"I didn't use my brain. I went straight to the financial aid office." That's the headline from the ad at left, which concludes with a tidy "thinking saves thousands at myrichuncle.com."
Wait a sec. Use your head, stick your hand out? I'm confused.
It turns out the ad is not referring to an exploitable loose-handed relative. My Rich Uncle is actually a national loan company. Visit the site and click on Engage Your Brain, which walks you through the process of applying for student aid.
That's useful and all, but come on. Sally's uncle gave her a trust fund; you're giving me a FAFSA sheet?
- Maybe inspired by Apple's limited-edition U2 iPod, Microsoft is releasing a limited-edition Joy Division Zune.
- Expect downtime from Twitter when Steve Jobs takes the floor at WWDC.
- Speaking of Twitter, a lot of fed-up users are defecting to a fancy new site called Plurk. Plurk enables users to follow conversational threads, and encourages use with "karma" points and little gifts. Also, the colors are soothing.
- Facebook has launched an ad feedback feature.
- Filipinos aren't the only people featured in creepy dating ads.
- John McCain: put Obama in office if you want. But hey, if you do, EXPECT APOCALYPSE.
Video blogebrity HappySlip has deleted her MySpace profile, including over 34,000 friends, because AdSense repeatedly populated her page with ads soliciting Filipina women.
Women are among the Philippines' most profitable exports. If you plan to do heavy Filipino-oriented blogging, expect to see a few shady sites in surrounding AdSense boxes.
See more ads here. Sponsored messages for girl-peddling sites also appeared prominently during HappySlip's Philippine tourism promotion.
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CEO Joseph Frick of Independence Blue Cross, the biggest health insurance provider in Philadelphia, used his recent colon cancer diagnosis to fuel this ad campaign by Tierney Communications.
The height chart at left lends a practical, and sort of charming, picture of how needs change as the mortal coil unravels. (Nagging question: why is 5'9," "Mammogram Reminders," followed by 6'1," "Senior Fitness Programs"? I thought people shrink when they get old? Is Independence just that good?)
Tagline: "Just a few ways we're here for you every step of the way" -- a little clumsy, but it gets the idea across.
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Blyk, a mobile social network that hopes to one day wake up and be cool amongst 16-to-24-year-olds, has launched a "One Stop Shop for advertisers and agencies."
Don't be fooled by the name; you won't find any drag-and-drop ad placement tools. What you will find is a media kit loaded with promises, case studies and, ooh, promises. Such as:
- Over 100,000 UK 16-24s fully opted-in to receive communications on their mobile phones
- 29% average campaign response rate
- £0.53 average price per response
- Insightful reporting
If "insightful reporting" won you over too, well, go get 'em, tiger.
Q: What's worse than hearing Kathy Lee Gifford say "Bling bling bling"?
A: Hearing a professional voice over artist say "Booyah for Boolean!" And you can thank Revenue Science for that little sphincter crunch you just did.
After all the accolades that rained down on Halo 3's "Believe" campaign this past awards season, the last thing I wanted to see was yet another monument to the game's mystique. But this spoof about a homicide detective investigating a dead rookie Team Slayer makes "Believe" seem fresh again.
Once again, Halo's universe is brought into the real world. But the quiet sense of awe that surrounded mentions of Masterchief is earnestly mocked, and the reenactment of the rookie's death is priceless. Both a mimicry and a tribute, the piece totally cracks through "Believe's" sobriety.
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You've probably seen it a dozen times already, but I'm up late thinking it's awesome how you can watch the whole Indiana Jones movie trailer from right inside an expandable ad. (It's the one at right.)
Rich media is amazing. Well, it can be, anyway.
- Crocs launched a travel site, Cities by Foot. Designated Crocs-wearers explore cities like Denver, New Orleans, San Francisco and Vail. Every once in awhile you get a close-up shot of their feet.
- This guy travels to India to remedy his PC pop-up problem. Hijinks ensue. My favourite line: "Just tell them to unplug it, and PLUG IT AGAIN!" Cut to the song.
- Apparently 50 Cent is social media savvy.
- The British government tries scare tactics to keep kids away from knives. They also plan to give out postcards featuring mutilated body parts.
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Emo heartthrob Kazutaka Nomura of PWRFL POWER gets animated, woos the uncatchable Erin Esurance, and teaches her a powerful lesson about self-esteem. In song.
Not that she needed it. She does, after all, prance around in spy clothes to sell car insurance.
This is part of a partnership between Esurance and the Monolith Music Festival at Red Rocks. The website, linked above, also includes a bio and an interview with PWRFL POWER, as well as tour dates.
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Stanton Optical
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