PETA Cozies Up with Kids ... and Kid Killers?!

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PETA recently launched PETA Kids in an attempt to make the volatile group more kid-friendly. The site is loaded with fun little ways to propagandize the usual message, like stencils to decorate the nearest public loo with images of animals begging "love me" - yes, like a psychotic ex.

PETA is also promoting Fast Food Nation and Happy Feet, which happens to be in bed with Tamiflu, which, by the way, is now linked to sometimes fatal but generally psychotic behavior among kids.

Clearly PETA has not done its homework about children the way it has with pigs, puppies and penguins. Want to cozy up to kids? Liaise with companies that aren't already liaising with companies that happen to be compelling your target demographic to fling themselves off condo balconies. Isn't that, like, common knowledge? - Contributed by Angela Natividad

by Angela Natividad    Nov-25-06    
Topic: Campaigns, Online, Sponsorship, Worst



Taser Companies Make CEOs Earn Paychecks Shock-Therapy Style

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Inspired by the video of a UCLA student getting repeatedly tased by cops in the school library, which was too sadistic even for us, Ad Freak decided to research how taser companies hawk their wares. What they found was this video depicting Taser execs zapping the shit out of each other to demonstrate a taser's non-lethal but efficiently trauma-inducing capacity. "If only your boss showed this kind of commitment," Ad Freak observes.

We're guessing university cops don't test tasers on themselves before dashing out the door with them in the morning. If they did, they might discover it doesn't quite tickle - though we might consider getting tased ourselves if it means a mind-blowing settlement from UCLA and watching some dumbasses get fired. - Contributed by Angela Natividad

by Angela Natividad    Nov-20-06    
Topic: Online, Strange, Worst



OJ Gets Bored with Obsolescence, Reminds Us All Why He's Creepy

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This November 27 and 29 Fox airs the OJ-sponsored special, OJ Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How It Happened. We'll tune in for the same reason you'd stop in traffic to watch a grotesque accident or drug bust - how can you not?

In two hours OJ gets to let his imagination run wild with Judith Regan (who's in charge of his book deal) over how he would have done Nicole and Ron in if - that is, if - he actually committed the murders we all know and believe our smiling football hero didn't commit.

"This is [...] the definitive last chapter in the Trial of the Century," says Mike Darnell, who's Fox's executive VP of alternative programming. Alternative. Yeah, that's a handy label.

Steve puts it most aptly: "Nothing like admitting guilt without admitting while admitting you're not admitting what you already did!" And if you can follow that sentence, maybe you should have been in court trying to piece Cochran out. - Contributed by Angela Natividad

by Angela Natividad    Nov-15-06    
Topic: Strange, Television, Worst



Time Warner, Dewar's Force Ad Views On DVR

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Apparently, Dewar's and Time Warner Cable are in cahoots and have made a currently running Dewar's ad unskipable during playback. Several Radar Online employees have reported their Time Warner CVRs simply refuse to fast forward through the ad. The unit will fast forward through anything else but not the Dewar's ad. Can anyone say "1984 by George Orwell?"

UPDATE: Despite it occurring over and over among many peole, it's just a technical glitch that has to do with fixed text on he screen for an extended length of time as in the Dewar's commercial.

by Steve Hall    Nov-15-06    
Topic: Cable, Worst



Brand Identities Filled With Pedophilia, Faggots, Bodily Fluid

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It seems a lot of businesses in this world need a slap in the face when it comes to the double meanings their company names and logos connote. First, we have pediatric doctor's office signage that alludes to pedophilia. Next, we have get rich quick wackos who like to embed their sexual preference in their logos. Now, we have a store in Brookline Massachusetts that likes to create visions of a certain bodily fluid with its unfortunate name KumOn. Perhaps everyone really is as bad at proofreading as we are.

by Steve Hall    Nov- 2-06    
Topic: Brands, Online, Poster, Strange, Worst



Following Wal-Mart, McDonald's Caught With Fake Blogs

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Perhaps directing some of the attention away from Edelman who was behind the Wal-Mart fake blog (flog) thing, are two new blogs for McDonald's, but not labeled as such. The co-promote with Monopoly. The Consumerist points to 4railroads and McDmillionwinner (link goes to Google cache as someone inside McDonald's apparent said "oops" and pulled the blog) and explains how the two sites are inter-related. Even though they carry dead giveaway copy written not by bloggers but by copywriters, the two blogs do not mention any association with McDonald's or Monopoly.

It's not that the blogs were launched in a clandestine manner. In fact, an October 19th press release makes reference to the 4railroads blog. It's just that things should be marked as they are. There's nothing wrong with cute, teaser campaigns but to pass something off as something it's not because it's thought slapping a brand name on it will lessen it's effect is, well, just not right.

by Steve Hall    Oct-31-06    
Topic: Brands, Opinion, Weblogs, Worst



Help Wanted Ad Seeks Salad Tossers

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Underscore Marketing President and blogger Tom Hespos sent us this help wanted ad for a sandwich shop which we just couldn't resist sharing with you. While preparing salad is a much needed skill in a restaurant, wording the need for such expertise can, in this case, be a bit misleading.

by Steve Hall    Oct-27-06    
Topic: Outdoor, Poster, Strange, Worst



Stupid Cue Cat Concept Returns, Still Stupid

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Maybe some of you remember that thing called CueCat which made it's appearance about seven years ago. The purpose of the device, a plastic, cat-shaped object that plugged into your computer, was to scan bar codes in ads and, if connected to the Internet, take you to a page that would deliver more information about the advertised product. It failed. Miserably. Now, we have AdLink, a service that does the same thing yet without that cumbersome plastic cat. We predict it will have about as much success at the CueCat did.

more »

by Steve Hall    Oct-20-06    
Topic: Online, Tools, Worst



McDonald's Promotion Serves Up Virus-Infected MP3 Players

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As part of a McDonald's Japan promotion, the burger giant, along with Coke, gave away 10,000 MP3 players to those who purchased specially marked cups of Coke. Unfortunately, the MP3 players were infested with QQPass, a piece of spyware, that, once connected to people's PCs, allowed hackers access to passwords and other personal information. McDonald's issued a public apology and a recall for the infected MP3 players. It's unclear whether the company made any restitution for any data lost by those who were infected.

by Steve Hall    Oct-16-06    
Topic: Mobile/Wireless, Promotions, Worst



Amish Killings Backdrop For 'Killer Value' Supermarket Ad

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Contextual ad buffoonery isn't limited to the online world as clearly illustrated by the placement of this ad, sent to us by FishNChimps, for online supermarket Sainsbury's on the page opposite a story in yesterday's edition of the UK's The Independent about the Amish killings. What's even more buffoonish about this particular instance of buffoonery is that the ad appeared on page three of a printed newspaper which, one would assume, gets seen by human editors before it goes to print. We're guessing there was a big, collective "oops" heard 'round The Independent offices once that issue hit the streets.

by Steve Hall    Oct- 4-06    
Topic: Newspaper, Strange, Worst