Specsavers Offers 'Goal Line Technology' to World Cup Refs

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Now this is just funny. Specsavers has taken advantage of the controversial disallowed goal during the England Germany World Cup match Sunday. It will run in The Sun, The Daily Star, The Daily Express and The Daily Mail today.

by Steve Hall    Jun-29-10    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Newspaper



Pat Fallon Gets AAF Hall of Fame Status

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- On March 25, 2010, Fallon Worldwide cofounder and chairman emeritus, Pat Fallon, will be inducted into the prestigious American Advertising Federation (AAF) Hall of Fame.

- "The Real Men and Women of Madison Avenue," an exhibit that celebrates the contributions made to advertising and popular culture by the real stars of Madison Avenue, will travel to Chicago for its first public showing outside of New York City. It opens at The Congress Gallery at 33 E. Congress, 1st Floor Gallery in Chicago on April 7, 2010 and will run until the end of the month.

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by Steve Hall    Mar-24-10    
Topic: Agencies, Celebrity, Newspaper



New York Times Awards Gothamist's Hatred With Massive Ad Buy

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Apparently, Gothamist editor Jake Dobkin has no love for the New York Times and he made that very clear with scathing post on his Facebook page last month. That didn't seem to dissuade the Times from tossing a bunch of money Gothamist's way for a site-swallowing wallpaper ad. Nor did Dobkin's hatred of the Times stop his organization from accepting the Time's money.

You see? There really is a separation of church and state. That or, as Gawker posits, "Bitch, we OWN you."

by Steve Hall    Mar- 9-10    
Topic: Newspaper, Publishing, Strange, Weblogs



Today Panera Bread Solves the World's Disagreements

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Isn't there enough fighting and disagreement in this world? Enough wars? Enough celebrity battles? Enough high school clique battles? Enough brand wars? Enough feuds? Yes, there certainly are.

Panera wants it all to stop and, this holiday season, has invited everyone to make up and break bread. At one of their stores, of course. Created by Mullen, Panera ran this full page ad in USAToday this morning.

Among many of the feuds out there, the ad asks The Secret Service and The Party Crashers, The Mac Guy and the PC Guy, Rosie O'Donnell and Tom Selleck, Yoko and the remaining Beetles, Prius drivers and Hummer drivers, Kanye West and anyopne with a TV, Jessica Simpson and Perez Hilton, the FiOS Guy and that other cable guy, Housewives in Orange County ans Housewives in NYC, Dick Cheney and Hunters and Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas to put aside their disagreements and head to Panera.

by Steve Hall    Dec-15-09    
Topic: Brands, Newspaper



Levi's Stops Costumed Volleyball Antics to Honor Sen. Kennedy

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Adrants reader Gareth sent over Levi's tribute to Senator Edward Kennedy. It appeared in the Sunday editions of the Times and the Globe and sports a rambling and whimsical quote from the Sen. ("The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die"), then a message from Levi's itself: "Let us continue his legacy of faith in the people and faith in the work that has yet to be done."

Wordy but loaded with gravity. We like that it remains sparing and casual; apart from the text, a hand-sketched version of the Levi's logo appears over its current tagline: "Go forth," part of a campaign primarily targeted to meatheads at uni.

The ad reminds us of Kenneth Cole's "Different Shoes" campaign, and it's a wonder to us that KC hasn't seized this opportunity to add Kennedy to its list of creative-friendly quotables.

It could just be that we didn't look hard enough though, so if we're wrong, send that bad-boy over.

by Angela Natividad    Aug-31-09    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Magazine, Newspaper, Trends and Culture



British Retailer Apologizes For Over Charging Big Breasted Women

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Hmm. So U.K retailer Marks & Spencer runs an ad to apologize for charging more for its larger sized bras because, well, they have more fabric and they cost more to make but they run the ad with the headline, "We boobed," as if equating boobs to a mistake.

So, Marks & Spencer, are you saying breasts - of any size - are a mistake? Hmm. Not a very nice thing to say when you make your money holding up half the world's chests.

Oy. When will we stop the prejudicial hateraid parade towards any woman with more than a mere ant hill on her chest?

by Steve Hall    May-11-09    
Topic: Brands, Newspaper, Strange



Celebs Go Foreign, Rubicon Saves Newspapers, Ad Club Drinks

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- While Japander has been highlighting this stuff for years, you can never get enough of the idiocy that is American celebrities doing overseas commercials.

- Rubicon the last best hope for newspapers?

- On Tuesday April 7 from 5:30PM - 7:30PM at SideBar (120 E 15th at Irving Place), the New York Advertising Club will host a networking cocktail hour. Details here. RSVP by April 3.

by Steve Hall    Mar-25-09    
Topic: Celebrity, Industry Events, Newspaper



Credit Union Campaign Provides Respite From Financial Disaster

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Hoping to distract people, if only for a few moments, from the rampant financial ruin surrounding us, Credit Unions of Washington is out with a few "Financial Chaos-Free Moments" providing peaceful interludes and a respite from the crumbling financial world wreaking havoc in our world.

And yes, figure prominently into the equation as prime distractors fom reality in a serious of :15 television commercials. Created by Seattle-based Big Bang Electrical, the campiagn also includes newspaper and radio.

And you know what? Who care how creative or uncreative these are. We'll take anything. ANYTHING to lull us into a false sense of hope.

See the spots here, here and here.

by Steve Hall    Mar- 3-09    
Topic: Campaigns, Commercials, Good, Newspaper, Radio



Ford Touts Fuel Economy in New 2010 Fusion Ads

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Tonight during American Idol, Ford will debut three JWT-created commercials for the new 20120 Fusion. Two of the three ads focus heavily on fuel economy while the third touts the Fusion's voice-activated SYNC which allows the driver to, among other things, tell the sound system what music to play, who to call and get directions from the navigation system

Among the two fuel efficiency-focused spots, one touts the hybrid version of the Fusion which is said to be "the most fuel efficient mid-sized sedan in America" at 41 MPG city. The other makes the same claim for the non-hybrid version of the car.

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by Steve Hall    Mar- 3-09    
Topic: Campaigns, Commercials, Creative Commentary, Newspaper, Outdoor



nu-kitchen's Wordplay Sets Stage for Its Dishes

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These ads for nu-kitchen were pitched to us as eye candy for ex-English majors. Each has a tagline served up on a white plate -- innocuous at first, then you read the copy and your head starts bobbing subconsciously with the iambic meter.

See:

o You click, we cook, we deliver, you devour. (At left.)
o Knock knock. Who's there? Orange-chile tilapia with black forbidden rice.
o Gourmet delivery. Comfort food price.
o Click once. Eat happily ever after.

Each plate is furnished with a dish description in smaller text ("biscotti with dark chocolate dipping sauce," "espresso glazed pork with peruvian purple potatoes"). Outside the entree, there's a prominent promo: try three meals free.

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