Giant city of cards is no match for Lexus ES

Think your job is stressful? Try being Bryan Berg, the world-record holder for cardstacking. Berg was enlisted by Lexus and its ad agency, Team One, to build a cityscape of cards on and around a Lexus ES for the ad above, to show how smoothly the ES engine runs. The automaker's idea was to "put the ES in the most fragile and unstable environment imaginable." It took Berg 18 days and 108,864 cards to create that environment. Viewers might not realize that the cardstacking was done for real, so at the end of the spot, they're directed to Lexus.com/cards, where a behind-the-scenes video explains the whole process. It must have sucked when the driver closed the door and caused the whole thing to collapse.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on January 29, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (10)
Filed under Automotive, Lexus, Nudd, Team One

'Tis the season for really dumb advertising

It's that time of year, when marketers roll out holiday ads in an apparent contest to see who can be the hokiest and most cloying and insult viewers' intelligence the most. This weekend, I came up with a few nominees for the worst holiday spot of the season.

Lexus | "A December to Remember"

What does it take to kill the "December to Remember" sales event? I've gone on record a couple of times about how objectionable the idea of giving luxury cars as Christmas gifts is. Even with the economy in a tailspin, Lexus isn't giving up on the concept. The annoying music is back, the stupid bow. One change: a schmaltzy parallel is drawn between wanting iconic gifts like Atari and Big Wheel as a kid and wanting a Lexus now that you're grown up and might have to work until you're 75.

Kay Jewelers | "Read My Lips"

Let me try to create the scenario. Guy and girl sit down to exchange gifts, guy nervous. Guy starts stammering to girl and signing. She's deaf. He's not good at signing. But he wants to be, see? And guess what, he got her a Bulova watch! (Why no Leo diamond, cheapskate?) Her response when he asks if she likes it: "Read my lips." Kiss. I guess it's laudatory of Kay Jewelers to recognize hearing-deaf relationships in the service of selling watches. So, why does it annoy me so much?

CBS Cares | "Hanukkah Prostate Exam"

In this "CBS Cares" PSA, a woman urges her female friends to think outside the box during Hanukkah. Golf clubs? Sweater? Nah, she suggests giving their guys something they'd never expect: an appointment for a prostate exam. Sure, there might be an awkward silence when he sees the gift, but it's worth it. Granted, it's a very worthy message. Still. What's the connection to Hanukkah? Is a prostate-exam gift certificate not a good Christmas gift?

Submit your own nominees, with YouTube links, in comments.

—Posted by Brian Morrissey

Published on December 2, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (16)
Filed under CBS, Holidays, Kay Jewelers, Lexus, Morrissey