Empty Box Advertising Awards Competition Launched

Fed up with all the advertising industry's award shows, mindless ego-fests and that thing called Clio, the Empty Box Awards has launched and dubs itself "The Intramural Awards of Advertising." On January 23, Empty Box will post a topic and then entrants can submit their work based on that topic. Entries are due March3, 2006 and the winner will be "unboxed" March 17, 2006. Have fun.

by Steve Hall    Jan-12-06   Comments (1)        
Topic: Spoofs

Penex Solves Perpetual Penile Distention

Over at Maxim TV, a video is pushing Penex, a nifty little drug for those of you suffering from Perpetual Penile Distention or Hyper Erectile Bloat. While some might enjoy flaunting their manhood, Penex is there for those who find it more convenient if it's tucked away until needed. The video, filmed like that freaky instructional video on Lost, was created by Night Agency.

by Steve Hall    Jan-10-06   Comments ()        
Topic: Spoofs

Agency Says Christmas Needs to be More Commercialized

Seattle-based agency Sedgwick Rd. crafted a unique Christmas campaign which pushes aside all that religious and politically correct crap in favor of the true meaning of Christmas: buying stuff. The agency highlights this campaign in its video Christmas card that outlines the agency's research and creative strategy in developing its "no room for anti-Christmas factions full of freaks with nothing to do other than attack America's favorite pass time - emptying Wal-mart warehouses full of crap no one really needs or wants which ultimately ends up clogging overflowing landfills" campaign. Oops, that was a little harsh. We jest.

by Steve Hall    Dec-19-05   Comments (1)        
Topic: Agencies, Spoofs

For Some Women Tops Need to Stretch A Lot, Ad Demonstrates

Every once in a while an ad comes along that ever so clearly illustrates the unique benefits of a product that caters to the specific needs of a particular target group. Bucking the world of sameness, it appears H&M has created just such an ad here strategically amplifying and expanding on the qualities of the simple stretch top, qualities women of a certain body size can not live without.

by Steve Hall    Dec-19-05   Comments (5)        
Topic: Spoofs

Australian Agency's Christmas Card Lectures Clients

Spoofing its own "UnAustralian" ad featuring Sam Kekovich, BMF Australia, in its Christmas card, tells advertisers to "increase the size of your budgets, decrease the size of your Legos logos, make better ads and make sure you put me in them." While we have no idea what the Legos (note, he said Legos, not Lego), reference means, Kekovich says he's sick of watching bad advertising such as singing families in breakfast commercials and women having orgasms to sell shampoo and says "you don't have to make ads dull enough to sedate hyperactive Australian Idol contestants just to sell your products."

To explain the power of good advertising, Kekovich tells marketers, "Take my lamb ad. it won loads of awards and sold shitloads of lamb." And to those in charge of business, Kekovich says, "the research-driven, penny-pinching, logo-loving CEOs out there may disagree with me but they can get stuffed." Such a delightful, however very true, holiday greeting. Give it a watch.

by Steve Hall    Dec-16-05   Comments (5)        
Topic: Agencies, Spoofs

News Flash: Alex Bogusky Has No Hair!

A new online campaign for the Jennifer Anniston, Kevin Coster movie Rumor Has It has played sweetly into our fluff and puffery-filled world of journalistic nonsense. Online marketing firm Pod Digital Design has created RumorMaker, a site that lets visitors create their own front page tabloid scandal about a friend complete with photograph and snarkish commentary. If there's no photo or snark available, visitors can choose from several provided choices. We couldn't resist temptation and had a bit of fun with Alex Bogusky and his hair.

by Steve Hall    Dec-15-05   Comments ()        
Topic: Agencies, Online, Promotions, Spoofs, Viral

Sony Promotes PS2 Game With Worldwide Archaeological Find

In an elaborate marketing hoax, it appears the Sony PlayStation2 game Shadow of the Colossus is being promoted with sitings of giant, unexplained archaeological findings around the world. Three large, prehistoric entities have, reportedly, been found - one in India following the tsunami, one in the Sulu sea and one in Bam, Iran following an earthquake. There's even video news footage from the Indian finding to go along with the hoax.

Fueling the notion this is all just a big marketing ploy - albeit a grand and intriguing one - Joystig points out all this information appeared at the same time just this week, an anonymous tip pointed them out, there's the predictable blog (with a podcast) and two of the site's follow that tired, Geocities-like, "this site is so bad it has to be real" design strategy.

One has to admit, it is quite admirable the lengths to which a company with boatloads of money will go to get its products talked about. One also has to question the potential backlash of such an elaborate lie.

by Steve Hall    Dec-14-05   Comments (7)        
Topic: Brands, Spoofs, Strange, Viral

Poker Site Stoops to New Promotional Low

We know the Internet is full of lame, cheesy, oddball promotions but this one sure grabbed our attention. On SaveMyFinger.com an man calling himself Carl Valentine made a bet with his "internet marketer" millionaire friend he could send 2 million people to SaveMyFinger by April 18, 2006. If Valentine succeeds, he will play his friend in a poker match to win the million dollars. If Valentine fails to generate 2 million visitors to the site, he will play his friend in a poker match to keep his right index finger. That's right. If Valentine doesn't achieve 2 million visitors and loses the poker match, he will also lose his finger.

more »

by Steve Hall    Dec-14-05   Comments (10)        
Topic: Spoofs

Spoof Drug Site Calls Attention to Drug Ad Idiocy

Media culture group Stay Free has created a spoof drug site calling attention to the idiocy most drug companies place or are required to place on their sites and in their ads. The site is for a fictitious drug called Panexa by MERD which is "a prescription drug that should only be taken by patients experiencing one of the following disorders: metabolism, binocular vision, digestion (solid and liquid), circulation, menstruation, cognition, osculation, extremes of emotion." That covers just about everyone.

And in a nod to either people's idiocy, drug company's idiocy or everyone's propensity to sue the asses off one another, the site lists several situations in which Panexa should not be used:

• PANEXA should not be used as a physical aid to set a broken bone, as in the case of a splint;
• PANEXA should not be used as a substitute for real human relationships; the tablets (and gel-coated caplets) are incapable of displaying any real emotion, and would prove to be dissatisfying friends or mates;
• PANEXA should not be used to soak up spills or remove stains. This is disrespectful to PANEXA;
• PANEXA should not be resold with the intent of generating a personal profit;
• PANEXA should not be used a form of motive transport, as it lacks the government regulated (US DOT 1445/88-4557) safety lights and reflectors;Women with uteruses should consider avoiding PANEXAor moving to a state or province where the concentration of PANEXA is lesser;
• Do not taunt PANEXA.

by Steve Hall    Dec-12-05   Comments (3)        
Topic: Spoofs

'Survivor' Outtakes Poke Fun At Product Placement

Product Invasion, the folks behind Subservient Donald are, again, taking on product placement proliferation, this time with Survivor, and have created some spoof footage of Survivor's Jerry Manthey in which producer's urge her to shill for Home Depot, Scope, Dawn, and Pepsi. While it's a bit over the top, it still calls attention to the maddening and overly forced attempts by marketers and networks to shamelessly shill.

by Steve Hall    Dec- 8-05   Comments (1)        
Topic: Online, Product Placement, Spoofs, Television