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Agency Slams Own Ad to Gain More Publicity For It

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Perhaps you've seen the Tango Clear spoof of the Sony Bravia ad which had colored balls roll down the hills of San Francisco. The Tango Clear ad does it with fruit and lots of it. Apparently, the ad, shot in Wales, has some residents in Swansea so upset, they've launched a cheesy looking website to protest against the damage all that fruit did in Wales and to state it will never happen in Swansea. Actually, a little Whois research points out the creators of the Tango Clear ad, Clemmow Hornby Inge, created the protest site apparently hoping to keep the fruit rolling a bit longer.

by Steve Hall    May-11-06   Comments (8)    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Agencies, Commercials, Spoofs

Juan Show Pokes Fun At One Show

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On the same day of the One Show Festival, this weird site called The Juan Show was launched that asks people to send in their ads for consideration by June 1st. Winners will be announced June 15. The URL is registered to Austin agency GSD&M and a call to the agency confirms the site is, in fact, a parody of the One Show. Just something to poke fun at the whole award show thing. On the site, there's a number you can call to leave a message for Juan. There's video reviews of ads by Juan. There's even a Cafe Press store full of hats, t-shirts and other stuff. Winners get a Gold Toothpick Award. We love it.

by Steve Hall    May-11-06   Comments (2)    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Agencies, Good, Industry Events

Former Euro RSCG CEO Sued For Stealing Business

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Another agency throw down is about to take place. Euro RSCG 4D is suing is former CEO Charles Tarzian and has filed suit in the New York Supreme Court. Euro RSCG 4D claims Tarzian tries to steal clients, used confidential information to do so and recruited the agency's employees after he had left. Apparenlty, he also lied to 4D clients to seemingly place a bad taste in their mouths which might give them cause to leave 4D and to go with Tarzian. Someday, we'll all learch to get along and be honest.

by Steve Hall    May-10-06   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Agencies, Bad, Policy

Art Director Offers Book to Aspiring Creatives on ebay

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In what would surely be called plagiarism in any other kind of book, an art director is selling his spec book to any aspiring creative to use in getting a job. Midwest creative Craig Ferrence has placed his book up on eBay and is offering it to anyone outside the U.S. Ferrence has posted a bit of the work on the eBay site which might cause anyone who happened to see it and then see it again while interviewing a potential candidate to wonder what's up. So if you're hiring in the near future and didn't happen to see the eBay auction, we have all the work here for you to check if you think you are looking at a suspect book while interviewing someone.

Aside from that and with no need for the work, Ferrence is just out to make a buck or two from some lazy ass creative who can't muster enough creativity to build their own body of work. Of course, the whole thing could just be some weird stunt.

by Steve Hall    May- 2-06   Comments (2)    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Agencies, Bad

Publicis Has Acquired Independent Duval Guillaume

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Belgian agency Duval Guillaume, well know for its work with Schweppes, Bubblicious and World Aids Day has been acquired by French giant Publicis. While the announcement states the agency's current management structure, six operating companies and subsidiaries will maintain autonomy, we hope the originality and quality work Duval has created will continue untarnished,

by Steve Hall    Apr-24-06   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Agencies

Study: Big Media Shops Don't Get Better Rates Than Smaller Shops

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Even though we often rail against studies that simply restate the obvious, it's nice to see a study that confirms what we've known for years. Contrary to life as a porn star, in the world of media buying, size does not matter according to a recent study of negotiated media rates. A two year analysis of media spending by Billets media audit arm MMPA found prices paid for the same media vary widely and big agency bulk buying clout did not guarantee a lower rate. Our own personal confirmation of this came several years ago when an idiot sales rep mistakenly emailed us his entire inventory sheet for the past six month showing our little three person media department was kicking the shit out of the big guys rate-wise.

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by Steve Hall    Apr-24-06   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Agencies, Good, Research, Television

Eva Longoria to Head Latin Ad Agency in Movie

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Eva Longoria is slated to star in the yet to be filmed Touchstone movie, Deep in the Heart of Texas, in which she will play a snotty Beverly Hills diva who gets uprooted and moved to San Antonio to run her ad agency's new Latin division. Having perfected that role in Desperate Housewives she'll certainly do fine in this role. Unfortunately, the world of advertising will most certainly be portrayed as idiotically as it is in most every other movie and TV show including Desperate Housewives.

by Steve Hall    Apr-23-06   Comments (1)    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Agencies

Creative Directors Get Goofy For Portfolio Night IV

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If you can actually get the video to work (keep your mouse moving. We have no idea why but it helps), a collection of U.S. creative directors get their goof on to call attention to ihaveanidea's Portfolio Night IV, a multi-city portfolio review event where those interested in breaking into the business can get their work in front of America's top creatives...or at least in front of the people occupying the top spots in America's ad agencies.

by Steve Hall    Apr-19-06   Comments (1)    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Agencies, Industry Events, Promotions, Strange

College Student Tells Donny Deutsch When She Graduates

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In a bid to get hired into the ad agency world right out of college, NYIT student Brittney placed an ad in the New York Times telling Donny Deutsch she'll be graduating May 20, 2007. Hmm...just where does a college student get enough money to place an ad in the Times? And why does she look way too model-perfect? And why would she do it one year earlier than she needs to? Something smells here. Oh wait, it's an ad for NYIT. There we go.

No matter. In an effort to provide the poor child who is about to enter one of the most cut throat, cynical vacuous business in the world, Copyranter offers some advice writing, "What Brittney hasn't put together yet is that Douche, Inc. is a shithole of a sweat shop that is coming off another shit year. Brittney, have you seen the inside of Douche's agency? It's an ugly macho concrete tomb. The days of those cute IKEA TV spots are looooong gone." Hmm, indeed. Yes, this definitely sounds like something other than a college student looking for a job.

by Steve Hall    Apr-19-06   Comments (9)    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Agencies, Newspaper, Strange

Strawberry Frog Wants Everyone to be A Very Successful Brand Manager

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Strawberry Frog wants all brand managers to be very successful brand managers and has launched VerySuccessfulBrandManger.com to help. The site's got everything from fashion tips to travel tips (forget yachts, it's luxury submarines, baby) to health tips (sleeping with subordinates is a very good thing, indeed) to wealth tips (it's all about choosing the right third world country to buy) to lifestyle tips (forget office interns, get a golf intern to drive your golf cart) to advice from Sir Monty Montague (when choosing between a welthy princess and a supermodel, Montague offer sage advice, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Take the hand of the one who is worth more and save the second for the bush, if you understand what I mean.")

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by Steve Hall    Apr-15-06   Comments (2)    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Agencies, Good, Online, Promotions

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