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: |
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Published on November 11, 2009 | Permalink
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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.
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Published on November 11, 2009 | Permalink
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Not everyone is smiling at Kodak's new ads
Dave Bry at The Awl is unnerved by this Kodak commercial, part of Ogilvy's new "It's time to smile" campaign. For Bry, it isn't time to smile. At most, it's time to laugh uneasily. He wonders: "Is the grandma supposed to be a ghost? Are they both ghosts? Is this a commercial about the victims of some grisly, long-ago mass-murder coming back to haunt the living?" All that's missing is a dream sequence involving Kodak's dual-cyclops dog. —Posted by Tim Nudd
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Published on November 10, 2009 | Permalink
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Discovery Channel still loves the world a lot
Eighteen months ago, the Discovery Channel made people very happy with its "I Love the World" commercial, in which the network's talent sang about their passion for life, the universe and everything. The promo did so well (4.5 million views on this YouTube version alone) that they've gotten the agency, 72andSunny, to do a sequel. Same song, different visuals. Still catchy. The tagline remains, "The world is just awesome." —Posted by Tim Nudd
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Published on November 10, 2009 | Permalink
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Florida Keys ads say there's no app for that
There's an app for almost everything, except for things that occur outside the iPhone's 480-by-320-pixel screen. That's the message in this spot by Tinsley Advertising for the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, representing the Florida Keys & Key West. "Real experiences are always worth more," says the voiceover. "So, unplug and reconnect in the Florida Keys & Key West." The Keys join Dentyne gum and Coleman camping gear among the advertisers who are positioning themselves in opposition to the inexorable march of technology. —Posted by Tim Nudd
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Published on November 10, 2009 | Permalink
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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
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Published on November 9, 2009 | Permalink
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Illinoisan running against Blagojevich's hair
Rod Blagojevich's hair is visual shorthand for corruption in this new campaign ad (posted below) from Andy McKenna, a Republican candidate for Illinois governor in 2010. We see the state capitol in a giant Blagojevich wig, and various other disgraced Illinois politicians wearing the same. The kid above is also apparently very corrupt. It's a smart way to employ one of the world's best-known political haircuts, though McKenna might be taking it a bit too far. He's on record criticizing Illinois' "hair-brained" financial schemes, and said of current Gov. Pat Quinn: "He's Rod Blagojevich with just a little bit less hair." —Posted by Tim Nudd Previously on AdFreak: |
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Published on November 9, 2009 | Permalink
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1993 Taurus a great car for today, says Ford
Great fake press conference here from The Onion, in which a Ford exec explains why the '93 Taurus is the best vehicle for today's cash-strapped consumers. If the $650 price tag doesn't grab you, surely the free cassette tape of Primus's Sailing the Seas of Cheese will. Via Consumerist. |
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Published on November 5, 2009 | Permalink
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Trivial Pursuit ponders which sex is smarter
Hasbro is pitting the lads against the lasses in a new campaign for its Trivial Pursuit board game that aims to determine, once and for all, which group is more intelligent. The comical video above makes arguments for each side based on stock footage of general stupidity. Meanwhile, at the Web site, TrivialPursuitExperiment.com, you're challenged to answer trivia questions on behalf of your entire gender, with the global tally being kept up top. (And don't try to be all smart by logging in as the opposite gender and acting stupid. Only correct answers affect the tally, you idiot.) Smartypants worldwide will enjoy the campaign, but might quibble with the tagline. Shouldn't it be, "Who's smarter than whom?" Via Adverblog. —Posted by Tim Nudd
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Published on November 5, 2009 | Permalink
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Christ's death helps out Safeway customers
It's good to know that all that suffering on the cross wasn't in vain. Safeway prices really are to die for. Thanks, Jesus! Via The Denver Egotist. UPDATE: A guy at FAIL Blog is taking responsibility for this, and says it was a prank he pulled on a couple of Safeways in the Seattle area a few Easters ago. |
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Published on November 5, 2009 | Permalink
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Rhett & Link now advertising cheap haircuts
Rhett & Link are back with another new ad in their ILoveLocalCommercials series. This one's for the Salt Lake Community College Barbering and Cosmetology School, where you can get a haircut for just $2, assuming you don't mind getting butchered by someone who's just learning the trade. It's not as good as the Cullman Liquidation or Ray's Midbell Music spots, but they're not going to hit it out of the park every time. As usual, they've also done a making-of video, which you can see here.
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Published on November 4, 2009 | Permalink
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Weezer and Snuggie warm up to each other
The unlikeliest product of the year has arrived: the Weezer Snuggie, which is being hawked in the infomercial above, packaged with the new Weezer CD, for the low, low price of just $29.99. Yes, the Weezer guys appear in the ad, and yes, the product is real. The band's frontman, Rivers Cuomo, told Rolling Stone about plans for a "Wuggie" back in May. "A Wuggie is basically exactly like a Snuggie, except it says Weezer on it," Cuomo said. "The people at Snuggie are doing it with us and promoting it with us. It's a totally legit Snuggie." Shame they didn't keep the Wuggie name.
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Published on November 4, 2009 | Permalink
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Douchebags reclaim dignity with proud PSA
Douchebags have had enough of people mocking them for their pink shirts, Axe body spray and public fondling of women. So, they've put together the moving commercial below (includes some foul language), in which they promise to take no more crap. They're even taking back the word, whose original meaning, they point out, has positive connotations. "Don't think of us as disgusting. Think of us as cleansing." Via YesButNoButYes. |
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Published on November 4, 2009 | Permalink
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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 |
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Published on November 4, 2009 | Permalink
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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. |
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Published on November 4, 2009 | Permalink
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DirecTV uses only living people in new spot
The DirecTV commercial with Chris Farley (for which David Spade was reportedly paid $200,000) seems to have disappeared from the airwaves, and has been replaced by the Wayne's World 2 spot above with Dana Carvey and Kim Basinger, neither of whom perished years ago from drug abuse. I wouldn't classify this as a famous movie scene. Garth was always an annoying, second-rate character. Still, Basinger is pretty captivating, and overall it's an improvement over the Tommy Boy fiasco. Some people are hard to please, though—like Matthew Kelley, who says he finds the Basinger/Carvey ad "offensive because both their careers are dead." —Posted by Tim Nudd Previously on AdFreak: |
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Published on November 2, 2009 | Permalink
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Oops. Macy's thinks Phillies won the Series
The New York Yankees are up 3-1 over the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series, with Game 5 on Monday night. But this news has not reached the Macy's marketing department, which is congratulating the Phillies for a hard-fought series victory in the full-page ads running in Philly today. Oops. Via AgencySpy and Deadspin. |
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Published on November 2, 2009 | Permalink
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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. |
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Published on October 29, 2009 | Permalink
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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: |
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Published on October 28, 2009 | Permalink
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Porn-shop clerks prefer Purity Organic juice
You have to respect any juice commercial that begins with the line, "Yeah, we've got dildos," spoken by a middle-aged woman on the phone. This spot's for Purity Organic, the same juice company that brought you the dude with the severe mood swings. Via The Denver Egotist. —Posted by Tim Nudd Previously on AdFreak: |
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Published on October 27, 2009 | Permalink
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British get naked, then set their clocks back
When British people take off their clothes, the results are rarely positive. The exception is when it's a current or former EastEnders actor or actress doing the stripping. The ladies in particular seem quite fond of the PSA above, featuring Mr. Robert Kazinsky, and don't seem confused at all that this is how they're being reminded to set their clocks back an hour this weekend. In the U.S., we'll wait another week, until Nov. 1, to fall back. Hopefully Indiana has the routine down pat by now. Via AgencySpy. —Posted by Tim Nudd Previously on AdFreak: |
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Published on October 23, 2009 | Permalink
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DirecTV's Chris Farley spot just feels wrong
I've generally been a fan of the DirecTV ads by Deutsch with the actors breaking character from classic TV and movie scenes to deliver the pitch. But the series has gotten dicey with the introduction of dead celebs into the mix. Last October, we had the spot with with Craig T. Nelson and Heather O'Rourke from Poltergeist, which was unfortunate, given that O'Rourke (who played Carol Anne) died tragically in 1988 at age 12. Now, a year later (hey, Halloween's coming up again), we get this Tommy Boy homage, with Chris Farley and David Spade. Farley, of course, died of a drug overdose in 1997. The whole dead-celebs thing is a gray area in advertising. Sometimes it seems less off-putting than other times. But you know there's an issue when an ad finishes and you hear audible groans from around the room. UPDATE: Asylum.com procured this statement from David Spade: "When DIRECT TV came to me and the Farley family with this idea about 'Tommy Boy,' we talked and thought it would be a cool way to remind people just how funny Chris was. It is a clever homage to my friend and a movie that we loved doing." Meanwhile, a rep for DirecTV tells Asylum: "We should look to Chris' family and friends for the ultimate opinion on this subject. They were involved from the beginning of this project and felt that the spot was a great to tribute to Chris." —Posted by Tim Nudd Previously on AdFreak: |
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Published on October 23, 2009 | Permalink
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Be hilarious! Go as Billy Mays on Halloween
Freshly deceased celebrities are always a big hit on Halloween. There's no shortage of them this year, but for any self-respecting advertising person, the choice is clear: You must go as Billy Mays, the infomercial king who died in June. It's a ridiculously easy costume to pull together, and the louder you get as the night goes on, the more realistic you will appear. The weird thing, however, is that Mays's son, also named Billy, who is honoring his father's memory on the Web site Where's Billy Mays?, is embracing the idea of Billy Mays Halloween costumes—and has even announced a Billy Mays "Hallow-clean Contest." God bless him. Here are the rules: |
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Published on October 23, 2009 | Permalink
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PC breaks promises, plenty of fashion rules
Apple is moving quickly to try to dampen the early enthusiasm over Microsoft's Windows 7. And this new "Get a Mac" ad, with John Hodgman breaking his promises through the years, is one of their best yet. UPDATE: Below are two more new commercials from the series. |
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Published on October 23, 2009 | Permalink
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Mexican toy ad begging for an NC-17 ratingWarning: lots of violence, some nudity and various other NSFW stuff.
With its copious blood, guts, nudity and sex, this fake movie trailer by Y&R Mexico City and director Carl W. Jones is one of the craziest ads you're likely to see. It's certainly one of the craziest toy ads you'll see. It tells the story of a Japanese woman living in Mexico who falls in love with an Alimaña Spore toy (the item being promoted here), which she finds one day in the garbage. Her friends laugh at her choice of diminutive, non-human mate, so she murders them one by one, forcing one of them to eat his own intestines. On his YouTube page, the director says the ad has "some of the most shocking and bizarre death sequences ever filmed, and features truly unforgettable imagery, clinically dazzling direction." Unclear if it will sell toys, however. Via Animal, though Adland wrote it about it, too. UPDATE: This spot was not created by Y&R, nor is Alimaña a Y&R client. Creatives from the agency did it on the side as part of a film competition. |
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Published on October 22, 2009 | Permalink
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