Chip Martin

Topiary for "Down There"

chip — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:30:00 GMT

A Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Mannequin American Marketer

Topiary for "Down There"

Razor brand Schick has turned to Pinterest with a campaign that focuses on grooming of women's nether regions. The contest, called Prune for June Summer Style Content, showcases fun and easy ways for women to trim their "lady gardens" with its TrimStyle product (one part razor, one part trimmer). The site features bikini ideas from four design bloggers; consumers are invited to create their own boards, with a public vote determining the winner. The main prize is $2,500, with five runners up each winning a $1000 Amex gift card.

You're Movies are Waiting at Home ...

This print ad shows bored porn stars waiting for the viewer to get home and watch. It's not oversexed, and makes gentle fun of the audience. Actually it's a pretty good ad.

Nearly Half of Online Ads Aren't Viewed

chip — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:30:00 GMT

A Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Mannequin American Marketer

Nearly Half of Online Ads Aren't Viewed

ComScore raised eyebrows with research last year showing 31% of online display ads are never seen by website visitors, but upon further review, things are even worse: its latest data indicate 46% of ads are viewed.

ComScore counts an online ad as viewable if at least 50% of pixels are in view for at least half a second for a site visitor. That may not be the strictest standard, but it's the minimum favored by the industry's Making Measurement Make Sense (3MS) initiative and the Media Rating Council. So even if your ad is seen, it may only be seen for half a second.

We Want It All. Twistos

From Argentina comes this rather strange but entertaining commercial for Twistos. Pay attention or it'll confuse you.

Best Dog Food Commercial Ever

Dog food ads. Usually silly stupid things with pets and their owners acting dumb and doing idiotic things. Not this UK-based commercial for Cesar dog food. Perhaps one of the best dog food commercials I've ever seen. (And I don't even like dogs ... I used to be a tree.)

Entitled, Love Them Back, the commercial's emotional appeal is fueled by an old man's Walk Through The Village. The ad is a testament to the loving bond that can form between animal and human even in the face of devastating loss.

Why Use Male Models in a Men's Sweater Ad?

This vintage ad from the 60's is pure Mad Men ... and attention getting.

The Daddle

chip — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:30:00 GMT

A Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Mannequin American Marketer

Just In Time for Father's Day ... The Daddle

From the Website: As seen on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno the Daddle is for Dads, Moms or even Grandparents. A soft, stuffed "saddle" for Dad, or Mom to strap on their backs, to give kids (age 2-6) exciting horsy rides. The Daddle is a great gift for any occasion, especially Father's Day. Get ready for some serious fun!

First, there was the Daddy-O Rodeo T-shirt for giving horseyback rides. Then, there was Po-Knee, the plush horse for giving children bouncing leg rides. Today, there is Daddle... the saddle which you strap on Daddy's back to become the horse and give exciting daddyback rides. Knee pads are a must, so don't forget them.

Funny Local Commercial

chip — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:30:00 GMT

A Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Mannequin American Marketer

Best Local Commercial ... Ever

The proprietor of People's Bail Bonds in Van Nuys, CA, co-stars with some real-life criminals in this great commercial.

The cue-ball-headed Kassabian makes liberal use of air quotes in describing his clients' supposed innocence. "The customer is always right, even if the customer is you and you've done something illegal," he says in one of the ad's better lines.

Kassabian's personal taglines? "I'm the guy that gets you out." And, "We decided there was a group out there that really needed their own commercial: criminals." This guy is funny without meaning to be.

Kmart is Back with More Almost Profanity

Kmart's "Ship My Pants" ad was a major success, to the tune of 17 million YouTube views and counting. But can the company turn almost-profanity into a running gag?

It attempts to do so with this follow-up spot, "Big Gas Savings," which features some big-gas humor indeed. It even features the same family from "Ship My Pants," and once again the kid gets the best line. (In the earlier spot, he blurted out, "I can't wait to ship my pants, Dad." Here, he shouts, "Dad, look at that big gas truck!") It's not quite as funny as the original, perhaps, but it seems destined to get similarly big-gas numbers on YouTube.

A Local Success

Here's an interesting local mobile billboard for "The Violin Guy," who, according to verbiage on the side of his car, performs at weddings and events. And, based on what he must have paid for the car, is very successful.

Wine for Mannequin Americans

If you were me how offended would you by by Wines For Dummies books? From Italian Wines to Reading Wine Labels, the Wiley brand offers many ways to get to know your vino. But now, they sell actual wines. That's right, bottles of Wines For Dummies ... now you're talking!

These are not fine wines, mind you, but basic 10$ bottles of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chianti. It's a brilliant marketing idea as an offshoot of a well-established brand.

So, if this is your first foray into the world of wine, it's an inexpensive and fun way to learn a little something - and catch a buzz. $10 each at winesfordummies

Terry Fator Tribute to Clinton Detweiler

As many of our readers know, Clinton Detweiler, our mentor and very close friend (and friend to thousands of ventriloquists around the world) passed away earlier this year. Clinton was also a mentor and inspiration to Terry Fator. Here Terry gives a moving tribute to Clinton. This was recorded during a performance of Terry's act at the Mirage Casino in Las Vegas shortly after Clinton's passing in January. If you watch closely, the slide show includes a photo of Dale and Leslie with Clinton and his wife Adelia.