Arnold Scores the Carnival Cruise Lines Account

carnival-cruise-line.jpg

Arnold Worldwide has landed a ride on the world's biggest floating fleet of Vegas-style cruise ships: Carnival Cruise Lines. Its ad account is worth about $75 million.

Oddly enough, Carnival launched a gigantor branding campaign just last January, courtesy of agency CooperDDB.

The campaign was called "Let the Fun Begin," backed by slogan "Carnival: the fun ships" (seriously?) and you can see a spot here. It's about as memorable as a SeaWorld spot without the allure of Shamu, so no wonder the ships went roving.

(If you're gonna license Queen, you really should aim to wow.)

Hats off to Arnold. And don't -- forget -- to tip -- the clowns.

by Angela Natividad    May-30-08    
Topic: Agencies



That Wii Fit Video? Hot But Not A Nintendo Marketing Effort

girlfriend_wii_fit.jpg

So a guy films his girlfriend wearing nothing but a t-shirt and underwear tantalizingly gyrating her hips while playing Wii Fit and, poof, instant YouTube stardom. Nope, It's not a marketing stunt from Wii but it did come from a guy in advertising, Giovanny Gutierrez, director of interactive marketing at Miami's Tinsley Advertising. And, and, and...his girlfriend, Lauren, also works in the business. Neither, however, for Nintendo in any capacity.

more »

by Steve Hall    May-30-08    
Topic: Agencies, Brands, Good, Racy, Video, Viral



Sharon Stoned, Donuts Dunked, Whites Whacked, Coors Coursed

trumpgirl.jpeg

-Dior has dumped Sharon Stone as spokesperson for comments she made about China while at Cannes: "I'm not happy about the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans because I don't think anyone should be unkind to anyone else. And then the earthquake and all this stuff happened, and then I thought, is that karma? When you're not nice that the bad things happen to you?"

- Psst. "Dunkin' Donuts is one of our sponsors."

- New York's tourist campaign has been dubbed too white and misrepresents the ethnic make up of the city.

- That Coors Light Perfect Pour dude is back with even more goofy pour stunts that are...OMG...like, so totally unbelievable.

by Steve Hall    May-30-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Celebrity, Trends and Culture



Sex Trade Likened to Cattle Call

amnesty_international_cattle_call.jpg

Highlighting the fact 500,000 girls are sold into the sex trade each year, this Amnesty International commercial likens the process to a cattle auction. Not a pleasant scenario for a teenage girl whose hopes and dreams for life are anything but to become an enslaved receptacle for man's seemingly uncontrollable desire for sex.

by Steve Hall    May-30-08    
Topic: Best, Cause, Commercials



Enjoy what you've read? Subscribe to Adrants Daily and receive the daily contents of this site each day along with free whitepapers.

Yawn. Hot Asses, Big Boobs Promote...Wait, Whoa! What Was That?

football_your_way.jpg

In some sort of protest against the current state of football TV rights, Burger King has launched Football Your Way with, of course, hot women in cropped tops and shorts shorts getting camera love in a video with a bit of a surprise ending. Oh, and apparently, it's to promote the Angus 6 Pack as well but the video was a bit too distracting to come to that realization immediately.

by Steve Hall    May-30-08    
Topic: Brands, Good, Racy, Video



Law Firm Intimates Women Are Better Lawyers Than Men

schroder_joseph_women_argue.jpg

Ever notice how women, when in conflict with another, or with a man for that matter, discuss the issue at great length until every last feeling is expressed? Ever notice how men, when in conflict with another (but not a woman), just punch each other, offer up a fist bump or brush it off with a "no worries, dude?" Though some might debate the point, that's not sexist. It's just a natural difference in the way men and women deal with confrontation and disagreement.

So perhaps an ad from 100 percent women-owned Buffalo law firm Schroder, Joseph Associates, LLC with the headline, "Ever Argue With A Woman," is compelling since arguing legal issues requires ad nauseum debate to the point of excruciating insanity. In the courtroom, that's a good thing. Not so much when you're at home and just want to sit down with a beer and watch the game.

more »

by Steve Hall    May-30-08    
Topic: Creative Commentary, Opinion, Trends and Culture



Wooden Puppet Sponsors Bottled Water. Dance, Puppet, Dance!

brains-drench.jpg

Ever see that puppet show Thunderbirds? Revel quietly while Brains, its token geek, rocks out to Rhythm is a Dancer for Drench bottled water. Tagline: "Brains perform best when they're hydrated."

(Technically speaking though, wouldn't a "Drenching" be bad for our little wooden friend?)

The spot sparked a passionate discussion on BBC's Ad Breakdown about whether Brains sold his soul to the "commercial puppet master" or is just having a "joyous moment." Also, a bunch of people don't get what a dancing Brains has to do with bottled water.

That's understandable; then again, I'm still trying to figure out how Cadbury's gorilla ad sold chocolate. The Consumer is a fickle animal.

by Angela Natividad    May-30-08    
Topic: Commercials, Strange, Trends and Culture



'Oh My God, I Hate the Spartan Laser!'

halo-3-detective.jpg

After all the accolades that rained down on Halo 3's "Believe" campaign this past awards season, the last thing I wanted to see was yet another monument to the game's mystique. But this spoof about a homicide detective investigating a dead rookie Team Slayer makes "Believe" seem fresh again.

Once again, Halo's universe is brought into the real world. But the quiet sense of awe that surrounded mentions of Masterchief is earnestly mocked, and the reenactment of the rookie's death is priceless. Both a mimicry and a tribute, the piece totally cracks through "Believe's" sobriety.

more »

by Angela Natividad    May-30-08    
Topic: Online, Spoofs, Video



Ever Have a Night Where You Just Fall for Something You Shouldn't?

indiana-jones-skull.jpg

You've probably seen it a dozen times already, but I'm up late thinking it's awesome how you can watch the whole Indiana Jones movie trailer from right inside an expandable ad. (It's the one at right.)

Rich media is amazing. Well, it can be, anyway.

by Angela Natividad    May-30-08    
Topic: Campaigns, Online