Beer Hunk Ad Results in Formation of Canexico, BJs For Every Man

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This was published here a little over a year ago and in the interest of reviewing the predictions made in the article, we're reprinting it. All the predictions haven't come true but we are certainly on our way.

What? Wait a minute. This just isn't right. Have we finally realized women aren't the only objects that can be used to sell beer? Is it possible a hot guy could attract as much attention as a hot girl? Just what is going on here? Are we observing a new trend of sorts? What, pray tell, are all the leering, slobbering, Budweiser drinkers going to do now that they may be subjected to the trite objectification of men instead of the beer babeliciousness they have come to expect from most brewers' advertising?

We are stunned. Stunned! Have we reached a culturally significant watershed moment here? This just boggles the mind. This turns things upside down. Are the Coors Twins out of a job? What about the Miller Lite Cat Fight babes? The St. Pauli Girl? The Rolling Rock Beer Ape Babes? The Milwaukee's Best Automotive Girl? The Foster's Beer Boob? The Bavaria Beer grocery store stripper? Beer.com's Virtual Bartenders? The Troegs Beer burping and farting babe? The Labatt's Blue lesbians?

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by Steve Hall    Jun-19-08    
Topic: Opinion, Racy, Trends and Culture



How Many Days Does it Take to Become a Sex Bomb?

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Apparently seven.

Seven Days to Sex Appeal claims swagger and sex appeal can be taught. Good to know there's hope out there for foaming-at-the-mouth underdogs.

According to Amazon, 93 percent of customers bought the book after seeing the product page. And dude, it only got 3 stars out of 5. So I'm guessing optimism, however loose in wallet, does not a sex god make.

The book was brought to our attention by Very Smart Brothas, my new favourite blog candy. Seriously. Read their pick-up artist post. One of the writers claims to have picked a girl up by writing her a haiku. At the library. AND RUNNING AWAY!

by Angela Natividad    Jun-15-08    
Topic: Publishing, Trends and Culture



MySpace to Redesign. See Mock-Ups Here

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MySpace is redesigning its site, partly to make it more ad-friendly.

It also plans to improve nav, music and internal search, MySpaceTV (expect better embed/sharing options) and profile editing (kinda nifty).

Phase I of the redesign goes live June 18th. One advertiser bought all MySpace's ad real estate for that day. No word on who it is, but expect a major brand or an overhyped movie. (Film promotions for The Incredible Hulk are currently wreaking havoc on the homepage.)

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Office Freakout Outed, Soup Gets Cocky, Sarkozy Smoked, Renetta Denies Obama-legiance

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- David Griner of AdFreak reveals the promotional origins of that one office freakout video. You should thank him; it involved interpreting Russian. (Well, no, not really.) Also, Angelina Jolie is a factor. Collective ooOooOooh.

- Traffic scores the $185 million Mitsubishi account. Meanwhile, the Michelin Man gets cozy with TBWA\Chiat\Day. Awwww.

- Beef and vegetable not doing the job? Treat yourself to cock flavoured soup mix. Just like mama used to make.

- France's Le Figaro was given promotional access to As if Nothing Happened, the latest album by Carla Bruni, the only First Lady we've ever seen naked. Her musical interpretation of Nicolas Sarkozy: "You are my junk. More deadly than Afghan heroin. More dangerous than Colombian white ... My guy, I roll him up and smoke him." SRSLY?

- Renetta McCann is "not joining the Obama campaign -- in any manner." Well, Renetta, Peter denied Jesus not once, not twice, but thrice. That didn't make them any less chummy.



Newsflash! Flash Mobs Return!

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What? Wait? Flash mobs? That's so...four years ago. Oh but wait. We're talking about advertising here. Not exactly the industry that latches onto trendlets in a timely manner. But since the press release also dubs the stunt "performance art," I guess it's OK.

To promote Taco Bell's Fruitista Freeze, Philadelphia's LevLane hired actors costumed in iced-over beachwear with their skin tinted blue who would freeze in position for hours while a support team outside Citizens Bank Park last week during an MLB Phillies home game handed out coupons for the frozen tropical beverage. Also, a flash mob in street clothes would do the same for a few minutes.

Because the stunt was, apparently, so successful and because, it seems, LevLane is so nice, the next day they did another stunt for free. Last Thursday during lunch, all agency employees wore orange t-shirts and walked to Philadelphia's City Hall. On cue, the majority froze in place while a few others handed out more Frutista Freeze coupons. Ten minutes later the mob thawed, walked to nearby Love Park and refroze.

So there you have it. The flash mob lives on. Or is it performance art? Hmm.

by Steve Hall    Jun-11-08    
Topic: Events, Guerilla, Trends and Culture



Lady Lashes Out Against Ubiquitous Yogurt Advertising

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We take it for granted that most ads are full of shit most of the time, but every once in awhile you need to take a whole industry to task. This video does that for the woman-targeting yogurt peddlers.

"Yogurt eaters come from every race, but just one socio-economic class: the class that wears gray hoodies. It's that 'I have a Masters, but then I got married' look!"

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Obama Girl Could Take the White House

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When Ben Relles created Barely Political and hired Amber Lee Ettinger to play the role of Obama Girl, it was little more than a fun little one-off that no one thought would rise to the level of popularity it did. Month after month, Obama Girl videos appeared and month after month, Obama, himself, kept winning primaries moving closer and closer to a potential seat in the White House as out next President.

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by Steve Hall    Jun-10-08    
Topic: Opinion, Political, Social, Trends and Culture



Sharon Stoned, Donuts Dunked, Whites Whacked, Coors Coursed

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-Dior has dumped Sharon Stone as spokesperson for comments she made about China while at Cannes: "I'm not happy about the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans because I don't think anyone should be unkind to anyone else. And then the earthquake and all this stuff happened, and then I thought, is that karma? When you're not nice that the bad things happen to you?"

- Psst. "Dunkin' Donuts is one of our sponsors."

- New York's tourist campaign has been dubbed too white and misrepresents the ethnic make up of the city.

- That Coors Light Perfect Pour dude is back with even more goofy pour stunts that are...OMG...like, so totally unbelievable.

by Steve Hall    May-30-08    
Topic: Brands, Campaigns, Celebrity, Trends and Culture



Law Firm Intimates Women Are Better Lawyers Than Men

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Ever notice how women, when in conflict with another, or with a man for that matter, discuss the issue at great length until every last feeling is expressed? Ever notice how men, when in conflict with another (but not a woman), just punch each other, offer up a fist bump or brush it off with a "no worries, dude?" Though some might debate the point, that's not sexist. It's just a natural difference in the way men and women deal with confrontation and disagreement.

So perhaps an ad from 100 percent women-owned Buffalo law firm Schroder, Joseph Associates, LLC with the headline, "Ever Argue With A Woman," is compelling since arguing legal issues requires ad nauseum debate to the point of excruciating insanity. In the courtroom, that's a good thing. Not so much when you're at home and just want to sit down with a beer and watch the game.

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by Steve Hall    May-30-08    
Topic: Creative Commentary, Opinion, Trends and Culture



Wooden Puppet Sponsors Bottled Water. Dance, Puppet, Dance!

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Ever see that puppet show Thunderbirds? Revel quietly while Brains, its token geek, rocks out to Rhythm is a Dancer for Drench bottled water. Tagline: "Brains perform best when they're hydrated."

(Technically speaking though, wouldn't a "Drenching" be bad for our little wooden friend?)

The spot sparked a passionate discussion on BBC's Ad Breakdown about whether Brains sold his soul to the "commercial puppet master" or is just having a "joyous moment." Also, a bunch of people don't get what a dancing Brains has to do with bottled water.

That's understandable; then again, I'm still trying to figure out how Cadbury's gorilla ad sold chocolate. The Consumer is a fickle animal.

by Angela Natividad    May-30-08    
Topic: Commercials, Strange, Trends and Culture