Whopper Virgins Taste Test Ramps Up, Ravages the Developing World

Crispin's global conquest project for Burger King, where it scours the world in pursuit of "Whopper Virgins," is in full swing. Idle TV-trawling exposed us to taste test teasers in both Thai and Transylvanian villages.

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First Round Capital Does the Matt Harding Dance

Oh screw it. There's no real news this week anyway (other than DDB making the dramatic discovery a work week is 40 hours) so here's yet another holiday card. As with most work in this industry, it's not original. But that doesn't necessarily make it bad. Or good. In this case, we can't decide.

First Round Capital put together a video that highlights all the companies it works with. Sounds boring? Sure. But, if you've ever seen the Matt Harding's Where the Hell is Matt dancing videos, you'll recognize this one immediately.

As to whether or not it's good, one could argue the former because, well, getting supposedly serious business people to do a stupid dance is funny. One could also argue the latter in that the unofficial idea behind the Matt Harding videos - that a simple dance can bring the world's people together in peace - is tastelessly trashed here by a company whose sole purpose is to give cash to companies so they can make even more cash.

You decide.

Alltel's Wireless Guy Schmoozes with Santa

This holiday season, Alltel reprises last year's concept -- vintage animation -- to push the superiority of its My Circle unlimited free calling plan. The ad features the carrier's Nick Nayloresque mascot Chad, yukking it up with Santa about how some people just don't get the meaning of Christmas.

And like last year, Alltel's effort falls in the shadow of Apple, which also pinned the old hero vs. villain dirge to an animated backdrop. Unlike the chill scruffy Mac, however, the guffawing greased-up Chad rings a lot less likable.

Production work by Bent Image Lab, agency Santo.

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Ad So Weird It Comes With A Quiz

From the pantheon of weird and WTF, comes this ten second spot for Veuve Amiot champagne created by THEY, the agency that won an Epica for its CoffeeCompany WiFi work. On it's own, it's just weird. To make it more interesting, THEY sent along a quiz to take after you view the spot.

What's for dinner?
What's the woman in the mirror doing?
What's that liquid in the metal tub?
What creature is on the body builder's shoulder?

So give it a watch and then see if you can answer the questions.

Lincoln Gets Touchy with Regis and Kelly

In yet another TD Bank ad featuring Regis and Kelly, Abraham Lincoln shares his (angsty, angsty!) feelings about being the face of the mostly-worthless penny.

Kelly -- who lacks the social delicacies to perceive this might be a dangerous topic -- seizes this opportunity to tell the audience that TD Bank loves pennies so much, "they'll count them and convert them to dollars for free."

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Motherlode of Agency Holiday Cards Unleashed

Wow. We thought we gathered together a lot of agency holiday cards here at Adrants. Well, we are humbled by bannerblog's collection of over 120 holiday themed "cards" for 2008. So since there's really no work going on in the industry this week or next, you've got plenty of time to comb through all 120 if for no other reason to identify that idea you want to steal for your own agency's card for 2009.

'Rumble in the Jingle' a 'Trailer Crashers' Sequel (Hmm, That Rhymed)

Oh look, It's Trailer Crashers with new clothes on. Yes, Samsung is out with Rumble in the Jingle, a Christmas-themed, make-your-own-movie-trailer thing to promote...um..."awareness of the company's Blu Ray offerings."

Gotta love how the three star's "headgear" kind floats awkwardly above their faces. The (intended?) cheesiness succeeds (sort of).

Affiliate Summit West Party List Grows

If your off to Vegas in mid-January for Affiliate Summit, you might want to keep track of all the parties that coincide with the conference. Thankfully, the job's been made easy with this Google Calendar (click Agenda to see all the events) tracking all the known social events occurring during the Summit.

Currently, there's parties sponsored by Buy.at, oneNetwork, ShareSale, Paulson Management Group and Affiliate Summit themselves which hosts two Hospitality events for those who actually want to talk and do business without shouting over loud music and having the inebriated spill drinks on them. See? Something for everyone.

Check out the details at the calendar. There's two events that involve bowling. Not exactly your average ad conference fare. Could be interesting. If you're going, I'll see you there.

What is it About this Holiday Season that Just Screams 'RODEO'?

Riffing off an idea first presented to us by Lucky Brand Jeans, agency Bernstein-Rein gives us the Reindeer Rodeo, yet another holiday game where the objective is to keep a skittish elf on a bucking...

...well, I'd hate to ruin the surprise.

Learn from Davo: Slow Down, Stupid.

@dirkthecow introduced us to What Davo Loves, a responsible-driving initiative for Queensland Transport, Australia.

The site's put together like a generic profile page for a dude called Davo. At right is a montage of people he loves, and at left is a video of him fondling his new car, lamely named "Rex."

All frothy fun, right? That is, until the car careens out of the video frame and slams into his collage of friends, fracturing their faces like so much cheap glass.

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Mortar's Recession Solution: A Spork, Some Booze and Pocket-Sized Luck

Instead of sending over a typical holiday card, Mortar went the extra mile and sent us a Holiday Recession Kit.

It is amazingly practical.

Tools for survival include Top Ramen ("It got you through college, it'll get you through this"), a Magic 8-Ball, a Spork ("Perfect for Top Ramen, or digging your way out of prison. Or defending yourself in prison"), matches, edible packing material, and a wee bottle of VooDoo Spiced Rum, which is pretty self-explanatory.

All it's missing is a single cigarette and some rope.