Screw Advertising Standards. Animate Your Unsafe Driving

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Do you work for an agency in Canada? Are you troubled by our country's strict guidelines for advertising which bans the depiction of unsafe driving in television commercials? Hate that rule and want to show whatever the hell you feel like in your car commercials? Then just copy what TBWA Toronto did for the Nissan Juke and turn your commercial depicting unsafe driving into an animated series which, apparently, is just fine with your country's Advertising Standards body.

Showing a hot chick in tight black leather works well too. See more of the campaign here.

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by Steve Hall    Nov-10-10    
Topic: Commercials, Policy



Orgasmic Screams in Anne Summers Ad Dubbed Too Racy

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An Anne Summers radio ad promoting a line of Halloween-themed outfits has been blocked by the UK's Radio Advertising Clearing Centre which claimed the ad contained, "fairly overt sexual references in terms of sound effects."

The spot contains sounds of fear-based screams which then transform into more pleasurable sounding screams. In other words, women having orgasms. Nothing wrong with that in our book, of course, but according to the RACC, the spot overstepped the organization's guidelines regarding taste and offense.

As spokesperson for the RACC said, "The ad contains fairly overt sexual references in terms of sound effects. We believed that it was too strong for broadcast on commercial radio, notwithstanding timing conditions."

Anne Summers, on the other hand, thinks the ad is just fine with CEO Jacqueline Gold saying, "We have appealed the decision made by the RACC and would love to know what the great British public think. We are proud of our brand that always sparks debate and we hope this gets people talking about sex in a positive way."

by Steve Hall    Oct-22-10    
Topic: Policy, Racy, Radio



Woman Has Sex With Vodka Bottle

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A new print and outdoor ad campaign for Skyy Vodka depicts a woman clad in red leather tights and high heels getting...um...poked by a vodka bottled. Marin Institute watchdog Bruce Lee Livingston said, "This is just ridiculous, it's porn-a-hol. Underage kids will look at this and associate sexual prowess with drinking Skyy."

Well, duh. Alcohol does increase sexual prowess but we guess that's besides the point. Livingston thinks the ad industry can't regulate itself and said, "The FTC should be all over this."

Branding expert Steven Addis thinks the ad is crass and told USAToday, "It's just jamming a bottle in a woman's crotch,. A great ad uses heart or mind. This one's starting below the waist."

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by Steve Hall    Sep-28-10    
Topic: Policy, Racy



IAB Announces Competition to Create New Ad Formats

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Hoping to "fuel online creativity and move brand marketing dollars to interactive" and spitting in the face of the notion the banner is dead, the Interactive Advertising Bureau, standards body for interactive advertising formats, is, for the first time, hosting a competition to develop new online advertising units.

IAB president and CEO Randall Rothenberg said, "We are launching a formal call to action today for creatives, technologists, publishers, marketers - the entire advertising and marketing ecosystem - to bring us their best ideas for ad formats. The Internet has opened a floodgate of creativity, and it is critical that we fashion an environment where both the art and science of advertising can flourish and deliver engaging experiences that resonate with consumers and build brands."

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by Steve Hall    Sep-27-10    
Topic: Online, Policy, Promotions



Poo Promoted, Milkaholic Settled, Kindle Pool Spoofed

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- Is the New York Jets situation with Ines Sainz just another publicity stunt?

- Need to hype a stupid app that analyzes your poop? Take a shot of a chick with her tights down taking a dump in a stall. Yea. That'll do it.

- The Lindsay Lohan Milkaholic law suit thing has ended in settlement.

- Brooklyn creative agency Big Spaceship is out with new work for Microsoft. Called Always Beautiful, the "interactive music experience that uses the history of the web as a personal paintbrush" touts IE9.

- Counter-culture princess Charlyne Yi has shed her hair and dismissed food to raise awareness for OxFam America.

- For the Born HIV Free campaign and the Global Fund, YouTube is launching a campaign from Johannes Leonardo that will position 20 teams of campaign envoys at Manhattan intersections, holding signs with HIV facts that urge people to "free future generations from HIV by 2015."

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by Steve Hall    Sep-21-10    
Topic: Agencies, Cause, Celebrity, Mobile/Wireless, Policy, Spoofs



Apparently, the ADDY's Cost Too Much

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There seems to be a revolt among local chapters of the American Advertising Federation over the national board's recent decision to increase the price of ADDY entries. A letter to the members of the Kansas City AAF reads, in part, "The new fee will increase the national portion of each ADDY entry fee from $2 to $15. A 750% increase that they refer to as 'modest.' Currently, the ADDY entry fee for members is $38 per entry. With the increase from nationals, the entry fee will be raised to $51 per entry.

While the Kansas City AAF supports the AAF and isn't defecting, it's putting it's foot down calling the increase "potentially devastating." In the letter, the KC AAF claims the increase "will cause us to experience a $15,000 to $25,000 loss for our fiscal year - instead of making the small profit we had budgeted for. It is too large a loss for us to absorb and would force us to raise fees on other things - an option we find absolutely unacceptable."

All the drama is on the KC AAF blog if you want to dig deeper.

by Steve Hall    Sep-20-10    
Topic: Industry Events, Policy



Butt Banned, Bikinis Rap, Nokia Backfires, Bingo Bombs

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- It's not only boobs that cause ads to get banned. Butts do too. According to the Russian Office of Federal Antimonopoly Service "indecent image of a woman's body cannot be placed in a public place."

- I'm on a boat. Absolutely nothing to do with advertising. At all. In anyway, shape or form. But it is hot. Bikinis, rap, profanity.

- Nokia HTC stunt backfires.

- There's a lot of ways to promote your bingo site. This is one of the more, um, odd methods.

- Pope your ride.

- Draw your own conclusions about Cornelius Trunchpole.

- Speaking of Cornelius Trunchpole, Sound Lounge has an interview with the man. The joke gets even more preposterous.

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by Steve Hall    Sep-16-10    
Topic: Packaging, Policy, Promotions, Social, Super Bowl 2011



Banned Pregnant Nun Ad Takes Aim at Pope Benedict

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Antonio Federici ice cream, which had its pregnant nun ad banned by the UK's Advertising Standards authority for making a mockery of Roman Catholic beliefs isn't taking the ban laying down. The company plans to continue with the same theme and, in addition, make a point of targeting Pope Benedict with the campaign during his four day visit to the UK which begins today.

An Antonio Federici spokeswoman said, "We intend to defy the ASA's ban and will publish another ad from the series before the Pope's visit later this week. We are also in the process of securing billboards close to and along the planned route of the Pope's cavalcade around Westminster Cathedral."

The ad carries the tagline, "Immaculately Conceived ... Ice cream is our religion."

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by Steve Hall    Sep-16-10    
Topic: Campaigns, Opinion, Policy, Political



Greenpeace Arrested, Missionary Positioned, Hipsters Jazz

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- Greenpeace publicity stunt in Calgary ends in eight arrests.

- Some ads are destined never to see the light of day. Here's View image from Life Cover.

- According to ComScore, Inc., the number of consumers accessing business directories on mobile phones increased 14 percent year-over-year to 17.3 million users in March 2010.

- How much hipster can you fit into a Jazz? Honda Jazz illustrates.

by Steve Hall    Aug- 4-10    
Topic: Guerilla, Policy, Racy



Does 9/11 Make All Mulsims Terrorists? NBC, CBS Reject Ground Zero Mosque Ad

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There are just way too many political and religious issues surrounding this ad from the National Republican Trust PAC which asks Americans to oppose the building of a Muslim mosque near the World Trade Center site for us to comment.

But, why not. So, here we go. Everyone has the right to practice their religion of choice. At least in this country. Just because a particular religion is associated with the bad behavior of a few who practice that religion does not make everyone who practices that religion evil. Television networks have the right to refuse any ad which falls outside their guidelines. People have the right to call foul on any network who makes such a decision.

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by Steve Hall    Jul-16-10    
Topic: Cause, Opinion, Policy, Political