope overboard and abandon ship! |
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Published on October 24, 2008 | Permalink
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Ads straighten out teens who say 'so gay'
—Posted by David Griner |
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Published on October 8, 2008 | Permalink
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Kids can't resist the fried blobs of chicken
Normally I don't like cutesy kids in ads. Nor am I that fond of chicken (unless it's Moby's '70s psycho-pimp chicken—that bird's battered 'n fried, dig?). All that said, Arnold's "Dinnertime Montage" spot for Tyson chicken nuggets is fairly cute and inoffensive. And we'll assume it doesn't make any actionable claims like some past ads for the brand. The goal of the new work: to portray Tyson nuggets as the kind of food kids will clean from their plates—by eating it, rather than disposing of it in the ways shown in the spot. The kids are cute but not too cute, and some of their guilty "Who, me?" looks are priceless. That last shot bugs me, though. Can't they learn not to eat with their hands? If you allow that kind of behavior, soon they'll start smoking and be ready for Arnold's "Truth" campaign. That psycho chicken would straighten them out. And obviously I don't have any kids of my own. They'd smear their greasy Tyson thumbprints all over my new upholstery! Brats. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on October 7, 2008 | Permalink
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Spirit Airlines brings the paradise on board
Dave: Oh my god! Stewardess! Judging by that sun-kissed, palm-draped scenery outside the windows of this airplane, we're heading toward tropical climes. Looks like the Bahamas! But I have to be in Pittsburgh for a meeting! Oh wait, I get it. Those sandy beaches, that azure sky—it's all part of Arnold's nifty campaign for the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, the one where they decorate the inside of the plane. Phew! I was worried. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on September 26, 2008 | Permalink
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Jack Daniel's also feeling the political spirit
I may have been a tad hasty in my earlier post on Captain Morgan's options for a running mate. Perhaps Jack Daniel's would be his best bet, though no candidate with an apostrophe-S on the end of his name has ever been elected to high office in the history of our great nation. Boston agency Arnold, always eager to join a party of any persuasion, has crafted a series of posters that mix the Jack Daniel's brand imagery with Mad Men-era political design. The tagline is, "Socialize liberally. Drink conservatively." One poster reads: "Drinking champagne is a perfectly acceptable way to celebrate being elected president. Of France." (Of course, Sarkozy also got to make love to Carla Bruni, but imagine how much hotter it would've been with some Jack on hand. On second thought, don't.) Another poster proclaims: "Jack supports all parties." Somewhere, JFK has a big smile on his face, and a full glass in each hand. See eight more posters after the jump. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on August 26, 2008 | Permalink
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It's a chocolate world, man, can you dig?
—Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on August 1, 2008 | Permalink
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