Hummer Street Art Gets Defaced

<hummer_defaced.gif

Earlier this month we pointed out some Tats Cru, Inc. street art that GM commissioned to promote its new Hummer H3, the small man's hummer. Predictably, the art has been defaced as noted by flicker user Irena Tejaratchi who took this image including the phrases, "sell out, "no blood for oil," "sham" and "dummer." While GM might not like their brand defaced, they knew what they were getting into and they most likely figured they'd get a bunch of press, too, which they have.

by Steve Hall    Jun-17-05    
Topic: Guerilla



'Let's Hug It Out, Bitch' Street Postings Promote HBO's 'Entourage'

hug_it_out_bitch.jpg
Huh? Let's Do What?

We couldn't say it any better ourselves, so we'll just let our NYC street team watchdog, Bucky Turco, comment on HBO's street campaign for Entourage.

OMD's desperately struggling trend marketing group, "Edge" is responsible for attempting to make HBO's Entourage show cool and culturally relevant to throngs of NYC and LA's hippest collection of savvy demo opinion formers, key influencers, tastemakers, etc.

At the heart of the Edge program was the initiative to promote the tagline "Let's Hug It Out Bitch," which HBO hopes to seed as the new expression for male reconciliation. You know, the whole "guys can't say sorry thing." It's a term used by Ari, the brash loudmouth agent, and least cool character on the show.

more »

by Steve Hall    Jun- 9-05    
Topic: Guerilla



Axe Deodorant Graffiti Gets Buffed

adblasters_chicago.jpg
This Ain't My Graf

Street art site Wooster Collective summarizes (then alters the story for accuracy here) recent happenings in the world of corporate graffiti. Recently Time Magazine paid CopeII to create a graffiti billboard in New York. Earlier this week a graffiti artist was arrested in Chicago for buffing - covering up with black paint - another graffiti artist's work, commissioned by Critical Massive, for Axe Deodorant. This has caused a battle within the graffiti community. Graffiti wants to be art. Not commerce. But even natural graffiti artists need to make a living. Not to mention ad agencies which can't leave a single inch of potential media space untapped.

by Steve Hall    Jun- 8-05    
Topic: Guerilla, Outdoor, Strange



Agency Uses Guerrilla Tactics At Guerrilla Seminar

readabook.jpg

Dayton, Ohio ad agency The Next Wave launched a guerrilla marketing campaign targeting attendees of a Dayton Ad Club seminar at which the author of Guerrilla Marketing, Al Lautenslager spoke. With sidewalk chalk slogans such as "You can read a book about 'Guerrilla Marketers' or you can hire one- www.thenextwave.biz," Big ideas, so little sidewalk" and "it's only chalk-not like we spent thousands to get your attention. You probably can’t imagine what we'd do with real money," The Next Wave attempted to persuade attendees books and seminars are not the answer to successful guerrilla marketing. While their messages were ultimately hosed off, they did receive a new business call during the event.

by Steve Hall    May-26-05    
Topic: Guerilla



FM411 Brings Originality Back to Radio

fm911.jpg

Hoping to squash the homogenization of radio caused by focus group induced, unoriginal, repetitive playlists, FM411 has introduced a service allowing people to submit requests which are then electronically relayed to area radio stations who can then, with permission, notify listeners when their request will air.

Rolling out nationally in the coming months, the service debuted in Boston today with street "protesters" trying to "Make Radio Waves" and "Take Back Radio." FM411's hope is to build enough clout that radio stations will actually heed listeners wishes.

by Steve Hall    May-19-05    
Topic: Guerilla, Promotions, Radio



VW Polo Promoted With Ice Sculpture

polo_fresh.jpg

In an intriguing street marketing stunt, a giant ice sculpture (or ice covered frame) of a VW Polo was placed in a street in London to, seemingly, promote the power of its air conditioning. Not unlike how the Suicide Bomber stunt promoted (un-officially, of course) the vehicle's toughness

by Steve Hall    May-19-05    
Topic: Guerilla



Publicity Stunt Ends in Death

eiffel_tower,_paris.jpg

An un-named Norwegian clothing brand apparently hired a man to parachute off the Eiffel Tower for a publicity stunt. Unfortunately, the man's parachute somehow got caught and he plunged to his death. We're quite confident in saying this wasn't quite the publicity for which the marketer was hoping. AP news reports "the man, 31, entered the tower with a hidden parachute and a helmet that had a small video camera attached to it, an official at Paris' police headquarters said on condition of anonymity."

by Steve Hall    May-17-05    
Topic: Guerilla



Street Sweat Box Promotes Degree Deodorant

suckup_street.jpg

Yesterday, Mario Marsicano stumbled upon a street promotion at Park and 53rd in New York City, part of a larger Degree In-Action Heroes promotion which involves the use of action heroes who do good because they, well, use Degree deodorant. The street promotion was a "live" version of the "Suck Up" In-Action Hero who, as the name implies, sucks up to his boss.

Because the man in the In-Action Hero booth is an actual human being, Marsicano wondered what would drive a person to sign up for this thankless job. Well, there's money, of course. But, maybe he just needed a lifetime supply of deodorant. He'll certainly need it standing in that box.

by Steve Hall    May-17-05    
Topic: Guerilla