Couples Teaches Cambodian Kids to Say Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

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So a couple in UK, Mathieu Cuvelier and Lucy Crook, decided they needed to travel the world (where do people get the money and time to just up and leave like this?) and one of their stops was a rural Cambodian school where they spent three weeks volunteering as English teachers. So what was their big achievement in that three week period? Apparently, monumental. They taught the kids how to say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Great. Hopefully, they taught them some more useful English words too.

Of course, this being a "seeded" video, it's all for a cause. Cuvelier and Crook are calling attention to the non-profit About Asia Schools, an organization that aims to "provide fair and regular employment to local guides and to benefit the most needy children of Cambodia."

Cuvelier and Cook have a blog ('natch) on which you can read about their experinces in Cambodia and elswhere.

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by Steve Hall    May-31-12    
Topic: Cause



Your Signature is More Powerful Than You Think

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Here is a beautifully simple and compellingly powerful concept from TBWA for Amnesty International. To convince people their signature is a powerful tool against human rights violations, the guard in this ad gets a bit more than he expects as he's torturing his prisoner.

The ad, directed by Cyrille de Vignemont and produced by Wanda, carries the tagline, Your Signature is More Powerful Than You Think. Indeed. Well done.

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by Steve Hall    May-29-12    
Topic: Cause



With Ad Spoof, Group Protests T-Mobile's Call Center Closings

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This ad could have been so much sexier. Really, it's just silly but it does make a point; at least at those who believe shipping jobs overseas (because it's more cost effective) isn't an acceptable method of doing business. In a global economy, one could debate that stance but, at the same time, no one want so lose their job.

This work, from The Communications Workers of America, mirrors the recent T-Mobile "bad girl" ad and protests T-Mobile's decision to close seven U.S. call centers and layoff 3,300 workers.

In the ad, we see a Carly Foulkes look-a-like (ok, hardly but it's not easy finding someone as hot as Carly) getting fired and, as in the original ad, rummaging through her closet to find some "bad girl" attire.

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by Steve Hall    May-23-12    
Topic: Cause



Haley Reinhart Headlines Girls Who Rock During Internet Week

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This Internet Week coverage is brought to you by ShareThis. The best content is hand picked.

Girls Who Rock, a concert organized by the all volunteer non-profit She's the First, was held last Friday at the Gramercy Theater during Internet Week. Hosted by Michael Thurber, the concert included performances by Haley Reinhart, Jessica Latshaw, Shin-B, The Jane Doze and the girls from Park Slope Rock School.

The concert, sponsored by online social change community Umojawa, was held to raise money for the rural India school Shanti Bhaven. During the concert, several girls from the school were Skyped in for attendees to see. Of course the internet being what it is, the connection wasn't too good and neither party could hear the other. Although each party could see each other and is was a moving experience as a representative from the school shared the plight of girls in rural India with the audience.

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by Steve Hall    May-21-12    
Topic: Cause, Industry Events



You'll Never Guess Who's Having an Orgasm in This Ladies Room

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Certainly there are any number of options of which parents can take advantage when it comes to advice on raising children. And, certainly, there are any number of ways to call attention to those choices. However, never before have we seen a strategy such as this one from Duval Guillaume for Flemish advice site Opoedingslijn.be. Watch and be surprised.

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by Steve Hall    May-21-12    
Topic: Cause, Racy, Strange, Video



Faster Speed Still Causing A Bigger Mess

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Borrowing the tagline from a 2005 Irish Road Safety Authority PSA, one of the best and most gut-wrenching we have ever seen, is a new PSA from the New Zealand Transportation Authority. The PSA focuses on the damage the bosy can sustain even when all the proper safety restraints are in place. All true but the PSA lacks the emotional impact of the Irish version which focused on the tragic human loss unsafe driving can cost.

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by Steve Hall    May-10-12    
Topic: Cause



No Really. We Want You to Text And Drive

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Here's that Belgian commercial from an organization called Responsible Young Drivers that urges young people to not text and drive by forcing them to text and drive. Seemingly under the guise of an new official policy, drivers are given a road test to see if they are able to text and drive. Of course, they are not and deliver the "don't text and drive" message all on their own.

Here's my question though. The work works on its own. But watch carefully at 1:36. Prior to 1:36, the instructor is wearing his seatbelt. After 1:36, he is wearing his seatbelt. But at 2:14 he is not and goes flying into the dashboard. Why the need for the added (fake) drama?

That said, we think the ad is more effective that all those scare tactic, crash-centric ads that don't resonate because it's too easy to realize they are over the top drmatizations that would "never happen to me."

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by Steve Hall    May- 7-12    
Topic: Cause, Commercials



Driving Drunk is Like Shooting Your Friends With A Shotgun

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A new PSA from Coexistence Without Violence graphically depicts what it's like to drive your friends home when you are drunk. The result isn't pretty but the PSA makes a point. It doesn't matter how your friends die but it's most certainly a possibility if you decide to get behind the wheel while drunk.

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by Steve Hall    May- 2-12    
Topic: Cause



Why Jumping to Conclusions Can Be Hurtful

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This one will mess with your preconceived notions of things. And your prejudices. And your stereotypes. And your general assumption you have a good handle on most things.

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by Steve Hall    May- 1-12    
Topic: Cause



If Only Neutering Your Kid Was This Easy

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TM Advertising is out with a couple of new PSAs for Best Friends Animal Society. The spots liken the need for pets to mate with your typical horny teenager. Too bad you can't really "fix" your kids the way you can fix your pets. Oh wait, you can. Medically speaking. Not sure of the legal ramifications of that though. Or the social ramifications. Or the just plan "WTF did you do to me, mommy?" ramifications. Anyway, we're just talking about pets here and we think we have enough word count now to properly wrap around the image so we're going to stop writing now, OK?

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by Steve Hall    Apr-27-12    
Topic: Cause