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Harajuku Lovers Targets Girl Gamers

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Young female online gamers are probably a good market for Gwen Stefani. She vibes kinda like a gamer, and her creepily coquettish Harajuku Lovers label has a decidedly Bejeweled-friendly aesthetic.

Soooo, from January 20 to February 1, Harajuku Lovers partnered with SPIL GAMES to organize an online scavenger hunt on GirlsGoGames.co.uk, a site targeted to casual girl gamers from ages 8-15. Users had to hunt down five different Harajuku girls/fragrances -- Baby, Love, Music, Lil' Angel, and G* -- on HLFragrance.com, then enter codes for each to win a shopping spree at Topshop.

Following up from that, Harajuku Lovers re-skinned GirlsGoGames between February 2 and February 4. Users could watch videos, learn the Harajuku Lovers theme song or play branded games that make it okay to seem jail-baity because everything is animated in pastel and written in bubble letters.

Example: Are you girly and sweet? Don't you just love yourself a pair of Mary Janes? Then by all means dive into Baby.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Feb- 9-09    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Games, Online, Packaging, Sponsorship



HR Block Does Oddvertising Thing.

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Because really, three cyclopses and a wheelbarrow of cash should be all it takes to convince you H&R Block is the tax refund brand of choice.

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by Angela Natividad    Feb- 9-09    
Topic: Brands, Commercials, Promotions, Strange, Television



Allstate's Past Makes Prime Ad Opp

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Here's something we didn't know: Allstate was founded in 1931 and has weathered nine recessions.

Taking advantage of this illustrious history in "Back to Basics," baritone spokesman Dennis Haysbert tells dollar-skittish viewers that recession is a cure for frenzied overindulgence. Now is the time to have meals at home, that kind of thing. Later it all ties back into Allstate's "in good hands" tagline.

Work by Leo Burnett and production firm GARTNER.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Feb- 9-09    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Television



LA Ad Geek Expresses Love For AdWeek Ad Greek

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Step aside Obama Girl. You've been outdone. While we will never forget your undying love for Adrants and Steve Hall, we simply have to elevate Ignited Art Director Thad Papadakis to a higher status of obsessive devotion for the Valentine's Day love song he created for AdWeek journalist Eleftheria Parpis.

Instant press! Sweet.

more »

by Steve Hall    Feb- 8-09    
Topic: Good, Opinion, Strange, Video



Healthcare Provider Offers Help to Those Injured In Super Bowl Ads

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Now this is good. Massachusetts health insurer Fallon Community Health Plan took advantage of Super Bowl advertising "violence" using it to hype their health coverage. With simple type on a white background, Newburyport agency Mechanica recounts the 14 commercials and 31 people who, after their appearance in a super Bowl commercial, may need to see a doctor. The ad concludes with "We just hope they all have good health coverage."

more »

by Steve Hall    Feb- 7-09    
Topic: Commercials, Good, Super Bowl 2009



Carlos Mandelbaum Feels the (Brand) Love

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Semi-skeevy Carlos Mandelbaum is at it again. Last week we shared his examination of brand conversations with you and our thoughts on just who the hell Carlos is and what we think he's truly up to.

Now, we have two more video to share with you. In the first, The Poetry of Branding, Carlos sets a portion of a creative brief describing the target audience to music and reads it as if it were poetry. And poetic it is. In the second, Brand Love, Carols questions the crazy notion people might actually fall in love with a brand...and then he does...with a Chiquita banana.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 7-09    
Topic: Strange, Video



Child Abuse Is Funny. Oh Wait...No It Isn't

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Now here's a marketing approach to child abuse you don't see very often. One part wedding reception. One part comedy routine. And one part awkward. The tagline, "If only it was this easy to get over child abuse" pays it off. While some might take offense to this approach, at least they only used humor for the first half of the spot after which they returned to the usual, somber message delivery you expect to see in this type of commercial.

Whybin\TBWA Sydney created the work for Adults Surviving Child Abuse.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 6-09    
Topic: Campaigns, Cause, Good



Kellogg Separates Phelps from its Special K.

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From Kellogg: "Michael's most recent behavior is not consistent with the image of Kellogg. His contract expires at the end of February and we have made a decision not to extend his contract."

How fickle is sponsorship. You win all those golds and everybody loves you, then you smoke one joint* and those self-righteous cereal-peddlers won't even look you in the eye.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Feb- 6-09    
Topic: Brands, Celebrity, Sponsorship



Agency Founder Goes Head Over Heels For Office Expansion

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What's an agency head do when the agency expands, builds retail space and adds a spiral staircase? He christens it by...well, watch the video.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 6-09    
Topic: Agencies



You Mean She's JUST NOW Becoming a Happy Meal Toy?

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Hello Kitty is the ultimate licensing whore. Her oblong, be-ribboned visage has been plastered onto everything from toasters to credit cards to vibrators -- er, massagers -- to brassiere.

Now you can find the world's most ubiquitous cat in your Happy Meal. Through February 26th, McDonald's is stuffing them with one of eight Sanrio watches.

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