Firm Says Even Accountants Can Be Passionate, Sexy

Here's an interesting ad seen at the airport over the weekend. Chicago-based Grant Thornton wants to make it crystal clear that their accountants have the spice of life those other accountants so often lack.

A rose between the teeth is a clever way to make the point but the real question lies in whether they can also tango while calculating our tax return. Then we'll really be swept off our feet. - Contributed by Angela Natividad

by Angela Natividad    Nov-27-06   Comments (2)        
Topic: Poster

Amnesty International Puts Human Rights Defenders Behind Bars

Here's a somewhat depressing campaign in which images of bummed-out, otherwise friendly-looking people are set behind community bars to demonstrate how the same thing, only worse, happens to human rights defenders worldwide. The campaign is for Amnesty International with TBWA out of Paris. Adverbox has more from the same campaign. - Contributed by Angela Natividad

by Angela Natividad    Nov-25-06   Comments ()        
Topic: Good, Poster

Fallon Asks Us to Ask Our Moms What's In His Head

It's no secret we like self-deprecating humour in part because that's half the work done for us, so we couldn't help warming to the print campaign for Juicing the Orange, Pat Fallon's new creativity-oriented business book.

Toying with the defining moment in which a doe-eyed child looks up at mom and asks where babies come from, to which mom immediately spits out an improbable lie, Fallon's print ads add citrusy twist to a domestic nightmare and lend the sense that irreverent ideas remain good medicine for the changing threads of business. Check out variations hither and thither. - Contributed by Angela Natividad

by Angela Natividad    Nov-25-06   Comments (2)        
Topic: Good, Poster, Publishing

'Turistas Go Home' May be Underhanded Anthem

Here's an interesting ad for the film Turistas which comes out December 1. So soon after the other anti-tourist film Hostel, we're guessing there's a growing distaste for obnoxious half-naked co-eds traveling the world. The billboard's mild urban terrorist style is also disturbingly appealing. - Contributed by Angela Natividad

by Angela Natividad    Nov-20-06   Comments (7)        
Topic: Good, Outdoor, Poster

Just Another Drop in the Wine-Guzzling French-Speaking Bucket

Here's a series of print ads that merits some attention just because we had to stare at them for awhile in order to understand what was going on. The caption reads "More than 5,000 bottles to open." The images are bottle openers in various states of injury (and one suicide) presumably after trying to unscrew that number. Variations on the ad are available here and here.

The series is for 1855, a Paris-based internet wine purveyor. Damn, French-speaking countries just love their wine distributor ads. Nobody else seems to bother. - Contributed by Angela Natividad

by Angela Natividad    Nov-17-06   Comments ()        
Topic: Good, Magazine, Poster

Altoids Divulges What They Have In Common With Pubic Hair

Altoids' "Oh, the Shame!" campaign compares a boy's first encounter with the curiously strong mints to his first encounter with, well, puberty. "The young have been taught to be wary of all things curious," writer Desmond Lavelle tells Ad Critic. "Be it drugs, sex or the mysterious appearance of hair, they will eventually have to experience such things for themselves. Altoids are no different."

We kind of see the connection there but discussing Altoids and genitalia together in too direct a manner is kind of painful. - Contributed by Angela Natividad

by Angela Natividad    Nov-17-06   Comments (1)        
Topic: Good, Magazine, Poster

Bowlmor Lanes Equates Bowling With Pregnancy, Sort Of

Copyranter points out the continuing whackiness of the Bowlmor Lanes ad campiagn but goes step further and suggests some new copy the campaign might wish to consider. From "Knock down pins and get knocked up!" to "He'll be putting more than fingers in the hole," Copyranter does his own version the the Priceless fill in the blank thing. Check it out.

by Steve Hall    Nov-13-06   Comments ()        
Topic: Good, Outdoor, Poster

Moog Synthesizer Capabilities Visually Represented

In a poster campaign for Moog Music, the company's ability to digitally re-produce real world sound with its effects technologies is visually represented in a poster campaign which "plugs" Moog technology into original sounds emanating from a sizzling sausage, the crack of a billiard ball, snapping bubble gum and the sound of breaking china. See all the posters here.

by Steve Hall    Nov-12-06   Comments (1)        
Topic: Good, Poster

Brand Identities Filled With Pedophilia, Faggots, Bodily Fluid

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   Comments (19)        
Topic: Brands, Online, Poster, Strange, Worst

Lingerie Models and Coffins Go Together In Twisted Brand Promotion

Selling coffins is usually a somber affair but not for this Italian coffin maker who promotes coffins with a calendar full of lingerie-clad women draped over the company's line of product. It sure is better than the usual shriveled, wrinkled look one might usually associate with death. All they need now is a Chippendale's version for the ladies.

by Steve Hall    Nov- 2-06   Comments (2)        
Topic: Good, Poster, Promotions, Racy, Specialty, Strange