Advertising Age - Adages Blog

Tipsy Turkey Brought to You by Georgi Vodka

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:41:32 -0500

Vodka isn't the only thing this Thanksgiving-turkey story is full of.

AOL Kicks Running Man Out Of Bed

mlearmonth@adage.com(Michael Learmonth) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:50:23 -0500

Did AOL -- er, Aol. -- just kick Running Man out of bed? AOL staffers stuffed the ballots at Advertising Week to earn Running Man "icon" status, beating out the likes of Ronald McDonald. But he's gone AWOL in AOL's new branding

Buffalo Soldiers Wings & Things

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:50:36 -0500

The Bob Marley family stands to make millions -- but how are they going to do it?

BCS Enters Twitter: Beat Down Like Notre Dame in a Bowl Game

jmullman@adage.com(Jeremy Mullman) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:16:19 -0500

Today's social-media lesson comes courtesy of college football's Bowl Championship Series: If you know your product is universally loathed, Twitter is not the place for you.

Vice Finds Oil in L.A. for Palladium Boots

jbeer@adage.com(Jeff Beer) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:39:03 -0500

Video content site hits black gold with sponsored urban exploration series.

Scuzzy Bubbles Are Filthy Little Pervs in Method Video

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:09:48 -0500

Method wants better labeling on household cleaners. A good idea to be sure. A better idea? This video.

Esquire's Cover of the Future Stumbles Over Piece of Paper

nives@adage.com(Nat Ives) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:56:06 -0500

Esquire, as you may or may not know, has published an issue full of augmented-reality capabilities that will make, for example, cover star Robert Downey Jr. pop off the cover on your computer screen. But some are having a slight problem.

A Scorpion Down the Trousers? That Is 'Most Interesting'

abaskin@adage.com(Anna Baskin) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:38:21 -0500

Dos Equis' "Most Interesting Man in the World" is a sword-fighting, ass-kicking international man of mystery. So what can one expect when the beer brand sponsors a "Most Interesting Show in the World" inspired by their enigmatic spokesman? A human slinky, blindfolded knife-throwing, and a live scorpion going down someone's pants, just to name a few examples.

Captain Morgan Issues Statement About NFL Stunt

jmullman@adage.com(Jeremy Mullman) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:07:13 -0500

The Captain says "I am a man of action, a man of the moment, and I always make fun a priority. And when it comes to football what is more fun than a touchdown?"

For PTC, Three's a Crowd (in Bed)

bsteinberg@adage.com(Brian Steinberg) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:26:40 -0500

Why is it that whenever TV shows depict people engaging with multiple sexual partners (not particularly common, mind you, on ABC and the rest), the critics come out in force?

A Very Special Local Commercial

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:59:44 -0500

The following isn't a tribute. It isn't done ironically. It's simply a commercial for Frankie and Johnny's Furniture in New Orleans. Even better? You can OWN this spot. That's right. WYES in New Orleans is selling a DVD called "Stay Tuned -- New Orleans Classic TV Commercials."

Subway Breakfast Experience Not Exactly a Wake-up Call

eyork@adage.com(Emily Bryson York) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:25:28 -0500

Subway announced last Friday that it would expand its test of Seattle's Best Coffee to 9,000 of its locations in an effort to drive morning business -- but it is going to have its work cut out for it if anecdotal evidence is any indication.

Chili Runs in Cincinnati

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:22:01 -0500

Surya Yalamanchili, a former Procter & Gamble Co. brand manager perhaps known best for being fired by Donald Trump on season six of "The Apprentice," now wants to be hired by the people of Ohio's second Congressional district.

Get a Long Little Doggy

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:05:37 -0500

The pile of pooches continues to grow.

These Are Not the Droids You're Looking For

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:02 -0500

As my eyeballs were being assaulted with the teaser campaign for Droid this weekend, my eyes were drawn to the fine print at the end of the ad. "DROID is a trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. and its related companies," it read.

Tillman the Wonderdog Skates From YouTube to Real Ads

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:23:43 -0500

Armstrong Flooring wasn't just content to run some ads against the skateboarding-dog video on YouTube. The marketer, along with agency BBDO, New York, decided to create its own spot with a skateboarding bulldog.

How Would You Remake Mickey Mouse?

jpollack@adage.com(Judann Pollack) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:24:34 -0500

This is an amazing opportunity for branding experts, so we throw the question out to you, dear reader, so you can strut your stuff: How would you remake Mickey Mouse?

Will Ferrell Jumps to YouTube for 'No Financial Gain'

mlearmonth@adage.com(Michael Learmonth) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:56:27 -0500

YouTube is bending over backward to accommodate content creators, and it just landed one it probably should have had a long time ago: Will Ferrell's Funnyordie.com.

One of These Things Is a Lot Like the Other One

jmullman@adage.com(Jeremy Mullman) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:11:10 -0500

The ad features a screen-filling "G" logo, and it features Derek Jeter leaping into the Yankee Stadium stands to make a remarkable catch. A spot for Jeter-endorsed Gatorade of course, right?

Want More Dogs? You're Barking Up the Right Post

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:34:42 -0500

The hard-working dogs of advertising took a week off while I traipsed around Ireland last week looking for Leprechauns in the bottom of pints of Guinness and Smithwick's. But they're back this week. The number of entries are trickling to a halt, but that's no reason not to have a gander at the last few adorable pooches that came over the transom. Enjoy the slide show.

Macy's Congratulates the Phillies on Winning the World Series

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:05:23 -0500

The Philadelphia Inquirer and Macy's will both be charged with an error for an ad that ran in today's edition of the Inquirer.

Real London Fog Adman Not Happy About 'Mad Men'

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:23:50 -0500

London Fog was not a tired, 40-year-old brand at the time, as it was launched in 1954 when it changed from Londontown Clothes. It is also questionable whether a warm, traditional, avuncular Jewish tailor like Israel Myers would ever be seen in the halls of a Sterling Cooper.

Is He Still a Nudist If He's Streaking for Zappos?

kpatel@adage.com(Kunur Patel) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:42:33 -0400

So the World's Fastest Nudist was a marketing stunt. Was this a case of shoddy reporting or lying to the media? Does it matter?

GLAAD Honors Gay-Friendly Brands at Inaugural Media Awards in Advertising

MKinsey@adage.com(Matt Kinsey) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:23:02 -0400

Recognizing advancements in the fair representation of the gay community in advertising, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation hosted its inaugural Media Awards in Advertising last night in New York. Host Alan Cumming and a slew of presenters, including AAAAs President Nancy Hill, gathered to recognize the work of 10 brands that have made strides to increase the size, diversity and accuracy of LGBT-related images in advertising.

Never Fear, Dextrose Is Here

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:00:02 -0400

James Lileks has a few webpages' worth of candy ads from old comic books. I'll give you a thumbnail of one, but you should check them out in full-color, full-size glory.

Ballmer and Kylie Officially Reveal Windows 7

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:12:07 -0400

After months of buzz and teaser ads promoting Windows 7, Microsoft finally unleashed the new operating system today, with a full-court press (big emphasis on the press): a "launch party" in New York City hosted by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

Toilet Blogging Will Pay More Than Huffpo Blogging

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:46:43 -0400

People who do some of their best thinking on the toilet now have the perfect context for their blogging. Procter & Gamble Co. is looking to hire five "Charmin Ambassadors" to staff its Times Square bathrooms this holiday season and blog about the experience. Salary: $10,000

Photo: Blagojevich Seen Waiting Tables in Manhattan

kpatel@adage.com(Kunur Patel) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:32:32 -0400

On the same day former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich is expected in district court to see if the judge will let him participate in the reality show I found him casually leaning toward a pair of suits with pen to pad of paper, taking orders.

We've Fetched Up Some More Marketing Dogs

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:08:00 -0400

Dogs are an unpredictable bunch. You'd think a pooch dressing up like a rapper would go for Snoop Dogg, but seems Flava Flav might be a favorite among the canine set. (Or maybe the costume's just easier to pull off.) Have another scroll through our slide show, where you'll see hard(ly) working dogs and three hotties going topless

Two Greasy Hillbillies in a Tub... Mmmmmmm

eyork@adage.com(Emily Bryson York) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:30:20 -0400

A new spot from Siltanen & Parners for fast-food toasted-sub shop Quizno's offends the senses -- especially taste.