One More Bedtime Pharma that Promises to Last All Night Long

Last week pyjama-clad women on mobile beds circulated Los Angeles, using spammy typefaces and a warped colour scheme to ask the $65,000 question:

WHAT DO 75 MILLION WOMEN WANT MOST IN BED?

If you guessed fiber-rich cereal, you are so, so wrong!

more »

Bennetts Insurance Upholds Legacy of Its Founder

There are many ways to sell insurance: the full coverage facial. Or cross dressing cheerleaders. Or the accidental wedding proposal. Or five-year-olds. Or Sanjaya.

And then there's bouncing thong-clad women getting spanked, courtesy of Bennetts Insurance.

Which brings us to Bennetts' latest effort, featuring motorcycle-style mechanical bull riding ... in slow motion ... in the rain ... while the riders wear bikinis.

But before rising to argue that wet, slow, mechanical bikini bull-riding has nothing to do with insurance, consider the roots of the company. "The origin of the oath 'Gordon Bennett' lies in the behavior of a 19th century playboy of that name," FishNChimps informs, helpfully adding, "It therefore came as a pleasant surprise to read on the CV of a certain insurance website that in 1930 this company was 'Founded by Gordon Bennett in Coventry and provided general insurance for customers.'"

So it's probably safe to assume Gordon Bennett himself -- self-styled playboy -- is smiling down upon the warped efforts of his ad men, proud that his pervy love of poon has trickled down to the modern day ... with admirable fidelity.

Geico 'Right Sizes' Ad Campaign With Minimalistic Kash

Perhaps in an efforts to identify with trying economic times or, perhaps, to give us a break from the Gecko and the Caveman, The Martin Agency is out with two commercials featuring the goofy character, Kash, who, well...who does nothing but sits there as the cast around him wonders just what the little guy is all about.

And the song. Don't get me started. David Gianatasio has that one covered.

Beck's Launches Blog. Does Everything Wrong

Beck's has launched a blog, Different by Choice. Yawn, right? But the way they've announced it and the way it's formatted is so annoying, it can't be left alone.

In an email beginning with "Hello Important Marketing Blog People," Beck's blogger Darius asks, "has anyone told you recently how hot you are?" and then goes on to explain how he "destroyed" 850 other potential bloggers vying for the job "'cos that is the way I roll." Ugh. Cue the Agency.com Subway video.

more »

Ben & Jerry Cows Seduce Rudolph with Chunky Monkey

Ben & Jerry's Caring Dairy releases a sing-along Christmas Cowal. Like Love Actually's "Christmas is All Around," it's campy in a way that forces you to watch.

Diggin' the banjo action in the background.

By Cake/London. Download track here. Proceeds from the effort go to the RSPCA.

more »

Jim Lehrer Auditions for 'Make 'Em Laugh'

"Three guys walk into a bar. The fourth one ducked."

Endure this and two more deadpan knee-slappers by anchorman Jim Lehrer in this ad for Make 'Em Laugh, a new PBS show targeted to younger audiences. (An age range wasn't provided, but I'm guessing it aims for the Daily Show demo.)

The premier airs on January 14. I don't feel much incentive to see it. I get that Lehrer's un-funniness was the butt of the joke, but the delivery wasn't funny at all.

By MGH.

more »

Microsoft Does Softwear. No, That's Not a Typo.

Having failed (twice!) to woo young defectors with ads, Microsoft tries appealing to their unending quest for ironic shirts.

The so-called Softwear line of tees joins Crispin Porter + Bogusky's ongoing "I'm a PC" campaign. Common -- who already appears in ads for Microsoft's Zune -- infused the shirts with retro cred and his own '80s-inspired designs.

Variants include:

o The DOS Tangle: "The first logo you saw on a screen."
o The 101: "Learn to speak the language." Oooh, binary.
o The Misdemeanor: "Everyone deserves a second chance."

There's something the world needs now: mugshots of Bill Gates prowling the streets.

more »

Bratz Towed Out by the Lips, $99 iPhones, Devil's Advocate, Lego Fashion

- Bratz could be yanked off shop shelves. A federal court ruled designer Carter Bryant guilty of developing the brand while working at Mattel. Well, there's one less plastic scapegoat in the world.

- Spitzer's back, bitches! -- as online columnist?!

- Rumor has it Wal-Mart'll be pushing $99 4-gig iPhones after Christmas. Huh.

- Todd Tilford -- who founded Pyro in Dallas -- joins Grey/NY as ECD.

- I feel epilepsy coming! This hallucinatory beverage experience brought to you by Omega 3 Smartfish and TBWA/Norway.

- "Cheese" + "Cupid" -- a hit on Google, if not for Wisconsin Cheese.

- Satan plays devil's advocate.

- Fashion a la Lego.

Ford, Motrin, Starbucks Separated at Birth?

Adrants reader Christina Mejia found three commercial which looks strikingly similar. The first is the famed Motrin ad. The other two come from Ford and Starbucks.

It certainly does look like there were similar creative thoughts floating around during the creation of these commercials. Watch and let us know what you think.

Ford
Motrin
Starbucks

De Beers Exploits the Mistletoe Moment

Betty Everett once advised a shoop-happy generation that a man's true feelings lie in his kiss. That may be so. But if social media's taught us anything, it's that you are in no position to decide by yourself.

Thankfully there's De Beers, which gave us the chance to idly pass judgment on the kisses of many, many strangers. Does hubby love you? We'll decide.

For the last two weeks De Beers has been at a New York City Park, baiting apple-cheeked couples with a giant wreath of mistletoe. In exchange for a $5 donation to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, holiday romantics can leap beneath the wreath while 60 (count 'em, 60!) cameras immortalize the smooch from all 360 degrees.

more »