Facebook Reverts to Old TOS. Never Owned You, Just Licensed You

facebook_house.jpg

Well the firestorm over Facebook's new terms of service which everyone (including us) read as Facebook owning your ass when, in reality, they were only licensing it is over...for now. The social network, in reaction to the outcry, has reverted to its old TOS for the time being.

A message on the homepage reads, "Over the past few days, we have received a lot of feedback about the new terms we posted two weeks ago. Because of this response, we have decided to return to our previous Terms of Use while we resolve the issues that people have raised. For more information, visit the Facebook Blog. If you want to share your thoughts on what should be in the new terms, check out our group Facebook Bill of Rights and Responsibilities."

Writing on Socialized, Alisa Leonard-Hansen explains how it was never about ownership but about licensing and delves into a few other issues surrounding the use of people's information online. She's written several other informative pieces on the topic here and here.

by Steve Hall    Feb-18-09    
Topic: Policy, Social



Hey! The CLIOs Are Coming! The CLIOs Are Coming!

clio_50.jpg

Yup, and as we mentioned before, the CLIOs are making their first appearance in Las Vegas May 12-14 where they will celebrate the organization's 50th anniversary at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

There will be keynotes. There will be sessions. There will be parties. There will be networking. Oh, and there will be awards too. On and there's a Facebook page too, natch.

more »

by Steve Hall    Feb-18-09    
Topic: Industry Events



Coffee Bellagio'd, Oakley Profits, Missy Swears Again

nescafe_bellagio.jpg

- Ever seen the Bellagio fountain in Las Vegas? We have and it's pretty cool. But all we have for you today is this Necafe ad which imitates the Bellagio fountain...with coffee beans.

- So how do you hype something as boring as directory assistance services? With an onslaught of eight spots, of course.

- Missy likes to swear...and watch people swear.

- Oh look! Some good news. Despite the recession, longtime MEA Digital client Oakley posted a 19 percent year over year increase in holiday revenue from its online marketing campaigns. Yay!

- Forbes thinks the graphic design design business is snooty. Jim Walls begs to differ.

more »

by Steve Hall    Feb-18-09    
Topic: Commercials



TNT's 'Trust Me' Gives AdGabber Some Lesbian Love

sarah_trust_me.jpg

On this week's episode of Trust Me, Adrants' sister site, AdGabber was mentioned in a plot line involving the Sarah Krajicek-Hunter (Monica Potter) character. Apparently, she was labeled a lesbian role model for women in advertising by someone on AdGabber. Of course, she wasn't (on the actual site) and she's not so for the rest of her subplot during the episode, she did all she could to convince everyone otherwise.

While we're very, very, very (did we say very?) pleased to have been mentioned on the show (thank you Hunt and John), we would loved to have worked the plot into the site with a "real" profile. We could have had a lot of fun with it. So, Hunt and John, we're happy to entertain any ideas you might have.

How about a Rothman Greene & Mohr group on the site? Hey, Mad Men did the whole pseudo-character thing on Twitter. Why don't you guys do it with Adgabber?

by Steve Hall    Feb-18-09    
Topic: Announcements, Cable, Social



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

Learn Power Games, Acronyms and Crucial Euphemisms at Camp Network!

microsoft-surprise-shape.jpg

Rebel Virals did something we imagined was impossible: it created a B2B online video for Microsoft that is actually funny -- not because it's sad, but because it's funny.

We're just happy we were alive to see it.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Feb-18-09    
Topic: Brands, Good, Online, Video



Cosmote Promotes a Schizophrenic Everyday (as YOU See It!)

cosmote-zaniness.jpg

Greek mobile phone network Cosmote is promoting its social merits with "Our world is you" -- shorthand for in our world, you can do whatever you want.

The ad aims to represent "the everyday as you see it," and is supposed to be a snapshot of the world from the perspectives of different individuals.

But mostly we just felt confused. A guy walks out into an ordinary street. Suddenly there are cowboys, and a space ship -- by gad, is that a giant disembodied heart?! -- then it snows, shortly before everything dissolves into a big awesome rave.

We did the only thing we could do under the circumstances: we tore out our brains and stepped on them.

Lively stuff, though!

Agency: Bold Ogilvy. Song: anti-war hymn "I'd Love to Change the World" by Ten Years After.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Feb-18-09    
Topic: Brands, Online, Strange, Video



2010 Lexus RX is the Stuff of Technological Fancy

2010-lexus-rx.jpg

Team One gave us a "YouTube sneak preview" (wait, what?) of its All-New! 2010 Lexus RX ads.

The theme of each is "driver inspired" -- think magical cranes pulling obstacles out of traffic, or an assembly line in your house. All this is to say the Lexus is a perfectly calibrated luxury instrument whose specs revolve around you.

Visually interesting and slightly surreal, as per usual. We really liked "Intersection."

more »

by Angela Natividad    Feb-18-09    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Online, Television



Sid Lee Staff Engages in Group Doodle

redbull-doodleart.jpg

To get Canadian co-eds to enter their dearest back-of-the-class freehand sketches into Red Bull's Doodle Art contest, Sid Lee whipped out its own No. 2s and created an ad composed entirely of unretouched print musings.

The final result -- which includes work from accounting, tech support, creative and client services -- looks like the emotional lovechild of Napoleon Dynamite and Juno. We want to hug it (especially this little guy) while listening to The Decemberists.

Sketches from uni kids will be accepted through February 27th. Locations for "drop boxes" are organized by province. So far, four drawings have been added to the gallery. No ligers have been turned in -- but we're getting pre-ty darn close.

Our only complaint is that the images aren't big enough to examine more closely. Sid Lee, please add zoom-in.

by Angela Natividad    Feb-18-09    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Online, Poster



Mr. Trooper: Proof of the Social Importance of Cheerleaders

mr-trooper.jpg

To demonstrate gratitude to the US troops fighting overseas -- and encourage other people to do it, too -- musician Astara Mink came up with "Mr. Trooper," a smoky, sugary-sweet '40s-style anthem.

The video was done pro-bono and directed by Scott McCullough. It features five all-American sex kittens (including Mink) that occasionally wear teeny little polos, and other times wear nothing but the Stars and Stripes. They do things like simper and dance in tandem. There's even one of those scenes where they lie on the ground and make snowflake shapes with their legs.

Families with a soldier of their own can buy a Mr. Trooper video here. As for the heterosexual female troops, we're sure somebody's coming up with a showtune for you too. Well ... don't hold us to that.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Feb-18-09    
Topic: Cause, Online, Specialty, Trends and Culture, Video