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Waiting...Waiting...Waiting...For the Damn Ad Server

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We can't possibly be the only ones sick of seeing this upon visiting the many sites who for some odd reason insist upon using slow ad servers. In all honestly, we're not out to trash Falk but we've seen this particular slowness for years. Not months. Years. One would think after all that time, someone might say, "Hey, something's not right," and actually do something about the problem. Just as bad is AdFreak's use of CheckM8's Applet thingy that makes it impossible to do anything for about 15 seconds after visiting the site. We're sure our ad server sucks too but that's besides the point. After all these years of ad serving, why do we still have these issues?

by Steve Hall    Apr-17-06    
Topic: Bad



Outdoor Advertising Stupidity Continues

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Once again, Bucky Turco finds laziness in advertising. It appears outdoor companies are unable to or unwilling to provide even the lest bit of common sense when it comes to competitive ad placement. First, Viacom placed two vodka ads next to each other. Next, two beer brands appear next to each other on buses. And now, Van Wagner has two airlines right next to each other. Hello? Media buyers? Sales reps? Do you care what happens after you send/receive the IO?

by Steve Hall    Apr-17-06    
Topic: Bad, Outdoor



Software Security Company Uses Game to Promote Offering

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In its continuing effort to make B to B high tech advertising less boring, Hanft Raboy & Partners has created another very un-high tech advertising-like promotion for its client Fortify Software. They've created a game called IT Defender during which the player (the guy in charge of network security) has to Pac-man his way around the office long enough to make it until 5PM before the boss catches him and drags him into a time-wasting meeting that causes various security breaches to occur. As one whose done a ton of high tech advertising, we can easily say, this rises above most.

by Steve Hall    Apr-15-06    
Topic: Games, Good, Online



Health Insurance Provider Launches Last Campaign

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In a last swan song, Group Health Incorporated, this week, launched its last ad campaign before merging with HIP. The campaign, created by Munn Rabot and directed by Rupert Wainwright (The Fog, Stigmata), celebrates GHI physicians, 600 of whom are listed by New York Magazine as the best the city has to offer. The three spots show the surgeons as regular people interacting with individuals who are there should they ever be needed. Hey, it's better than fake doctors in white lab coats. See the three spots here.

by Steve Hall    Apr-15-06    
Topic: Campaigns, Television



Strawberry Frog Wants Everyone to be A Very Successful Brand Manager

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Strawberry Frog wants all brand managers to be very successful brand managers and has launched VerySuccessfulBrandManger.com to help. The site's got everything from fashion tips to travel tips (forget yachts, it's luxury submarines, baby) to health tips (sleeping with subordinates is a very good thing, indeed) to wealth tips (it's all about choosing the right third world country to buy) to lifestyle tips (forget office interns, get a golf intern to drive your golf cart) to advice from Sir Monty Montague (when choosing between a welthy princess and a supermodel, Montague offer sage advice, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Take the hand of the one who is worth more and save the second for the bush, if you understand what I mean.")

more »

by Steve Hall    Apr-15-06    
Topic: Agencies, Good, Online, Promotions



Kids Can Discover A Lot In An Empty Field

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To help drum up awareness for the Hartford's Camp Courant, a free camp for kids from the city, Adams & Knight Advertising developed a pro-bono print campaign which is running in the Hartford Courant, space donated b y the paper. It's your basic feel good campaign and with all the trashing we all seem to love to do around here, let's just be happy for this one. See all the ads here.

by Steve Hall    Apr-15-06    
Topic: Campaigns, Newspaper



Bluelithium to Host Pre-ad:tech Party

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Bluelithium, the company that's "reinventing the ad network," is reinventing the ad:tech party. On April 20 at 6PM, a week prior to the ad:tech San Francisco show, Bluelithium, famous for its ad:tech Ruby Skye blowouts, will host a party at Le Colonial and feature belly danvers, caligraphers and other Asian and French Colonial inspired activities, an open bar and small plates. We assume small plates means hors douvres...or however you spell that. To request an invitation, please contact Carla Vicens of blast! PR at (919) 833-9975 x.10 or carla@blastpr.com.

by Steve Hall    Apr-14-06    
Topic: Industry Events



Vancouver 2010 Olympic Site Gets Spoofed

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Some in Canada are, apparently, taking issue with the representation of the country's indigenous people and have created a spoof site to call attention to the issue. While we don't claim to know a thing about Canadian politics nor what the site is trying to accomplish, we love spoofs and we know our neighbors to the North will explain it for us.

by Steve Hall    Apr-14-06    
Topic: Online, Spoofs



Schweppes Gets Sophisticated With 'Fruit Flavors'

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Duval Guillaume has created a new set of commercials in Scandinavia for Schweppes which sophistication and politeness to new levels. One one commercial, a bar fight becomes a gentlemanly exchange and a football team become wise beyond their stereotype. The campaign, which will run in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland, works to position the new Schweppes Fruit Flavors as a grown up fruit drink. You can see two of the spot here and here.

by Steve Hall    Apr-14-06    
Topic: Campaigns, Commercials, Good



Titanic Returns With Movie Trailer Mash Up

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We hope James Cameron sees this because we know he's going to laugh his ass off. Someone's gone to the trouble of creating a three minute movie trailer for Titanic Two The Surface, a mash up of Leonardo DiCaprio clips from Titanic and all the other movies he's made along with clips from other movies that feature a whole host of Hollywood actors. The premise is Jack's back. He was found on the bottom of the ocean floor and has to...well....just watch the trailer. Someone put a lot of work into this.

by Steve Hall    Apr-13-06    
Topic: Commercials, Spoofs



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