VW Canada Promotes New Jetta With 'Stolen' Paintings

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We love this new VW Canada work from Red Urban and Untitled Films. Beginning in October, pop-up "Performance Art" galleries began to appear in major cities across Canada. The outdoor exhibits featured limited edition, hand-numbered, framed, long-exposure light painting photographs created by the new Jetta GLI. While the frames have been hung for all to admire, they weren't secured allowing some passeresby to claim the artwork for themselves. The "thieves" are being asked to share their steals on Volkswagen Canada's Facebook page which has already received numerous photos from fans decorating homes and offices with their stolen goods.

Whether or not you feel this campaign promoted thievery is your prerogative. We, however, think it's a wonderful way for a brand to give and get all at the same time. give a little art to the general public and get some free publicity in return. Win win.

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by Steve Hall    Oct-13-11    
Topic: Guerilla



Motor Oil Fragrance, Bathroom Skidmarks Get Pro Golfers in New BMW

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We like this one. A new campaign for BMW aims to encourage PGA Tour golfers behind the wheel of a race-ready M model used "aroma advertising" and in-hotel floor graphics. The campaign comes from Baldwin&, Raleigh, for BMW Golf, the sports marketing arm of BMW of North America, Inc.

One hundred bottles of "15w-50" motor oil-scented men's cologne were given to PGA players finishing the Deutsche Bank Championship in Norton, Massachusetts over Labor Day weekend. The fragrance was selected to suggest the auto racing experience. Hang tags read: "Do you know what driving 195mph feels like? Well, this is how it smells. Get to the BMW Championship a little bit early to take one of our M cars out for a spin at the Autobahn Country Club."

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by Steve Hall    Sep-15-11    
Topic: Campaigns, Celebrity, Guerilla, Point of Purchase, Promotions



Mens' Crotch, Biceps Most Attractive to Women

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Remember the woman with the iPad head? It was all about helping guys get inside the minds of women. And it was a promotion for the launch of Cosmo For Guys. Well, the team behind the iPad head, Thinkmodo is at it again. To determine just what interests a girl about a guy, Thinkmodo mounted four cameras on a guy and set him lose in New York City

The cameras were mounted on his glasses, his bicep, his crotch and his butt. The video below shows us what happens and what truly interests women. They're eyes wander just like guys' eyes wander.

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by Steve Hall    Sep-14-11    
Topic: Guerilla, Video



Food Bloggers Bitch About Getting Free Food

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Oh it's been a while since the "blogosphere" - to coin a humorous and long-dead term - got their panties in a twist over some stunt a brand pulled. But these "kerfuffles" - to coin yet another humorous term - are always great fodder for a good 'ol internet bitch-fest.

So what's all the hubbub about? In August, ConAgra Foods, parent to the Marie Callender's brand of frozen foods, invited food bloggers to a New York restaurant they were told was owned by TLC Ultimate Cake Off Host George Duran and where they would receive a special, four course meal.

But instead of a meal cooked by George Duran, the bloggers were served frozen lasagna from Marie Callender's. Hidden cameras were in place to record diner's reactions. As it turned out, about 62 percent of the food bloggers actually liked the dish. But they were miffed and claimed they had been misled.

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by Steve Hall    Sep- 8-11    
Topic: Guerilla, Opinion, Promotions, Social, Weblogs



That Fanny Pack Will Not Get You Laid

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Now here's an interesting way to sell condoms. Attached to lime green fanny packs which were distributed on bikes left in parks in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boulder, Austin and San Diego are 2" square hang tag/booklets which read, in part, "This is a complimentary fanny pack. When worn as a fashion accessory by a man, it makes for excellent birth control. No man has ever been seduced while wearing a fanny pack in the history of the fanny pack. In the event you prefer your birth control to involve actual intercourse, may we suggest Sir Richard's Condoms."

The campaign comes from TDA_Boulder.

by Steve Hall    Aug-30-11    
Topic: Guerilla



Balls Horrified, Drunk Monkeys Sober, Beer Sculpted

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- Be careful when you pick up your next bowling ball. It might stare back at you with the menacing eyes of a decapitated head.

- If you find your friend drunk at a party, be sure to split her in half. Or something like that.

- Newcastle Brown Ale has found a use for bottle caps. It's constructed a 256 square foot shadow sculpture out of 3,000 bottle caps.

- And speaking of Newcastle, here's that installation in San Diego everyone's talking about.

by Steve Hall    Aug-11-11    
Topic: Agencies, Guerilla, Poster, Strange



Foursquare Used to Steal Agency Talent

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Admitting it isn't at the top of the list when it comes to digital agencies, EURO RSCG Brussels set out to change that by becoming the most visible virtual agency. How? It set out to check in on Foursquare at 42 of its rivals until it became mayor. When it did, it posted the mayorship on Facebook along with a message encouraging area creatives to join the agency to help make it better. Sadly, no word on whether or not the effort actually paid off.

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by Steve Hall    Aug- 8-11    
Topic: Agencies, Guerilla, Online, Social



McDonald's Hopes Coins Frozen in Ice Get Spent at McDonald's

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To hype its Dollar Days $1 drinks, McDonald's Canada placed 4,000 Canadian dollar coins arranged like the golden arch inside a giant block of ice and asked passersby to chip away at the structure to retrieve the coins. It took just five hours for all the coins to be retrieved. Some would jump to the conclusion this was a tremendously successful stunt. We'd call it a success if McDonald's knew just how many of those 4,000 coins made their way into the chain's coffers.

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by Steve Hall    Aug- 8-11    
Topic: Guerilla



Human Powered Vending Machine Dispenses Drinks

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To induce trial, brands have, forever, been giving away their products hoping they are actually good enough for people to come back and buy. Over at Activate, it seems, that free ride is over. In its place is a ride that requires a person to do some actual work before being given a product to try.

In LA, Activate drinks has set up what it calls a human-powered vending machine. Angelenos can hop on, peddle for 30 seconds (way too short if you ask us but we're sure Activate doesn't want to cause any fat, lazy Americans a heart attack) and get a free drink.

Not a bad approach if you ask us. Americans have been fat and lazy for far too long and could use a reminder that it takes actual work to get things in life.

by Steve Hall    Aug- 8-11    
Topic: Guerilla



Woman With iPad Head Helps Guys Get Inside the Mind of Women

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Attempting to offer what every man is this world wants - to truly understand what goes on inside a woman's head - Thinkmodo and Clockwork Apple came up with an interesting concept to allow guys to achieve (albeit virtually) just that. They made a box with four iPads affixed to it, placed it atop a woman's head and had her walk through New York City's Bryant Park.

Predictably, people can't figure out what the hell is going on. Finally, one guy approaches the girl as she;s sitting and reading and begins to swipe the screen which reveals Cosmopolitan's Cosmo For Guys, an online magazine designed to...help guys get inside the mind of women.

Ingenious stunt if you ask us.

by Steve Hall    Aug- 2-11    
Topic: Guerilla