Lowe's Labels Chistmas Trees Family Trees, Blames Creative Process

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In the first of what is sure to be many holiday advertising fuck ups, Lowes is taking heat for calling Christmas trees family trees in one of their recent catalogs. "Come on kids, let's go take a nice family trip down to Lowe's and pick up a family tree for the living room. After all, it's nice to stick a tree in the house isn't it?"

Lowe's has apologized for what it is calling a "breakdown in our own creative process." Um, right. Like no one noticed the non-sensicle heading, "family trees," above a shot of those cone shaped trees people like to put decorations on and presents underneath? Were human resources' PC police running the creative department the day the catalog was created?

by Steve Hall    Nov-16-07    
Topic: Bad, Brands, Strange



TomTom Reveals Totally Inaccessible Book of Secrets

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This is a little maddening. Black Magic Marker brought our attention to TomTom's latest effort, a book of secrets that "highlights the unexpected features of their device."

That all sounds promising but after blowing eight minutes waiting for the TomTom Secrets site to load, we're convinced we can do without this particular mystery.

by Angela Natividad    Nov-12-07    
Topic: Bad, Online



That Hot Chic...And Chicago Real Estate Are Surprisingly Doable

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Ah yes. Equating the affordability of some swanky Chicago address called Burnham Pointe to the likelihood you'll be able to have sex with the pair of legs in this ad is, well, probably unlikely to attract female buyers. Well, at least those that don't enjoy being objectified. Lesbians and bisexuals on the other hand...

Oh, and guys. Yes. Let's not forget guys. Given the possibility of connecting with this surprisingly doable piece of real estate (yes, the ad is equating women to a piece of real estate), we expect a pretty good response to this ad

by Steve Hall    Nov- 9-07    
Topic: Bad, Racy



Pomade = Sex? You Got2B Kidding

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There's little chance that pomade is going to affect how a member of the opposite sex feels about you. But Got2B claims its new Magnetik pomade and gel are infused with pheromones and scientifically proven to "positively influence the psychology of attraction."

It's more or less like believing underarm deodorant turns noncommittal girls into man-fucking hyenas, right?

Hit the Magnetik subsite, where you can make your own sex molecule. It's not super-exciting but the little bubble noises in the background are fun.

Put together by BBDO West.

by Angela Natividad    Oct-31-07    
Topic: Bad, Brands, Online, Strange



Even Google Isn't Above Creative Ripping

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Eric over at SmashLab thinks Google copied his logo for its new SearchMash offering.

And while some may be quick to remark a font is a font is a font, Eric gets down and dirty, geek-style: "Back in 2000, when we started our firm, we created the smashLAB wordmark.

"It presented a few technical problems, including the marriage of two styles/cases, and an 'h' with an awkward counter and a tricky ascender. I think we resolved the issues well by condensing that counter's horizontal space, cranking the x-height on the lower-case glyphs and a few other tweaks."

Check out the comparison at left to decide for yourself.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Oct-30-07    
Topic: Bad, Brands, Online



Rabbit Spam Leaves Much to Be Desired

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Some spam out of the Adrants mailbag:

Experience the most mind blowing muliple orgasms ever with the one and only.... Jack Rabbit Vibrator!

Check out the vibrator made famous by Charlotte on Sex and the City.

Discover why Charlotte wouldn't leave her room for days until Sarah Jessica Parker burst in and wrestled it away from her.

We're going to be honest. Shortly after seeing the Sex and the City episode mentioned, we bought a Rabbit. This is one instance in which the hype is sadly misguided.

by Angela Natividad    Oct-30-07    
Topic: Bad, Online, Opinion, Packaging



CVS Pharmacy Ad Turns Dial Back 70 Years

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"It's in your nature to care for others. To listen, to advise, to always be there."

That statement, coupled with the image of a happy mother tossing her red ribbon into the air as birds whisk it away, may fool you into thinking you've slipped back into a world pre-dating Rosie the Riveter.

And then you hear Sarah McLachlan. Yeah, that's right. Sarah McLachlan. It's the Lilith Fair, a Disney worldview and an appeal for Zoloft, all rolled into :60.

Bob Garfield trashed this ad for CVS Pharmacy. It's called Watering Can (we couldn't have made that up) and was put together by Hill Holiday.

The verdict? Garfield calls it puke-worthy. We'll just call it condescending and icky. Stick with slanging pharma, CVS.

by Angela Natividad    Oct-30-07    
Topic: Bad, Commercials



Levi's Launches Branded Universe in Asian Market

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Levi's has just launched a virtual world in Hong Kong and China. It has the amazing effect of chafing both our American and Asian sensibilities.

Way to go, Tequila\TBWA.

by Angela Natividad    Oct-23-07    
Topic: Bad, Brands, Online



NexTag: Get a Degree in Business, Health, More...

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"Want degree but can't quit job?"

We love that. Guess where we found it? MySpace.

Get diploma in two years while toss donuts at Nicole Richie!

by Angela Natividad    Oct-23-07    
Topic: Bad, Online



Hosting Ads on Ad-Supported Sites May Be a Bad Idea

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We were trying very hard to watch this Bacardi spot called Made to Mix. But the media people stuck it on Veoh and there was this interactive MarketWatch ad playing right next to it. So our eyes darted frantically back and forth and in the end we decided neither was worth much of a damn.

by Angela Natividad    Oct-11-07    
Topic: Bad, Brands, Commercials, Online