Why Consumer Transparency Falls Flat

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The social graph. Data portability. Privacy. Data control. Peerset CTO and Co-founder Amit Kanigsberg has a few things to share on these topics in this second post in a series on the use of personal data.

Pursuing Transparency is no Private Matter

What does transparency mean to you? In the online advertising industry it conjures one of two things: 1) For the advertiser, full insight into the ad serving stack (from agency to publisher) or 2) For the consumer, full insight into the targeting data ad networks and data providers collect (e.g., Google, Bluekai).

If your first thought was #1, you are forgiven. It is after all natural to follow the money. And there is plenty of it being strewn across that field. But I'll argue that you should be thinking about the consumer a bit more, the sleeping giant as it were. And if you jumped straight to #2, then I'd bet you felt that current efforts and lackluster hype around transparency seems a bit, well, lacking, slight, effervescent, wispy, ethereal - more translucent really.

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by Steve Hall    Jun-23-10    
Topic: Opinion, Research, Social, Tools, Trends and Culture



Cannes Lions: Common on Getting 'Authentic' Artists to Collab with Sponsors

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Yesterday, in a Digitas-run session called "Cage Fighting Comes to Cannes," Common explained what his brand is and how he gauges the value of sponsorship opps.

How do you get a respected artist to plug your product? The secret is profound and earth shattering.

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by Angela Natividad    Jun-23-10    
Topic: Brands, Celebrity, Industry Events, Opinion, Sponsorship



Volvo (Very Poorly) Partners With Twilight Movie Saga

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This is, by far, the worst car commercial brand partnership ever. Suburban yuppie-mobile Volvo and teen/tween sensation Twilight Eclipse. Yea. Seriously. It's as if someone placed a Jack and Jill Went over the Hill soundtrack on top of a Rob Zombie movie. Yea, it's that's odd.

OK, so yea, the Twilight character's parents might drive a Volvo but just watch this commercial and marvel at how bad the pairing is. Actually, it's the comparison between raging hormonal desire, lust, love...and a piece of metal. OK, so yea, we equate emotion to automobiles all the time but just watch this ad and watch how bad the pairing is. Yea, we wrote that twice. Because this commercial is twice as bad as any car commercial we've seen in a long time.

We blame Arnold, EuroRSCG 4D.

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by Steve Hall    Jun-22-10    
Topic: Commercials, Creative Commentary, Opinion, Worst



Nokia Knee Deep in Cannes Video Contest Plagiarism Fiasco

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The similarities are remarkable. Then again, How many different ways can you tell Forrest Gump's story in one minute? Once again we have charges of plagiarism and this times it's tied to Cannes.

Nokia hosted a video competition and first prize was a trip to Cannes. Well, the creator of the winning video, Jemma Lyon, is in Cannes but she's being pummeled by members of web community b3ta. One of the original film's creators wrote, "Someone's sent me an entry to a Nokia filmmaking competition that's literally a shot for shot, line for line, idea for idea remake of it, this has been the first I've heard of it. I wouldn't mind except the person who entered it has won a "Critics Choice" award out of this rehash, including a FUCKING TRIP TO CANNES."

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by Steve Hall    Jun-22-10    
Topic: Brands, Industry Events, Opinion, Promotions, Social, Video



The Very Hot Milla Jovovich Not So Hot in Escada Campaign

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Not looking her hottest - and she can look incredibly hot - Milla Jovovich is fronting a new Escada Fall and Winter campaign. Shot by Peter Lindbergh, Jovovich looks quite mannish and isn't showing off any of her better qualities.

by Steve Hall    Jun-21-10    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Celebrity, Opinion



Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Ends Search For PR Firm

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Claiming the decision had nothing to do with PETA's effort to highlight its treatment of baby elephants, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, yesterday, announced it will end its search for a public relations agency.

With a $30,000 monthly retainer on the RFP Feld Entertainment VP of Corporate Communications Stephen Payne told PRNewser, "We received a very positive response from over two dozen firms and were in the process of whittling that down when we took a hard look at all the proposals and a hard look at our staff internally, and came to conclusion that we could do most of what we were looking for in house."

Of the search for a PR firm, PETA EVP Tracy Reiman said, "Ringling is a public relations nightmare waiting to happen. There's not a PR team in the world that is slick enough to sell the beating of baby elephants, the whipping of tigers, and the use of chains, bullhooks, and electric prods on animals--all for the sake of a few cheap tricks."

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by Steve Hall    Jun-18-10    
Topic: Agencies, Brands, Cause, Opinion



Russian Stewardesses Wash Airplane While Wearing Bikinis

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Thank God there are still countries out there that have no problem with their stewardesses (yes, not flight attendants) stripping down to their bikinis (because all stewardesses wear bikinis under their uniforms in these countries) to wash their airplanes. And, they don't even mind when the stewardesses' bikini-clad bodies become all soaped up like a good bikini car wash girl.

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by Steve Hall    Jun-18-10    
Topic: Good, Opinion, Racy, Video



Women Arrested For Wearing Orange Miniskirts at World Cup

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Being in South Africa to watch the World Cup must be an amazing experience. Sitting next to a fat, sweaty, drunk football fan might put a damper on the experience. Which is why the Johannesburg police should have left alone the 30 or so women who wore orange miniskirts during Monday's Netherlands-Denmark match in an apparent stunt marketing effort for Netherlands-based Bavaria Beer.

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by Steve Hall    Jun-16-10    
Topic: Guerilla, Opinion



Following Urban Outfitters' 'Eat Less,' Lanacane Says 'Eat More'

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In the "We've Got a Solution for Every Problem" Department of Pharmaceutical Genius they've been staying up late this week examining a burning problem: chafing. Yes, chafing. Apparently, some pharmaceutical companies have become bored with finding a cure for cancer.

In this commercial for Lanacane the Pharmaceutical Geniuses solve chafing with a gel. The ad starts off with some chubby balloon characters whose limbs rub together "painfully" when they walk. The announcer says, "If you chafe when you move, it hurts." He the offers up Lanacane Anti-Chafing Gel saying, "Stop chafing. Keep moving"

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by Steve Hall    Jun-14-10    
Topic: Campaigns, Cause, Commercials, Creative Commentary, Opinion, Strange



Chevrolet to Ban Use of the Word "Chevy"

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Earlier this week, Chevrolet's VP of Marketing Alan Batey sent a memo to Detroit employees instructing them to stop using the word "Chevy" to describe a Chevrolet. The car maker aims to promote uniformity and believes the word Chevy dilutes the Chevrolet brand.

Claiming it's all about consistency, the memo read, "When you look at the most recognized brands throughout the world, such as Coke or Apple for instance, one of the things they all focus on is the consistency of their branding. Why is this consistency so important? The more consistent a brand becomes, the more prominent and recognizable it is with the consumer."

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by Steve Hall    Jun-10-10    
Topic: Brands, Opinion, Worst