Nasty Video Highlights Burger King

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While we are highly doubtful Burger King or Crispin Porter + Bogusky officially had anything to do with this, the prominent display of Burger King in this white boy rapper video, called F'ing Yo Mom's in the Ass, is certainly worth noting. Burger King gets considerable screen time in this video which is just weird enough to get passed around virally as it already has having shown up on CollegeHumor. The Whois site registration info is not hidden leading one to perhaps believe the site is legit, then again, we're talking about CP+B here who would never register a site blindly - a telltale sign of marketer involvement.

Given the subject matter of the video and the rest of the CD's content, it would be very surprising if Burger King actually had any involvement with its creation. Then again, stranger things have happened and marketing isn't what it used to be. Perhaps it really is just a couple of dudes having fun. Perhaps not.

by Steve Hall    May-10-05    
Topic: Brands, Viral



Paris Hilton Promotes FatBoy Slim Single

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Drowing? That's Hot

British musician FatBoy Slim (Norman Cook) has released a new single, a new video and has grabbed Paris Hilton to promote it. Well, sort of. She appears in some footage, shot by Cook in LA, which which won't be seen in the final cut but is being used in a viral video, developed an seeded by ASABAILEY, to promote the release of the video which debuts on MTV this week.

The viral clip shows Hilton and two others, watching a man eat a chicken leg only to later drown to death in a swimming pool. She stands there like good old fashioned eye candy while poor guy drowns. Then, with her couldn't care less flair, she dials 911.

more »

by Steve Hall    May- 7-05    
Topic: Viral



Fuddruckers Promotes Beef Relief Patch

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Why a company that makes its money selling, among other things, beef, would want to remotely associate itself with a concept that would, seemingly, reduce the desire to consume the company's primary product is a bit twisted. But, we're talking about a viral-like spoof here so all normal rules of logic don't apply. Fuddruckers, a hamburger restaurant chain, has launched a website promoting the Beef Relief Patch, a nicotine patch-like device that people who are addicted to beef can wear to reduce their cravings. The site, complete with official sounding medical language, testimonials and a link to fictitious biopharmaceutical firm Lancer-Bovina Laboratories, Inc. which "aligned itself" with Fuddruckers to market the Beef Relief Patch, also contains a funny commercial promoting the patch as well as Fuddruckers.

The work was done by Austin-based agency Fosforus, who, consciously or not, posted their creation not just to the URL www.beefrelief.com but to the revealing www.fosforus.com/beefrelief.

by Steve Hall    May- 6-05    
Topic: Viral



BovineUnited Campaign Revealed Tonight

A month ago, we reported on a site called BovineUnited.com, a cow-themed site rumored to be part of either a Maryland State Lottery campaign or a Chik-Fil-A campaign. Well, today is May 5, the day the site promises to reveal what it's all about. The site says to "tune into the networks" between 8:45 an 9:00 PM when is said to be revealed. If, in fact, this whole thing has led up to some gigantic television buy, it better be kick ass or those of us that follow this stuff will be let down.

UPDATE: It really is the Maryland State Lottery.

by Steve Hall    May- 5-05    
Topic: Viral



BMW Launches Racy Motorcycle Mini-Movie Ad

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BMW's Respect Film

Just as it did several years ago to promote a new car, BMW has created a film to promote its new K1200 R motorcycle. To say the film pushes the envelope for a marketer is a monstrous understatement. The film, complete with naked show girls, violence and S & M style sex, is sure to stir discussion. However, BMW is heading in the right direction here. It's something very different and something very right. Standard advertising is, increasingly, useless in it's effectiveness, and, if it isn't being ignored by people who have become agnostic about current advertising styles, it's being skipped over with VOD. BMW knows this and is creating something that is far more likely to be viewed.

The film is interesting in that artsy way. While it might be considered by some as envelope-pushing, for more and more people, namely the target audience for this bike, it's really just interesting content. Advertising is boring. This film is not. BMW, again, has found the channel thorough which to communicate its marketing message in an entertaining way.

The film can be viewed here.

by Steve Hall    May- 5-05    
Topic: Viral



Big Breasts And Suckling Babies Promote Food Bank

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Capitalizing on Mothers Day and aligning world hunger with babies suckling big breasts, a video, called ForMothersDay, with uniquely relevant lyrics and visuals, reminds us 10 million mothers will go hungry in America on Mother's Day and one out of four kids will go to bed hungry. The video leads to the America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network fund raising website which calls attention to National Hunger Awareness Day June 7.

UPDATE: As many have pointed out, this could very likely be a brand highjack.

by Steve Hall    May- 4-05    
Topic: Viral



Eyebeam Contagious Media Conference This Saturday

Eyebeam's Contagious Media Showdown conference is this Saturday. The conference will have keynotes by Crispin, Porter + Bogusky and the Yes Men and workshops by the people who created the Rejection Line, Black People Love Us, The Nike Sweatshop Email, Blogdex, and Fundrace. CP+B will also be looking at books if conference participants want to interview. The full day of workshops costs $20 and people can RSVP here.

by Steve Hall    May- 2-05    
Topic: Viral



Levi's Buys BlogAds, Kooky Video Promotes 501's

BlogAds Founder Henry Copeland has announced another big advertiser has bought into the concept of blog advertising. Levi's is advertising on a collection of larger blogs promoting a video of a dog tearing apart a sofa and relating it to 501 jeans. Basically the video pokes fun at the complications culture has erected around formerly simplistic entities such as a medium coffee now being referred to as a Grande.

by Steve Hall    Apr-25-05    
Topic: Viral



JibJab Launches New Piece

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Last night JibJab launched (via MarketingVOX) a new viral video celebrating the digestive intricacies of Matzah. Intel runs a short repurposed TV ad in the beginning of the spot.

by     Apr-22-05    
Topic: Viral



Hosting Company Visits Bob's Cube

Hosting company Hostway hooked up with Chicago's 15 Letters who designed this very immersive Flash site called Bob's Cube. The site, lets you snoop around the cubicle of a bored IT guy, read his private diary, read his books, page through his doodle book, listen to his phone messages, check out the rear view mirror he has mounted on the side of his computer to watch office activity and play all kinds of games. All this while being subtlely branded by Hostway.

by Steve Hall    Apr-21-05    
Topic: Viral