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Lingerie Sells Car Insurance. Wait, What?

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There are many ways to sell car insurance. But in Romania, the strategy requires lingerie. We're quite sure we'll never see a Progressive Insurance commercial with Stephanie Courtney prancing around in her underwear but America isn't Romania and using sex to sell here in America walks the very fine line between harmless folly and the degradation of women.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-14-11    
Topic: Strange



If You Eat Snickers Peanut Butter Squared A Shark Will Eat You

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When it comes to selling candy bars, the first thing that comes to mind isn't necessarily a focus group populated by sharks who've just sampled some human cuisine and are commenting upon which human tasted better and why.

But, that's the direction in which BBDO went for a new Snickers Peanut Butter Squared commercial. Which, of course, begs the question, why sharks? We're pretty sure sharks aren't able to leave the ocean, hobble over to a convenience store and buy a box of Snickers Peanut Butter Squared.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-14-11    
Topic: Commercials, Good, Strange



Kardashian Sisters Hook up With Sears For Kardashian Kollection

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Sears? Sears? Either Sears is desperate or the Kardashians will do anything for a buck. Oh wait. On both counts. Which, we suppose, is why we're not surprised the retailer has signed a deal with the sisters to carry a new fashion line dubbed the Kardashian Kollection.

Of the sister's choice of getting into bed with Sears, Khloe Kardashian said, "Not only do they have locations nationwide but we recognize that Sears will allow us to reach multigenerations of fans and people who are interested in fabulous clothing at affordable prices."

Affordable prices, yes. But fabulous clothing? At Sears? Really?

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by Steve Hall    Jan-13-11    
Topic: Celebrity



Yet Another Study Claims Celebrity Endorsements Are A Waste of Money

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In the Things We Already Knew But Will Never Change department, another study has concluded that - shocker! - celebrity endorsements don't help sell product and are a waste of money. Alloy Media + Marketing said this back in 2006 and AdWeek concluded the same in a poll conducted just last Fall.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-13-11    
Topic: Research



Caribou Coffee Bus Shelter Oven Warms Commuters

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This is just what we need after all that snow and cold. For Caribou Coffee, Colle+McVoy created transit shelters in Minneapolis that look like ovens, complete with real heaters, to highlight the "Hot 'n Wholesome" goodness of Caribou Coffee's new menu items.

We think the work does a wonderful job conveying that warm feeling one gets when they have their favorite breakfast food and a cup of steaming coffee. Especially when it's as cold as it is outside.

by Steve Hall    Jan-13-11    
Topic: Outdoor



T-Mobile Babe Mocks Verizon and AT&T

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Underdog T-Mobile is having a field day with Verizon and AT&T in a commercial that mocks the pair over the fact T-Mobile has 4G and Verizon and AT&T don't (yet). Pity the poor iPhone - also a character in the commercial - who has to choose between the lesser of two have nots.

Forgetting for a moment Sprint also has 4G, the spot pays homage to "I'm A Mac" Apple commercials and paints Verizon and AT&T as frumpy John Hodgman-like characters with receding hairlines while the iPhone and the T-Mobile babe herself are portrayed as a nit more fashion forward.

Now if only the iPhone worked on T-Mobile and the network, itself, was available in more than two places.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-13-11    
Topic: Brands, Commercials



Advertising Gets I Can Haz Cheesburger'd

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A site called Things Real People Don't Say About Advertising include such gems as "Of course I'll spend 8 minutes of my life watching your branded content," "Cool! A banner ad!", "You know what I could go for? A mini-site that requires all of my computer's processing power" and "Fuck Yeah I'll Join the Conversation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

When you step back and take a look at the advertising industry and it's propensity to toss around buzz words and create things only those in the industry could love, it's not surprising these reactions are exactly the sort off things people, despite the industry's best efforts, would never say.

by Steve Hall    Jan-13-11    
Topic: Strange



Peeping Tom Video An Agent Provocateur Promotion

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And in other important news...that voyeuristic video of Mark Ronson's girlfriend, Josephine de la Baume, prancing around a hotel room wasn't shot by some pervert but by Agent Provocateur, all to announce her selection as the new face for the brand's Spring/Summer ad campaign.

Not, of course, that this wasn't an obvious move by a brand in the first place. After all, who prances around a hotel room in their lingerie with the shades open. Not to mention walking around with a hand bra while peering out the wondow to see if anyone is spying. Um, pull the blinds maybe?

Anyway, there you have it. Josephine de la Baume is the new Agent Provocateur hottie. We can guarantee you'll be seeing a lot moe of her in the coming months.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-13-11    
Topic: Brands, Racy



Grow Your Brand With Affiliate Marketing

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If you work in advertising, you're familiar with the concept of building brand awareness and equity. You're also familiar with the concept of sales; direct, channel and otherwise. You may not, however, be familiar with affiliate marketing. You should be.

Affiliate Marketing is like having a sales force on steroids. Brands that create affiliate programs by offering tools and incentives which make it easy for others to sell their product which can greatly increase sales. Affiliates - those who sign up for a brand's affiliate program - are an aggressive bunch. It is their personal mission to make as much money as they can with affiliate marketing and their financial gain is a brand's financial gain.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-13-11    
Topic: Industry Events



Jon Bond to Join Big Fuel as CEO

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Jon Bond

After helming holding company Tomorrow for just seven months, former Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal & Partners founder Jon Bond is joining social media agency Big Fuel as CEO and equity partner. The move is indicative of Madison Avenue's recognition that social media has moved beyond the playground of gurus and wannabes.

Bond will take over for Big Fuel CEO and Founder Avi Savar who will shift his focus towards the agency's creative vision and growth. The agency, which counts among its clients McDonald's, Colgate-Palmolive, Fisher Price, Budweiser and recently won General Motors, plans to add 200 staff in the early part of the year.

To aid Big Fuel's endeavor of rapid growth, Bond has hired New York investment banking services firm Edminston Group to assist the agency raise the necessary funds needed for expansion.

While social media has grown out of its diapers, it's unclear whether or not a traditional agency veteran is the right person to fuel a social media agencies growth. Conversely, this might be exactly what social media needs to continue its growth from infancy to maturity.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-12-11    
Topic: Agencies



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