Duke University libraries has compiled a fantastic digital archive of Mid-Nineteenth and Early-Twentieth Century advertising, ephemera, and photography. The site isn't much to look at, but it's easy to navigate and the content is wonderful.
I won't ruin the sandwich surprise, or submit vegetarians to the fleshy horror. You'll need to click the link to see the full ad for the Windows 7 Whopper (available in Japan).
I really like this Halloween ad created last year by The Miller Group, Los Angeles. It's a fun use of illustration, and does a great job of playfully reinforcing the Goodwill "G" logo.
I'm not sure this campaign would have made it through focus group testing in the U.S., as I could easily envision backlash from a small army of outraged Soccer Moms. Nevertheless, DDB Singapore has created a series of ads featuring objects of potential harm, only Play-Doh-ized. Each ad has the accompanying tag line, Safe no matter what you make.
Yep...got this in the mail the other day, at my house, delivered by the mailman into the mailbox. Just a dandy example of wiping-inspired direct marketing.
It's not everyday that you a see a watercolor-inspired gasoline ad, but that's the concept behind JWT London's, Shell Performance: V Power 30-second spot. The results are unexpectedly interesting.
I hate to admit it, but nothing gets me hotter than a poorly designed blow job ad peddling fast food sandwiches.
Phallic object...check. Reference to penis size...check. Dripping sauce...check. Woman in utter amazement...check. Ruby red lips...check.
That kid in my fifth grade science class must have been an advertising prodigy, because I'm pretty sure he drew this concept in his notebook over twenty years ago. I guess a good idea never goes out of style.
The Montana Meth Project will have publications bending-over-backwards to fill their pages with these wholesome, family-friendly print ads. I bet the folks at Ladies Home Journal, Better Homes and Garden, Woman's Day and Good Housekeeping can barely contain their excitement.
I really enjoy the quiet sophistication of these recent commercials for Valspar paint. They combine a strong concept, interesting visuals and refined music — all of which help to create a set of memorable 30-second spots. Well done.
In case you were curious, the agency of record for Valspar is Euro RSCG Chicago.
Trying to create Public Service Announcements for an issue such as obesity prevention is without a doubt a slippery slope. You need to attract the viewer’s attention without being judgmental or preachy — while still getting your point across in an interesting manner. I think that McCann-Erickson (New York) did an admirable job with the visuals, concept and content in this campaign for Ad Council. The ads are clever, attention-getting and have just the right mix of seriousness and humor...which is certainly not an easy task.
The state of Wisconsin has revealed their new marketing and tourism slogan and logo.
“After conducting market research, tourism officials last year decided the strategy should emphasize Wisconsin’s creativity, hospitality and unique destinations under the platform, “In Wisconsin, originality rules.”
“The silhouetted figure cartwheeling across the top of Wisconsin really speaks to the invitation to live and work and play here,” she said. “And ‘Live like you mean it’ speaks to the fact that if you can imagine it, you can do it in Wisconsin. It was chosen for its energy.”
What do you think, does the mark successfully meet their objective or not?
I really enjoy the Reese's ad campaign and wanted to find out which agency was responsible for it.
I haven't been able to confirm that they were responsible for the concept, but Arnold Wordwide is credited with creating the above spots. The minimalist approach can sometimes backfire when applied to commercials, but these do just enough to remain interesting. The visual style is nice as well, as the candy illustrations and background color choices appear retro, while the typography and cropping seem contemporary.
Netherlands agency N=5 created this ad campaign for Fitness First, the world’s largest health club operator, to help increase memberships. A digital scale has been added to the seat at this Rotterdam bus stop, which then shows the weight of unsuspecting travelers in the advertising display case.
I’m not sure if the campaign will have the intended effect of increased memberships, as I’m sure the company runs the risk of offending as many people as it impresses. Nevertheless, the idea is original, inspired and a memorable piece of advertising.
This commercial gets inside your head and lives there...much like the Filet-o-Fish, which gets inside your intestines...and lives there. Now, who’s ready for lunch?
* Bonus McDonald’s menu calorie-counter Goodness:
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese: 740 Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich: 630 Large French Fries: 500 Deluxe Breakfast (w/o Syrup & Margarine): 1150 Strawberry Triple Thick Shake (32 fl oz.): 1110
It’s Skittles day on the blog, so in honor of the tasty treat, I have selected two print ads, two commercials, and as an after-work bonus, the recipe for a Skittles-infused adult beverage.
(Agency: TBWAChiatDay, New York, USA Art Directors: Hans Seeger, Craig Allen Creative Directors: Scott Vitrone, Ian Reichenthal, Gerry Graf Copywriter: Ashley Davis)
I wanted to point out one additional commercial that aired during the 2009 Super Bowl — Denny’s Nanner Puss.
Rarely do I wish that commercials were longer, but so is the case with Nanner Puss. It has just the right mix of unexpected oddity and cult-potential that 15-seconds is just not enough.
As a whole, I thought the super-expensive Super Bowl ads lacked the memorability and humor of the past several years — I honestly can’t remember laughing once.
Choosing from the small group of standout commercials, my pick for best ad of the 2009 Super Bowl — the wonderfully animated spot for Coca-Cola, titled Heist.
Note to Budweiser: drinkability + drinkability + drinkability + Clydesdale + drinkability + Clydesdale + Clydesdale + Clydesdale + drinkability = me not buying your products out of repetitive annoyance.
While you are most certainly familiar with the characters and stories created by Dr. Seuss, this post goes beyond the well-known work.
I did a bit of digging and discovered interesting links devoted to his personal fine art work, corporate advertisements, political cartoons and a brief article written for mental_floss titled 10 Stories Behind Dr. Seuss Stories...Enjoy.
Here are several new ads created by Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai, for World Wildlife Fund.
I really enjoy the complexity of the compositions, the quality of the illustrations and the simplicity of the message. In addition to being great ads, I think this campaign is a fantastic example of what can be accomplished with single-color printing.
I really like the style of the new Quicksilver commercial from the “Microsoft People Ready” campaign, created by JWT. I admit that I’m not a huge fan of Microsoft or their products, but I wanted to view the commercial again, so I logged on to Microsoft.com to find the ad. Ironically enough, I could not get the video to work, even after downloading their proprietary media player and using the Internet Explorer browser — so with such flawless technology, I’m sure this campaign will work like aces.
I thought I would point out the new print campaign by ThinkB4YouSpeak. I like the all-typographic approach, but for the love of Zeus, how about a little typographic sensitivity when attempting to use justified text blocks. *shudders* Oh well, here’s the rundown from the site:
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) teens experience homophobic remarks and harassment throughout the school day, creating an atmosphere where they feel disrespected, unwanted and unsafe. Homophobic remarks such as “that’s so gay” are the most commonly heard; these slurs are often unintentional and a common part of teens’ vernacular. Most do not recognize the consequences, but the casual use of this language often carries over into more overt harassment.
This campaign aims to raise awareness about the prevalence and consequences of anti-LGBT bias and behavior in America’s schools. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce and prevent the use of homophobic language in an effort to create a more positive environment for LGBT teens. The campaign also aims to reach adults, including school personnel and parents; their support of this message is crucial to the success of efforts to change behavior.
The American Humanist Association, has just spent $40,000 on an newly-produced atheistic Christmas campaign. First, let me state that I have nothing against atheism. I live in a country that offers religious freedom, as well as the right to believe that a god does not exist — it is a complex individual decision, and I leave it at that. Now, back to the point of this post.
I can’t be sure, but if I had to guess, I would say that roughly $37 of the $40,000 went towards concept and layout. In my opinion, this campaign is uninteresting, uninspiring, and quite possibly a complete waste of money. What is the call to action, to stop believing in God? I’m not a religious advocate, but I’m guessing the success rate of this campaign should top-out around 0.0017%. Here’s my unsolicited advice...If you’re going to spend money on a campaign in which 95% of the earth will dismiss it almost instantly, make it MEMORABLE. Use humor, use hypocrisy, make it visually seductive, have it challenge the viewer’s notion of what religion is. These ads are nothing more than a failure of marketing and advertising.
The fact that an atheist group had the guts to produce godless Christmas ads does not in itself make these a success. Take PeTA for example. This is a group that is unafraid to confront its audience, can be unapologetically irritating, and is unrelenting in its cause. Whatever you might think of PeTA as an organization, they run a well-executed, top-notch ad campaign. Sure, they may be viewed as exploitive, or overtly sexual, but they are high quality, well designed and photographed, but most importantly, they are memorable ads.
I admit it, I would have loved to written a post about an interesting new atheist ad campaign, but after seeing these, I might just head on over to peta.org, and see whom they’re upset with for wearing a fur coat — it will be more enjoyable.
It turns out that lawyers and the Federal Trade Commission don’t like it when you make lots of money while misleading your consumers.
Airborne Health Inc., has agreed to pay $30 million for making false health-benefit claims about their Airborne product. The Consumerist states, Airborne falsely represented its product as a “miracle cold buster,” by citing a study done by a research firm that ABCNews describes as “a two-man operation started up just to do the Airborne study. There was no clinic, no scientists and no doctors.”
Here’s the kicker...while $30 million seems like a substantial settlement, the company claims to sell $300 million worth of the Airborne product each year.
So in summary: Lie + pretty box + filthy rich = slap on the wrist. Yep, that seems about right.
In what might be the worst timing ever for an ad campaign, Greyhound cannot pull its new ads fast enough. Late last week near Winnipeg, a sleeping man was stabbed, beheaded and cannibalized by a fellow bus passenger.
I’m not sure, but it’s possible that some people might view the ad as insensitive, and under the current circumstances, entirely false — that’s just one man’s opinion though.
Nike, a worldwide leader in sporting apparel and shoe sales, has pulled a series of advertisements for its new Hyperdunk basketball shoes. The Wieden+Kennedy produced print ads have been removed from circulation due to criticism that the advertisements encourage anti-gay messages.
The crux of the issue, aside from the face-in-the-crotch photography, stems from the ad’s “Punks Jump Up” tagline, which originated in a 1992 violence-toward-homosexuals rap by Brand Nubian.
From a visual standpoint, I don’t see anti-gay — I see contact in sport. Even looking specifically for an anti-gay vibe, I’m having a hard time making any connection. I certainly agree that the “Punks Jump Up” ad should be pulled for the song that it references, but killing the other ads seems a bit rash.
Here are two of the prime suspects, decide for yourself.
I think most educated, rational adults can appreciate that advertisements are intended to illuminate a product in the best possible light, while at the same time, gaining the trust of the consumer by showing truth within that depiction.
On what planet, might these web ads be considered realistic depictions of product performance? Am I to assume based on these ads, that the products will transform the appearance of a 63 year-old meth addict, who hasn’t slept in weeks, into a lovely 30 year-old fashion model with beautifully-sculpted eyebrows and flowing hair? What a joke. I guess as long as you stuff the “simulated imagery” disclaimer in there, even if it is in 4-point type, any depiction becomes fair game.
Apparently it is too much to ask that a company have integrity, morality and responsibility. I admit, these ads are great as a novelty, and if they were meant as satire, I would certainly appreciate the commentary on the beauty industry. But they are not comedy, they are real, and are preying on real people. I loathe the day that any depiction becomes fair representation, as long as the legal responsibilities are absolved through a simple, discreetly legible, disclaimer.
There are some filthy animations being produced by the folks at Superfad — and by filthy, I mean tight...and by tight, I mean good.
Several of their ads utilize some of the most complex, richly layered compositions being produced for the commercial market. Be sure to view the Playstation 3, Universe of Entertainment and Target, Art Connects reels.
Contributions to Volkswagen’s new ad campaign “What The People Want” are now being considered — and if enough people agree with what you want, your brilliant idea may end up on the SuperSign in Times Square.
Pretty soon corporations are going to stop paying for marketing, design and advertising, and just have the public come up with ideas for free.
I’m all for innovation, but when an innovation is 98% nasty...who really cares if it’s innovative? Not this guy.
Anyway, Welch’s has come up with a lickable advertisement for their tasty Grape Juice beverage. As a hypothetical, lets say you’re not convinced the beverage is actually tasty, how might they convince you otherwise? By offering a free sample, the catch — you need lick People magazine.
Which makes perfect sense.
So, if you happen to be lucky enough to lick People, I might suggest passing along the gift that keeps on giving. It would be a gesture of good will to leave a copy of the ad at your local salon, dentist office, daycare or place of employment — because with an idea this good, it would be a shame to keep it to yourself.
Oh, and the adult entertainment industry should be incorporating this technology onto their DVD packaging in about 3...2...1...
You know, it’s because of campaigns like the newest for Tom Ford cologne that I miss being a college professor. Not because I want to encourage my students to experiment with naughty subject matter, but because of the discussion / debate that such a campaign can ignite.
Since I no longer have a classroom, and this blog is the closest thing to it, I just wondered what you thought about this campaign. Love it, hate it, disgusted by it, intrigued by it, moderately aroused, absolutely not aroused, they are all fair reactions. I realize that no one ever wants to post a comment here, and I’ve reluctantly become accustomed to it, but for this entry, I would like to encourage blogger participation.
One other thing to think about, does knowing that Ford is openly gay, change the way you view the ads?
I really enjoy these commercials for Wrigley’s Extra chewing gum, directed by TWiN in Sydney. The lead in each commercial is being followed around by funny little animated characters representing the foods they’ve eaten. The 1st commercial is gold; I can’t get enough of the donut guy, especially his ultimate fate.
Don’t worry, I won’t ruin the suspense for you, but I will say, the more I watched it, the more I giggled.
I was just forwarded this nice collection of old ephemera, advertising and packaging, and thought I would pass it along. It’s a pretty well photographed collection of 350+ images dedicated to back-in-the-day goodness. Enjoy.
Let me start out by saying that I am no fan of typical fast food, as a matter of fact, I find the idea of eating a McDonald’s hamburger just downright nasty. I know that my opinion is in the American minority, and this article from CNN just about confirms it.
I don’t think many people would doubt the brand influence that many major corporations have, especially when dealing with children. Nonetheless, there were a few items in this piece that I found surprising; for example, here are two points that really stood out to me...
1. Study author Dr. Tom Robinson said the kids’ perception of taste was “physically altered by the branding.” The Stanford University researcher said it was remarkable how children so young were already so influenced by advertising.
2. “Advertisers have tried to do exactly what this study is talking about -- to brand younger and younger children, to instill in them an almost obsessional desire for a particular brand-name product,” he said.
Point number 2 seems like a pretty obvious statement, but the thing that got me was the children involved were between 3 - 5 years old. Something just doesn’t seem right there.
Normally, I’m not a supporter of design “contests”, as it usually involves tons of free work with little or no incentive for the designer. That being said, I’m still somewhat hesitant to post this, but with a $10,000 prize, this “contest’s” incentive, is certainly head-and-shoulders above the competition.
Everything you need to know about the rules, regulations and deadlines can be found at the provided link. Good luck, and happy designing.
Ah, the rebus, assembled using the pictograph, which is based off the hieroglyph, who just happens to be the second cousin of the cave drawing. Wait, what was I talking about?
Oh yes, rebus. Just in case you think it’s a made-up word, here is the meaning: a puzzle in which words are represented by combinations of pictures and individual letters.
I bring up rebus because it’s the foundation for this saucy little ad campaign created by Saatchi & Saatchi, New York. Saatchi utilizes a series of pictographs, organized in timeline fashion, to cleverly position 42 Below Vodka.
A few things I really like about this campaign: first, no text or photographs — it’s rare to find a set of ads with concepts and depictions so tight that any additional elements would be viewed as overkill. Second, the reward is worth the effort — the entire series is like an adult-oriented decoder ring, only those willing to participate and decipher get to enjoy the hidden meanings. Third, the ads are seemingly innocent, but unquestionably racy — my initial reaction, there is no way these ads would show up in mainstream US publications (with the possible exception of Playboy or Maxim), however, after learning that 42 Below is a New Zealand-based company, I would guess the ads are geared less at the US and more towards a less conservative global market. Fourth, and most importantly, the use of the kitty pictographs are brilliant — outstanding way to make a not-so-subtle allusion, without having to cross into vulgarity. Meow.
I have included my two favorite ads as examples, the following link will allow you to check out the entire 42 Below collection.
