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Matthew Lesko Snubs Ad Agencies, Hands Money to the People

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If you've ever been to an ad conference and seen some dude walking around in a question mark suit or have been assaulted by one of his websites online, you've had the pleasure of seeing Matthew Lesko. He's one of those infomercial/make money online types that, despite the fact they do make tons of money, really get underneath the skin and cause some serious cringe.

Lesko launched Information USA 30 years ago to make people aware of un-advertised government programs that had millions of dollars to help people find work, get training, pay tuition, help with housing, launch businesses, pay for prescriptions and get government contracts. To promote his company, Lesko has spent millions on television advertising and has used ad agencies to help with his campaigns.

Now he wants to give his money to the people rather than an ad agency. He promises to pay five dollars to anyone who visits and joins My America Benefits Plan. Of course, to get the five dollars, a person has to sign up for the program, pay one dollar and then receive five dollars back. no surprise there.

Of course, it's all to make Lesko more money. No secret there. But hey, who doesn't want five dollars? Seems like a lot of work to get it though

by Steve Hall    Nov-19-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Promotions

Restaurant Lies. Quadruples Chowder Sales

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The Denver Egoist shares the story of an underwater billboard hoax/viral/stunt/lie in which Ivar's Seafood Restaurant placed billboards underneath the Puget Sound. They told the media the boards had been placed there in the 50's by Ivar's founder who, as the story goes, thought people would one day travel beneath the Sound in submarines. The founder wanted to make sure his advertising message was there for all to see.

Of course, the story is fake and the boards were placed there just weeks before the story was planted and the boards hauled up. While this hoax/viral/lie was making the rounds, an ad campaign touted the fact Ivar's would roll back its chowder pricing to 1950's levels in celebration of the discovery.

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by Steve Hall    Nov-18-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Outdoor, Promotions, Viral

We Get Email*

"Hi Steve,

Wanted to see if you were planning any holiday shopping stories focused on major retailers' interactive marketing plans for boosting this season's sales."

No.

............................................................................

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by Bill Green    Nov-12-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Announcements, Promotions, Viral, Word of Mouth

NUDE IT iPhone App Viral Even Comes With Real Fake OMG! Gasps

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No, it does, really. (See below.) While not an actual working app, or is it? (*asked in super secret hushed tones*), the NUDE IT makes any scene nudetastic. Except, well, it's hard to tell if the hero in this one is saying OMG! because of the app's amazing see-through ability--or the subject he's looking at. Latter! Either way, lose the fake shock reactions (the shit will sell itself doncha know), and you still have a cool non-cgi viral, replete with tried and true old-school camera trickery that looks more amazing than it is. Or all you SUCKAZ can just check with creator That Bald Guy.

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by Bill Green    Nov-12-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Mobile/Wireless, Promotions, Spoofs
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Cheesy Pick Up Lines Will Get You A Free Turkey

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So what do cheesy pick up lines and turkey have to do with each other? Aside from the fact guys who deliver them are turkeys? It's a promotion for Piggly Wiggly, of course. A turkey promotion.

Those who shop at the store get free Greenbax each time they use their PFC card. For just five Greebax, shoppers can get their hands on a free turkey. Ideally, one that doesn't spout cheesy pick up lines.

by Steve Hall    Nov-11-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Commercials, Promotions, Strange

Harley Hottie Salutes Troops

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On this Veterans day, what better way to salute the troops than Military Appreciation Month complete with Harley Davidson motorcycles and super hot supermodel Marissa Miller? Those serving in the military can enter to win a new Harley which will be personally delivered by Miller. There's also a collection a old school, pin up-style wallpapers which can be downloaded as well as a send to a friend feature that allows one to send a personal message along with a picture of Miller.

Check out the promotion here.

by Steve Hall    Nov-11-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Brands, Promotions

Clothing Retailer Brings More Pre-Movie 'Entertainment'

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"Now the retailer is offering consumers a contemporary interactive experience for the price of a movie ticket." That's how this Johannes Leonardo-created pre-movie performance at New York's Ziegfeld Theater for fashion retailer Daffy's was described. And it seems that's how we're now describing pre-movie commercials...which is exactly what this was.

OK so yea, it's a pretty cool on and off screen performance during which actors don clothing in the video and then appear on stage wearing it while performing. Part of the promotion/performance was to offer a chance to win "deeply discounted rent on a fabulous West Village apartment."

Check it out here and let us know. Do you want to see this sort of thing before a movie or not?

by Steve Hall    Nov- 2-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Promotions

Newsflash! Two Guys Deliver Only Copy of Xbox Forza Motorsport!

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If you like to watch two guys bicker over who's going to drive a Lamborghini with the only copy of Xbox Forza Motorsport from Edinburgh to the game's launch party in London, you might like this video8j6. If you don't really care about how it's decided who will get to drive the car, where they'll stop on the way and the inane things they'll say to each other along the way, you can be happy we did it for you so you don't have to.

by Steve Hall    Nov- 2-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Promotions, Video

Swiffer Spoofed, Axe Effect Debunked, Eighties Hyped (Again)

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- Logo's The Big Sketch Comedy takes on the infamous Swiffer commercials. Horrifically funny.

- A fan or product of the 80's? The you might like the "80s-iser" from Russell Athletic.

- Dial takes on the whole Axe Effect thing and debunks it with an Attraction Field Study in which a guy stands on the sidewalk for two hours after showering with Axe. The result? Nothing. There's also the Get Magnetic site which takes a decidedly more scientific looking at why humans and animals are attracted to one another.

- Following its DEWmocracy effort, Mountain Dew has hooked up with 12 Seconds for a competition which will determine who gets to shoot the brand's next commercial.

by Steve Hall    Oct-29-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Consumer Created, Promotions, Spoofs, Strange, Video

Because Real Olympic Sports Bore Us, Fake Ones Aim to Entice Us

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To drum up a bit of excitement for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, The International Olympic Committee has launched The Best of Us Challenge, a collection of fake sporting events which wil pit Olympic athletes against regular people. For those who win, a free trip for to to Vancouver is in their future.

There will be hula-hooping, cartwheeling, juggling, plastic cup golfing and many more made up sports. Head over to The Best of Us Challenge site and you can watch Michael Phelps, Rafael Nadal, Lindssey Jacobellis and Shawn Johnson engage in this silliness. The site loads very slowly...or not at all.

Once upon a time plain old skiing and skating excited people. Hmm. How times have changed.

by Steve Hall    Oct-29-09   Comments ()    Bookmark and Share     
Topic: Events, Promotions, Video

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