'Racism' of Salesgenie Ads Examined

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At the risk of igniting a shit storm, were those Salesgenie ads really that racist? Let's examine. The ad where the Indian guy is berated by his boss is an illustration of an employee being berated because his sales are down.

We have to imagine that happens quite a lot no matter where in the world people live. We also have to imagine there are quite a few instances in real life where the boss is white and the employee is Indian.

If the tables were turned and an Indian boss was shown berating a white employee for his lack of sales, would the ad still be racist? Or is it racist because the Indian employee has an Indian accent? Maybe it's racist because the boss is a bloated fat asshole.

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by Steve Hall    Feb- 6-08    
Topic: Opinion, Super Bowl 2008, Trends and Culture



Forget POTUS for a Sec. What's Your Favourite CAR?

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Here's a piece that uses Super Tuesday to promote Motor Trend magazine's 2008 Car of the Year campaign.

The heading reads, "America Cast Its Vote. Now It's Time for the Dutch." It alludes to yesterday's bids for the presidential incumbents, but actually refers to how North Americans made the Cadillac CTS its Car of the Year.

Witty and wily, in a vapid sort of way.

The ad, produced by Leo Burnett's Frankfurt-based Ignition Groupoe, debuts in Europe today. Check out the CTS at www.voteamerican.eu.

by Angela Natividad    Feb- 6-08    
Topic: Brands, Magazine, Political



MySpace Skins Feebly Bring Super Bowl Ads to 'Net

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Recent findings from Reprise Media critique this year's Super Bowl advertisers for failing to buy online search terms related to their ads. They also neglected to leverage online social networks, where most worked so hard to build a presence.

Oddly enough, some advertisers did incorporate social networking into their Super Bowl ad campaigns. That is, if slapping a skin onto MySpace the week after the game counts.

Check out the try-hard efforts of Sunsilk at left (for this commercial) and Vitamin Water with Shaq.

Don't get us wrong; ravaging a social networking homepage is probably the 'net equivalent to billboard advertising. Users definitely get an eyeful. But it's not terribly interactive, the contact lasts two seconds, and there are more creative ways to exploit SB ad buzz online.

Update: the cats at Deep Focus just told us there's an interactive MySpace page for Shaq and Vitamin Water. So if you want some nifty matching widgets, or just want to watch Shaq horserace, take a look.

by Angela Natividad    Feb- 6-08    
Topic: Campaigns, Online, Super Bowl 2008



Taking Cue from Apple, Nissan Murano Ads Highlight Usability

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While the Murano strikes us as exceptionally dull at first sight, here's a low-key ad that does a nice job of highlighting its merits. (Very Apple.)

The spot broke during the Super Bowl. Understandably, nobody paid it much mind; it's a bit mellow for such a high-tension time of year. But in normal daytime TV context -- between a Pampers ad and maybe a soothing Advil spot -- it would probably work quite nicely.

Hey, guess who made it? The ever-addled folks at TBWA\CHIAT\DAY.

by Angela Natividad    Feb- 6-08    
Topic: Brands, Commercials, Good, Super Bowl 2008, Television



TBWA\CHIAT\DAY Guys (Maybe) Go AWOL; Launch AWOL Agency

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Our enigmatic West Coast resource, who's really good at drumming up touchy rumours about the goings-on at TBWA\CHIAT\DAY, just sent us this Oakley spot by AWOL.

The spot depicts Shaun White's offseason life a lot less sexily than HP did. It's almost funny -- if you're thirsty for schadenfreude.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, the source quickly points out, agency AWOL is composed of Doug Mukai, Scott Wilson and Chris Dutton.

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by Angela Natividad    Feb- 6-08    
Topic: Agencies, Online, Opinion, Video



How 'bout Them Apples...Uh...Peaches

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Pop quiz: When is it acceptable for a woman, say, Jolene Anderson from the Australian drama All Saints, to lay naked Sydney's First Fleet Park? Answer: When it really isn't Jolene Anderson but a 12 meter long replica of her made out of peaches to represent Ella Bache skincare. Get it? Skin so good you could eat it? We'll leave the entendre-laden edible jokes to you.

Here's the "making of" video.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 6-08    
Topic: Celebrity, Good, Outdoor



Because Some of Them Needed a Big Ol' Platter of Common Sense.

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Jaffe Juice pointed us over to this video of a super-talky Miller High Life employee dropping knowledge about this year's Super Bowl ads. Among his observations:

"Unibrow aside, would you wanna date a woman who smelled like nuts? Cashews in particular."

"If you're looking for work, it helps if you're a lizard."

We love how he can never seem to remember the brand name for all those beer ads he mentions.

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by Angela Natividad    Feb- 5-08    
Topic: Good, Opinion, Super Bowl 2008, Video



Outdoor Ads Contrast Pizza Hut Timeliness with 'Filipino Time'

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In the Philippines, or maybe just among Filipinos, nothing happens on time. It's one of those things that drive us crazy. When we attended the premier for The Debut (an awkward Filipino-American movie you should never EVER watch), it started 45 minutes late. The director, who was present, gave us a winning grin and said, "Filipino time. You know how it is."

Giggles issued all around, followed by the crunching noise of smuggled food. ARG.

To promote the merits of Pizza Hut's on-time delivery in the Philippines, the creative team at BBDO Guerrero Ortega sent us the outdoor printwork for its campaign, "Hate Late?"

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by Angela Natividad    Feb- 5-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Good, Outdoor



Super Bowl 2009 Already Here! Well, Maybe Just the Logo

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Can we at least recover from Super Bowl XLII before we have to start thinking about Super Bowl XVIII? Damn, we already have a logo for XLIII and we haven't even removed that damned AMP ad from our head. Thanks to the urgency of the NFL, we now have to go a create a Super Bowl 2009 category here on Adrants...12 months before the game! Damn.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 5-08    
Topic: Super Bowl 2009



Obama to the Black-Eyed Peas: No You Can't

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In response to this musical tribute to Obama's "Yes we can" speech, News Groper has posted "No you can't, Black Eyed Peas," an Obama response in parody.

Snippet: "Stop stealing my words and talking over me please. You're ruining my pacing and carefully-planned oratory inflection. I'm glad you are inspired and want to help my campaign, but can't you play your own insipid songs with simple refrains that you beat to death? 'Let's Get Retarded' comes to mind."

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by Angela Natividad    Feb- 5-08    
Topic: Online, Political, Spoofs