Axe encouraging sex in the snow this winter
BBH London counsels guys to "be prepared this festive season" and to carry their Lynx (Axe) Bullet portable body spray with them, because you never know where spontaneous sex might occur. The three ads in the series seem a bit menacing, though, with the dark alleys and lonely frozen roads evoking non-consensual encounters. Maybe the ladies should carry a different kind of spray. (As Adland points out, Old Spice Red Zone did a similar though more angelic ad several years ago.) Of course, even if both participants are willing, they'll catch colds at the very least. My advice: If you must behave this way, keep the mittens on. Via Ads of the World. UPDATE: In comments, Steve notes that BBH has manufactured a personal alarm for women through its Zag product-development unit. The ila Dusk, "emits a piercing, high-decibel female scream designed to shock and disorientate an attacker." The perfect defense against Axe-toting lunkheads. Nice synergy, BBH! —Posted by David Gianatasio |
|
Published on November 30, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (9)
|
Shake your big percussive butt for OranginaVideo is NSFW. Continuing with the butt theme, here's an absurd, NSFW video from Orangina featuring some impressive butt shaking, butt slapping and butt clapping. It advertises the drink brand's "Shake That Orangina" contest, which asks you to upload a video of yourself dancing (not just butt clapping) for a chance to become an official "Shake Star" of Orangina. As a Shake Star, you will "appear on posters, billboards, flyers, online videos and more" and "have the opportunity to travel around the globe to witness firsthand your rising star in the dance world." Via Animal New York. |
|
Published on November 25, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
Glasses that look great on all kinds of asses
It's tough to know what to say about these Italian print ads for Glassing Sunglasses, but I'll try. Some might find it objectionable, but it's offensive in a cartoony, memorable way, like naughty Mad magazine illustrations from 20 years ago, so folks might want to lighten up. Some Web commenters have bashed the ads for implying that people who wear the sunglasses are asses, but that's probably too literal of a read (though, based on my experience with those who wear shades as a fashion accessory, quite accurate). Maybe it's spec, but since it advertises specs, that's probably alright, too. Sure, it's easily dismissed as being odd for odd's sake, but there's nothing wrong with that, since catching consumers' attention is half the battle. It'll crack some people up, I'm sure. Beyond that, I'm wiping my hands of it. Via Ads of the World, which credits Y&R for the campaign.
|
|
Published on November 25, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (3)
|
'Tis the season for 'sexist' U.K. commercials
Considering how much advertising gets squeezed into the holiday season, life for the U.K.'s Advertising Standards Authority must be hell from October to mid-March. They're already fielding complaints about this Marks & Spencer's Christmas ad, whose final scene is supposedly "offensive and demeaning to women" because the actor, Philip Glenister, likes seeing hot girls in their underwear. Shocking that a guy in a bar could be so crass. As usual, the aggrieved come off like they've never watched TV before. This ad is juvenile, but hardly demeaning. Now GoDaddy, that was demeaning. —Posted by David Kiefaber |
|
Published on November 20, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (4)
|
Polar bears more screwed than you thought
The U.K. is on a roll with its climate-change PSAs. First, there were the dogs drowning in rising seas. Now, we get this gruesome spot from Mother (posted below) for PlaneStupid.com, in which polar bears fall from the sky to splattery deaths—to make some point about airplane emissions. "An average European flight produces over 400kg of greenhouse gases for every passenger … that's the weight of an adult polar bear," the spot says. There's plenty to find objectionable here—the nonsensical connection between that stat and the rain of bears, as well as the general airplane-skyscraper-death theme, complete with a pretty blatant 9/11 Falling Man reference, which will evoke extremely negative emotions for some. Why do environmental groups shoot themselves in the foot like this? Via Animal. —Posted by Tim Nudd Previously on AdFreak: |
|
Published on November 20, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (10)
|
Anti-violence site urges you to 'hit the bitch'
There are subtle ways to raise awareness about relationship violence. And then there's "Hit the Bitch," a Web campaign by a Danish advocacy group. Setting up an interface where you're encouraged to slap and punch a woman seems pretty extreme. It's almost like an advergame, except you're delivering an adverbeating! (You can use the mouse, or connect with your Webcam and swing at the girl with your hand.) Getting called a "100% idiot" at the end doesn't feel like much of a rebuke. Perhaps you're supposed to feel guilty, like a real-life abuser might, for continuing to hit the woman just to see what happens next? Who knows. Maybe something's getting lost in translation from the Danish. Via Adverblog.
|
|
Published on November 16, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (18)
|
Ads reveal danger of fruit-flavored condoms
These three ads from Draftfcb in Vienna suggest that Condomi's fruit-flavored condoms "taste like real fruit." So much so, in fact, that the wearer might have a reason to fear his (unseen) partner, who might suddenly forget where she (or he) is. One wonders: Who is the target consumer here? Women, I suppose, wouldn't make an overly literal interpretation of the ads. (For God's sake, ladies, don't take it literally!) Men might also laugh and shrug it off. But for some guys, this might be an instance where less succulent flavors are preferred. |
|
Published on November 16, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (4)
|
Italian child-abuse PSAs truly heartbreaking
McCann Milan is behind these eerie new ads for Casa do Menor in Italy. The print ad (see the full version here) shows a girl covered in hands—a favored image in lots of PSA campaigns lately, serving as a metaphor for everything from AIDS to Parkinson's disease. The companion spot below is truly harrowing, showing a boy struggling for normalcy as he carries a dying version of himself through his daily life. Rough stuff, on a par with that German sexual-abuse ad with the slithering snake. Via Animal. —Posted by Tim Nudd Previously on AdFreak: |
|
Published on November 13, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (4)
|
Finally, a Wii made just for women: the Shii
Probably NSFW. Ladies, pick up a Shii today. Unless you're completely sickened and offended by it. This clip is from a comedy show in Belgium, which explains a few things. The censors over there probably asked them to add that uncalled-for scene at the end. Via YesButNoButYes. —Posted by Tim Nudd Previously on AdFreak: |
|
Published on November 11, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (5)
|
Ha, stupid creatives with their stupid jargon
Amusing video by Joseph Pelling, a freelance animator and illustrator in London. Bring your idea rocket with its huge wings, laser guns and comfortable chairs to your next meeting. Via @bobbbyg.
|
|
Published on November 11, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (3)
|
S&M, butchery set mood for German albumWarning: Clips are graphic and NSFW. The guys in German dance-metal band Rammstein probably think they're so kinky/naughty/dangerous with the two überdark promos above, hawking a new album called Love Is for All. The porn-ish "Sado Mas" harkens back to early Cronenberg or Lynch. It plays like an outtake from Twin Peaks. I kept expecting a dwarf to show up and speak backwards. Then there's the "Butcher" clip, in which a dead animal's head gets hacked up. Oddly, the Beatles employed a similar (though less graphic) concept when they posed with hunks of raw meat and broken baby dolls for the infamous and withdrawn Yesterday and Today album cover. Maybe Rammstein should enter the Foxwoods "Wonder of It All" contest. That version of the jingle just might merit a listen. Oh, the "Sado" clip is probably NSFW. I watched it a few dozen times, just to make sure. No need to thank me. Meanwhile, Germany has banned displays of the album in stores, likely stirring up even more interest in its murky goth/Teutonic beats. Via Adrants. —Posted by David Gianatasio
|
|
Published on November 11, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
Wieden makes jewelry out of charts, graphs
Wieden + Kennedy in London is the latest agency to wander off into the product world. Its take is jewelry inspired by sexy graphs. The idea for the PLOT jewelry line came from planner Lisa Prince, who saw a certain beauty in a jagged line from a PowerPoint presentation. She teamed with art director Nicholla Longley and jewelry maker Hannah Havana to make a product line melding data with design. First up are a bunch of necklaces with artsy representations of commodity prices over the years. Wieden managing director Neil Christie says it's all about getting away from that pesky business of making ads. "We're always looking for the opportunity to work in new ways that are beyond traditional advertising channels," he writes on the shop's blog. The jury's still out on whether these agency forays into product making are more than a diversion to keep the staff happy and maybe squeeze out a Fast Company profile suggesting they're "reinventing the ad agency model." One agency guy gave me a simple explanation for the spate of agency product projects: "That's because the ad-agency biz blows." —Posted by Brian Morrissey |
|
Published on November 10, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (3)
|
A coffee maker saves George Clooney's lifeGeorge Clooney and John Malkovich star in this new McCann Paris ad, directed by Robert Rodriguez, for Nestlé's Nespresso. Clooney gets demolished by a falling piano, but Malkovich, at the pearly gates, gives him a second chance at life in exchange for his Nespresso coffee maker. Clooney once insisted he wouldn't do just any old commercial, but this spot isn't even as good as Spike Jonze's Softbank spots with Brad Pitt. Via Animal. —Posted by Tim Nudd
Previously on AdFreak: |
|
Published on November 9, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (3)
|
McCann's gamers highly stimulated by Xbox
The dude's enraptured look toward the end of this U.K. spot (posted below) by McCann Erickson for the Xbox 360 is, to cop a phrase from another McCann campaign, priceless. One might say even call it orgasmic. At any rate, he's clearly enjoying himself as he strums on his Guitar Hero mini-guitar. Note also, if you will, the position of said instrument. I'm not panning this approach or the spot by any means. On the contrary, such a take on gaming is more honest and compelling than most of the effects-crazed entries in the genre. Video games today are all about immersion. This guy, if nothing else, looks pretty darn immersed. His geeky pal off to the side playing DJ Hero seems awfully happy, too. You could interpret their looks as signs of near-euphoric digital satisfaction, which surely casts the product in a glowing light with much of its target audience. Casual gamers and those who don't indulge, of course, will smirk and assume the guys are just wasting time playing with themselves. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
|
Published on November 9, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
Guinness plays God in its latest lavish spot
AMV BBDO didn't take many short cuts for this new Guinness ad (video below), called "World," which breaks today in the U.K. According to the Guardian, they shot in four countries (New Zealand, Canada, Fiji and the U.K.); took three months to build the set for the underwater scene; got army assistance to film the grass-hauling shots at an old bombing range; and hired the set designer from the third Lord of the Rings film to pull it all together. Was it worth it? The ad shows a bunch of men bringing a new world into existence. The connection to Guinness is a bit vague—a churning pint of just-poured Guinness apparently also evokes a sense of rebirth. Or something like that. The tagline, "Bring it to life," is also new, replacing the long-running slogan, "Good things come to those who wait." —Posted by Tim Nudd |
|
Published on November 4, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (3)
|
U.K. refuses to condemn 'Antichrist' sex ads
Lars von Trier's new movie, Antichrist, is provoking outrage all over the place, so it's only natural that the ads are causing a stink, too. A number of British people are ticked off about posters like this one (warning: slightly more butt!), showing the film's main characters having sex in front of a tree, which appears to be growing human hands. The Ad Standards Authority, which often gives amusing reasons for condemning or pardoning ad campaigns, is giving this one a pass, ruling that it's "unlikely to cause sexual excitement." The ruling also said: "The dream-like context, introduced by the hands protruding from the tree, had the effect of making the image of the naked couple seem removed from reality." So, expect lots more dream-sequence butt shots in British ads in future. |
|
Published on November 4, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (1)
|
Nicolas Sarkozy, child star of a detergent ad
Much like two of his wives, it turns out French president Nicolas Sarkozy is a former model. He's shown here in a Bonux detergent ad, which has just surfaced. The ad is from 1967. Sarkozy was 12 then, but it's assumed the photograph was taken well before publication. Bonux was apparently the Cracker Jacks of detergents, so it made sense to put a child in the ads. Sarkozy's father, Pal Sarkozy de Nagy Bocsa, worked as an illustrator for Bonux at the time. His side gig was making young Nicolas feel like a complete loser. But while a bit embarrassing for the president, this glimpse into his past suggests future work for him once he leaves office. He could recreate that very picture as an adult for Airbus. —Posted by David Kiefaber Previously on AdFreak: |
|
Published on November 3, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (2)
|
Germans attach tiny advertisements to flies
Since skywriting is no longer acceptable in advertising, German agency Jung von Matt has settled for "flyvertising," attaching tiny ad banners to flies and letting them buzz around a convention center during the Frankfurt book fair. Neat idea, but the obvious flaw is that flies are the most annoying things ever, and may not be something you'd want people associating with your product long-term. (The client here, Eichborn, is a publishing company whose logo is a fly.) Reports from the convention indicate that the flies had some trouble staying aloft and kept landing on people. Gross. The banners were attached with an adhesive that naturally dissolves, so as not to hurt the fly. But this could still be considered flysploitation, and some advocacy groups have been rather touchy about flies lately. Via Adland. —Posted by David Kiefaber
Previously on AdFreak: |
|
Published on October 30, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (5)
|
Ogilvy ad breaks through against prejudice
Ogilvy & Mather in Istanbul presents a quietly powerful metaphor for prejudice in this effort for the Zaman newspaper in Turkey. We get surreal scenes of average folks who literally run up against their ignorance in the form of unseen, transparent barriers that inhibit their progress. They become trapped, unable to move forward or connect with others. In effect, they are no longer full and active participants in daily life. They've exiled themselves to a no man's land where they're on the outside looking in. The ambient soundtrack works with the bleak visuals to evoke a mood of sad isolation. The climactic "breakthrough," though predictable, provides catharsis and hope. "Our prejudices. Our invisible walls. Isn't it time to demolish them?" says the copy. At 1:45, this is the director's cut (there's also a :60), but the length allows for an almost hypnotic effect to take hold. Those who think the spot's too long should watch without prejudice. |
|
Published on October 30, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (1)
|
Talking food is well done in U.K. TV promos
Talking food is everywhere in advertising, but it doesn't get much more strange or awesome than this. These short, comical clips from RKCR/Y&R in London show healthy food items chatting with their unhealthier alter egos (e.g., a grilled sausage and a fried sausage, veggie pizza and pepperoni pizza, etc.) to promote Family Supercooks, a new U.K. show about eating familiar foods in healthier ways. It's hard to pick a favorite from among the motley cast of characters, though the sadistic ketchup is well up there. Adland has more, including the fun fact that some of the characters are loosely based on people at RKCR. |
|
Published on October 29, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (2)
|
Dogs with Internet-porn habits need daycare
This ad by Jung von Matt for a doggie daycare in Sweden (full ad here) could be a spec piece, award-show fodder created for a local business ... or just a flat-out phony. Life's too short to waste time finding out: It's just a dog-wanking-off ad, after all. The headline is: "What's your dog up to when it's home alone?" Nothing good, it seems. It's easily the most suggestive piece of marketing involving an animal since Ikea Photoshopped a human penis onto a dog in 2007. Though let's be honest. The visual could be worse. And just try watching today's bandwidth-hogging hard-core on a Mac Classic. There's no way! Or so I hear. Via Ads of the World. |
|
Published on October 28, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (2)
|
Sir Roger hypes his Majesty's postal service
Sir Roger Moore, who at 82 is not yet a Halloween costume, stars in this new ad by Mother for the British post office. Moore, who played James Bond in the 1970s and early '80s, was chosen for the job because he embodies the "sophisticated and respected" image the post office wants to project. The spot is amusing enough, though one writer at the Guardian calls it "desperately, heartwrenchingly sad" that Sir Roger is giving Sean Connery fans another reason to feel that Connery is superior. —Posted by Tim Nudd Previously on AdFreak: |
|
Published on October 28, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (1)
|
Garbage talks trash in French recycling ads
The giant trash heap in DDB Paris's campaign for French environmental agency Ademe seems like a decent enough fellow. Once you get past the stench of week-old cafeteria croissants and rotting Brie, he's got a certain joie de vivre, an offbeat je ne sais quoi that's irresistible. I think it's the accent. He sounds like Gerard Depardieu. In fact, there's a certain hulking, physical resemblance, though the pile of garbage is a better actor. He doesn't seem that much worse than most co-workers. Myself included. HR can't bully me into cleaning up my cube, but those memos sure come in handy for swatting away the flies. |
|
Published on October 27, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (1)
|
Buy this stereo despite the psycho hamster
The commercial above, by Lowe Brindfors in Sweden for an electronics retailer, picks up where advertising's previous psychotic rodents left off—in particular, the kidney-eating guinea pig from the G4 Midnight Spank spot below, as well as Las Vegas tourism's killer chinchillas. The hamster here is more visceral than the chinchillas, and more guinea-pig-like in its Monty Python-style infliction of carnage. The somewhat flimsy premise of the ad is that the retailer's stereos give songs like Hall & Oates' "Maneater" some added emotional heft. I actually own "Maneater" on cassette and 45-inch vinyl (yes, I'm 118 years old), but tastes change, and given a choice today, I think I'd rather fight a crazed, flesh-eating hamster than listen to Hall & Oats. Unless they're playing "Rich Girl." That song still rocks. —Posted by David Gianatasio Previously on AdFreak: |
|
Published on October 26, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
Italian agency chops off its creatives' heads
An Italian ad agency called Milc had a strange idea for self-promotion: chopping off the heads of its creatives. This would seem to hamper their ability to provide good ideas, but it turns out it's a metaphor for the ad business in this economic downturn. The severed heads are meant to represent wonderful creative ideas that have gone unused because of client spending cutbacks. See three full ads here. "I hEad a great idea" is the hEadline, with additional copy that explains: "To cut your communications budget means to cut your own future." There's also a Web site. We're also told that "no creatives were harmed." A smart-ass might say, "That's a pity," but I'd never stoop so low. I don't know if I'd risk working with an agency that's so quick to decapitate, though I suspect the chief media outlet for these "executions" will be award-show annuals, where success will just go to their heads. Via Ads of the World.
|
|
Published on October 26, 2009 | Permalink
| Comments (3)
|
