Agencies Pinterest'd, Latino Ads Awarded, Spies Recruited

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- Michael Glass is out with a Pinterest collection of advertising agency office space. Very cool.

Cultural Strategies is launching "The Social RevoluciĆ³n", the first official SXSWi Latino Awards, Lounge & After Party in 2012. They are actively seeking sponsors and nominees.

- Really, really love the new Volkswagen Golf R? Well, there's an iPad app for that. From AKQA.

- Top Gear is celebrating there approach to 10 million fans on Facebook...by blowing up a caravan when they do.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-19-12    
Topic: Agencies, Brands, Guerilla, Industry Events, Mobile/Wireless, Outdoor



Oblivious Parents Deliver Teen Substance Abuse Message

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Here's a new approach to teen substance abuse: blame the parents. A new campaign from Energy BBDO for the Partnership at DrugFree.org called Emotional Drugs features two spots, Denial and Enabling, that center on the things parents don't (and, of course, should) do when their children are on - or at risk of using - drugs.

In Denial, a mother wonders why so many prescription pills are missing from her medicine bottle. Later, as she gets ready to leave the house, she opens her son's bedroom door to witness him and his friend acting suspiciously. Instead of connecting both activities, she denies that her son could possibly be responsible for her missing medicine. Enabling depicts a mother hosting an underage party at her home and later turning a blind eye to teens engaging in drug and alcohol use.

The message, of course, is that parents must be vigilant and take a determined and caring interest in their children's lives. They can start by reading more information about teenage addiction at ProjectKnow.com and other similar sites that deal with drug addiction issues.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-19-12    
Topic: Campaigns, Cause



Online Ad Spend to Surpass Print in 2012

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This is big. A new forecast from eMarketer states online spend will pass print for first time in 2012. US online advertising spending, which grew 23% to $32.03 billion in 2011, is expected to grow an additional 23.3% to $39.5 billion this year pushing it ahead of total spending on print newspapers and magazines, according to the report. Print advertising spending is expected to fall to $33.8 billion in 2012 from $36 billion in 2011.

eMarketer's previous US online advertising forecast from July 2011 forecasted 20.2% growth to $31.1 billion in 2011. Stronger than expected results from major industry players and the IAB/PwC benchmark through the first three quarters of 2011 contributed to the upward revision.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-19-12    
Topic: Research



Priceline Says Goodbye to William Shatner

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After 14 years, Pricline has decided it's time for a new direction and in a spot that will debut Monday, Shatner's Negotiator character will plunge to his death in a bus after telling a couple to "save yourselves...some money!" Shatner, in the bus, then tumbles off a cliff and dies an explosive death. Shatner's Captain Kirk character died in the 1994 film Star Trek: Generations.

Of the decision, Shatner said, "I'm in grief mode. It's not the first time I've had an iconic character die off. It was a great run. If the management says this is the end, this is the end." Better to go out on top then be seen as a hanger on.

The move is part of a planned new direction for Priceline which will have less to do with the site's well known price negotiation feature and more to do with its newer fixed price, discount-booking focused approach. There may even be a spot in this year's Super Bowl.

Shatner will be missed but things change, companies change and that means their ad campaigns have to as well. Can we get a ceremonial "Khaaaaaaaaan!" ?

by Steve Hall    Jan-19-12    
Topic: Brands, Celebrity, Commercials



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Infographic Highlights 2011 Social Media Milestones

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The Barbarian Group has created an infographic that summarizes the milestones that occurred in the world of social media during 2011 across such platforms as YouTube, Twitter, Google, Instagram, Facebook and Foursquare. Such milestones include YouTube's launch of movie rentals, Twitter's acquisition of Tweetdeck, announcement of Facebook's planned IPO, Twitter reaching 100 million users, Foursquare reaching one billion check ins, Facebook's launch of Timeline and the launch of Google Plus brand pages. Check it all out here.

by Steve Hall    Jan-19-12    
Topic: Agencies, Social



Volkswagen Hints at Super Bowl Spot With Barking Dog Chorus

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Ah yes. This year, Volkswagen must find a way to reprise the greatness of The Force which it debuted during last year's Super Bowl. It'll be a hard act to follow but VW wants us all to know their trying really really hard not to let us down.

This Deutsch LA-created teaser, while not indicative of the actual content planned for this year's Super Bowl, is called The Bark Side and hopes to peak interest in what the automotive manufacturer has in store. Here's hoping they don't fall flat.

The teaser points to a microsite on which a full-blown, Star Wars-themed invite urges people to invite all their friends to a virtual Big Game party to be held January 27.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-19-12    
Topic: Brands, Commercials, Super Bowl 2012



Author Inventively Flings Made Up Curses to Pimp Paperback

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We've seen some pretty interesting work from the publishing industry over the past few years but this recent video from author Simon Spurrier whose novel, A Serpent Uncoiled, didn't sell to well when it first cam out is quite unique. It's an onslaught of ingeniously made up swear words to illustrate his anger over his book launch falling flat and to shamelessly call attention to the release of the paperback version. Great stuff! Give it a watch.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-19-12    
Topic: Video



Anti-Cheese Campaign is...Ahem...Cheesy

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A new outdoor campaign in Albany New York from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine uses images of fat people to argue cheese is unhealthy to eat. Jezebel writes, "The first and most obvious problem is that these ads look crappy and play on the weak and tired premise that fat people are disgusting."

We couldn't agree more. We'd venture to guess there are just as many skinny people who love and eat cheese as well. The PCRM claims the fact that cheese consists of 70 percent fat, mostly saturated, which they say, can lead to heart desease and diabetes.

Countering the campaign, Honest Weight Food Co-Op Manager Tom MacGregor counters that claim and the campaign saying it is "insane" and, "I think there are much bigger things to worry about than people eating cheese."

Of course eating pounds of cheese a week can't be good. But an anti-cheese campaign doesn't have be so terribly cheesy.

by Steve Hall    Jan-19-12    
Topic: Outdoor