Hey, welcome!

Time is Back on My Side

2008-05-30T15:31:00.007-05:00

Apologies for having been gone so long. School was really busy, especially during finals. Many all-nighters mixed with energy drinks. The day after I went home, I visited the Miami Ad School in Minneapolis, walked 6.2 miles at the Minnesota AIDS Walk, saw some of the sites, made some friends and met some nice people.

Now it's almost summertime. Thankfully, I've been given the opportunity to work as an intern at an awesome independent advertising agency called Barkley. Monday is the first day of an incredible experience.

Foam City

2008-03-09T15:45:00.023-05:00

Sony and Fallon [London] is currently filming the next commercial for Sony electronics in downtown Miami, Florida. The high today was a sunny 75 degrees.

Ruth Speakman, European PR Manager for Sony, has been twittering about the event all day. She also kept live updates of the recent Sony BRAVIA "Play-Doh" shoot filmed in New York last fall.

Simon Ratigan, who has worked with Fallon in the past, is the director of "Foam City". Sony had the biggest foam machine in the world custom built, shooting out 2.5 million liters (660,430 gallons) of foam per minute.

The $1.4 million commercial is believed to be part of a massive campaign centered around the Sony Handycam, Cybershot and Alpha brands. The campaign is expected to be released in June.

According to BrandRepublic, "The ads will show various scenarios in which adults and children play in foam bubbles around the city."

Update (March 10, 2008) The spot may be aimed at the Sony Cyber-shot W170, a digital camera which automatically detects a smile and captures an image of the subject without the need of pressing the shutter. Who wouldn't smile in a sea of foam?

Update (March 11, 2008) For a lot more foamy goodness, check out some pictures taken and more information from a journalist at the shoot here.

(via Shedwa)

Update: Book Burning

2008-03-01T17:23:00.002-05:00

Ihaveanidea's Portfolio Night 6 will have tickets available for purchase on Friday, March 21, 2008.

The price, which varies for each city, includes a portfolio critique by at least 3 creative directors, food to fill your belly, drinks to calm you down, and a goodie bag filled with stuff, including an official PN6 t-shirt to remember the night.

New this year — students and junior creatives may bring their laptop. Be sure the work is up and ready for review, because you only have a short amount of time with each CD.

After all is said and done, your portfolio will be uploaded online. Any and all CDs in the universe that attended PN6 will be able to check out your best work. Make sure it's your best.

Questions? Visit the Official Portfolio Night 6 site, or see the FAQ Section.

March for Babies

2008-01-17T01:06:00.000-05:00

March of Dimes has renamed its biggest fund-raiser, Walk America, to March for Babies, capturing the cause more effectively within the name. Today's article in the New York Times says that a Gallup poll reported only 45% knew what the organization's mission was. Honestly, I didn't know what it was about until after reading the story.

Barkley has created a PSA campaign to announce the call-to-action. The campaign includes Marchofdimesbaby.org, a site where anyone, especially mothers-to-be, can get information from preconception to teenage pregnancy. The entire page has questions that can be either clicked on or highlighted when selecting what you're wondering about. The questions link to answers on the March of Dimes Web site.

Behind the many questions is a baby, and this is where the cute factor skyrockets. The baby is endearing as it plays or crawls or raises its hands in excitement. It may be one baby or babies; the video plays for a while, fades out, and another baby (or the same one) takes the page. From a design perspective, the simple video makes the site so much more interesting to look at. And from an emotional perspective, as a human being, I am pulled in. I'm not a mother, but I could watch that baby for a long time. Mothers are sure to be captivated -- with the baby and with all of the questions that can be answered.

Here are the PSA TV spots.

Guess What?

2008-01-17T00:24:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I saw a version of this commercial. (I think they may have pitched for Lexus.) The aired spot is more emotional and a lot less flashy than the one I've linked. If anyone knows where to find the original, please let me know. My friend and I were guessing in our heads as to what it could be. We were drawn in from the start. Is it love? Is it family? What is it?! When the payoff came, (spoiler) we found out it was the letter h. The freaking letter h.

Update (Jan. 31, 2008): Someone's put up the actual spot online. Here it is.

Around the World Famous Studio to US Air

2008-01-16T23:51:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if this would be classified as consumer generated content or something else. The story is similar to how the iPod Touch commercial came about. Two creative directors at World Famous studio in Seattle created a spec commercial for US Airways from the footage they had while editing a regional US Air spot. Executive Creative Director at Moses Anshell, US Airways' agency of record, saw the spec ad on World Famous' site and decided to use it in their national campaign.

Find out more details and see the spot here.

Necessary and Unnecessary

2008-01-08T15:20:00.000-05:00

What's Needed

This American Apparel banner ad is missing something. Actually, it's missing two things. Wasted is missing an 'i', and high-waisted should be hyphenated. Taking in mind the British spell things a little different, I checked. It's the same spelling. Wasted does kind of go their trashy less is more image.

What's Not Needed

This is subject to a matter of opinion, but I believe this online ad for the Nissan Rogue has a little too much to say in the fine print. After a short video of the Rogue performing in a digital New York City neighborhood, the vehicle stops and fine print at the bottom comes up. It reads, "Computer generated images. Do not attempt. Always obey traffic laws. Always drive safely. Always were your seatbelt and please don't drink and drive."

Is this Nissan's idea of convincing the consumer they care about them? Can you obey traffic laws and not drive safely? In a beer ad, "Drink Responsibly", or some other version of it, is enough. They don't add, "Always take a taxi or have a friend drive you home. Always be sure to look both ways while crossing the street and never handle a gun while intoxicated." And they do it for good reason. People understand what you're getting at.

Here's a screen capture of something I think is also unnecessary but in a comical way. I saw the Nissan ad while watching a show on NBC.com called 'Chuck'. The store Chuck works at is called 'Buy More'.

Survey Says...

2008-01-01T04:45:00.000-05:00

I'm always interested in hearing your thoughts and opinions. Please take this survey so I can work to make this blog better.

Also, whatever I can do to make this blog more convenient, relevant, entertaining, and valuable to read, let me know specifically in the comments. Or you can e-mail me at joelj[at]ksu[dot]edu. Thank you.

Star Treatment

2008-01-01T02:50:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, I rented 'Call of Duty 3' for the Wii at Hollywood Video. It was seven bucks for 5 days. Pricey. On the second day of playing it, I got to Chapter 6: Fuel Plant. You have to blow up silos to stop the supply of the Nazis. When I planted the charge at the second silo, a German soldier snuck up behind me and tried to shoot. Luckily, his gun was also programmed to not work right. I took this opportune moment to grab his gun. A struggle ensued. Now this is when the in-game theatrics stopped, and I got to play. At the bottom of the screen, the game told me to hold my Nunchuck and Wiimote and make a punching motion forward, again and again.

For some reason, the game didn't pick this up. So I died; the German soldier threw me off the side. I did this about twenty times at various speeds and angles, and I kept dying. I even tried a different Wiimote. Nothing worked.

Yesterday, I returned the game to Hollywood Video. I expected no refund and no remorse. When I got to the store, I told an employee exactly what happened. She took the game, got the manager, and right away, the manager asked if I wanted a new game. Quite surprised, I replied with "Sure!"

None really caught my eye, and I was okay with going home empty-handed. When I told the employee this, she kindly remarked how I'm getting a free game. "Even if you don't play it, your family could", she said.

Then she took all the games out, which are in a big box, and brought me over to the side to look at them. I ended up picking out 'Trauma Center: Second Opinion'. I've played the game on a friend's Nintendo DS and liked it. (A day later, everyone in my house has played it.)

When I went to the side to get the game, she said it's due back Friday. That's five days, not the two I had left. I left a very happy customer. Thank you, Hollywood Video.

Christmas Noise

2007-12-31T01:16:00.000-05:00

I saw this insert in USA Today earlier this month. Thanks to the reading program on campus, the residence halls receive free copies of the New York Times, USA Today and three local newspapers. The ad isn't entirely relevant anymore, because December 25th has come and gone, but this is a crazy idea.

In the ad, Sony is advertising noise-canceling headphones. They suggest you peel off the stickers and place them on a remote and luggage to show loved ones what you really want for Christmas. How will they know it's from you? There's no clarification on that. Maybe they're supposed to get everyone the same gift.

I would personally be pretty bothered if someone stuck something to my remote. When I want to take a sticker off -- and I'm going to want to -- I have to peel and pry at the thing for minutes. Then there's the paper that tore off and is super hard to get at. Lastly, the sticky grime that's left afterwards. That's going to make me want to get a gift for my friend alright.

The product isn't bad at all, but Sony is taking the wrong approach. I get why they are placing your ad for noise canceling headphones. Are they targeting the wrong person though? If Sony is advising you to put stickers where they would use the headphones, wouldn't that make them want the product more than to give it to you? Maybe it's a full-circle thing. You get one for me, I get one for you. I think it's a little bogus.

The art direction is nice. I like how they incorporate Sony's HDNA graphics into the print and into the stickers. They kind of look like snowflakes too. It makes some sense to put the graphics in, because it follows the design of Sony's other recent ads, but these headphones aren't HD. I'm not entirely sure about the copy, specifically, "From our studios to your ears, only Sony is true to music." Everything else must be a lie.

Christmas, We Love You the Best

2007-12-30T23:58:00.000-05:00

The day we celebrate Christmas is over. We have to wait another year before we go pick out the best looking tree, take out the tinsel, and go over to grandma's house to see relatives we haven't seen since last Christmas. It will be another year before the mass chaos of last-minute shoppers flood the stores at four in the morning and bring you back to reality.

Another thing that brings us back to reality are bad gifts. Barkley believes that every idea has an expiration date. Except bad gift ideas. The agency has created the Bad Gift Emporium where you can share the bad gift(s) you've received over the years with others. If you want to, you can even exchange your bad gifts. I'm not sure specifically if the gifts are solely supposed to be from Christmas, because some don't look it. (If that's the case, I have a terribly awesome salt rock light I may display.)

Everyone's Invited to Swim

2007-12-29T21:28:00.001-05:00

Only the great will make it to the other side.

The annual D&AD Student Awards competition is in full-swing. The British Design and Art Design Award is one of the most coveted and challenging student awards across the pond and around the world.

There's no limit of entries, but they had better be incredible. The best of the best will be grading them. Each entry needs to be signed by your tutor/professor, or you can't enter. Can a 30 year-old grad student enter? You betcha. (Coincidentally, that's the same age as this award.)

Winners receive an oversize pencil whose tree's growth must have been stunted due to the greenhouse effect. But this little stump can be used as a pedestal to reach the next level, or a doorstop to save yourself from having a crushed foot.

The categories are: Advertising, Animation, Furniture Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Integrated Communication, Music Videos, Open Briefs, Photography, Product Design, Social Design, and What Else Do You Do? Description for the last onereads, "Having already entered one of more of the briefs this year, you are now entitled to now submit an additional piece of work that has nothing to do with this or any other competition..."

Because this blog is about advertising, I will only list the endless possibilities for the Advertising category.

Postcard
Breastfeeding, Sponsored by Best Beginnings
Press Advertising
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Sponsored by Breakthrough Breast Cancer
Outdoor
HSBC, Sponsored by ClearChannel
Viral
Nando's, Sponsored by Nando's
Ambient
London Fashion Week, Sponsored by Grazia
Writing
If Only I'd Listened More Carefully, Sponsored by Ogilvy
Direct and Online
The Army, Sponsored by TEQUILA\
Poster
The Royal Opera House, Sponsored by This Is Real Art
TV
Belu, Sponsored by Weilands

You can't literally drown if you don't win; you only fill your metaphorical lungs up with water and have to be resuscitated by determination. Or you could change majors (quitter). Before you enter, read this. Did you read it? Okay, the briefs are here.

D&AD will accept entries from students from Jan. 14 – March 20, 2008. The grading takes place in May, and the awards ceremony is in June. All of the 'A' work is accessible in June.

Good luck!

Happy Holidays

2007-12-24T18:56:00.000-05:00

Hi, everyone. I really apologize for not updating lately. Finals week was really busy, and now I'm home spending time with family and friends. I will be posting more sometime after Christmas, and I look forward to sharing with you again. Until then, enjoy the merriment and wonder of John Denver and the Muppets "Twelve Days of Christmas". Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Von Maur Does the Right Thing

2007-12-06T03:38:00.000-05:00

After the shooting in Omaha, Nebraska's Westroads Mall on Dec. 5, 2007, which claimed nine lives, Von Maur immediately gave their condolences to friends and family of those involved in the incident. The department store chain is based in Davenport, Iowa, about a four-and-a-half-hour drive away. The shooting has been reported to be on the second and third floors of the Von Maur in Omaha. On the same night, Jim Von Maur, CEO of Von Maur, flew in to offer his personal condolences. I'm not going to say this is a 'great move' by Von Maur, because it sounds rude under these circumstances. But it is by far the right thing, and a very kind thing, for Jim Von Maur to do for his patrons and employees.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T16:30:00.000-05:00

'Advertise' for 10 Grains

2007-11-21T23:57:00.000-05:00

draw attention

refill

nearsightedness

swing

FreeRice was started on October 7, 2007, and has generated a donation of 3 billion grains of rice for the United Nations World Food Programme. The donations are underwritten for by advertising dollars, using Google AdWords. The advertisers include top electronics manufacturers, retail stores, publications, hotels, and more.

On the site is a vocabulary quiz, and all you do is click on the word you believe matches closest to the word you're given. If you're wrong, it shows you the correct answer and finds an easier word to fit your vocabulary. Find out what level your friend can get to and have a friendly competition. Tomorrow on Thanksgiving, gather around the computer with your family and see who is the wisest in word knowledge. Not only is this a fun way to expand your nomenclature, but it's also a fantastic way to help feed the hungry.

Fifteen minutes of your time could feed a family for one day. "With almost 200 million grains being donated per day, the site’s creator, John Breen has already handed a US$100,000 cheque to the Agency, which will help provide food rations for 26,000 Burmese refugees sheltering in Bangladesh" (WFP).

Syria Bans Facebook

2007-11-21T22:01:00.000-05:00

According to Global Voices, Facebook has been banned in Syria. Not very many Syrians were users of the social networking site (about 28,000 were affiliated to the 'Syria' network, out of almost 18 million citizens). Golaniya from Damascus says, "people are starting to organize their interests in concerts, galleries, conferences, plays, screenings…etc. and Facebook is facilitating the process which is very hard to do in an inactive militarily controlled society." Now none of them can gather together via Facebook and will have to resort to other avenues of communication, like Myspace. They're not sure why, and they're not sure who exactly ordered the ban. Blogger has already been banned, so they won't be reading this, either.

Nonsense

2007-11-21T20:47:00.000-05:00

Exactly twenty days ago from today, the public chose a Web page concept for Nonsense, a creative agency in London. I cast my ballot in September. After voting, I entered my contact information and chose the "Just tell me when you have finished the entire project, as if I was one of your relatives" option. I am still waiting for them to contact me. It makes me wonder who else is waiting, or worse, who has forgotten about the whole thing.

The idea for their Web site is really smart. Free PR. Get the ad industry involved by having them post about the participatory election in blogs and online news sources. I'm sure there were other people who voted that aren't in the industry or even interested in advertising. A critical role agencies play is communication, and for me, Nonsense failed to communicate. It doesn't matter if the target audience was the ad industry or prospective clientele. Nonsense may have kept up with people who have their e-mail address ending in @ny.ddb.com, @bbdo.com, @ogilvy.com, etc., and not with the regular public. I don't know; maybe I was the only college student who voted. If the agency cannot create a dialogue with their product or brand, they aren't doing their job.

By the way, the winning vote was for 'The Rocking Chair Test'. The difference of 0.3% separated Media: Mixed from winning. On the Board was the big loser, with a 4.4% difference. This information is from their development blog, which Nonsense has created to update us on their progress. Hopefully they'll stay true to their word.

Volvo Interacts with Movie Premiere

2007-11-11T23:02:00.000-05:00

Last year, SS+K and Brand Experience Lab came up with Newsbreaker for msnbc.com, a game using human joysticks and a motion sensor camera. Volvo is working in the UK with Brand Experience Lab and Carlton Screen Advertising by using this awesome idea as an interactive advertisement for the XC70 crossover. The audience is directed to move their hands left or right to gather as much luggage as possible within the time limit. I believe the brand recall will be high because the game looks like so much fun to play. I would probably go see the movie again just to interact with the technology, as well as with friends and strangers. At the end of the game, the theater's score is shown against other venues who are putting their hands up in the air like they just don't care. This is a great concept that works well with Volvo's tagline: 'Life is Better Lived Together'.

2006 | Newsbreaker

2007 | Volvo XC70

Book Burning

2007-11-11T13:46:00.000-05:00

ihaveanidea's annual Portfolio Night is looming forth for the sixth time. May 8, 2008 signifies a night of dancing with the devil, or sitting down with brilliant creatives from the world's leading agencies. Aspiring creatives get three opportunities and 10 to 15 minutes to show their best stuff to creatives within an hour; it's more like speed dating rather than a formal interview. Last year, it was held in over 21 different time zones on the same day. This year, at least 33 cities are getting involved. ihaveanidea has submitted the event for application to Guinness World Records for the World's Largest Portfolio Review. Registration isn't up yet, but I'll let you know when it is.

Buick May Have a Chance

2007-11-10T01:29:00.000-05:00

Tonight I saw an ad online (left) for Buick. The Buick Enclave is the crossover vehicle in the picture. It seems like they're saying "we don't suck anymore, give us a chance" through Motor Trend magazine's review. It's your choice to accept a brand that's only acceptable and not the leader. Buick has been around for over 100 years, and we all know by the incredibly slow drivers that the brand still exists. Buicks are known to be called the car for an old person. I have heard younger people complain and say, "oh, they're driving a Buick", when in fact they're driving a Cadillac, Oldsmobile, or whatever. Buick is working to erase the stereotype by making their vehicles –- or at least the Enclave -- more romantic and family-oriented.

The 30-second spot, done by Vigilante, for the Buick Enclave features the Director of Design, Interior, Michael Burton, who subtley lets you know how he supposedly chose what materials to use in the design.

I would compare this commercial to the Lexus spots, done by Team One, which specifically talk about music and remind consumers about the Mark Levinson sound system. Lexus, a division of Toyota Motor Sales, is the number one luxury automaker company in the world. It was a great idea by them to focus on a small but important piece of the pie rather than the whole thing. It's engaging and entertaining. You can watch the other two here.

Michael Burton explains how he got inspired. (Video ends at 2:15)

Apple Commercial Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree

2007-10-27T11:35:00.000-05:00

DIY Advertising, also known as consumer generated content, is becoming more prominent. Agencies' clients pay a large sum of money to grab your attention so you can do the same to others by creating an advertisement that is relevant to consumers like yourself.

Apple and their agency, TBWA/Chiat/Day, are doing something a little different; marketing employees at Apple found a 30-second video about the iPod Touch and wanted that to be their next commercial. The video was edited in Final Cut Pro and produced by Nick Haley, an eighteen year-old freshman from the University of Leeds in England. He's an Apple enthusiast, having received his first Apple computer when he was three years-old.

The spot is quite similar to something TBWA/Chiat/Day and Apple would produce, so it's no wonder the video matches their taste. The music, 'My Music is My Hot, Hot Sex' by Brazilian band CSS, is expected but fits very well with the fast tempo walk-through of the iPod Touch. Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS), Portugese for 'Tired of Being Sexy', will be playing for Great Britain in December on their Christmas Tour. After Chiat contacted him via e-mail on his phone, he took his first trip across the pond and worked with agency creatives in Los Angeles to produce a similar HD broadcast-ready version.

Nick Haley spot

TBWA/Chiat/Day + Apple spot

Facebook Lures Advertisers

2007-10-25T22:56:00.000-05:00

Mark Zuckerberg has something up his sleeves for November 6th, but he's keeping whatever it is under the table until then. Facebook sent advertisers and agencies in New York a little invitation in the form of a Lucite brick: "You are invited to a discussion with Mark Zuckerberg and the Facebook executive team as we unveil a new way of advertising online." There's a big rumor that all the de-classified information you provide on Facebook will be available to advertisers. Already, nine companies -- Apple, CBS, Chase, Coke, Condé Nast, General Motors, Nike, Sony, and Verizon -- have jumped on board and will pay at least $300,000 each to be "Landmark Partners". Another rumor is that, somehow, Facebook will be able to target non-Facebook users on other sites. Internet marketers salivate as the countdown begins.

College Kids and Brand Influence

2007-10-20T01:31:00.000-05:00

Fifty years ago, I doubt that you would see event flyers posted on walls in residence halls or on bulletin boards around campus. Today, you can't escape them. Recently I've been paying attention to the influence brands have on my friends here at Kansas State University.

Almost all of us are on Facebook and believe it should be added to the dictionary as a noun and an adverb. Unlike Tom on MySpace, Mark Zuckerberg won't allow you to be his friend. If Facebook didn't exist, I wouldn't have been able to make a connection with the moderate similarity of new colors on our hallway with the social networking site.

We visit YouTube at least once a week to find hilarious videos, whether it's for ten seconds or ten minutes -- it needs to captivate some part of us. When something great is found, it will be shared via e-mail, Facebook, or by a friend coming into your room and making you watch the video.

One video on YouTube, in particular, has made a big impact on our floor, which has been deemed "Gregg's Place". Old Gregg is a twisted hermaphroditic merman, featured on the fifth episode in the second season of a British show called The Mighty Boosh. The episode is appropriately named "The Legend of Old Gregg". Old Gregg's character is played by Noel Fielding. Old Gregg quotes, like "It's attached to your rod, mothalicka", and "Do you like me? ... Make an assessment" are fervently repeated up and down the hallway. Shouting "I'm old Gregg!" has been the favorite.

Not only do I live in "Gregg's Place", but our study room is called "The Man Cave", possibly named after Alltel's concept, or possibly because we're all men. If it's the former, that would be pretty cool. Is Alltel getting more reach from the idea?

The residence hall I live in had a Floor Wars last week. Our floor won every event, and after the informal award ceremony, we ran upstairs with balloons and the large flyers that advertised each night's event. Displayed on one of the cabinets is the set of clothing we made for Project Runway. The event wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the TV show.

Pepsi-Cola is the offical carbonated beverage of K-State. Pepsi products are in the dining halls and in the convenience stores on campus; you will not find Coca-Cola products anywhere, until you go off-campus. If requested within a sufficient amount of time, free Pepsi products can be given to distribute out to students for a hall function.

Nike is the official sponsor for our athletic department, covering all varsity sports. Players wear Nike shoes and apparel. This isn't grade school though. We know their shoes don't make them jump higher or run faster, and we know it won't do any good for us either. But we have a relationship with the team. We come to the games alert and aware of what's going on.

Do these brands (and others) involuntarily affect how we think, leading us to purchase a product or recommend them to a friend?

Permit Pests, Prevent Fires

2007-10-08T18:59:00.000-05:00

K-State reminds all residents that it's time to recognize our uninhibited friends who walk next to us on the way to class.

National Fire Prevention Week is also this week -- a little more important than swerving for suicidal squirrels (but still a good thing to do). These critters won't rescue you from a fire, but they may start one. Northern Idaho ground squirrels, for instance, like fires.

Join the Great American Fire Drill, so you'll be prepared. Schools, families and offices are invited to share their experience on YouTube.

Can You Tell Me How to Get a Design Job?

2007-10-07T18:33:00.000-05:00

Personally, I can't tell you, but I discovered some great tips for students who strive to be designers. The best thing -- it's Sesame Street themed!

Amtrak Arrives Late

2007-10-07T15:15:00.000-05:00

Better late than never, right? Amtrak introduces ARTE, the Engineer. "ARTE" looks like an acronym, and that's just what it is -- Amtrak Recognizes The Environment. Since when did "the" become an exception as part of an acronym? ARTE's mission is " to encourage environmental awareness — turning passion for the rails into passion for the earth" (Amtrak). They created events in Washington and Philadelphia this past week with childen to plant seedlings of 1,500 blue spruce trees. Does that make things better for us? Not necessarily. Is Amtrak doing this because they really care about the environment, or are they finally squeezing their way into the packed money train?

All Dressed Up, Nowhere to Go

2007-10-06T21:10:00.000-05:00

While visiting a friend two days ago, I saw a Seventeen Magazine in her room and asked to borrow it.

Why look in a girl's magazine? For one, I like ads. Secondly, research. The KSU Ad Club has volunteered to work with a student who is a Senior in Apparel and Textile Design; she will be opening a lingerie boutique in Rochester, New York sometime next year and has asked for some assistance developing a marketing strategy. We're privileged to work with her and have this opportunity.

Browsing through page after page of the publication and evaluating the effectiveness of the ads, I saw part of JCPenney's "Every Day Matters" campaign. The spread shows some teen girls at a dance posing for the camera in dresses that JCPenney is selling. I'm a guy, but I know when someone's hairstyle looks terrible. Theirs does, especially the girls on the far left and right. This is an important detail that JCPenney or its agency has missed. The lighting is also very poor. The copy is okay.

Going through some more pages, landing on a Dillard's ad, I saw a face that looked familiar. I had to do a double-take and go back to the JCPenney ad. She has the same facial structure. Yep, the caucasian brunette is the same model for JCPenney and Dillard's. (You may compare and contrast below.) Is this a bad thing for either company, or is it irrelevant?

JCPenney

Dillard's

The Dillard's ad has much better dramatic lighting for the occasion. The modeling and hairstyles are also better.

Are both concepts too similar? The ads are only 29 pages away from each other, in a magazine that has 173 pages. JCPenney is feeling free and having fun. Dillard's is intimate and elegant. Both spreads are scenarios headed to the same place.

BRAVIA Bunnies!

2007-10-06T16:58:00.001-05:00

The newest Sony Bravia advertisement is out. First, there was 'Balls', then there was 'Paint'. Now, there is 'Play-Doh', featuring 2.5 tons of plasticine in 1:30 of stop-motion. "Devised by Fallon [London] and shot over three weeks in New York, the commercial employed 40 animators from Passion" (Sony). The spot also included 189 2' bunnies, 150 1' cubes, a 10'x20' purple wave, one giant 30' rabbit, and six cameras.

Watch the Teaser

Watch 'Play-Doh'

For better quality, watch the video on Sony BRAVIA's site. It takes a little while to load, but you get to read some colourful facts while you wait. Update: Don't wait and watch it here.

The Website has more. First, put your headphones on. Colour your own on the personalized Colourwall, walk through sharp blades of grass, listen to calming music, fly through a tunnel, drip a droplet, and bounce a ball on some walls to drop psychedelic sounds and ripples of colour. You can download the old BRAVIA spots, wallpapers and images. Also, check out the colour experiments and some info on the singer-songwriter José González ('Balls').

Learn How To Speak Teen

2007-10-05T01:58:00.000-05:00

OMG AT&T TCHING RENTS 2 SPK LYKE ME

Communications company AT&T has put an insert in today's edition (Oct. 4) of the USA Today and previously on Sept. 25, part of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. The insert features a cell phone with an indecipherable message. (I sometimes use text messaging, and the ‘teen lingo’ makes no sense to me, even after reading the supposed translation.) On the side of it reads, "Do You Speak Teen?" in a large, eye-catching font. The backside has information and a small quiz to see if you know your teen. Attached to the insert is a tear-off with more information. All but one side has links to either TheAntiDrug.com or TheAntiDrug.com/ParentChronicles.

Both days the insert has run, it has caught my attention. Both times I have seen them on the floor, dropped and disregarded by students getting their daily dose of headlines. The first time I picked the ad up, it was pretty dirty, so I threw it away. Once again, and in the same location (dining center), it was on the tile floor.

Is this really necessary? I don't mean is this necessary for the advertisement to run, but is our society so disconnected that parents need to be taught by a corporation how to talk to their kids? All of the 'Action Items For Parents of Teens' disturbs me, except for the third, which is only a little troubling.

“• Pick up your teen's mp3 player and go to the "Top 25 Most Played" section. Listen for references to alcohol, drugs or other risky behaviors. Then talk with your teen about what you heard.

• Visit social networking sites like MySpace.com, and browse the profiles of teens your child's age to see what they say, what their interests are and what they are doing online.

• Can you name your teen's favorite TV show? Watch it with him or her and discuss story lines.

• Go to a video sharing Web site and type in "smoking weed." Watch some of the videos. Did you know that your teen might be exposed to these images?”

Let's start at the top and work our way down.

1) My mp3 player does not have a “Top 25 Most Played” list. How do you know if listening to a song is harmful? We all know “Rocky Mountain High” by John Denver, and “Puff the Magic Dragon” by Peter, Paul & Mary are references to smoking a blunt. I don’t know anyone who has said John Denver or Puff and Little Jackie Paper introduced them to pot. Bob Marley can be an exception. "Chronic-what-cles of Narnia" is from a skit on Saturday Night Live. It's a popular skit with teens and young adults, but it doesn't make me want to roll a doobie.

2) Stalk or lurk other children’s online communal space to build a stereotype of how your child is. Why not talk to them up front instead of peering over their shoulder?

3) This is good, for the most part. Spending quality time with your child is very important. Discuss story lines, right. How about this? Be genuinely interested and talk with whatever you want to talk about with your child, and whatever your child wants to talk about with you.

4) Parents have to go to a Web site to understand what “smoking weed” is? Doubt that. I’m pretty sure that teens have been exposed to images of marijuana. But does it make them go out and smoke it? That’s really subject to your child's moral values and susceptibility to peer pressure.

It is important to talk with your child/pre-teen/teen/whatever about drugs. Drug usage can destroy families and future generations. I’m glad to see support for the livelihood of teens and my peers working to be motivators.

Part of the tear-off insert reads, “Teens may be a hard study, but knowing more about their world and the influences around them will help you connect better with your teen.” Your kids should not be research projects but should be an individual masterpiece ‘in progress’. The tenor of the advertisement reads as if teens are just a statistic. And that’s especially what your son(s)/daughter(s) don’t want to be labeled today.

I’m a little confused as to who the demographic for this campaign is, because it’s parental advice from a company that may run your cable and is in the pages of a national newspaper. The idea people have of USA Today readers is subjective, so that doesn’t count. Maybe it’s toward the businessmen and women who wake up at 5 a.m. to commute two hours to work and hardly get to see their kids. Suggestion: I would rather have my parents spend an hour with me than spending an hour searching for profanity, connotations, etc. Don’t be anything but yourself, mom or dad.

NEXT Phones Arrive Too Soon

2007-10-04T03:30:00.001-05:00

While browsing the news headlines at this early/late hour, I was linked to Breitbart.com from Drudge. At the top right of the page is a banner ad for Verizon Wireless Next series of phones. The banner ad has no animation. The two identical ads on the right at the middle of the page do, however. They go through each phone and then show the whole family together.

First of all, why two of the exact same ad? Do they think that the reader will not click one but give the other a chance? Maybe there's something I'm missing. Update: It has dawned on me that both ad spaces are taken because another tenant would distract from what Verizon is trying to sell.

The timing is way off, for those people who have laptop computers (smaller screen) at least, like me (15-inch). Sorry, my parents did not carry on the gene of reading a few hundred words every five seconds. I don't see the animation, so I have to refresh the page and scroll down. The average person is not going to do that.

What if there were a sensor to detect when the user has scrolled down to where the ad is located? The animation can then attract the reader's eye, doing what it's supposed to do. Scrolling over the ad itself is a good avenue to reach them, which is being used today. Seasoned current event lovers may train themselves to walk the fine pixelated line of not touching any ads or clicking, and that's why a sensoring program, code, or something, would capture more interested eyeballs.

Blendtec Blends Everything, Except Chuck Norris

2007-09-28T00:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Trails to You

2007-09-26T14:25:00.000-05:00

That's not the image I first pictured when I read the name of Kashi's TLC cookies at Target two nights ago. My mind wandered further down south, and immediately was turned off from the product. Why would something like this be overlooked? Even if it weren't "the stairway to heaven", how does "happy" help a product sell? The cookies aren't really happy. They probably wouldn't make me any happier; chocolate chip cookies put me in a good mood. The box of cookies was stored on the top shelf, so surely it wasn't directed at the younger demographic. Is this just creative laziness?

(Do It) For the Glory of Love

2007-09-20T14:47:00.000-05:00

In the latest issue of Communication Arts magazine, Ernie Shenck encourages us to appreciate every day, whether it's the day you get laid off or the day your agency lands an account with your favorite brand. The article is called 'Is There a Shoeless Joe in You?', referencing the baseball player, Shoeless Joe Jackson. Do what you do because you love it unconditionally.

Here's an excerpt of the motivational column. I encourage you to subscribe to CA. If you don't, at least get this issue for Ernie's uplifting words.

"I hope you love it all. Embrace it all. Suck it all in and let it shape and form you into something amazing, something with depth and breadth and subtle variations in texture and color, the likes of which we've never seen. Love what you do. Love the highs and the lows and weave it all into what you are to become. Be blindly in love. Be Shoeless Joe. Hold the bat up to your face. Look at the grain. Feel it on your cheek. Smell the varnish. You'll be better for it. We all will."

Here's a great example.

Purity in Digital Form

2007-09-18T13:46:00.000-05:00

Featured on the homepage of YouTube, New Zealand Tourism works with Weta Digital, creators of the digital effects for Lord of the Rings, now working on Prince Caspian, the second movie in the Chronicles of Narnia, to promote the beautiful island of New Zealand for 24-hours. The campaign has gone global in 2007.

An awesome effects company is presenting the island of New Zealand, but everyday it is represented in its purest form -- that no digital animation could capture or re-create. If you have a great product, it shouldn't be hard to sell.

But having Peter Jackson on your side doesn't hurt (if you can afford it).

'Times' Are Changing

2007-09-15T16:20:00.000-05:00

What is the future of the newspaper? The New York Times sponsored a luncheon at Kansas State University on Thursday to discuss this, or so I thought. The luncheon was a part of a series for the JMC Mentoring Program at K-State. Susan Edgerley, assistant managing editor for the New York Times, and Steve Wolgast, news design editor for the New York Times, both K-State alum, were the speakers.

First, they showed a YouTube video of "Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us", done by Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State, Michael Wesch. Not only does he make an incredibly accurate video, Wesch is also a great teacher. I have not yet had the privilege to be in any of his classes, but I hear nothing but high praise from current and past students. My friend, who is currently in his Intro to Cultural Anthropology course, is required to learn 20 student's names in the class; they have to get to know each other via Facebook. Some don't have Facebook (crazy, I know), so they have to register just for the project/quiz.

The Web is changing, obviously. The New York Times pointed out that it's changing their job and their readers. Susan and Steve poignantly used an allegory of the farmer and the lily pad. The farmer goes out to his pond and sees a lily. He thinks nothing of it. A few days pass, and he comes back to the pond. Now there are a few more lily pads. He decides that he needs to get something to remove the lily pads. But he doesn't get around to it. A week goes by, and he comes back to the pond. It's completely filled with lily pads. He didn't act quickly, so now his pond is covered with lily pads. They said we need to recognize the pace of how quickly things are changing. Not only do we need to recognize this, but we need to react.

Next, they showed a video of a young woman (probably in her twenties) who was very connected to her laptop computer and cell phone. During the interview, she was on the couch with her computer, and the cell phone was on the armrest. She's so physically dependant on technology that she adamantly expressed how it's her life, she couldn't live without it. The young woman looked as if she were going to burst into tears at the thought. The New York Times' job, they say, is to find out how to get someone who doesn't read traditional newspaper to read it. But they didn't say how they're going about it.

The speakers often referred to what the New York Times is doing to keep up with technology. "The Lede", a popular blog from the Times' sources, is "something you wouldn't have seen on NYTimes.com even a year ago", said Susan Edgerley. She and Steve told us about when most of the subway flooded -- they (the New York Times) were there. The radio didn't have anything yet, not even the MTA site had any information on alternatives or information of what exactly was going on. This is when the readers became reporters, with their comments on the blog(s). With the blogs come links to other sites unaffiliated with the New York Times, linking to sites they can't edit. The Times expects the average person to understand their inability to moderate the Internet. It's common sense.

"We have to do it all. We can do it all" said Susan. They showed a user photograph from NYTimes.com of lightning striking at the perfect time during a thunderstorm. Other pictures and video they have to be careful with. They verify the user's credibility by talking to them and getting the story. It can be through a thirty-minute conversation on the phone if need be. The blog comments are also moderated by the staff, though never edited. It either stays or goes.

When it was time for Q & A, Tom Palmer, Jr., reporter for the Boston Globe, asked about what the New York Times is doing to show various viewpoints, as it is widely know as a liberal paper. Susan and Steve said that their online editorials give a concentrated effort that all sides are represented. A student asked how the Web is affecting advertising. Susan said, "Web advertising is growing huge, but it's only this big [small percentage]". There is exponential potential, but tiny revenue.

For the most part, we learned what the New York Times is doing to keep up with a rapidly changing business. During discussion at the table with the people I met and during the presentation, there were hints of how print will remain. The tactile importance and simple ingenuity of escaping from the world until you release your captivated eyes from it keeps us wanting more.

Conformity

2007-09-15T03:41:00.000-05:00

новая кофейня

2007-09-11T21:40:00.000-05:00

Translation: The New Coffee House

Starbucks opened its doors last Thursday in a Russian mega mall in Khimki (pop. 180,000), about 45 minutes away from Moscow. The mall has 10,000 outlet stores; you know it gets some good foot traffic. As the country's first Starbucks, it will be a suitable fit to warm them up, especially during the extremely cold, long winter months. This is the first of probably thousands to come. But Starbucks is taking their time.

For now, only one more is planned in Moscow by the end of the year. "This is an important step for the company, and we are looking forward to being a part of every day life for Russians," says Cliff Burrows, President of Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Hopefully they'll give the Russians a break with free Wi-Fi, but I doubt it.

(via MSNBC)
(Translation via Babelfish)

Philips Seduces Viewers

2007-09-09T00:12:00.000-05:00

Philips has begun an international campaign for the Aurea, a Flat LCD HDTV that projects ROY G BIV onto your wall. It's much more than that, though. The Aurea is endless visual pleasure. The experience is like tripping on acid -- without the acid. The sad news: currently, it's only available in Europe.

DDB concepted the idea of a short film, directed by Wong Kar Wai, which can be seen on the Web and in stores. You are given the option to keep the "Ambilight On" or "Ambilight Off" to compare and contrast. A beautiful musical score, by Mark Slater and members of the London Symphony orchestra, labeled as the "Aurea Soundtrack", may also be downloaded on the Web site, created by Tribal DDB.

Most of the advertising will be television-based, by DDB Amsterdam, showing the brilliant, upgraded feature with a 60-second spot. Vincent Peters, fashion photographer, shot the print.

Philips is also staying ahead by partnering with Swarovski, a world-famous crystal and jewelry company. They're launching the Philips-Swarovski Active Crystals collection.

Rudy Provoost, Philips CEO, says it's a "fusion of function and fashion." Philips is targeting the female touch. "It's kind of bringing Philips 'sense and simplicity' with style and seduction" (Shiny).

C-K Selected to Steer Porsche

2007-09-05T22:27:00.000-05:00

No, this isn't a charity event where celebrity Calvin Klein drives a Porsche in a Race to Save the Whales. (Though, that would be an important cause.) I'm talking about Cramer-Krasselt, an independently owned and managed advertising agency, headquartered in Chicago.

Out of three other agencies, including incumbent Carmichael Lynch, Porsche North America has finally and decidedly chosen Cramer-Krasselt to head the creative and media duties. David Pryor, Porsche svp, marketing, said, "Their team very quickly showed a tremendous passion and understanding of our business and developed a compelling, evolutionary expression of our brand." (Adweek). From the great work CL has done for Porsche, I'm really interested in seeing Porsche evolve.

And they've done so just in time for the release of the 2009 Porsche Panamera, a new four-door sedan hybrid with a V-8 engine. "Carmichael Lynch, according to Pryor, will continue to work on a 'significant project' for the company through the first quarter of next year"(Adweek). Porsche spent $25 million on the account with CL, but the upcoming year is an estimated $40 million.

Starbucks Goes Wi-Fi with iTunes

2007-09-05T15:05:00.000-05:00

The iPod touch was released today by Steve Jobs. It's really thin and can play your favorite movies, YouTube, Cover Flow, and you can hop on the Internet with the Safari Web browser. The iPod nano also has received a big face lift with a new design, new colors, a larger display with video, Cover Flow, and enhanced interface.

But now Apple has joined with Starbucks, so the iPod touch user will be able to download the music that is playing in the coffee shop. No more asking the barista what the tune before last was while you were in the bathroom.

Now you can download it with their free wireless connection. Until the release of this news, Starbucks Wi-Fi has only been available to T-Mobile users, and it wasn't free.

According to Apple, New York and Seattle Starbucks should have it integrated sometime next month. The San Francisco area should get it in November. Next year, Los Angeles should have it in February and Chicago in March.

The new iPod touch doesn't have that much memory. There's an 8 GB and a 16GB, in comparison to the 160 GB possibility for the iPod Classic. This should be enough for your duration at Starbucks to watch a movie and listen to some tunes on the walk back home.

Something to chew on.

2007-09-04T22:19:00.000-05:00

That's the new tagline for the KSU Ad Club this year. I am priviliged to be the Vice President with the voluntary duties of maintaining a blog, inviting guest speakers, and creating a campaign. We're all really looking forward to what the future holds. Below are the posters created for the ad lovers on campus.

These Colors Don't Run, They Drive

2007-08-10T01:21:00.000-05:00

"Rethink American" is Saturn's new tagline. Everything in the commercial (below) by Deutsch LA, to my knowledge, is driven to be American -- except for the song. "Higher" is performed by British band Soundcage, composed by Daniel Cage. He's also written music for major brands like Nike, Reebok, Pepsi, and Coke. According to Cage's official Web site, he graduated from the University of Southern California, and his next show is in New York -- performing at a charity benefit with Bette Midler and Kanye West. But he's still from the UK; it's an American-themed spot with a British song. This contradicts the whole message and makes me wonder why more people aren't seeing this disconnect. Details shouldn't go unnoticed. Isn't it Rethink Canadian, anyway?

The Drop Zone

2007-08-08T01:28:00.000-05:00

Another company that's right on target is Perris Valley Skydiving. They've uniquely placed themselves as California's only resort skydiving center.

Driving to work, I saw a large plane on its approach. I get excited when I see jets because our airport is small, and the only flights are on a Beechcraft 1900D to Kansas City International. The airport is located in the middle of the United States, and one runway is long enough for the Space Shuttle to land on. Piloted by Steve Fosset, Virgin's longest flight around the world started and ended here. The airport is also a testing area for aircraft companies, training for the military, and a semi-frequent refueling stop for private jets and props. Back to the story. Driving 75 on the Interstate, I quickly glanced up a few times at the large jet. It couldn't be private; it was too big and didn't look like a Gulfstream or Learjet. My eyes only saw "Skydive", which immediately made me question if I needed my eyes checked. Skydive out of a jet? No way.

After further investigation, Skydive Perris is not only the sole skydiving center with a resort in California, but it also uses the only jet in the world that is certified (just last year) for skydiving. It's nicknamed the "pocket rocket", as it can take off on reasonably short runways. The McDonnell Douglas DC-9-21 is commissioned once again. (It may sound a little scary to use an old aircraft, but as long as the maintenance is kept up, you're good to go.) What used to be a commercial airliner for Scandinavian Airlines in the 60's, is now flying to drop people off who hardly ever land. There are only three of these planes left in service. Even better, the jet can take 80 experienced jumpers up to 15,000 feet, going 220 MPH -- at the price of $85 a person. Amazing.

Mailing Maelstrom

2007-08-07T11:19:00.000-05:00

Junk mail is everywhere, attacking your mailbox like a tempest. About 44% of it is thrown back without reading, and after it's read, there's a 95% chance you'll throw it into the Neverending Pit of Garbage. You can fight it and sign up for "do-not-mail" lists, but most likely, the sea of mail will keep surging.

Why not invite them onto your boat by encouraging them to use other means of communication? Like e-mails you receive with an "unsubscribe" option, businesses could include an "unsubscribe" envelope -- guaranteeing no more mail from them if you send it back. Using this, they could reach their target audience better. (Hopefully they have one.)

If junk mail was reduced, it would leave a much smaller carbon footprint. "The average American household receives unsolicited junk mail equal to 1.5 trees every year—more than 100 million trees for all U.S. households combined" (About.com). And that's what this is all about, right? As much as we would like to think businesses care more about Mother Earth's green than your green, it's usually quite the opposite.

Targeting the right audience is a major dilemma for companies.

This week, I received an invitation to a retirement planning seminar. A complimentary meal for myself and three adults is included. There is no mention of anything free in the letter, besides the toll free number I am supposed to call for reservations. But I am not retiring anytime soon. I'm still in college, as a matter of fact. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2000, 14.3% of citizens in the city I reside in are 65 years and older. This makes me curious as to how many young people like myself received this letter. It's only one piece of paper, an envelope and a stamp. But it costs them more money than they should be spending. They're spending it in the wrong place. If I went to the lunch or dinner seminar with three guests who are not close to the age of retirement, that company is losing four possible clients and an innumerable amount of money.

But there can be a calm in the storm. Procter & Gamble's Gillette does it right. Soon after I turned 18, I got a free Mach3 razor. After my sister turned 18, she got a free Venus razor. We use the product and become familiar with the brand we become dependent on -- for our hygienic and cosmetic needs. When corporations, small businesses and the like spend money on targeting the right audience, there's more chance the consumer will develop a relationship with their brand, which is much more valuable than a "catch of the day" to the business.

Contagious Commercial

2007-08-02T18:33:00.000-05:00

This commercial by BBDO New York for Diet Pepsi Max interacts with the audience, and sometimes -- depending on if yawning is contagious for the individual -- the audience interacts with the commercial. I yawn just thinking about yawning. The other commercials in this campaign aren't as focused. Is Diet Pepsi Max trying to get the consumer to identify (the absence of) yawning with their brand? It's a somewhat creative approach, but any caffeinated product can give you a kickstart in the morning. Now I can't...stop...yawning.

'Cavemen' Evolved Too Fast

2007-07-26T09:13:00.000-05:00

ABC producers have decided to re-shoot the 'Cavemen' pilot, after failing to establish them properly. Two of the original Geico actors in the commercial spots were unavailable, but Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, will be in the series. Hopefully it was Joe Lawson, creator and producer, who spoke up on how much the pilot preview sucks and how the actors' personalities do not resemble the savvy, yet Paleolithic minds, featured in the great Geico commercials. If it wasn't him, maybe the network actually listened to us.

(via Drudge)

It's About Time

2007-07-20T01:39:00.000-05:00

Sorry for not updating in a while. I got a new job for the summer, and a lot of my time has been occupied checking in travelers, making sure there are enough towels, and reminding them that breakfast is served from 6 to 9. We do have wireless Internet, but I'm only allowed online for work-related activities.

The following is an update of happenings previously mentioned here.

Tread Lightly

Boeing has unveiled its environmentally conscious 787 Dreamliner. It's big and beautiful. Airbus has been marketing its A380 as environmentally friendly, but it's big and ugly. The two companies are using the same USP, which is not unique at all. Staying with the eco-friendly people pleaser, airlines should no longer serve beef, as it makes a bigger carbon footprint than driving a car nonstop for three hours.

Experienced Virgin Gets Her Wings

Also in airline news, the first ever mood lighting on a U.S. commercial flight has been introduced. Virgin America, its hub located in San Francisco, has officially opened booking for its flights. Features include 3,000 mp3s, open source Doom (the game), the largest seatback TV available on a U.S. airline, and over 20 pay-per-view movies to choose from. Save your playlist, and it will remember you the next flight. An ethernet jack is at every seat, in case you don't have wireless; WiFi is available. You can also order food/drinks while at your seat with the swipe of your credit card.

Before Virgin America launched, while it was having some problems getting off the ground, VA wanted the general public to name its planes and vote on the best ones. You could do so on nameourplanes.com. 'Jefferson Airplane' is one great name that has joined the fleet. The link is no longer available and redirects the user to the VA home page.

Prof Gilzot is Real?

No, he's not real. Yesterday, though, the bot instant messaged me out of the blue. In this new age of permissive marketing, steps are being taken to give consumers more control. AOL gives you the option to accept or deny an instant message. But perhaps someone who has never heard of Prof Gilzot could be mislead. Also, I was very disappointed to see that the question he asked me was not even related to SATs or education, but a matter of his own personal opinion of a current event.

London 2012 Gets Even More Retro
The logo for the 2012 London Paralympic Games is even worse than the 2012 London Olympic Games. It adds more color and crazy 80's style patterns.

London 2012 also uses an antiquated idea by using the New Year's Resolution and adding five years. What would you challenge yourself to do by 2012?

BBDO CCO Wins Breakfast, Award

David Lubars, Chief Creative Officer of BBDO North America, has won the Wall Street Journal's Creative Leaders contest. Lubars has won countless awards, from Emmy's to a Titanium Lion. He's changing the model of agencies, which for most is a good thing. Look for a new face within the next week on a full-page ad for the WSJ. Lubars is now joined in notoriety with the creative ranks of Alex Bogusky, Gary Goldsmith, Lee Clow, Jeff Goodby, Tom McElligot, and more.

In other news, the site still sucks. Words and graphics overlap that aren't supposed to overlap. It would have been nice if they had filmed the event and posted it online. At the least -- tell us that it's over, who won and why.

BBDO Sidenote

Not only does the agency have a winning creative mogul on their hands, but they themselves are winners. In Cannes this year, the agency won "Network of the Year", a brand new award that "recognizes an agency network's creative excellence across the full range of marketing communication channels" (PRNewswire).

Harry Potter Lives On

Plans have been made, and the paperwork has been signed. The Harry Potter theme park is slated to open in 2009. Harry will live on in the hearts and official merchandise of fans worldwide.

Feed Me!

The Ad Feed's creative portion is still not up yet. But I'll be sure to let you know once the stellar renovation is at 100%. Meanwhile, visit Ads of the World or Shedwa.

Codename Cloverfield

2007-07-05T21:22:00.000-05:00

Bad Robot Productions has opened with monster marketing on Independence Day, in a teaser trailer before the "Transformers" movie plays in theatres across the nation. The company is owned by Cloverfield's producer, J.J. Abrams, who is responsible for creating the hit TV series "Alias" and co-creating the very successful series' "Lost" and "Felicity". A jack of many trades, he composed the theme song for "Alias" and co-composed for "Felicity", and he made his directorial debut with "Mission Impossible: 3". Matt Reeves, who has worked with Abrams as co-creator, producer and writer for "Felicity", is the film's director. Drew Goddard, who has written for Abrams in some of his TV dramas, is the writer for this production.

The credits do not tell the title of the film. And like many others, I immediately came home to find out what the heck this was all about. To me, the tempo was like a movie, and I thought that maybe it was the opening of "Transformers". The credits at the end were shown for about one second, and all I could read in time was "Bad Robot Productions", which was already seen at the beginning. Wikipedia tells us that the movie project by Abrams is codenamed "Cloverfield". There are already rumors of this being a Godzilla-like blockbuster, or perhaps a project that will feed off the popularity of "Transformers" and produce something similar.

We do know that is a science fiction film with the monster referred to as "The Parasite". Like it's counterpart, a viral campaign has been released. Following in the footsteps of "Batman: The Dark Knight", a teaser Web site, www.1-18-08.com, has been launched. It shows a still from the camcorder, aptly taken on the same date. Interested viewers hope to solve the puzzle. Look to the stars for help. A blog has been created in protest to show how Ethan Haas is wrong. (Look for something special on August 1.) The videos for the trailer have been taken off YouTube due to a copywright claim by Paramount Pictures Corporation, but it doesn't take too long to google and find the trailer.

This is a brilliant move of precision and timing by Paramount, catching the attention of the same demographic that has brought the highest July 4 single-day gross of $29.1 million to "Transformers". Everyone wants what they can't have.

Update (July 6, 2007): Some news on the mystery casting, budget, and more can be found here.

(Attention: Possible Spoiler. Visuals are much better than written descriptions. Please do not read further, unless you want to read it before you see it.)

The Teaser
The introduction leaves no time to waste, as the Bad Robot Productions treatment is quickly shown (for about 2 seconds). It opens on a surprise going away party for a well-respected guy named Rob who's moving to Japan. Most of the shots are taken with a handheld consumer video camera, much like The Blair Witch Project. A few friends are interviewed to talk about Rob and how they will miss him. A roar is heard in the distance, along with the sound of car alarms. The party of hipsters are concerned and watch the news for any clue of what's going on. The news anchor tells them that many people are calling the newsroom to report of the "thunderous, roaring sound". The party decides to go on the roof to get a better view. A huge explosion occurs from far away, and pieces of the flaming, flying debris come hurling towards them. With a panicked videographer in a rush to save his own life, the shots are also edited to show only bits and pieces. Everyone runs down the stairs, only to see hundreds of New Yorkers running for their lives. An ominous roar erupts from a closer distance, and something is thrown into a building, which then richochets and bounces on the city street, rolling past the camera. It's Lady Liberty's copper head. The credit for J.J. Abrams is shown. Rob tells everyone "it's going to be the best night ever", and the trailer closes with the opening date and credits.

'Dirty Jobs' Plugs Ford

2007-06-26T22:15:00.000-05:00

On tonight's episode of 'Dirty Jobs' on the Discovery Channel, Mike Rowe, the show's host, teams up with a Texas outdoor advertising company to install a billboard. He helps with everything from start to finish. Keeping the stereotype alive, the billboard is huge. At the end of the segment, he plays with the idea that only a big company could handle this advertising space. The camera pans out and the Ford oval from an F-150 is in view. Cut to Mike Rowe on the billboard in front of a brand new Ford F-150 advertisement. He looks up at the truck and says, "Now that's a tough truck."

Mike Rowe joined Ford in January as a personality in their TV, print and online advertising campaign for the F-150 truck. The show was sponsored by Ford, and this one entire segment was dedicated to constructing a billboard. (I don't recall of any other episode where Mike Rowe did only one job for the entire show.) I wouldn't be surprised if Ford purchased the billboard and concepted the idea for this episode. The show was entertaining, and the Ford plug wasn't until the end, although it was very obvious what they were doing.

Will audiences accept this form of advertising, or will they ignore it?

Buy a Lion

2007-06-25T22:08:00.000-05:00

Did you go to Cannes and win a Lion? Maybe you accidentally dropped it whilst in a drunken stupor in the Mediterranean, boating with your advertising cohorts. Perhaps you left it out of your sight for ten seconds in the bathroom at LaGuardia. It's possible that you just want two because good things come in twos. Whichever it is or isn't, you can order a duplicate from the Cannes Lions official Web site. They only accept a cheque from the UK, bank transfer, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.

Advertising is the only industry I know of where you occasionally have to pay for the award. A former copywriter at JWT Toronto won a Bronze Lion (approximately $1,150) this year and cannot afford to purchase it. (via AdRants)

Cannes Coverage You Can See

2007-06-21T23:33:00.000-05:00

Winners
See the best of the best work in the world at Cannes Lions Live.

New Director's Reel
Today, Saatchi & Saatchi released their 17th New Directors reel, presented by Worldwide Creative Director, Bob Isherwood.

Commercials, music videos and experimental short films are brilliantly displayed, showing great talent from new ~~faces~~ names. Before the release, S&S produced a short act depicting the struggles a new director has getting discovered and getting a job.

Directors (in order presented)

Trish Sie
Vince Squibb
Rozan and Schmeltz
300 ml
MINIVEGAS
Nanda Cohen
Ramon Bloomberg
Lev Yilmaz
Amy Gebhardt
Johnny Green
Josh Raskin
Luciano Quilici
Tom Reilly
Borgato and Berté
Joaquin Baca-Asay
Jonas and François
Conkerco
Tony Barry

Cannes Coverage You Can't See

2007-06-21T20:45:00.000-05:00

Arnold has sent four (and picked up one) of their own to explore and report outside of the Cannes International Advertising Festival. Why? Because we Cannes't. It's a pretty humorous and crafty take on Cannes, also adding insight from some pretty cool 'ad people'.

My Super Sweet 23

2007-06-20T23:13:00.000-05:00

There were no invitations, no guest list and no celebrity appearances. I didn't even get a brand new sports car. Today was my birthday. This is a blog about creative concepts in advertising, and like in advertising, you sometimes have to bend the rules (staying within moral and ethical guidelines). The following is all fact, but it's written to be something like what you would see on MTV's My Super Sweet 16. (I really enjoyed and am thankful for everything that happened today.)

My Super Sweet 23
My birthday started when my grandma picked me up in her sleek, silver Buick sedan. OMG, she even let me drive. We went to a Mexican restaurant and like for dessert, they gave me a fried ice cream with honey. There was loads of it! The waitress even gave me two cherries -- probably because she had the hots for me. She did have a cute smile. Anyway, like where was I? Oh yeah, after we had lunch, my grandma took me to the movies. Ten minutes before the movie started, we had to wait in the lobby for them to see if the theatre was clean. Like WTF? So we get in and there's this Screenvision advertising thing going on. The announcer guy like announces Oasis is coming up next. "Champagne Supernova" is going on through the speakers. I love that song! I was singing along with it, but the song is cut off not even half way. Did this really just happen on my birthday? So then another song comes on and it's Jamiroquai -- the one where he's on the treadmill thing in his music video. They cut that one off, too. Right before the movie starts -- I mean before the actual paid commercials -- the announcer says, "Thanks for watching Screenvision." Like I had a choice? Seriously. The movie was okay. My grandma let me drive her car again and I went home. Later on that day, after being so bored doing nothing on my birthday, my mom took me out to eat dinner. We went to the local neighborhood Applebee's. My mom told the hostess that it was my birthday. She knows how special it is. When we sat down, she told our waitress, too. The service was quick and whatever, but the waitress never brought out my dessert and NO ONE sang. The waitress just said like, "Is there anything else I can do for you" and then left. Right as we were leaving, my mom asked if they did anything for birthdays and some other hostess said that they give free sundaes. Where's my free sundae!? How can all of this be happening on MY day? Well, to make it up to me, my mom made me a cake and I had ice cream. Above is a picture of the cake. Because it's my day, she let me help design it and place the candles. I think I did a pretty awesome job.

Hillary's Campaign Song

2007-06-20T00:26:00.000-05:00

To announce Hillary Clinton's campaign song, she made a video that spoofs the 'Sopranos' finale. At the end of the video, a Web site address is given to find out the winning song. If you don't want to register and listen to what she picked, go here.

(via Drudge)

"All the pretty ladies goin' crazy in my A380..."

2007-06-19T15:12:00.000-05:00

Forget Cadillac, Ferrari and Maybach, as they soon will be a thing of the past in lyrics and music videos for billionaire rappers, hip hop stars and other artists. Realizing the emissions spent with these vehicles has been depleting our ozone and causing glaciers to melt, they'll decide to go green.

The first order of the world's largest private jet has come in. The Airbus A380 will normally hold approximately 700-800 passengers when it takes flight with airlines across the globe late this year. The price: $300 million. Though this first buyer seems likely to be from the Middle East, we may be seeing Diddy with one in the years to come.

John Travolta would have to move if he wanted one -- it wouldn't fit in his backyard.

(via Drudge)

DIY Advertising

2007-06-15T03:48:00.000-05:00

Make the logo bigger has recently pointed out Xbox wanting concepts from consumers. A lot of this Do-It-Yourself advertising has been going on lately.

Shedwa has also let us know about a cool contest Mountain Dew has developed for designers.

Pepsi did this, too. Now you can vote on the design you like the best.

Yesterday, I had dinner at Applebee's and saw something I thought was a coaster at first. After a better glance, I thought, "how innovative, a flip book." To my dismay, it was a large pad of paper that customers can peel off for where to go for more information to enter the contest. Applebee's is having the big Burger Showdown with Food Network chef, Tyler Florence -- a somewhat new addition to the menu. (I thought Bobby Flay handled all the showdowns/throwdowns.) If you make the best burger, you'll win $5,000, a trip to New York, and more.

Even the locals are doing it. Midwest fast-food chain Taco Tico invites everyone to make a two-minute commercial on why they love Taco Tico. Every accepted entry will earn a free combination meal. The grand prize winner will receive $3,000 and free Taco Tico for a year (once a week). The winning entrant's commercial will also be in the ad campaign.

A while ago, I read online that it is more costly for advertisers to let consumers make a commercial or design their product. I don't remember where this information was at though. Does anyone know?

Does this really produce more ROI than if an ad agency created a campaign? Is it more effective? Is it worth it?

Giant Pole Dancing Ad Seen from the Sky

2007-06-14T12:23:00.000-05:00

A 100,000 square foot advertisement is causing turbulence because of its silhouette of a pole dancer. It can be seen by passengers from inside the fuselage of planes arriving to and departing from London's Gatwick Airport. The ad has been painted on a field underneath the airport's flightpath with water-based, biodegradable paint.

The local district council has called for the removal of the titillating ad because it was painted without permission. Planners have begun an investigation. Stephen Pearson, director of the company behind the ad, believes the council is unsure about their own regulations. Pearson also hopes the council finds humor in all this. "Myprivatedance.com follows on from the huge success the Lynx advert had last summer which caused a lot of controversy due to the graphic nature of the advert but was the most talked about advert in the month of July." Whenever it does get removed, by the council or the contract, the dyed grass or crop can be cut away easily.

This type of advertising would be particularly smart in busy areas where planes have to circle the airport time and time again for a cleared landing.

'Captivity' Captured

2007-06-13T20:10:00.000-05:00

Browsing through Facebook, I checked out my friend's photos of her recent trip to L.A. Something that caught my eye was a billboard for the upcoming torture film, "Captivity". Is this the new and approved billboard?

The image has been cropped, so there are no other distractions.

Here's a better picture with a slightly different format, taken from Rotten Tomatoes.

In mid-March, the (banned) billboard was released, but the wrong file was sent to the printer; they released the version that was only supposed to be seen by the film exec's. Oops. It depicted the abduction, confinement, torture, and termination of Elisa Cuthbert's character. The public was outraged, and the producers paid for the removal of the ads that appeared on 30 billboards in L.A. and 1,400 taxi tops in NY.

Using only 'Confinement' from the previous billboard makes it a little more tame. But it's still going to be rated R for "Strong Violence, Torture, Pervasive Terror, Grizzly Images, Language and Some Sexual Material". Oh, is that all? The people at Creative Skirts and Ad Age have their very firm opinion of the film's content. And I agree. This movie will probably gross a lot more people out than it will gross in the box office.

Welcome, Visitors!

2007-06-13T15:51:00.000-05:00

After writing about the new AIM Buddies, or bots, a lot of people have been stopping by to visit this blog. Thank you to PC World's Techlog, Erin at AIM BuddyBlog, The Register, and Architectradure for the links.

Thank you for stopping by. I invite you to continue to frequent this blog at your convenience. In other words, please, make yourself at home (although you are probably there already)!

AIM Adds New Buddies/Bots

2007-06-12T11:54:00.000-05:00

AOL has added new Buddies, or bots, to its instant messaging system. Here are the reviews.

Prof Gilzot

"Created by a team of experienced tutors who have helped thousands of students raise their test scores", Prof Gilzot is here to help high school students prepare for their SAT with practice questions.

Looking like he just got out of grad school (but received his Ph.D. from Stanford in 2002), his image is supposed to make things more comfortable and fun for your driven child. This bot is a nice idea, but there's a catch; you can only study so much with the bot. Methodtestprep.com is where the courses originated, and you can take them if you're a paid subscriber.

This is a nice idea for high school students who don't want to leave their computer to study. It's a trial version of the whole package mom and dad can subscribe to.

Sharethisdotcom

According to Mike Blackwell, CEO of ShareThis, "ShareThis makes it easier and faster for everyone to share stuff like photos, videos, and web pages, to whoever you want to communicate with, wherever they are located... whether on AIM, MySpace, Facebook, email, or even a cell phone." Sharethisdotcom enables users to send messages to their friends without having to be registered to ShareThis.

Users already can share via AIM. That's one of the reasons we have it. Why do we need this?

Spleak

Don't get her confused with other bots. Born in Avignon, France, Spleak is a "21-year old virtual girl currently living in the heart of San Francisco, California." She has her own blog and is currently 'stressing out' about job interviews at several retail stores. Spleak has her own virtual friends, too (even LDFs (Long-Distance Friends). You can make more friends by using BuddyHub and creating your own profile. Originally created for MSN Messenger, this young woman is more than willing to spread gossip about every celebrity, from Lindsay Lohan to My Chemical Romance.

She can be somewhat of a tease.

And with the right imagination, Spleak is scandalous.

This 'virtual girl' is 21 years old, but she's not fit for the audience Spleak has targeted. They've also put a restriction on her; since she has a birthdate, she has to get older. She's going to have to keep up with what is 'in' for her particular age group and not the teeny boppers. Lohan will be old news, and Haley Joel Osment may be the next Hollywood hunk (doubtful, though). If your child uses this, steer clear of the BuddyHub program, as it is probably not monitored.

WSJ

The Wall Street Journal online updates you with current monetary events when you type in "news". You can also manage news alerts and choose for them to be delivered to you at 10 AM, 1 PM, or 5 PM (EST). Lastly, you can receive quotes on any publicly traded company (with a 20 minute delay).

It's faster than typing in www.wsj.com in your Web browser, and there are text advertisements, as opposed to the interactive ones on the site, at the bottom of the article. The bot sometimes displays links (News, Financials, Charts, etc.) which connect you to interact via their site. Subscribers have full access to the Online Journal's Quotes & Research section for complete news and press releases; others will have to take what they can get. You are limited to news headlines and will have to read other articles on the WSJ site.

YouTube Set To Test Video Fingerprinting

2007-06-11T22:45:00.000-05:00

YouTube, owned by Google Inc., is set to test a video fingerprinting program with Time Warner and Disney that will ID users who upload copyrighted video content. After the media moguls are notified, they can choose whether they want to remove it or keep it up. Once implemented, the program could block the uploading of copyrighted videos. This would cut down on a lot of re-posts on YouTube. Google has already been privately testing audio fingerprinting for the music industry. See the whole story here.

How To: Utilize Great Web Design

2007-06-11T17:10:00.000-05:00

Lines and Colors explains how not to display your portfolio on your free Web page (the one with the forward slashes and that squiggly line thing). Really good advice.

Apple displays their newly redesigned Web site. Great design. I love how clean and concise it is; that's their job. The bars (Top Songs, Top Albums, Recent Stories, etc.) show what you want to see if you scroll over them and hide everything else. (Perhaps this was synchronized with the unveiling of the near-final version of Mac OS X Leopard. Or maybe it's the release of Safari for PC.)

I'll admit it -- this blog is lacking structure. I've been working on learning how to make it better. If you can help me out, especially with html, I would very much appreciate any help. Feel free to contact me. Thank you!

Sick Game Review by the Church of England

2007-06-09T23:26:00.000-05:00

Usually when you hear 'sick' in a game review, it's not a bad thing. But the Church of England is calling the Playstation 3 game, "Resistance: Fall of Man", sick for other reasons. The church is asking for Sony to take the game off store shelves because it uses Manchester Catherdral as a backdrop for a large battle in the interior of the structure. But the battle is against an alien race, not humans. They probably didn't even see the whole game, if at all.

The bishop of Manchester, the Rt. Rev. Nigel McCulloch, said: "It is well known that Manchester has a gun crime problem. For a global manufacturer to recreate one of our great cathedrals with photorealistic quality and then encourage people to have gunbattles in the building is beyond belief and highly irresponsible."

The Church of England will be sending a letter to Sony on Monday. Sony responded by issuing the following statement: "Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is aware of the concerns expressed by the Bishop of Manchester and the cathedral authorities... and we naturally take the concerns very seriously. Resistance: Fall of Man is a fantasy science fiction game and is not based on reality. We believe we have sought and received all permissions necessary for the creation of the game." Sony plans to reply with a more detailed statement on Monday.

(via Drudge)

Update (June 11, 2007): The church has called on Sony to contribute funds to help Manchester Cathedral combat gun crime, a problem the city has had in recent years. Gamers have posted walkthrough footage of the cathedral on YouTube, and the church isn't happy about that, either. "They can only be described as virtual desecration", said Rogers Govender, Dean of Manchester Cathedral.

Free Root Beer Float at Sonic!

2007-06-06T20:17:00.000-05:00

If you haven't seen the commercial, in 24 hours from now (that would be June 7th), from 8pm - midnight, you can get a free 10 oz. root beer float from Sonic. There's no catch -- no "with the purchase of" -- just free.

'London 2012' Triggers Seizures, Nausea, Disgust

2007-06-06T02:19:00.000-05:00

People in the UK have gone awry since the unveiling of the 2012 London Olympic Games logo. There have been (edit: eighteen) reports of people having seizures while watching the new launch event animation on the official Web site or TV broadcast.

According to BBC News, a London 2012 spokeswoman said the section of footage concerned showed a "diver diving into a pool which had a multi-colour ripple effect". It was not the logo itself that has caused the problems.

"Some have had seizures, but others are feeling very unwell with potentially worrying symptoms including vomiting and headaches. A lot of people are very frightened", said Ingrid Burns, spokesman for Epilespy Action.

The London 2012 Web site has taken down the video to re-edit the clip. London's mayor, Ken Livingstone, opposed the logo from the start. He also criticized the designers for not testing the video for 'health checks'. It took a year to make the logo, but it only took seconds for everyone in the world to hate it.

(via Drudge)

2012 Olympic Game Over for London Logo

2007-06-05T12:44:00.000-05:00

London has recently unveiled the logo for their 2012 Olympic Games, and the public are not pleased. Especially when it cost them £400,000 (US $797,640). They had no say whatsoever, but they're speaking out now. BBC was, of course, all over this coverage; the Sport Editor's Blog asked for comments and has received over 3,300 reactions so far - mostly negative. Also, according to the blog, an online petition has been set up and has received almost (edit: 50,000 signatures) to bring the old logo back or start from scratch. A Facebook group has also been set up for a petition. BBC is taking a poll on what people think of the logo.

The logo was designed to inspire social, structural, and social change. It's also aimed at the young person. In five years, some of the young people who are currently on Facebook will still be on there. Granted, Facebook is for everyone now, but the majority are college and high school students. Yet there is a Facebook group asking for the logo to be changed.

I guess I could be considered a young person, too, still attending college. What do I think? It's a kind of drawback from the 80's, but one we'd like to keep there. Even my sister, a junior in high school, said, "It looks a bit older, like from the 80's". The emblem will be coming in a series of shades of pink, blue, green and orange and will evolve as the Games draw closer. I like that idea. But it's really hard to believe this was done for over a half a million dollars.

The logo in itself is not inspiring, but the Olympic Games themselves, when you look far past the controversy, are. The best of the best athletes from around the globe competing against each other - that's inspiring. Hopefully that will be enough to overshadow the logo and keep the torch burning in everyone's minds.

BBC and the official London 2012 Web site has encouraged everyone to create their own design. You can see the BBC designs here and here. The London 2012 designs are here. You can also watch a film about their new brand/new look. (I think it's an honest message but a little cheesy. With the reactions already made about the logo, I think the public may be less forgiving.)

What do you think?

All 4

WSJ Creative Leaders Contest

2007-05-30T22:47:00.000-05:00

The Contest
The Wall Street Journal is re-launching the Creative Leaders Campaign with their Weekend Edition, but now they want you to choose the creative leader. Like the ads before, the nominee must have some connection or relation to the advertising or marketing industry.

The nominee is also required to complete and sign a consent release. You need to pose a series of questions, enter the nominee's answers, and upload a photograph of the nominee. All of this information is on the Contest Webpage. Basically, it will be the same template as the ads that have run in the Wall Street Journal for over 25 years.

But this is better for you. The winner will receive a trip to New York City to the Museum of Modern Art for the new Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition Creative Leader unveiling event on July 17th. The trip includes a two-night stay in a New York City hotel for you and the winning nominee, in-ground transportation to and from the airport, your hotel, and the MOMA. (APR: $3,500)

Hurry though. The contest ends at midnight (EST) on June 23, 2007. Best of luck to you!

(via Shedwa)

Interactive
The contest began on May 14, 2007, but the Web site is not yet fully complete; the gallery is coming soon, and two creative leaders are also coming soon. On the home page, there are pictures compiled to look like the silhouette of a human. When you scroll over each picture, it reads who that creative leader is. I wish that once clicked, it would take me to information about that person, but it does not. Or perhaps if the pictures turned into the specific creative leader's form, and then his or her picture was shown, complete with more information. The site does give a date and small bio on past creative leaders. I'm not exactly sure if the date is when the company was founded or if it is saying when the ad ran. There is a recent ad of Alex Bogusky in dirtbike attire that you can see as a PDF.

Inspiration
The Advertising Education Foundation has all of the past ads, written by Doug and Jim Johnston, for the Wall Street Journal Creative Leaders Campaign, courtesy of the Wall Street Journal.

How To: Prevent Gun Violence

2007-05-24T13:35:00.000-05:00

The copy flows very nicely, and the execution of these ads are great. They also display important and powerful stories to get the message across.
(via AotW)

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

2007-05-23T13:35:00.000-05:00

Recently there has been a campaign by McCann-Erickson for the Nikon D40, an entry-level digital SLR camera. The camera was introduced to the market in November 2006. The recent TV commercials, which first aired two weeks ago from today, were filmed in March of 2007 in the town of Georgetown, South Carolina. The cameras were given to ordinary people - fire fighters, police officers, retirees, high school students, moms and dads - to document their everday lives. Nikon states that Georgetown, dubbed Picturetown, is "a place where ordinary people take extraordinary pictures."

Viewers can visit stunningnikon.com/picturetown to view over 300 pictures in the gallery and learn about some of their experiences using the camera. Visitors can enter in a chance to win the camera if they spot it on the site, within the 40 days of the sweepstakes. The site also gives the time in Picturetown, USA, but it is the wrong time. The time zone here is Central Standard Time, and the time zone for Picturetown is shown as one hour earlier, not later. When I changed the time on my computer, the Picturetown time went back one hour. You can see the screen shot below.

Nikon has also been doing print ads for Picturetown, but I really like the actual size cutout of the camera that you can peel off the ad and take with you. You can open it up and read the camera's main features. If a photography lover wanted to bring this to someone's attention (as a gift, to ask for financial assistance, etc.), it's much easier and a better presentation than tearing out an ad in a magazine.

But a camera doesn't take a great picture; the photographer does. It does not state anywhere (that I could find) if the Georgetown participants were all given cameras with the same lens. Because the price given for the Nikon D40 is $599 (w/kit), we can assume they were all given the camera with the 18-55mm lens. If they used a better, more expensive Nikkor lens, I'm sure their pictures would look even better. It's not so much the body of the camera that matters, but it is in the lens. Unless of course, you want better durability, more fps (frames per second), more megapixels, and more professional features. But again, the camera does not set up the composition for the shot or have an alarm to let you know when the best lighting situation is. It is the photographer who makes the image.

Digital SLR cameras are not point-and-shoot cameras. With an SLR (Single-lens reflex) camera, what you see in the viewfinder - and a little bit of what you don't see - is your picture. The LCD screen on a DSLR will not show you the picture before you take it; you are required to look in the viewfinder, take the picture, and then you will see it on the LCD display. Most point-and-shoot digital cameras show you what you are seeing through the digital display screen.

The Nikon D40 (w/kit 18-55mm lens) retails at $525. Nikon's biggest competition is Canon. The D40 competes with the Canon Digital Rebel XT (w/kit 18-55 lens), which retails at $599. The Nikon has 6.1-megapixels, and the Canon comes with 8.2-megapixels. There are other things to compare as well, and you can find them at photography review Web sites like Digital Photography Review, Steve's Digicams, and Camera Labs.

Stunningnikon.com also features the Nikon D80 and the Coolpix point-and-shoot cameras. The site labels the Coolpix as beautiful and the D80 as vision. The D40 is labeled as Picturetown.

The D80 is a step up from the D40. It is a 10.1-megapixel camera that can come with a 18-135mm kit lens and a retail price of $1,179. Nikon gave experienced photographers the camera, and their work is shown at stunningnikon.com/d80. I like this gallery a lot more than Picturetown's because you can zoom in with the entire gallery. And then you can zoom in to the picture itself. All of the participants for the D80 have a Flickr gallery where you can see all of their pictures. There is also a widget you can download that will display their pictures as your background. Great ideas to keep it going even after they visit the Stunningnikon site.

The Coolpix series ranges in price from $110-$350, with various features and sizes. The cameras were given to celebrities to document certain celebrity events. Basic information is given about the limited edition Zac Posen case on the Web site, but the case is no longer available. But if you want to learn more about their promotions, Nikon says to sign up. This is the least involving and least personal.

Nikon released the D40 in November of last year, and four months later, released the D40X, a camera with the same body but more features and $200 more. I believe this is a good move by Nikon, and I thought that maybe it should have been done earlier, in sync with the release of the camera and before the holiday season. But I see that the campaign is about the every day, and this works better with a wider audience, which Nikon is aiming to reach. Though I do believe that their claim of everyone being able to take extraordinary pictures with the Nikon D40 to be false. But with that said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Especially when you get a free camera.

Size Matters

2007-05-22T03:32:00.000-05:00

Samsung commercial uses high-speed camera, tiny food, insects, and an arachnid.

Hey, Wha' Happened?

2007-05-10T13:12:00.000-05:00

I apologize for putting this blog in a dormant state as of late. There have been a lot of papers, projects and finals that I have been working on. The Ad Feed looks as if it's taking a break for a few weeks in its creative section. Look forward to something even better as the site reads, "the second coming of The Ad Feed will blow its predecessor away."

I am in the process of moving out of the residence hall and going back home for the summer. I also have plans to update and polish this blog. All in due time. Thank you for your patience.

Hilarious Commercial

2007-04-21T10:10:00.000-05:00

Skittles "Leak" is one of my favorite commercials. It launched in 2006 by TBWA/Chiat/Day. In terms of effectiveness, I'm not really sure how effective it is. But it is incredibly funny and simple.

Ian Reichenthal, group creative director and copywriter, said, "We don't want our strategy to show because this is a target group that doesn't want to be marketed to. Teenagers and young adults just don't respond to pat category strategies like, 'Having a sad day? Eat this, have a happy day.'" (Mediaweek)

I'm going to be up front and say that I've wanted to post this for a while, but it's also for Tom and Jim at Barkley in Kansas City, whom I interviewed with yesterday. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Harry Potter Theme Park Possible

2007-04-14T09:59:00.000-05:00

Nikki Finke's Deadline Daily suggests Universal Studios Florida is wrapping up with plans to bring a Harry Potter World to the resort. If the rumor is true, this would be incredible for Universal and the Harry Potter brand. Singapore almost grabbed the deal in 2005, but after long, drawn out negotiations with Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling concerning rights to the theme park, nothing ever came to fruition. Bill Davis, president of Universal Orlando Resort, isn't letting the Golden Snitch out of his hand. The Orlando Sentinel asked him about the possibility of a Harry Potter theme park. "Davis replied: 'Boy, I think that would be great. I can't talk about what we're going to be bringing to either one of our parks in the future. That's a forward-looking thing we can't discuss. I will tell you we're working hard to bring innovative, new technology-advanced attractions to both of our parks.'" GE/NBC, owner of the Universal theme parks, almost dropped out of the theme park arena, but decided to stay after discovering they're profiting from their investment. Universal has some more up its sleeve. It plans to update the park by installing a new ride and bring in the Blue Man Group this summer.

Keeping It Clean

2007-04-13T22:46:00.000-05:00

The People for Puget Sound (Washington) are sick and tired of their dirty, polluted water, and they asked The Wexley School for Girls for help. It's great to see agencies advocate a good, meaningful cause. On the PPS Web site, there are "10 Things You (Yes You) Can Do To Help Save Puget Sound". These apply to everyone, even if you're not from Puget Sound. Even if you're not from Washington state or the United States. Anyone with 10 more ideas is encouraged to send their answers via e-mail.

The commercials are really effective, too.

Find the Volkswagen Golf

2007-04-13T13:28:00.000-05:00

Pierre Riess, a copyrighter at V in Paris, recently submitted a video he worked on for Volkswagen. The description of the video is "A car film without any car because it's too difficult to imagine the new golf for that price..." The video itself is playful and enjoyable, showing different shots of the road and environment like one would see in an automobile commercial. No vehicle is shown. Rilo Kiley and an acoustic guitar accompany the spot beautifully. At the end is the Volkswagen logo on black. But the vehicle being advertised is supposed to be a Volkswagen Golf. This commercial could work for any vehicle of Volkswagen 's because it describes what Volkswagen is - a good time. I'm just a little confused as to why the Golf isn't mentioned. Regardless, it's nice work and a new, creative way of thinking.

'Cavemen' To Start Filming

2007-04-10T22:44:00.000-05:00

Bill Martin and Mike Schiff, two executive producers of the popular NBC television sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun, have been selected to produce the pilot for ABC's 'Cavemen'. The 2-year deal will get them seven figures with possible room for a third year. The Martin Agency's Joe Lawson, copywriter for the Geico Cavemen ads, is the pilot's writer and will also serve as co-executive producer. Filming starts this week. (The Hollywood Reporter)

Another Tidbit:
Joe Lawson created another commercial for Geico, "Tiny House", which plays off of the reality TV hype. "The marriage was built to last, but the house was built too small." It's brilliant; the 30-second spot features a TV show announcer's voiceover, a just married husband and wife, and a house that's too small. The two are supposed to live in the house for a year as cameras show their every attempt to comfortably adjust. Viewers have posted on YouTube saying they wish the show were real. In an interview with actor and writer Brian Sack, Joe says it wasn't easy getting it past the lawyers. "They were afraid the TV-viewing audience, you know, being dumb and all, would confuse it for actual programming, so we had trouble getting it through Legal. Obviously, that confusion was our intention, but the networks really, really care about the poor viewer, because, as you know, if someone confuses a commercial for actual programming then they...go up into the light." (Banterist)

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, Where's Your Bone?

2007-04-10T20:32:00.000-05:00

Somebody took it on the road.

In celebration for the DVD and Blu-ray disc release of Night At the Museum , The Borden Agency created a promotion for Twentieth Century Fox and Fox Home Entertainment. The mobile marketing and event promo has been announced as the "T-Rex Trek". REXY, a 13-foot tall and 20-foot long T-rex, will be set on a flatbed trailer to run after a yellow Hummer H2 (relative to the little monster), which will be carrying his prized possession - a large bone.

Borden has the right idea by using free publicity. Larry Borden, CEO of The Borden Agency says, "...local media outlets will broadcast live in each market. We've left no stone unturned, and we will even have local traffic helicopters involved." To see the full press release, click (eMediaWire).

Kansas City's seismographs should detect the dino on April 20th, with the epicenter located in the vicinity of Science City at Union Station. Other cities should expect a visit from the voracious reptile from April 17-24. You'll be able to track REXY's cross-country chase via Yahoo! Maps and watch footage from his trip via Yahoo! Movies.

Time to Share

2007-04-03T14:06:00.000-05:00

On March 29, 2007, Advertising Age wrote that VML, based in Kansas City, Missouri, won the lead the digital duties for Cadbury Schweppes. VML will also be the interactive creative and development agency of record. Nine days before, the Kansas City Star reported the same, but the link to the article does not work (404 not found). On February 12, 2007, Kristi Veitch, VML Partner and Human Resources Director, was the speaker at a KSU Ad Club meeting. Along with informative resume tips, she mentioned to us that VML has a new, big client - Cadbury Schweppes.

This leads me to wonder if all agencies acquire their client weeks or months before it is announced by the press. Did it take a month because the lawyers had to review what was written? Does the PR side take that long to write a press release? Why did it take so long?

Another Tidbit:

On Cadbury Schweppes' Web site, there is no mention (in the "Investor Centre" section) of VML being selected for their company. No results came up after typing in "VML". Why not? If I were putting large sums of money into a company I believed in - for profit or any other reason - as an investor, I would want to know where my investment is going. Should I have to look for the news myself? If it were mentioned in the news feed, I could better understand things going on. And I could/would then review the agency's work.

An investor could also be the CEO of a growing company that wants to advertise to more people but doesn't know how. (The thought of this happening seems unlikely, but I'm sure there are a handful out there.) Digital can certainly open the possibilities of a global reach. A digital agency like VML can surely help. The investor may not have considered the idea of using digital communication to create more investors in his or her respective company. Even if the CEO didn't go to VML - because it wasn't right at the time, or for any other reason - the thought is still there. The possibility of something in the future is ten times more likely than it was when there was no chance. Perhaps the CEO serves as a chairperson of a board. Other chairpersons are from other companies. This introduces the likelihood of the CEO to bring digital communication into a conversation with other partnering businesses. "It didn't work out for our company at the time, but maybe it will work for you." And the chain continues.

The same reward is what happens for bloggers. For example, I link to your blog because I find your content to be interesting, and you get more traffic. You link to someone whom you also find interesting, and the chain goes on. Links may not benefit every single person, but we shouldn't be interested in reaching every single person, although it would be nice.

Looking For A Substitute

2007-03-27T02:05:00.000-05:00

According to AdWeek, Porsche Cars North America has picked a consulting firm for the review of their $25 million account. Minneapolis agency Carmichael Lynch has handled the creative portion of the account since 1999. They are responsible for the famous Porsche 911 tagline, "There is no substitute". They are also expected to defend the account. "The review is linked to the client's promotion of David Pryor to the position of svp, marketing, as well as Porsche's planned launch of a four-door sedan in 2009" (AdWeek). The sedan, called the Porsche Panamera, will feature a hybrid gas-electric engine. The same engine will be made available sooner for the Cayenne, Porsche's sporty SUV.

Porsche had also considered remodeling higher up in the ranks. "Piech, whose grandfather Ferdinand Porsche designed the original Volkswagen Beetle, reached an agreement last month with Wulff to remain chairman for another five-year term after he received the backing of the 10 labor representatives on the 20- member board. Piech, 69, was previously set to step down next month because of shareholder opposition to his dual roles as Volkswagen chairman and a member of Porsche's board" (Bloomberg.com).

Porsche USA's lineup currently consists of the 911, Boxster, Cayman, and Cayenne.

Carmichael Lynch does great creative work, and I'm sad to see that Porsche is considering parting ways. But I am glad to see that CL is contesting. Bloomberg tells us that Ferdinand Piech has schemed a slow takeover in Volkswagen, so we'll see what happens there.

The Panamera is a four-door sports sedan. Rumors are that it may run from $60-125K; with a turbocharged V8, it will be up there. Porsche has taken a risk with the Cayenne SUV, but they have kept their vehicles fast and powerful. Porsche should remain in the same market - the affluent buyers one.

A handful of automakers have learned from their decision to please every one that they won't be great for very long. Volkswagen aimed its Phaeton luxury sedan to compete against the BMW 7-Series, Mercedes S-Class and Lexus LS, and it lost terribly. "In the 18 months since VW launched the Phaeton in September 2003, it has sold just 2,506 examples of the ultra-luxury sedan. That's an average of only 140 cars per month. During the same time period, Mercedes-Benz sold 31,536 examples of its S-Class" (Edmunds.com).

You can't be great at every thing. Face it. There is someone out there who is better than you at something else. I believe the Germans are smart enough to not make the same mistake again.

Seedy CD's Transfer Users to Digital

2007-03-22T16:32:00.000-05:00

"US CD Sales plummet as people turn to digital music downloads" - Breitbart.com

The iTunes Music Store has sold over 2 Billion songs since it started in April of 2003. - Apple

Record - 8-track - Compact cassette - Compact Disc - MP3, MP4, etc.
THEN-----------------------------------------------------------------------------NOW

If you don't stay ahead of the times, you're going to be left behind. If the record companies and independent bands or artists don't switch to digital, they won't survive.

Why don't they switch to solely digital?

Digital Music Store v. The CD

Some ideas:

- Listeners may miss out on autographed copies. Easy remedy: go see the band or artist 'live'.

- Concerned about your underage child listening to music with explicit lyrics? The digital music store would require a credit card for billing, and the parent or guardian gives the permission on what the child may listen to. Upon registration for the user, he or she would put the child's birth date. Each family member has a password and media library. The store regulates the music being downloaded. They can be shared, but the underage child would not be allowed to listen to the "parental advisory" labeled music.

- An exclusive DVD sometimes comes with the CD. This can be offered separately in the store. Or if you purchase the whole album, it comes with it free. It can then be downloaded to instantly watch or be transferred to a digital music player to be watched at a later time.

- What about album art? That comes free when you purchase a song. This way the graphic artist can be even more creative in their design. Even better, it can be interactive. Music videos can also be interactive.

- The "Thank You's" can be in the digital album store. Not many people care about them, but sometimes they thank other bands whom they have toured with - and the listener checks out those bands. (I do this, anyway.)

- A link to the band's Web site is available by simply clicking on the band name. Instant gratification.

Your thoughts?

Liquid and Clear

2007-03-21T16:00:00.000-05:00

Today I received an e-mail from Getty, and it said "A better way to pitch - surfers". This caught my attention because I used to be really interested in watching extreme sports on Bluetorch. (Sadly, it looks like Fox Sports has cancelled the show.)

I clicked on the link, which then led me to a Web page with a flash video. A man with two Barbie dolls, two remote controls and a bottle of water attempts to explain his idea to me. Not to mention that he's speaking in Italian (I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong), and I have no idea what he's communicating. Are the women getting their hair washed so they look good when they fly to outer space?

The video fades to black and reads "alternatively...".

The payoff is when the video fades to a pair of very beautiful women who are holding onto their surfboards as they prepare to surface. At the same time, the sound the man was trying to convey is still present and provides a very tranquil feel.

This is so true. If you have a message that conveys understanding to every language, you know you're onto something.

Delta Delayed

2007-03-20T23:35:00.002-05:00

I'm catching up with myself; the last two posts were from things I noticed last week, and this particular post is about something I noticed yesterday.

Again, I was looking at a link from Drudge, and an ad for Delta Air Lines was next to the article. I hovered over it to see if it was an interactive advertisement. It only moved the destinations as I hovered over them. Boring. The tagline "Cheat On NY" intrigued me, and so I clicked on the ad. It led to a Web page where you can make trip reservations. It explains that Delta is New York (City)'s most international airline.

My eyes scroll down and see "instant win game". I click here for the official rules and instructions, curious to see what the grand prize was. After further review, I see that the contest ended in November of 2006 and was only "available" to New York City residents who frequent the bus stops there.

I go back to the "Delta - Cheat On NY" page and see that the flights from Accra, Gatwick, and Mumbai don't open until November and December of 2006. It's March of 2007. Why does this ad campaign still exist? I have tried to find Delta's agency, so I could contact them, but I haven't been able to yet. (Note: The same goes for the Chevrolet Cobalt campaign. It may be Campbell-Ewald, but their site is under construction.) If anyone knows the agency, please let me know.

Update (12:08 AM, March 21, 2007): I went back to the "Delta - Cheat On NY" Web page and hovered over the destinations. Each one enlarges and turns over, showing that it is a postcard. The virtual stamp shows an "07".

Herein lies the problem. The viewer (would be consumer) takes things at face value, especially with advertising. You often don't get a second chance to sell your product. If I was in the market, I would be perusing Delta's competitors right now. Make things evident to the viewer or they may choose someone else.

Like A Rok

2007-03-20T18:35:00.002-05:00

I usually get my news from the Drudge Report. One of the stories of interest linked to the Washington Times. A banner ad for the Chevrolet Cobalt was shown above. Battle of the Bands in a few major cities? That's cool. But there was something wrong.

Sponsord? To make sure "sponsord" wasn't spelled that way on purpose, I googled it and found a few hits. Since one of the hits was a site from the UK, maybe it's spelled differently? But I don't think so; I think those hits are misspellings of their own.

Surely the company responsible is a large agency, because Chevrolet is a very large company. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and clicked the banner ad to see what it was all about. I was taken to a micro site called ourcobalt.com. To my amazement, the same misspelling came up. How does this happen? Was there a rush in production for the client, or is this just carelessness? How could this pass the creative director, the client, and possible others within the agency?

What are your thoughts on this blunder?

Update (12:50 AM, March 22, 2007): I ran into another one on the CourtTV Web site.

Come and Get Your... Buffalo Chicken Sandwich?

2007-03-20T18:10:00.000-05:00

Last week I saw a commercial for the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich at Carl's Jr. I was walking past my neighbors room (I live in a dorm), looked at their TV and had to do a double take. I thought to myself, "Isn't that the guy from the Alltel commercials?"

There are some people on YouTube who have posted this same question. It sure looks a lot like Chad Brokaw to me. If it is him, and Alltel's "My Circle" campaign is going on, is this bad for Alltel? The telecommunications business and foodservice business are two completely different industries. But I feel that Alltel should have required Chad to sign a contract to only be featured in Alltel promotions. When I picture the Alltel Customer Service Rep., I see him in a light blue shirt helping customers, not gawking at women in a bar. Maybe I need to lighten up, but I don't see how this is healthy for the Alltel brand.

What do you think?

Brand New Blog

2007-03-20T16:30:00.000-05:00

I should have done this a long time ago.

Thanks to Rajesh Setty for helping me get started by making a very helpful lens on Squidoo. It's now much easier for you to subscribe and read the content of my upcoming posts. Thanks also to Seth Godin, who led me to Squidoo. Both individuals provide very helpful and insightful information on the business world, among other interesting topics. Thanks also to the numerous people whose blogs have inspired me to finally make one myself. I don't have to be an anonymous commenter anymore. It's time to start sharing on both ends.

Let's get started.