'Jesse Fewer Watts' Rounds Up 'Incan Derek' For Vermont Efficiency

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We're assuming these three Kelliher Samets Volk-created commercials for Efficiency Vermont, an organization which encourages people to use compact fluorescent bulbs, were purposefully created to be bad. If not, we have no other explanation for why the they are so goofy. See one of the spots here. The other two are nearly identical.

Along with the three spots, the campaign includes local newspapers, online ads and a website on which "Jesse Fewer Watts" (get it?) and his Western buddies ride into town to collect "Incan Derek" (that's stretching it) for his crimes against light bulb efficiency.

OK, OK. It's for a good cause. We'll stop complaining.

by Steve Hall    Feb-21-08    
Topic: Campaigns, Cause, Commercials, Creative Commentary, Newspaper, Online



Second-Hand Smoke Destroys Gastronomic Experience

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To celebrate the first birthday of Louisiana's Smoke-Free Air Act (Act 815), New Orleans-based Trumpet created this ad, which appeared in newspapers throughout the state.

It features an overturned ashtray with a birthday candle on top. Part of it reads, "For the past year, the Louisiana Smoke-Free Act has increased the flavor and health of Louisiana dishes by removing one toxic ingredient: Secondhand smoke."

We like the unique message (which makes us hungry, actually) and brave use of white space. Happy first birthday, Act 815.

by Angela Natividad    Feb- 4-08    
Topic: Cause, Newspaper, Policy, Poster



Ryanair's Plaid, Pleated, School Girl Ad Raises Ire, Airline Stands Firm

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Slapping down the UK's Advertising Standards Authority which didn't like a recent ad Ryanair ran in three newspaper which featured an image of a model in a school girl outfit with the copy, "Hottest. back to School Fares," Ryanair head of communications Peter Sherrard said, "This isn't advertising regulation, it is simply censorship. This bunch of unelected self-appointed dimwits are clearly incapable of fairly and impartially ruling on advertising."

Sherrard went on to site the common practice of British newspapers which feature topless women within their pages on a regular basis and stated the airline would not withdraw the ad as requested by the ASA which received 13 complaints.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-30-08    
Topic: Newspaper, Opinion, Racy, Trends and Culture



Alec Baldwin (Yes, the Actor) Unearths Small-Town Obama Haterade

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In the style of The Onion (except totally lacking in tact), writer Rick Murphy of the Independent's "Low Tidings" column wrote an article called "Why I Should Be Our Next President," credited to Yo Mama Bin Barack. (Can you say collective P.C. wince?)

A tidbit:

Ultimately, if [Hillary Clinton] gets too close, one of my New York advisors has advised me to, 'Bitch slap that ho.' White women, I am told, like that. (Black women, on the other hand, do not. I tried that once on AliBama and she beat the living shit out of me.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Jan-29-08    
Topic: Newspaper, Political, Worst



'Wall Street Journal' to Cover...Sports?

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What the hell is going on with the Wall Street Journal? Pity the poor media planner who once was able to make a media buy that pretty much insured they'd reach some financially savvy folks who were reading the Journal for its razor-focused coverage of financial matter. But, then came the Weekend edition with its fluffy entertainment news. And then there was the Personal Journal which covered...who knows...fixing your kitchen sink? Now, thanks to Rupert Murdoch, the paper is getting a sports section.

WTF? The Wall Street Journal writing about sports? WTF? Sure the paper's readers interests beyond financial but how much blandification can a media property take on before it becomes just another daily newspaper that's so broad it appeals to no one and suffers dramatic circulation declines like every other paper in the nation? It makes no sense. But, hey, we're not Rupert Murdoch so we could be wrong.

by Steve Hall    Jan-29-08    
Topic: Bad, Newspaper, Opinion, Strange



Classified Ad For Horse Placed Under "Good Things to Eat" Category

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AdFreak points us to this humorous story about a women who put her horse up for sale in classified section of The Saginaw News. All good until the paper made the error of placing the ad under the "Good Things to Eat" category. Predictably, animal lovers and other freaks who didn't have the common sense to figure out this was obviously an error besieged the poor woman with hate calls and threats she'd be reported to PETA.

Even more outrageously hilarious is that the woman received some calls from people who legitimately wanted to buy her horse for meat. It;s no wonder the rest of the wordl thinks we're a bunch of uneducated idiots.

by Steve Hall    Jan-24-08    
Topic: Newspaper, Strange



Man Boobs Obscure Various Body Parts

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For a woman, not being able to see her feet without leaning over her protruding breasts could, by some, be considered a good thing. For a man with man boobs, not so much. Norwegian fitness center Oxygo Gym is in touch with that sentiment and has illustrated it nicely in this new newspaper campaign which broke January 19.

Created by Oslo agency 2008scandinavia, places the viewer in the eye of the beholder...a highly motivational position from which said beholder can relish in the disgust of their man boobs. Others have commented on another body part that's being concealed by this dude's belly but, for once, we're just not going to go there. Besides, we know you're smart and can figure it out. And, we really, really don't want to go there.

by Steve Hall    Jan-22-08    
Topic: Good, Newspaper



Airplane Meets Twin Towers in Old Pakistani Airlines Ad

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Adland has unearthed an old 1979 ad for Pakistani Airlines promoting its flights to New York City using an ominous plane shadow cast upon the Twin Towers. Certainly in the seventies, everyone was enamored with the stature and size of the the then amazing looking towers but unless you were Irwin Allen, even in your most imaginative moments you weren't envisioning this ad's imagery would foretell the horror that occurred September 11, 2001.

Barring that horrific day in 2001 and placing oneself in 1979, it's actually a good ad. The Towers were the premiere iconic image of New York city and they retained their iconic status through three decades until they fell that fateful day. No one in 1979 could seriously have believed an image like this would become reality. Sadly, it did. Similar images from the past will continue to pop up from time to time in old magazines, in old ads, in old movies and we'll wince a bit each time we see them remembering our connection to that day. Sally Martin.

by Steve Hall    Jan-10-08    
Topic: Creative Commentary, Newspaper, Opinion, Trends and Culture



Triumph Boat Baits Anglers With Fish Fry Feeding Frenzy

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Does PETA care about fish? If they do, they might not like this new ad campaign from Triumph boats which promotes a Triumph Boat-sponsored "Feeding Frenzy" fishing tournament. With a Game Fish Identification Chart, the campaign, tagged "Good For You, Bad For The Fish," gleefully celebrates the all you can eat fish fry.

The campaign, created by The Republik in Durham, NC, includes posters, print and t-shirts to aid Triumph dealers in co-ordinating their individual fish fry events. And in case PETA wants to stage a protest, The first event will be held January 18 at Merritt Marine in Hillsborough, NC.

by Steve Hall    Dec-12-07    
Topic: Campaigns, Good, Magazine, Newspaper, Point of Purchase, Poster, Specialty



Vetran Blogger to Rock LA Times' World

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I've known Tony Pierce since Adrants was a part time gig started while I was between jobs and was read by one person. Me. That was early 2001. Now, in late 2007, Adrants is, if we can be so egotistically blunt, a major contender in the ad world. Now, in late 2001, Tony Pierce, who was most recently Editor at the LAist is moving on to the LA Times where he will oversee the newspaper's 25 blogs. Times do change.

I think the LA Times' decision to hire Tony is an amazingly astute choice. Newspapers know they have it tough these days and they need to explore new publishing channels. In an exit interview with LAist News Editor Andy Stemberg, Tony cuts through the crap and tells it like it is. Bloggers are bloggers and journalists are journalists. Each have their strengths and weaknesses. Pierce examines this in his interview and refreshingly steers clear of early days, blogger-bashes-MSM rhetoric. For as much as blogging has contributed to the world of information transferral, mainstream media still holds the cards when it comes to infrastructure, extensibility, expertise and a lot of other things.

It will be very interesting to see how Tony marries the two worlds. If his past successes are any indication, newspaper publishing and blogging are going to become and even more delicious cocktail than they already are. Congrats, Tony.

by Steve Hall    Dec- 3-07    
Topic: Newspaper, Publishing, Weblogs