Pure CGM Celebrated, Influenced CGM Trashed

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Factory Publishing is promoting a Triumph Motorcycle-sponsored computer-generated online graphic novel called The Many Worlds of Jonas Moore which stars British actor Colin Salmon. Viewers and musicians are being asked to participate in the storyline by creating their own adventures and submitting their own soundtracks for the show.

In a tandem effort we're not completely clear on, Factory Publishing has created two videos that trash media and ad agencies involvement with consumer generated media somehow labeling them unnecessary middlemen. While it's true some agency managed consumer generated media campaign have resulted in work that's far from pure CGM, these videos paint agencies as a sort of Hitleresque evil which stunts the growth of unadulterated CGM.

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by Steve Hall    May-18-07    
Topic: Agencies, Brands, Consumer Created, Opinion, Trends and Culture



Buying Frenzy Continues With Microsoft Scooping aQuantive For $6B

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Google bought DoubleClick. Yahoo bought Right Media. WPP bought 24/7Real Media. Microsoft, always the follower, never the leader, just bid $6 billion to acquire digital giant aQuantive. It's an information grab as companies wake up and realize their prized and proprietary information is increasingly in the hands of their very own competitors.

by Steve Hall    May-18-07    
Topic: Agencies, Brands, Policy, Research, Tools, Trends and Culture



Baby Names the New Second Life

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People have accepted money to place ads on their foreheads. People have accepted money to place ads on the back of their heads. People have accepted money to place ads on their fingernails. People have accepted money to place ads on their breasts. People have accepted money to place ads on their asses. People have accepted money to place ads on their pregnant stomachs. People have accepted money to place ads on their very unpregnant, very hot looking stomachs. People have accepted money to place ads on their babies.

Is it so hard to believe people may soon name their babies after brands?

by Steve Hall    May-18-07    
Topic: Human, Strange, Trends and Culture



Caveman Hits Mainsteam Culture with Snarky Tee Immortalization

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You know you've made it big when your slogan and general person become iron-on fodder for Aviator-sporting hipsters. Gecko was cute but Geico's neurotic Caveman, who's been making waves since his adamant arrival on the media scene, clearly strikes a more prominent cultural chord.

Sure his show may suck. But how many sucky-show protagonists get to be an action figure and shirt fodder? Tom Green's been waiting a long time and we can all agree he'd make a far more interesting action figure.

Preferably one that talks. "A barrel roll? A barrel roll? A barrel roll?"

by Angela Natividad    May-18-07    
Topic: Trends and Culture



Kids Air Views on Global Warming for SOS

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Anonymous Content lends a slightly tinted angle to this green campaign for SOS Live Earth. Here a bunch of kids air their views on global warming.

It's always interesting to hear kids discuss big global issues because they generally take what they've been taught and express it with confidence. Absolute truth: another one of those imaginary friends that died with college. Our favourite quotes:

"Humans aren't the main threat. the main threat is water vapour."

"The world will last forever, because God won't let us down."

Ain't that a relief.

by Angela Natividad    May-17-07    
Topic: Campaigns, Cause, Commercials, Trends and Culture, Video



Mountain Dew Gets All Tatted Out with Sexy New Bottles

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How much do you love your carbonated sperm-killing cola of choice?

Enough to turn it into body art? Mountain Dew and agency Seed Gives Life hope so.

By implication, anyway. A new campaign called Green Label Art is promoting a series of limited-edition Mountain Dew bottles, inspired by tat culture. See video.

Rumour has it a local burger joint whose name escapes us conducted a campaign in which people were invited to tattoo their logo somewhere on their bodies in exchange for free food for life. In just a few months so many people called the bluff that the campaign had to end.

Sucks for those who didn't cash in. Well, a memory's worth a thousand ice-breaking conversations, isn't it?

by Angela Natividad    May-17-07    
Topic: Campaigns, Online, Packaging, Trends and Culture



Change Advertising Forever Has Really Familiar Business Model

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Remember AdCandy, where companies could pitch consumers and consumers could throw together campaigns for a pittance?

Change Advertising Forever takes that same idea and infuses it with drama.

We're with Shedwa on this one.

by Angela Natividad    May-17-07    
Topic: Agencies, Online, Trends and Culture



Flashback: French Chortles at Notion of Gmail

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We just thought this was funny. And it wasn't that long ago, either.

In April 2004 Garrett French of Web Pro News wrote a post about Google's announcement of GMail - which, in Google's "loose, freewheeling" style, fell just before April Fool's Day.

"How long," French scoffed, "would it take before that ocean of email burst from the Google server farm and sank Washington?"

*Observes moment of silence for nostalgic wave*

Funny how standards can change.

by Angela Natividad    May-15-07    
Topic: Brands, Online, Opinion, Strange, Trends and Culture



'Wise-Ass Youngsters', 'Clueless Old Farts' Need Each Other

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Regarding ageism in advertising, back in March, we wrote, in part, "While it's true there isn't much gray hair in the advertising world, that's due to any number of reasons including 'older' folks leaving to start successful businesses of their own after having endured the idiocy of too many wise-ass, know-it-all 20-somethings making fools of themselves in front of their equally stupid clients and having to bail them out.

Harsh? Sure. But so is the assumption anyone over 40 is a clueless idiot. Neither line of thinking aids this (ageism) situation. People should be respected for their intelligence, not the number of candles on their birthday cake. There are just as many stupid 25 years olds out there as there are stupid 65 year olds. Age is irrelevant. Or at least it should be."

What sparked this was the fact we (OK, me) are not 30 any more as well as a post to an industry forum group by Laredo Group President Leslie Laredo which, following my suggestion the piece receive a wider audience, an edited version of her commentary ended up in Advertising Age as an opinion piece. You can (and should) read the article here.

by Steve Hall    May-14-07    
Topic: Opinion, Trends and Culture



Truth Campaign Stretches Truth Again

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OK, OK. We get it. Big tobacco company's suck but trying to apply old demographic assumptions tobacco companies may have made about African Americans in the past to today's African Americans is stretching it a bit but that's the premise of the latest Truth campaign Whadafxup spot. While we dig Truth spokesman Derrick Beckles' new look as he interviews MTV's Nick Cannon, these spots continue to grate.

We're not defending tobacco companies but we're sure if a little digging was done, every company would be guilty of some sort of stereotyping of its audience. After all, marketing isn't about individuality (yet) and the purpose of demographic targeting is to categorize, label and assign certain attributes whether or not those labels correctly reflect the actual brand's customer.

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by Steve Hall    May-11-07    
Topic: Campaigns, Commercials, Opinion, Trends and Culture, Worst