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Sony Helps us Boot Up, Log On and Experience Life to the Fullest

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When you sit down in front of your computer, do you suddenly feel like you're being assaulted with images of the intensity of life? The wonder and glory it brings? The passion and desire it creates? Do you feel like your every sense is being given it most intense workout?

Perhaps you will after you view this new Latin America-focused Sony Vaio commercial from El Segundo-based Ignited. In the commercial, we are asked, What if technology could make you feel more human?" We are then pummeled with imagery Dove Onslaught-style. But the imagery is "good" imagery. The things we want to feel and experience.

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by Steve Hall    Nov- 2-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Commercials, Creative Commentary, Good, Opinion

True Love Does have A Happy Ending. Even if it's Branded

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If you love sachrin sweet love stories, you'll love this one from Greece chocolate brand Lacta. It's a 17 part choose your on direction video series created by OgilvyOne in Athens. It's the story of a guy and a girl who meet at a busstop and their two year long journey back together.

You probably already know we're a true sucker for this kind of stuff but this is actually great work. It's engaging. The product placement is subtle. And it's worth watching. And the industry noticed. It won the Branded Content category at IAB's MIXX Awards last month.

Yea, we love a great love story. Start here.

by Steve Hall    Oct-29-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Best, Creative Commentary, Video

All Kinds of People Eat at McDonald's

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We'd have to agree with AdFreak's assessment of a recent Leo Burnett-created McDonald's commercial currently running in the U.K. With rhyming, almost Beatnik-style poetry, the kind of people who frequent McDonald's are highlighted to illustrate the place is for people from all walks of life.

It's really quite well done and a welcome change from the run of the mill McDonald's commercial which, for the most part, is about price and item or some stupid promotion.

by Steve Hall    Oct-21-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Brands, Commercials, Creative Commentary, Good

Chase Recalls World Trade Center Tribute

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Bill Green of Make the Logo Bigger and the new Adverve podcast took a look at a new commercial from Chase and was reminded of the World Trade Center tribute. The one where they had the blue lights shining up into the sky from the former location of the towers. We have to say, it does recall that imagery for us a bit as well.

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by Steve Hall    Oct-20-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Commercials, Creative Commentary, Opinion
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Self-Absorbed Hipsters Angrily Unbutton For Levi's

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OK so for all you hipsters...no wait...emo...no wait...hmm...losers with nothing to do but screw around in the trashy side of town, these new Holland and Belgium-based Levi's commercials are for you. Can't you see yourself in them? trying really, really hard to be ever so hip and cool while jumping in mud puddles and throwing chairs buildings and otherwise kicking the shit out of everything around you like a bored eight year old?

Are we supposed to feel sorry for your lame-ass life? Actually care you think what you're doing somehow makes you today's version of James Dean? That you somehow don't think you look like a slob and should really be reading GQ rather than moping around like a self-absorbed little brat?

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by Steve Hall    Sep-17-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Campaigns, Commercials, Creative Commentary, Policy

Creativity Lives! In a McDonald's Coffee Pot.

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Oh wow. This is absolutely amazing. Creativity does still exist! To hype a limited time free coffee offer from McDonald's, Cossette West created this custom designed lamppost to mimic a pot of coffee being poured into a coffee cup. So simple. So effective. So wonderfully creative. Love it.

See? Here at Adrants we don't hate absolutely everything. And we love when we get to see creativity like this. It rejuvenates our love for advertising. So thank you, Cossette West.

by Steve Hall    Sep-16-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Best, Creative Commentary, Outdoor

Rishad Tobaccowala Talks Brand-Building, Damage Control and the Art of Seduction

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At ad:tech Chicago last week, and prior to his opening talk, I approached Denuo CEO Rishad Tobaccowala in hopes of scoring an interview later on. He was in a hurry and answered in a way I found brusque and upsetting -- which ended up colouring my feelings about the keynote.

Tobaccowala emailed to apologize immediately after reading the article I wrote, and was also good enough to give me almost three hours of his time in an interview -- more of a conversation, really -- later that week.

We never did get around to a formal Q/A. But I learned so much about branding and relationships from him that most of the gems would be lost if I didn't whip out the cam and start recording.

See the footage below the drop.

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by Angela Natividad    Sep-11-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Creative Commentary, Events, Good, Industry Events

Coinstar Does...JCPenney?

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This commercial's redeeming qualities? Women in short dresses wearing high heels. A catchy tune that alludes to something other than what the commercial's actually selling. Nice legs. Nice graphics. Gymnastics. And lots of coinage.

What's it for? Apparently there's a really big need for a vending machine that will convert your spare change into paper money. We thought banks did that. Oh right. Who wants to deal with a bitchy teller when you can deal with an emotionless machine?

Yea. That's it. It all makes sense now. Except the whole thing still looks like a JCPenney commercial.

by Steve Hall    Sep- 9-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Commercials, Creative Commentary

Hugh Hefner Still Gets The Girls. Well, At Least in Commercials

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There once was a time Hugh Hefner carried a level of cred untouchable by all others. He had it all. A successful business. All of life's material pleasures. And any woman he wanted. Yea, he still has all that but lately, with his increased appearance in advertising, the man has been diminished to a sad characature of his former self. Now he's just a horny old man in a fancy bathrobe.

What's up with all his commercial appearances? Does he need the money or is he just selling out like every other celebrity on the planet? yea, the man still has a sort of jokey appeal and when seen in a commercial, the reaction still nets a little chuckle and grin. But really. What happened to retiring gracefully?

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by Steve Hall    Sep- 9-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Celebrity, Commercials, Creative Commentary

ad:tech Chicago: Sharpie, Ben & Jerry's Squeeze Merit Out of Social Media Sphinx

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My last ad:tech Chicago session was the Social Media Industry Forum, presented by Geoff Ramsey of eMarketer.

The sesh had a festive air for many reasons, not least that it was Ramsey's birthday. ad:tech's Warren Pickett burst in near the end to furnish him with candle-lit cupcakes.

But the company was also lively: we had a frothy, sometimes cynical and perennially candid band that included Digital Marketing Manager Katie O'Brien of Ben & Jerry's, President Rick Murray of Edelman Digital (which does interactive stuff for B&J's), PR/Social Media Manager Susan Wassel of Sanford Brands (here to rep Sharpie), and Digital Strategist Akash Pathak of DraftFCB, which worked with Wassel to bring life to Sharpie's label.

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by Angela Natividad    Sep- 8-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Creative Commentary, Events, Industry Events, Social

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