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Target Picks the Perfect Presents.

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Reminding us yet again that it's the best thing to ever happen to December, Target launched a swingy, charmed-life kinda ad for its Holiday Gift Finder.

In it, a postmodern Santa in a snowed-in aluminum tower locates the perfect gifts for Wifey, Child, Token Ethnic Friend and Skeptical Mother-in-Law, right from his laptop. Each present is beautifully wrapped and received with an acceptable degree of gratitude.

"That's Christmas wrapped!" quips an endorphin-soaked voiceover.

Because why ask over-obvious leading questions like "What do you want?" when you can pop psychographic data into a form, then peruse a list of age-appropriate products? Wow. Gifting is now as easy as advertising on Facebook.

We'd totally use the service, too, if FirstBank hadn't already handled our gift issues.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Dec-18-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Promotions, Television



Alabama Gets a Workout from 'Biggest Loser' Roger Shultz

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Scale Back Alabama is a yearly campaign to encourage state inhabitants to shake off some love handles. Those that register for the program, which is free, are encouraged to lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks -- which isn't improbable to do in a healthy way, provided you have resources and encouragement.

This year, Alabamans are getting a little help from Roger Shultz, a finalist from The Biggest Loser. To promote the effort, Luckie Underground -- the basement-confined baby brother of Luckie & Co. -- launched "Gettin' in Shape," a playful PSA with its own YouTube channel.

Witness while a very large dude dressed like the Heart of Dixie pumps iron and selects fruit with conviction, all under the peppy direction of Shultz.

See that victory dance at the top of the library steps? That could be you, my friend.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Dec-17-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Cause, Commercials, Good, Online, Television



DZ Nuts Turned David Zabriskie's Tights into Freedomware.

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Cyclists have it hard down under. All those hours pushing pedals literally chafes balls, which is funny from a distance but sobering enough that the condition requires an anti-irritant, aptly called "chamois cream."

To contribute to the well-being of fellow bikers, pro cyclist David Zabriskie developed a cream called DZ Nuts -- pronounced "deez nuts," a colloquial expression defined as "The large, sweaty, hairy dangling spheres of man-hood containing future illegitimate seeds that swing violently in the wind when slapped."

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Walmart Delivers Christmas Glee

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If only every house was this nice and every kid this cute. Wait, what? this is advertising. Of course every house is perfect and every kid a cutie. Especially if it's...a Walmart commercial? Hmm...maybe it's because everything at Walmart is so cheap everyone can actually afford to have a nice house.

The cute kids? Not sure Walmart has much control the cuteness of its customer's offspring. That power comes from, yes, an ad agency...where all kids are cute and perfect and where every slice of life tastes perfect.

Created by The Martin Agency, the spot, Christmas Morning, is airing this week. And for even more of the perfect life, check out the Stock Up on Joy, a microsite the agency created for Walmart and Coke.

Life. Is. Perfect.

by Steve Hall    Dec-17-08    
Topic: Brands, Commercials, Good, Online, Video



Sony Style Invades City with Edible Electronic Surprises

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We're not really sure why, unless it's a pun on "Sweet," the spot's last word.

However you feel about sticky streams of chocolate dripping from the sky, the track in the ad is gratuitously cute and almost excuse enough to watch it a few times.

Directed by Tronic for Sony; music by Nylon.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Dec-17-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Strange, Television



Canon Rebel Snaps Destiny.

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"Photography is a journey. How will you remember the trip?"

Posing the question for its Rebel XSi, Canon aired a nostalgic spot where a mother records her son's frame-by-frame transition from boy to pro football player.

A perfect choice of music turned the memories of strangers into something more intimate. We were moved -- and plenty more engaged than with those Dolce spots.

more »

by Angela Natividad    Dec-17-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Commercials, Good, Television



EA, Nintendo Take Flack For Xbox 360 Footage in Tiger Woods Wii Ad

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When is a Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 Wii commercial not a Wii commercial? When it features the golfer swinging the Wii controller in front of a background from the Xbox 360 version of the game. At least that's what viewers in England thought after watching the ad.

While the ad did contain the disclaimer, "Available on all formats," people still felt misled and logged complaints with The Advertising Standards Authority which ruled the ad misleading and in breach of advertising standards. In a statement, the ASA wrote, "The ad must not be broadcast again in its current form."

EA admitted the ad did contain xBox 360 footage but said the disclaimer was intended to avoid confusion.

by Steve Hall    Dec-17-08    
Topic: Brands, Celebrity, Commercials, Policy



Eyevertising: Further Proof There is No Final Frontier in Advertising

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The next time you find yourself in bed with that person of your dreams and you lean in for the kiss, don't be surprised if, when your lover closes their eyes for the impending kiss, you see an ad gracing their eyelids.

Oh yes. Eyevertising is here. British beauty brand FeelUnique is offering to pay 10 pence per wink up to a total of 100 pounds. Exactly how all of this will be measured is unclear but that's irrelevant. Like all of its cousins, it's all about the PR and has little at all with the actual exchange of money.

A trip down blank-vertising memory lane brings headvertising, dogvertising, forehead advertising, assverting, bravertising, blogvertising, bloodvertising, adverblogging, invertising, advergaming, chipvertising, thongvertising, replacevertising, busvertising, police car advertising, adverwear, and urinal advertising.

by Steve Hall    Dec-17-08    
Topic: Human, Strange



If You Love Dogs And Fish, You'll Love the New VW SpaceFox

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What do you get when you cross a dog with a fish? A Brazilian Volkswagen commercial, of course. Courtesy of Almap BBDO, we are treated to the love between man and dog(fish). Apparently, if you can imagine such a creature, you are worthy of owning a VW SpaceFox

by Steve Hall    Dec-17-08    
Topic: Commercials, Strange



Levi's Beast Tops Taxis, Humans Righted, Swag Watched, Data Ported

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- The Levi's Beast is now hanging out atop New York Taxi cabs. OK, so the beast is imaginary but the jeans are unbuttoned.

- If you could step into a human rights violation. this is what it might look like. The video celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

- Ad Age is doing its Annual Swag Watch again. Up today, lot's of candy.

- Alisa Leonard-Hansen thinks data Portability will have a big impact on design practices in the next five years.

- Oddcast loves Adrants! And they've sent us a nice dog-themed holiday card.

by Steve Hall    Dec-17-08    
Topic: Cause, Commercials, Outdoor



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