Advertising Makes Our World Go 'Round

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We don't do this often because you don't come here to read about who's advertising on Adrants. You come hear to read about who's doing great work and who's doing awful work in advertising. But, we're going to take a few minutes out and thank Adrants advertisers because, without them, there'd be no food to feed the interns and keep them appropriately clothed in their required work attire.

So let's get to it. Most recently, a "mysterious" advertiser is running some mysterious creati ve that points to a mysterious site which aims, we think, to aid people in creating better websites.

Alcatel is running a campaign which introduces Optism, a services that promise to make mobile SMS and MMS ad buying a simple process.

The Art Directors Club has a continuing campaign called Show and Tell which features prominent creatives sharing their expertise and offering tips with a YouTube page.

And in May, Criteo told us about its ROI-boosting retargeting system.

So a big thanks to those and the many more who've, well, dared to advertise on Adrants.

by Steve Hall    Jun- 8-10    
Topic: Announcements



VW Brings Back Sunday Drive

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As if there weren't a care in the world regarding the world's resources some say are limited, Volkwagen Canada, with help from Toronto-based Red Urban and Montreal-based Palm + Havas, wants us all to hop in our cars and take an aimless Sunday drive.

Explaining the campaign, Volkswagen Canada Marketing and Communications Director Bruce Rosen said, "The Sunday Drive campaign re-ignites the emotional connection with the Volkswagen Brand. The new Golf Family epitomizes all the best characteristics of the Volkswagen Brand, including sleek European styling, proven affordable German engineering, eco-friendly technologies, and that they are really fun to drive. As a result of the new Golf winning 2009 World Car of the Year and the new Golf GTI winning 2010 Canadian Car of the Year, deliveries of the new Golf Family are up 165% so far over last year's pace. We wanted a marketing campaign that would live up to reputation of these cars and to the Brand, and fuel our continued sales momentum."

*pause to come up for air*

If anything, that litany should get some sort of award for cramming the most blatherfic bullshit into a single statement. Kudos to the PR person who stuck the words in Rosen's mouth.

See the new commercials here and here or below.

more »

by Steve Hall    Jun- 8-10    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Creative Commentary



Skin Irritation Campaign Nets Confuzzled Confusion

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This Saatchi & Saatchi Romania-created campaign for skin irritation relief product Fentsil Gel confuses. When one thinks of a product that alleviates itching and burning, one usually conjures images of the product that does just that rather than what we see in this campaign.

To illustrate relief from bug bites, we see a person completely covered by bugs. To illustrate relief from a cat scratch, we see a woman covered in cats. To illustrate relief from a rose bush prick, we see a boy entangled in a rose bush. To illustrate relief from a burn, we see a guy covered with burning matches.

Um, huh?

Yea, we get the juxtaposed visual alliteration coming from the tube of Fentsil but still, it just seems a bit off. Hmm. Must be a European thing.

by Steve Hall    Jun- 8-10    
Topic: Bad, Campaigns, Strange



Can You Really Trust Your Affiliate Network?

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When you think of affiliate marketing, do you think of a 22 year old guy sitting around his house with his mother in the background nagging him to clean his room? Some think that's the case more often than not causing one to ask, "can you count on your affiliate network to be there when you need them?"

That's the question posed by affiliate.com in this video that has the aforementioned 22 year old guy sitting around his house blowing off customer calls and focusing on the only this that really matters to him: the money he just received from his advertisers and the amount of partying that check will fund.

more »

by Steve Hall    Jun- 8-10    
Topic: Video



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Wrath of Cannes Sticks Head Up Its Ass Again

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Known as "a bitter response to the self-congratulating, glad-handing, marblebag-wearing, Dom-swilling, bronzer-slathered soirees that fester up on the beach in Cannes," the other awards show, Wrath of Cannes, is back for its fourth year of ad mayhem.

This year, the event will focus on content or Cannes-tent as they would like it to be known. To enter, you must be a junior level creative (2 years experience or less). There's no call for entry, no paper work and no entry fee. Just bring your Cannes-tent on a thumb drive, or other removable media by 8pm the night of the show. Entries will be judged in real-time, and The Grand Coney will be awarded at the end of the night.

The event takes place Wednesday, June 23 at 7PM EST at Kabin located at 92 2nd Ave between 5th and 6th.

by Steve Hall    Jun- 8-10    
Topic: Industry Events



Brain Lost, Fashion Followed, Decision Made in Anti-Drug Campaign

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From the Partnership or a Drug-Free America comes this Vigilante-created anti-drug TV campaign for the group's Above the Influence effort. It's aimed at African America teens and we think it hits the mark perfectly. Coming at the issue from three different angles, the campaign addresses typical teen truisms.

From the classic "where was your brain when you did this" to the "I'm the hippest kid in school because I lead and never follow" to "making the right decision begets positive reward," the campaign succeeds by finding multiple entry points that allow the campaign to appeal to differing mindsets.

AdFreak has the the spots here, here and here.

by Steve Hall    Jun- 8-10    
Topic: Campaigns, Commercials, Good