The Beauty of Female Genital Mutilation

This very beautiful spot about very beautiful women calls attention to the horrific practice of female genital mutilation. While our culture can't conceive of such a practice, there are cultures out there where this is the norm. A decidedly unbeautiful thing to do/

gig Agency Finds Network For Animals Spokesman

Earlier this month we shared with you the work virtual agency was doing for Network for Animals. It was a series of videos on YouTube that took us through the process of selecting a spokesperson to appear in a commercial for the cause group. Well, gig has found their man. And we can say man because, well, it is a man. His name is Owen Miller and if Morgan Freeman had a brother (does he?), this guy would be him.

So here's the finished product. And here's all the lead up videos to the finished product.

Early Bloomers Help Your Two Dads From Being Homeopathic

Poking fun at the amount of misinformation that flits between kids who think they know everything, Sharpe Blackmore Euro RSCG have put together a video and a website which illustrate what advice might look like if it didn't have the aid of parental involvement. From gems like "you can't get a girl pregnant if you have sex in a condominium" to "cigarettes aren't cool unless they're methanol," this work, entitled Early Bloomers, is for Big Brother and Big Sisters.

Don't be Oblivious to the Dangers of Human Trafficking

Here's another human trafficking campaign which shocks. In one commercial, we see a girl grabbed and dragged out of a classroom while the students ignore the situation and the teacher prattles on. In another, we see a boy pulled from the dinner table, kicked, punched and taken out all while his parents are oblivious to what's happening.

The message is clear. Don't be oblivious to the dangers of human trafficking. Get off your ass and do something about it. The work, for UK-based Stop the Traffik, comes from Leagues Delany. The ads will debut in cinemas February 12

Nosy Nipples Call Attention to Cancer

So...heads as boobs? Sure, why not? This advertising industry will do anything to slip a pair of hooters into a ad campaign. And why not? They make men look. They make women look. They make everyone look. They make everyone talk. They attract. They distract.

Speaking of, what the hell was this campaign for? Ask Y&R Lima. They created the ad.

Cause Group Thanks Denny's For Telling World About Suffering Chickens

Yup. It was predictable. A cause group has, in a way, thanked Denny's for bringing the plight of chickens to the forefront of the public's mind. As you recall, Denny's poked fun at what chickens would have to go through to lay all the eggs needed for the company's Grand Slam breakast promotion.

Farm Sanctuary President and Co-Founder Gene Baur said, "In a surprise move, Denny's, home of the Grand Slam breakfast, inadvertently delivered a powerful animal protection message to millions of Super Bowl fans during Sunday's game between the Saints and the Colts. I say 'surprise' because it's not every day that a major restaurant chain makes a public acknowledgment (and during the Super Bowl no less) of the animal suffering that goes into the creation of their menu items, but that is precisely what Denny's did with their 'Chicken Warning' ads."

Baur added, "Denny's (however unintentionally) made the connection between animal suffering and the food on their menu, giving viewers a glimpse at the nasty truth behind eggs."

Will anyone think twice the next time they order scrambled eggs? We think not.

With Each Inhale, Another Wrinkle Will Cross Your Brow

While the concept could be a bit more dramatic, this commercial from DDB Toronto for Canada's Smoker's Helpline does an adequate job making the point cigarettes can take years off your life. With each puff of the cancer stick, another wrinkle may appear.

It's not as dramatic as, say, images of a man who's entire face is falling off (which we will spare you the sight of), but it does deliver the message.

Best Super Bowl Voiceovers, Nivea Donates, Brand Barfs

- Check out Whose Voice is That? It's all about celebrity voiceovers and they've just posted a Super Bowl commercial roundup that looks at ten classic Super Bowl spots making great use of the narrator and/or voiceover.

- "The Real Men and Women of Madison Avenue," an exhibit that celebrates the contributions made to American business and to popular culture by the real stars of Madison Avenue, is coming to San Francisco for its first public showing outside of New York City at the Academy of Art University's 79 Gallery on New Montgomery Street February 24, 2010 for a one-week showing.

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'gig' Wants to Give You A Gig...and Promote A Cause

So when a real agency isn't up to the task of doing a little pro bono work for a non-profit like Network for Animals, virtual agency "gig," which lives on YouTube, is happy to step in and take over. And gig has something to offer aspiring actors: the chance to appear in a "real" commercial for the client.

The idea here, of course, is to get people interested in the cause. The pseudo agency/YouTube contest is not a new one but there's something intriguingly watchable about this series.

Don't You Dare Make A Wheelchair Joke

This new commercial for Health & Disability Advocates is like a politically correct special needs joke. It's from Chicago-based ad agency Wirestone and it pokes fun at "challenged" people in the work place. And the final joke will really have the National Association For the Coffee Brewing Challenged up in arms.