Non-Prof Mails Change in Hopes of Getting Some

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We all get save-the-kids! mailers, and most of us have received the kind with the nickel or the quarter enclosed, for added effect.

But it never occurred to us how stupid this approach is until The Denver Egotist pointed it out:


If your envelope line reads "A Nickel Could Save A Child's Life!" and you not only enclose the aforementioned nickel, but spend a few more of them popping it in the post, you've just fucked yourselves and the importance of the message.

For those of us that have already passed precious shekels to a charity, it really leaves you wondering how much of that cash was recycled as nickels for the trash heap. But who knows, maybe this works, and we've been doing ourselves a great disservice by hoarding for retirement. What's that proverb? It takes money to make money?

by Angela Natividad    Aug-28-09    
Topic: Cause, Direct, Strange



Almost Ready, Guys. Just Tryin' to Decide if It's a Kitchen Knife Day.

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Through the magic of YouTube, Choose a Different Ending walks you almost seamlessly through a tense scenario between street kids. As it progresses, you get to decide what happens next and how you -- as a character -- will react.

The choose-your-own-adventure model's been used before, notably by Twix, but not this well or for this provocative a cause. We were surprised by how the experience captured our curiosity -- and also by a lot of the endings. (When you elect to talk things out, it's rare that you expect to be gutted like a fish.)

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by Angela Natividad    Aug-28-09    
Topic: Best, Campaigns, Cause, Video



...But Will Milk Help Toothless Gran? Probably Not.

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Those shit-quality YouTube clips, where something extraordinary happens and you're supposed to wonder whether the footage is real, probably feel like the video advertising equivalent of cavepainting to you by now. Sure there've been classics, but by and large we've all evolved, right?

No.

Behold "Dairy Chicken," a piece so square you're left thinking these people knew exactly how lame they were being and just surrendered to their destinies. In it, some guys at a park catch a chicken sipping from somebody's milk glass. (Who brings glasses of milk to the park?) And suddenly the chicken flashes the camera a big toothy smile.

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by Angela Natividad    Aug-27-09    
Topic: Campaigns, Cause, Video



British PSA Razes Perception About Mental Disorders

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"Schizophrenic Man Terrifies Kids at Party" is a YouTube piece released by English mental health charities Mind and Rethink under their "Time to Change" campaign. We like how it plays on our expectation of crass amateur video fare to illustrate two important messages:

o That people with mental disorders can function in society
o That retaining the stereotype of the off-the-hinge crazy person is counterproductive for everyone involved

It also reminded us that as kids, we were always screamy-scared about stuff we couldn't see, however facile or harmless said "stuff" actually was. And then, lightbulb moment, it was like hey, tripping out about schizophrenia is kind of like that.

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by Angela Natividad    Aug-25-09    
Topic: Campaigns, Cause, Good, Online, Trends and Culture, Video



Montel's Daughter Promotes Vegetarian Cafeteria Options

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If the children of celebrity chanteurs can draw a crowd to a promo, why not the children of celebrity talk show hosts?

In an ad slated to debut tonight during ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager, 14-year-old Wyntergrace Williams will urge Congress to amend the Child Nutrition Act to require the inclusion of vegetarian options in school lunch lines.

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by Angela Natividad    Aug-24-09    
Topic: Cause, Celebrity, Commercials, Political, Television



The Horrors of Human Trafficking Slowly Revealed

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OK. What is it with today? Are all you marketers trying to make me drown in emotional depression? Hey, a gut wrenching cause ad is OK once in a while but not two in one day! Please. I've got my own issues to deal with. I don't need you bringing me down even further.

But again, it's what we do here. Bring you the goods and this is another good one. From UNICEF, the United States Agency for International Development and MTV's End Exploitation and Trafficking comes this video calling attention to the plight of women caught up in human trafficking and the horrific life they lead.

Over and over we see a woman connect with a man. At first, it seems very consensual. Then the layers are peeled back and we find out how she really came to be in the situation with the man. Quite horrific.

by Steve Hall    Aug-17-09    
Topic: Cause, Good



Text This: Don't Text And Drive

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This is probably not what you want to watch on a Monday morning but it will most certainly make you think twice before trying to text and drive. In two parts (one, two), the movie follows the story of four girls, a tragic accident and the pain the accident leaves in its wake. It will make you cry. And it's even more emotionally gut wrenching than this one which will tear you up as well.

It was created for the school Tredgar Comprehensive and the Gwent Police. The United Kingdom most certainly wins the award for the most dramatic "drive safely" commercials in the world.

by Steve Hall    Aug-17-09    
Topic: Best, Cause, Creative Commentary, Video



Make The Logo Bigger? Let's Lose It Altogether

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My kind of brand. No logos. As owner of clothing line Freshjive, owner Rick Klotz takes anti-branding in a new direction by stripping their logos out of everything, including their website. (Via PSFK.) Read more about his approach in an interview with him over on The Hundreds.

by Bill Green    Aug-12-09    
Topic: Cause



Don't Flush That Toilet! Pee in the Shower Instead!

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This is what being eco-friendly has come to. Urging people to pee while taking a shower. Yes, it's true. There's really nothing else to say about this Brazilian effort to save water by not having to flush the toilet.

by Steve Hall    Aug- 5-09    
Topic: Cause, Commercials, Strange



Dunk Slam That High Five Shake!

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Awkward. You've experienced the moments. When a friend or an almost friend or a business associate made a sports-related quip and, well, got it entirely wrong. In this DDB Vancouver-created commercial for KidSport BC, a community based sports-funding program that provides grants for children to participate in a sport, the importance of sports in a child's life are highlighted. Sadly, the poor "kid" in this spot definitely missed out on some of the basics.

The campaign includes two commercials and eight radio spots which will begin airing July 27.

by Steve Hall    Jul-26-09    
Topic: Cause, Commercials, Good