UK Christians Crusade Against Deliciously Sinful Haircare Ads

Having received 23 complaints -- including one from the Archdeacon of Liverpool -- the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has decided to pull GHD's "A new religion for hair" campaign off the air. Which is too bad, because the ads are gorgeous. Especially when compared to the Super Bowl trainwreck that was Sunsilk's diva spot.

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The Hand of God, He Works with WaPo

Check out these Washington Post ads by Adworks, DC and production company Phasmatrope (neat name). They're random. Like, Chocolate Skittles random.

The gist: on a job search? WaPo, and its Proprietary Wall-Breaking Disembodied Hand!, can get you where you need to be.

o Lab
o Go-Getter
o Charts

Bravia Teases, Spitzer's Sporty, Sienna Sexes, Gentlemen Go Ginger, ABSOLUT Greens the Scene

- Check out the 2008 Sony Bravia ad teaser, pop-infused and action-packed with controversial bunnies.
- Support your local politician's private life. Sport a Spitzer 9! (Thanks, Rob.)
- Watch some beach-combing models turn each other on over a Toyota Sienna. We love how Toyota isn't afraid to take the piss.
- What, bored with the Flugtag? See Red Bull surf.
- Don't just be gentle. Or ginger. Be a gingerbread gentleman. For Starbucks' Pass the Cheer (thanks, BG!).
- Obama Mobile. Seriously.
- Bill Gates has joined LinkedIn, stirring rumours that Microsoft might look to collaborate with the social networking site. Or take it over. Maybe he's just lonely.
- ABSOLUT Vodka tries saving the planet with uncut films from the Live Earth film series. Next time somebody offers us a plastic bag, we're going to slap him in the face. With an iron glove.

Hybrid Car Owner + Mac User = Contender for Global Dominance

A new study by Mindset Media -- the new propagandists on the block -- finds hybrid car drivers are "more creative" (78 percent more likely) and "less dogmatic" than the rest of the population.

Add to that: "more open-minded, more spontaneous, and more assured of their ability to lead others."

Mindset also sent us this profile for Hybrid car drivers. (Try not to be fooled by its similarity in appearance to the Periodic Table of the Elements -- that's what they want!)

Mindset Media recently also found that Mac users are self-centered, more likely to buy organic food and more likely to pay for music online.

Military Service Glamourized with De-Glamourizing Ads

"There are many thankless jobs out there. This - isn't - one of them," barks this new ad, "Thankless Jobs," for the US Coast Guard.

Put together by Cossette, NY, the campaign aspires to draw recruits by forgoing stylized images in favor of reality. REALITY? That's funny, because the PR guy brought the spot to our attention with the following introductory pitch:

"Is it a trailer for the next Jerry Bruckheimer blockbuster? A breaking news report on a dramatic rescue? Close. It's the US Coast Guard at work."

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Client 9, We Wish We Knew How to Quit You

Courtesy of Dead As We Know It, here's more off-the-cuff advertising at (former) Governor Spitzer's expense. This spot for Balvenie Single Malt Scotch reads, "I think I could have offered 'Client-9' a far more tasteful nightcap."

Also see Virgin Mobile's jab at the Spitz. In the days of instant information and democratized publishing, everyone gets to be a satirist (at best) and a muckraker (at worst). Poor guy.

Some sad news: Spitzer has just resigned. He will be replaced by Lt. Governor David Paterson, the state's first black governor as of Monday.

Adrants Airs Political Bias? Never That.

Having sent us this contextual ad flub from a recent story, Adrants reader Eddie playfully accuses us of drinking the Hillary Haterade.

Why would we ever disseminate subliminal messages of Clinton distaste when other people are so good at doing it for us? We're pleading on the side of ignorance -- this is all Google's doing.

But while we're on the topic, come have a giggle at Hillary proposing Obama be her Vice President -- after he pwns her with more states and delegates. There has to be a better expression for this than "grace under pressure."

Internet Famous Flock to Digg's Bigg Digg Shindigg

Mark Cuban in the house! Yes, the man, the legend, the dude who said anyone who buys YouTube is a moron was at the Pure Volume Ranch in Austin for Digg's SXSW Bigg Digg Shindigg. Sadly, as I approached my friend, LA Times Blog Editor Tony Pierce, who was talking to Mark, I neglected to snap a picture. I did, however, manage to snap a picture of a pretty girl getting admired by a couple of guys. (Hey, I need some kind of picture to start this story!) Oh but wait, Tony Pierce did get a picture of the man.

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