Anti-Abortion Ads Are OK. Why Not Gay Dating Ads?

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So now that CBS has OK'd the Tim Tebow anti-abortion ad, gay dating site ManCrunch wants in on the action. It's submitted a commercial to CBS for approval even though CBS, though they told Pop Tarts otherwise, claims to be sold out. Yes, it's the usual publicity stunt GoDaddy knows well and subjects us to every year.

In the ManCrunch ad, two men watch football then reach for a bowl of chips at that same time. Their hands brush against one another and, well, they go at it much to the surprise of another man next to them. Yes, that's pretty racy for the supposedly good 'ol family fun-focused Super Bowl but is it any more racy than other gay-themed programming on CBS?

Seems the two ads would balance each other out nicely. One touts a stereotypical conservative stance and the other a stereotypically liberal one. Come on, CBS! Let the battle of the viewpoints begin!

The ad is funny but only in a "I'm a straight guy that's OK with gay guys but don't throw it in my face" sort of way. Though funny, it's not the sort of ad that's going to go over well with actual gay men.

by Steve Hall    Jan-28-10    
Topic: Cause, Celebrity, Commercials, Opinion, Super Bowl 2010



Stork Delivers Pregnancy health Soliloquy to Ducks

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When a human dressed like an overworked stork stands beside a pond full of ducks and says "50 percent of pregnancies are unplanned" and how it's important for men and women to take care of themselves before and during pregnancy, for them to exercise properly and eat a well balanced diet, the whole thing comes off like a lame Saturday Night Live skit. And the importance of the message (which is very important) is lost on the ridiculousness of the delivery mechanism.

The work is for New Orleans-based Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals' Partners for Healthy Babies and comes from Trumpet.

by Steve Hall    Jan-27-10    
Topic: Cause, Strange



Tongue Condom Ruins AIDS Awareness Effort

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This painfully slow moving :60 for Word of Mouth Against AIDS attempts to urge us all to, um, wear a condom on our tongues to halt the spread of the disease. OK so not really. It's just a metaphor. But that doesn't make it any less gross. Or any less Freaky.

And, as Copyranter points out. the entire concept runs counter to what the organization actually wants us to do: spread the word about AIDS. That's not so easy to do with a condom on your tongue. Concept fail?

by Steve Hall    Jan-27-10    
Topic: Cause



Ripped Map Calls Attention to Haiti's Plight

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Here's a recent print campaign from Y&R Lisbon for the International Medical Assistance. The torn map of Haiti is supposed to symbolize the destruction of both the city and peoples' lives by the earthquake, and to call attention to the need for immediate help and donations.

The campaign was launched on Jan 22 and will be running until the AMI mission ends. We're not going to judge.

by Steve Hall    Jan-26-10    
Topic: Cause, Magazine



Cyberbullying PSA Yanks Mean YouTube Comments

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This is a very, very cool use of YouTube and Flash technology. In the middle of a "PSA" for the plight of dolphins caught in fishing nets, the reaches out of the video window and grabs one of the mean comments. It turns out the video is for cyberbullying. Very cool.

Of course, you can tel the whole page is "flashed" but if you aren't initially looking for it, the technique works quite well.

by Steve Hall    Jan-22-10    
Topic: Cause, Good, Video



First Lady Michelle Obama Asks Americans to Support Haiti

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Furthering the efforts to raise money for Haiti following the recent earthquake the country experienced, First Lady Michelle Obama appears in an America Red Cross PSA asking American to donate.

"I was eager to join the Ad Council and the Red Cross to launch this call to action in the wake of this week's devastating earthquake," said First Lady Michelle Obama. "The people of Haiti are struggling just to survive. And every one of us has the power to help."

The PSAs encourage audiences to go to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. On cell phones, viewers can text "HAITI" to 9-0-9-9-9 and $10 will be given automatically to the American Red Cross.

We've done it. Have you?

ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC Television Networks, Clear Channel Communications, Comcast, CNN, Headline News, TBS, TNT, TruTV, Cartoon Network, Sundance Channel, IFC, Tribune Television Stations, Discovery Networks, Hallmark Channel, Lifetime Networks, Fox Networks Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group will all donate airtime for the PSAs.

by Steve Hall    Jan-15-10    
Topic: Cause



Montana Meth Wants You to Say Something

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With four new commercial which, as past campaigns have, illustrate the not so pleasant effects of methamphetamine, the Montana Meth Projects asks kids to say something when their friends say they are going to try meth.

Directed by three-time Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Wally Pfister, the ads can be seen here.

by Steve Hall    Jan-14-10    
Topic: Campaigns, Cause, Commercials



Pop Your Booty But Don't Neglect Animals

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- The Humane Society says get off your ass and save the world's abused and neglected animals.

- Ladies, not happy with your ass? Booty Pop will make you bootylicious. One problem. Can you imagine the look on your man's face when he undresses you and sees this thing? It's like tissue falling out of a padded bra in middle school.

- Random sexy ad on Flickr.

- And yes, the Sexiest/Raciest/Raunchiest Ads of 2009 will come sometime this week. If you're lucky.

by Steve Hall    Jan- 4-10    
Topic: Cause, Racy, Strange



Those Who Know the Most About Human Rights Don't Have Any

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Last month, Leo Burnett Venezuela created a powerful Amnesty International commercial which took a different approach. Rather than the usual display of human rights travesties with some sort of voiceover telling us how bad life can be for those in peril, we still see the display but, instead, it's the one's in peril telling us about Amnesty International's mission of insuring human rights for all.

It's quite effective. Especially the skin-crawling, creepy ending.

by Steve Hall    Jan- 4-10    
Topic: Cause



Nigeria Gets Real Money From Fake Email Spam Scam

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So Mother decides to give away $10,000 as a Christmas gift this year. Rather than spreading it across several clients and charities, the agency cooked up a promotion that resulted in a fake email spam that offered the money to the first person who responded with their bank account information. One person actually did.

Mother then traveled to the office of one Theo Delaney and handed the man the $10,000. In a humorous twist, Delaney turned around and gave the money to the Nigerian charity Forward Nigeria. The knowing reaction of the Nigerian woman is priceless.

by Steve Hall    Dec-22-09    
Topic: Agencies, Cause, Good