Colorado brewer avoiding local spring water
Colorado ad agency Cultivator Advertising & Design makes fun of Pete Coors in this new spot for craft brewer Breckenridge. In the commercial, Breckenridge head brewer Bob Harrington stands beside a steam in his flannel shirt and says his Lucky U IPA is brewed with real Colorado water. "Well, not this water," he clarifies. "Do you know what bears do in there?" I was hoping he'd tell us, but no such luck. And I wish there'd been a guy in a bear suit standing by the stream, waving a paw. Maybe that Boston Bruins bear could put in a cameo next time. The Coors parody feels a bit dated, as old Petey hasn't appeared in a commercial in quite some time. But what can you expect from an agency that just sent out a holiday greeting with its staff decked out like the cast of Mad Men? That is so 2008! —Posted by David Gianatasio
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Published on December 14, 2009 | Permalink
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Get naked, say the pervy scrubbing bubbles
What's really inside your household cleaning products? It could be a bunch of dirty-minded chemicals, who are all bright and bubbly and innocent in TV commercials but who indulge in debauchery off camera, hanging around long after cleaning time to watch you give your naked bod a good scrub in the shower. That's the warning in the video below from Droga5 and Method, the maker of environmentally friendly cleaning products. "When did clean become so dirty?" the company asks, and wants you to ask your elected officials. The goal is to require all cleaning products to list their ingredients on their labels, and to keep depraved bubble gangs out of your bathroom. UPDATE: Method has now pulled the video off YouTube after complaints that the spot is sexist.
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Published on November 20, 2009 | Permalink
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For an extreme holiday, come visit Dagobah
Did your plans for a summer cruise on Alderaan get blown to hell? Then it's time to consider a pulse-pounding week on Dagobah, the secluded swampy getaway that's guaranteed to muddy your boots and clear your mind. This marketing video from the Dagobah Tourism Bureau (aka writer and filmmaker Andrew Zilch) will make you want to ditch your friends and enjoy some quality quagmire time. So, if you've been looking for a place with low ceilings, disgusting food and annoying retirees, but you're tired of Florida, come watch the days go by on Dagobah. Hat tip to my brother-in-law, via Topless Robot. |
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Published on November 19, 2009 | Permalink
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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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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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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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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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Creators of anti-Droid ad unmasked (sort of)
It turns out pros are behind the Apple-fanboy spoof ad (above) of the Verizon Droid ad spoofing Apple ads. The Wall Street Journal's Digits blog has an interview with the creators, described as staffers from a "Boston-area ad agency." The creative director, "Shawn" (they declined to give their last names), doesn't go out of his way to refute the notion that creative directors can sometimes act like jerks. He says the most controversial line in the spot, "iDon't buy brands who bash other brands," is pointed out as being hypocritical within the ad itself (by showing a Mac and PC clip and the line, "i… oops"). "Apparently even in fake advertising, you can go wrong estimating the intelligence of your audience," Shawn says. Ouch. The question remains: Which Boston-area ad agency is it? —Posted by Brian Morrissey Previously on AdFreak: |
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Published on October 29, 2009 | Permalink
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Apple fan strikes back at Verizon Droid spot
It was inevitable. The Verizon Droid spoof of an Apple commercial (below) has now been spoofed by an Apple fanboy in the video above. It just changes the copy with jabs about ripping off Apple and the interesting claim that "iDon't buy from brands that bash other brands." This makes my head hurt. We can only hope a Droid supporter doesn't spoof the spoof of the spoof. A hole might open in the universe. Via the WSJ's Digits blog. —Posted by Brian Morrissey |
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Published on October 27, 2009 | Permalink
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Isn't it time to retire the infomercial parody?There's no doubt that cheesy infomercials are quite funny. Look at the popularity of the Snuggie or the outpouring of interest following the demise of Billy Mays. But really, how many advertisers must go the tired route of running fake-infomercial spots? Fred Willard is getting a second career out of it. Microsoft rented him for the Bingathon that ran on Hulu, and then he did a similar act for FedEx, as seen above. Below are three other examples: Colgate channeled the Slap Chop for its Wisp toothpick thing. Subaru is picking up the conceit with its "Outback Detergent" ad, as is Bud Light with the "Tailgate approved" stuff. It might be time for a break. Why not spoof cheesy local TV spots? Start with the Carmel Car Service ladies. —Posted by Brian Morrissey |
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Published on October 23, 2009 | Permalink
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Pixar lamp's future suddenly not very bright
The Pixar lamp faces criminal charges for squashing the "I" to death in this amusing parody of the animation company's well-known intro video. Includes vomiting and a nasty electric-chair scene. Read more about the Pixar lamp, whose name is Luxo, Jr., over at its Wikipedia page. |
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Published on October 20, 2009 | Permalink
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Sleevie helps you look great ... and do good
This week's honors for best fictitious brand go to the Sleevie, a garment whose capacious sleeves make it easier to expose your arm and thus donate blood. Looking like something an especially fashion-challenged Franciscan monk might wear, it's presented in a bogus infomercial by Austin, Texas, agency Door Number 3. "You want to donate blood, but rolling up you sleeves can be a real pain," says a voiceover, as we're shown the Sleevie as the solution to this age-old problem. The non-bogus idea here is to drum up blood donations to the Blood Center of Central Texas. —Posted by Mark Dolliver Previously on AdFreak: |
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Published on October 16, 2009 | Permalink
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Billy Mays sells Chipotlaway from the graveInfomercial king Billy Mays, who died in June, was the star of Wednesday night's dead-celebrities episode of South Park. (After learning that Mays' soul is not at rest, Cartman vows to help.) In the clip above—a tribute to the man's ability to literally sell anything—Mays pitches a product called Chipotlaway (pronounced "Chipotle Away"), a laundry spray designed to get the blood stains out of your underwear after you eat Chipotle. Genius. Via YesButNoButYes. UPDATE: The Live Feed has posted Chipotle's response to the episode: "Being spoofed on South Park certainly says something about our popularity with that audience, but we didn’t have anything to do with the content. Some people will find it funny, others will not. But ultimately, being part of the pop culture conversation is probably a good thing." —Posted by Tim Nudd Previously on AdFreak: |
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Published on October 8, 2009 | Permalink
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Smoking is gay, says new anti-smoking PSA
In what's being billed as the first anti-smoking campaign in history to have any effect whatsoever on teens, this PSA tells them simply that smoking is gay. Yes, it's a parody from The Onion, but it might actually do the trick, seeing as how entrenched the insult "That's so gay" remains in the teen vernacular—so much so that there's a whole non-bogus PSA campaign out there designed to get teens not to use the phrase. —Posted by Tim Nudd Previously on AdFreak: |
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Published on October 7, 2009 | Permalink
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'Sesame Street' is hooked on 'Mad Men,' too
"The bear's dripping with gooey honey. He's smiling. This makes me happy." That sounds like something you'd hear on late-night pay-per-view, but in fact it's a line from this Mad Men parody done by PBS's venerable Sesame Street. This spoof beats the one from Saturday Night Live, if only because it stars muppets, though I'm not convinced John Hamm isn't a puppet of some kind—he's too damn "chiseled" to be human like the rest of us. On Sesame Street, the ad guys are supremely stoked when their boss, Mr. Draper, approves their latest Happy Honeybear campaign, and they shower their leader with sycophantic praise. As always, kids can learn valuable lessons from this program that will serve them well and help them succeed later in life. Via The Live Feed. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on October 1, 2009 | Permalink
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Latest '1984' spoof casts Apple as the villain
Perhaps the most iconic ad of all time, Apple's "1984" has been repurposed a hundred times over. But this is the first time I've seen it turned against its creator. The international crew behind DoubleTwist, a media software that promises to put "your iTunes library on any device," created this animated parody to promote its Oct. 6 launch. (The beta version is available now for free, but lacks features available with the update.) So, how do you feel about Steve Jobs being cast as Big Brother? The open-source community has long felt this way about Apple's "walled garden" approach to its devices. And with more than 220 million iPods sold worldwide, not to mention the 50 million iPhones and iPod Touches, there might be a valid claim that Jobs is indeed the Kaiser of Conformity. But will a cross-device iTunes knockoff really end that? Or will it just tide you over a few more months until you can afford the Apple device you really want? Via TechCrunch. —Posted by David Griner Previously on AdFreak: |
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Published on September 30, 2009 | Permalink
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Will Ferrell ad mock-defends health insurers
Here's the latest commercial parody from Funny or Die—a video that pleads for help for insurance-company executives, the forgotten voices in the healthcare debate. Will Ferrell stars (and produced the ad with MoveOn.org), along with various vaguely recognizable actors, including Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde. "Insurance companies are detail-oriented enough to deny claims for things like typos," Ferrell says. "If you spell something wrong, do you really deserve surgery? I don't think so." |
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Published on September 23, 2009 | Permalink
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Man beaten by Wild in Teva's parody videos
Vice magazine co-founder Gavin McInnes doesn't look so hot in his underpants, but that doesn't stop him from almost letting it all hang out in "The Naturist," a new parody Web series on Teva.com. The hiking-shoe company describes it as "Mr. Bean meets Survivorman," but I can think of other things to call the two-minute-plus installment I watched, which felt more like 25 minutes to me. At one point, McInnes sticks his hand inside a beehive to get some honey; he's stung repeatedly, but unfortunately survives. The shots of his pasty face pock-marked by stings are disturbing, and reminds me of why I hate both the outdoors and nature programs. And yes, I'm still bitter that AdFreak refuses to greenlight my "Dave's Raves" video series where I improve notable ads by remaking them with myself as the star. Those headshots cost me 50 cents each at photo booth in the mall, and they won't even reimburse me out of petty cash. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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Published on August 27, 2009 | Permalink
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All-star spoof shows tender side of G.I. Joe
This might be the first Web video that stars bigger-name actors than the big-screen blockbuster it's spoofing. "The Ballad of G.I. Joe," a Funny or Die exclusive, shows us the softer side of the action flick's heroes and villains. The cast features Hollywood heavies like Billy Crudup and Julianne Moore, but look who else: Henry Rollins (as Duke), Zach Galifianakis (as Snow Job), Olivia Wilde (smokin' hot as the Baroness), Firefly's Alan Tudyk (as Shipwreck), Gilmore Girl Alexis Biedel (as Lady Jaye) and mixed martial artist Chuck Liddell (as Gung Ho). If they had managed to rope in Christopher Eccleston, I would have a good excuse to skip the real movie altogether. Hat tip to Cleolinda Jones. |
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Published on August 12, 2009 | Permalink
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Magic butt amazes in cheeky Ray-Ban spoof
The Ray-Ban video "Guy Catches Glasses With Face" (which has gotten 4.3 million views on YouTube) now has a worthy successor in the clip above, titled "Guy Catches Laptop With His Butt." It was done by computer-parts maker MSI, and it's as impressive as it sounds. Meanwhile, the latest non-spoof effort in Cutwater and Ray-Ban's "Never Hide" series is below. Ray-Ban had a booth at South by Southwest, where it invited people to record 20 seconds of whatever they wanted. The DJ duo SqueakE Clean took the 800-plus video clips and made a music track with them. See also: |
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Published on August 11, 2009 | Permalink
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Throat-Hole Guy didn't even have it this bad
Here's an amusing parody of the Throat-Hole Guy school of anti-smoking shockvertising. The man here lost his voicebox to cancer, and things went seriously downhill from there. The PSA ends with a stern warning: "Smoking contributes to and empowers the imminent robot death squad apocalypse." The surgeon general would surely agree. Via Make the Logo Bigger. |
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Published on August 3, 2009 | Permalink
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Online-poker body spray is for winners only
This fake-product spot from the very real Paddy Power Poker Pro doubles down on a Benny Hill/Monty Python vibe to beat the odds, grab the jackpot, bust the house and ... oh, screw it, the commercial's pretty funny, OK? The mannequin's an especially inspired and creepy touch. And I'm betting (sorry) that's not a roll of chips in the guy's skin-tight trousers, because he looks mighty happy to see that blonde after he applies the fictitious Pro Spray. One question, though: Since online gambling's always a losing proposition, why would any real winners sign up to play? Via Adverbox. |
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Published on July 17, 2009 | Permalink
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WaterPartners puts dirty in clean-water PSA
This faux bottled-water spot, created as a PSA by the clean-water advocates at WaterPartners, probably tries a bit too hard to be funny, and the fake-ad setup is old hat. Still, the actress is committed, as she lets the sludge (called "L'Desh Fresh") dribble down her face. This is "the world's most authentic water," the polluted stuff with "arsenic-enhanced flavor" and "smooth urine undertones" that millions use for drinking, bathing and food preparation every day. The clip has only a few thousand views on YouTube. Maybe they should've had the stuff eat through her chin. Or better yet, that dress! Just to drive some traffic. WaterPartners just teamed up with Matt Damon to form Water.org. Maybe Matt can explain that sex sells. |
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Published on July 16, 2009 | Permalink
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Ad parody gets even more honest about GMApparently, a slick video montage doesn't quite convince everyone that General Motors can claw its way out of the abyss and return to its former glory. Current TV's "InfoMania" show created this spoof (which has a bit of salty language up front) to highlight just how much random window dressing GM puts on an ad that's supposed to be frank and to the point. I'd love to see what clips got cut in editing. I think it could have ended a lot stronger with Mount Rushmore, sad clown, iron girder, Woody Guthrie, gold miner, tombstone, zombie hand. —Posted by David Griner |
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Published on June 16, 2009 | Permalink
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Paper towels just as awesome as ShamWow
Pretty decent ShamWow parody here from the guy at Magic Hugs, who show you just how awesome the old-fashioned paper towel can be. Stick it in the water, and it soaks up all the water. Fold it up and and rip it, and you get a crapload of squares. Amazing. |
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Published on May 28, 2009 | Permalink
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