make the logo bigger

My name is James Perry, and I approve this ****ing message.

2009-12-06T01:52:00.003-05:00

Cut the murder rate by 40%? You must be ****ing kidding me. Fine. First though, James Perry needs to be elected, then he can offer a re-election guarantee.

No Santa?

2009-12-05T23:57:00.003-05:00

Geez. I just went to find this latest Target Christmas spot on YouTube CUZ I LIKE IT SO, and already people are complaining about how it ruins the myth of Santa for kids? Wha-wha-WHAT? People, chill. The spots are cool. Just enjoy it for the *whew!* smirk on the kid’s face and the low-key parents.

"Being more outgoing or more aggressive than normal?"

2009-12-05T22:48:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I BET. Until now, that “side effect” has been downplayed in the fair balance. I predict a copy change thanks to Tiger Woods Ambien sexcapades. Just scan a few forums and read the stories of the roofies-like effect the drug apparently has. They might want to offset the warning in the spot about dying from swallowing your tongue with a new product benefit. Although, in Woods’ case, Ambien’s version of Viagra + amnesia = half. Still, I’m guessing the number of new Ambien scripts skyrockets this week.

Tarantino’s WTF spot lost in translation?

2009-12-05T11:47:00.004-05:00

Um, okay I guess. If that’s what they want to do with it. Pseudo fake Japanese with shades of pussification in this “Speaker Dad” spot. Who cares about the talking speaker dog—it’s got Quentin! There actually is a translation though: Softbank is a Japanese telecom. The dog is the dad in the current campaign with humans as the family members. (Yeah. Told ya. Still lost in translation? Try the Brad Pitt instead—I hear it’s very good.) It’s a disconnect though on the QT meter only in that by the time :30 seconds is up, you expect someone will be shot or blown up, but alas, nope.

“STICK.”

2009-12-05T11:19:00.005-05:00

Pee-robably my favorite spot of the current Sony PS3 campaign with VP of Blu-ray Superiority Kevin Butler. Most of Sony’s stuff always felt cold to me however. (Please, the Bravia work et al, while gorgeous, comes off as self-serving award show fodder and little else, while the Manning stuff still feels a little too stiff.) The Butler character here though (played by actor Jerry Lambert), lightens things up. Why, this series has legs as they say!

Chrysler 300 for 2009—Now with more room and cupholders for dissidents.

2009-12-03T21:21:00.031-05:00

Saw this spot on Facebook from CDNY and was a little stunned. Not because of the theme, but, because they would try it at this time in the industry. Sure, recognizing the imprisonment of someone like Aung San Suu Kyi is a nice thing to do, but isn’t it undermined by the fact that you’re selling a car on the back of her imprisonment?

This isn’t just a nod to the troops that Bud does from time to time between the hi-larry-tee. It’s a move healthy brands can afford—maybe. (Or even if it’s part of their brand DNA, like say a Benetton.) But last I looked, neither of those conditions apply to Chrysler or GM.

This may be a stretch, but I liken it to chief marketing officers or CEOs like Chrysler’s Oliver Francois who want some grand theme for their brands. They just have to make their mark some way. In effect though, it almost becomes about them, not the brand, especially when they bail in 18 months with a golden parachute when things don’t work out. Again.

Noble cause though? Yes:

“The 30-second film was initially created as part of the Lancia brands sponsorship of the 10th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Berlin Nov. 10-11, 2009, for which the theme was "Knocking down new walls and building bridges for a world without violence. The timing of the summit also coincided with the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The film first aired in Europe on Nov. 12.”

But at the risk of seeming insensitive, aren’t there are a lot more problems closer to home that fit better with the brand? When an industry forces the close of an entire agency, or keeps repeating the same style of advertising, or has to go to the government for bailout money, maybe ad bloggers are right more often than not when they suggest a different approach.

The actual spot? Whatever. The soundtrack is overwrought, hitting a tone straight out of a Rocky sequel. Unless it’s from an actual moving video, the Nelson Mandela backdrop appears to be animated oddly. Borrowed government money—borrowed interest: Looks like they emptied out Getty images’ world leader section.

I’d rather see a simple black screen with elegant type if you want to call attention, and why not put the Your Face for Freedom url larger and more prominently where you could actually read it?

This move might be truly innovative if the other issues GM and Chrysler face were dealt with first. Instead, y’all are partying like it’s 1999. To parasteal a comment to an article I saw a few days ago about GM’s Lutz:

“While you guys make ads like this with cars nobody wants: See Honda.”

Admittedly, the product has improved this decade, but GM and Chrysler are acting like Mission Accomplished and it’s 30 years ago. I go back to this: Politically-themed spots won’t make a certain portion of your potential customers forget that you took bailout money, no matter how many exotic locals you shoot in. But hey, what do I know. Ad bloggers aren’t thrown tons of money repeatedly to produce spots and cars nobody wants.

Jesse Ventura vs. Steven Seagal Reality series throwdown!

2009-12-03T17:39:00.007-05:00

Steven Seagal, Lawman. Or Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura.

Throwdown!

Jesse’s been away for a few years, claiming another conspiracy when MSNBC supposedly paid him to not go on any other show to discuss the Iraq war. Fresh from that contract where he lived large on their dime, his new series has him standing there and intimidating the shit out of people.

Even though this show is just an update on Leonard Nimoy’s In Search Of, albeit with manmade secrets over the Loch Ness monster. They start out around a conference room table like TMZ, with staffers throwing out conspiracies for Jesse to investigate: "I got a secret mind-control weather weapon in Alaska”

Well, shit, book my tickets now—we’re going.

So off he goes to seek out the HAARP* system that will move clouds and shoot down jets. Even Navy SEALs with film crews can’t get past two fences though:

Jury’s out on Jesse, but next week he tackles 9-11. A hoot! I have to say, while Ventura is intimidating, Seagal wins on points for his Jedi mind trick ability of spotting someone drinking in a parked car while speaking in Shaq-like ELF tones. And he also knows his shit** when it comes to donuts and that reverse-gun disarm flip move. The way he helps drivers navigate during a pursuit? You can’t coach that.

And they said nothing would replace Gary Busey’s series.

*It’s badass. I saw the X-Files once with this in it.
**Master in Aikido and Kendo; black belts in Karate and Judo.

Contextual Madness - Kitty edition.

2009-12-03T12:26:00.002-05:00

Awww. They’re so cute at this stage. (Via, via.)

But wait, there’s more...

2009-12-03T12:23:00.005-05:00

– Vodka in pill form. (Via.)
– Door to Hell.
– Boner/Bone loss tops pharma consumer spending.
– Velvet Ultraman.
– Score with a hot Brazilian for a 7-Eleven hot Brazilian.
– G.I. Navajo.
– Solar Tsunamis.
– Punching Jesus in the face.
– The late Mr. Pop-up.
– Pikey translator.
– Ketel One redux.
– Camels for Christmas.
– I’ll have what she’s having.
– Walk it off.
– Jesus-tested, Jesus-approved.
– Hair-larious.
– Be on the lookout for the Twitter Three.
– Two scoops, one girl.
– Nestle says no to Fox.
– You stay classy, Wisconsin.
– Microsoft Designs the iPod.
– DNA dating site. Yep. Pick ’em before you (blank) ’em.
– 3D guy marries 2D girl. All I can say is: prenup.

Oops.

2009-12-03T01:40:00.003-05:00

Half.

Contextual Cheatness.

2009-12-02T15:29:00.003-05:00

Yeah. I’m SURE she ran out of the house with a golf club to help you out of your car.

(Via. Mr. Brown Thumb.)

AdVerve - Episode 8 - The Angry Tech Edition

2009-12-02T15:16:00.004-05:00

Download the show directly here & subscribe via iTunes:

We had a new “ism” show scheduled with Ad Broad, but thanks to Skype doing its thang, we had to bail. Instead, we went off the res to wherever recent topical topics we felt like destroying this week.

From French cinema to French nuclear drills. Pervy PSAs to White House party crashers. Yeah. We go there. So that also means due to the last-minute change, there’s no five minutes with... this episode. *cue sorrow*

Movie links mentioned in show include:

– Eric Proulx’s Lemonade.
– The Concert.
– Blade.
– Night Watch. (Russian vampire flick I couldn’t recall.)
– Knocking vid & app. (Which Angela disconstructs more at her place.)
– Tareq and Michaele Salahi Crashed My Party Facebook group.
– Dade County sex offender shuffle.

Topics by timestamp:

00:00 – 1. Intro tech rant
04:15 – 2. Little dogs—big dogs-little dogs
06:14 – 3. David Duchovny-sex addict
09:34 – 4. White House crashers and the cult of personality
12:22 – 5. Protests
17:24 – 6. Marriage—Get you some!
21:06 – 7. Lemonade and life lessons
27:30 – 8. Big Kmart / French shoppers
31:29 – 9. I need a name for people in aisles
33:16 – 10. Obsolete tech guy
35:01 – 11. Fame’s a bitch
45:56 – 12. Twilight, aka, Morman vampires
55:34 – 13. Knocking the Knock
01:00:14 – 14. That’s a wrap

Send questions, comments or requests for newsletter inclusion to advervepodcast [at] gmail [dot] com. You can also leave a review too.

How do you advertise Google.

2009-12-01T19:02:00.005-05:00

Like this. Advertising a dot com is tricky. Apply the traditional ad campaign approach and you get Yahoo! I always thought however, that any campaign for a brand in this space would have to be unique since it’s more than just a physical product you hold. It’s something that influences much of your online experience, and if you live online, the lines blur. Campaigns here need to do something uniquely matched to the space. This series of search stories in the Google world are about as perfect a realization of the brand promise and function brought to life that I can think of.

(Via.)

NUT if I see you first.

2009-12-01T10:43:00.005-05:00

Aww, c’mon, that’s a cute spot. (Even if he didn’t say that it like that. Give them credit. The New York Lottery avoided using little people as elves or reindeer in their holiday spot. Who doesn’t love a little office romance with nutcrackers!

Ahoy!

2009-12-01T10:05:00.003-05:00

Yes, I know, two ads like these in one day can alter the blogging continuum, but who can resist such a “pronounced ad?” Not the sailors in the website clips of Jean Paul Gaultier. Note the “product” enhancements in the ad that are conspicuously absent from the rest of their shots. And that ring at the top, wouldn’t that be lower? (OH! Look at me with jokes.)

Your cross country ski dog both frightens and amazes me.

2009-12-01T03:40:00.004-05:00

Where do you go with this one. GEICO Cavemen insure winter sports? Unfrozen caveman model late for a meeting? HERMES—THY NAME IS WTF!

BRB.

2009-11-30T10:44:00.002-05:00

I’m going to hang with Katie Couric and check out the premiere of Erik Proulx’s Lemonade tonight in Boston. You bitches stay here and figure out if anyone in your life hits a Venn sweet spot.

Now they want to stop chalkvertising.

2009-11-29T13:22:00.002-05:00

What’s next, a ban on air sickness bagvertising? The owner of Bohemia Too in Grand Rapids needed a way to tell people about the new location of his store. Hey! Chalk. Street. Win-win! Except for the town elders. Chalk + street = illegal commercial advertising at a fine of $100 per message. I think at this point with TV coverage though, the dude owner can claim PR victory. Think of the money he saved on agency street teams too! (Full video here.)

Gillette’s racist ball move!

2009-11-29T11:06:00.006-05:00

Sorry. Needed a grabber to wake you out of your Thanksgiving/shopping/college football-induced coma. If you follow futbol, you know the controversy over Thierry Henry’s handball that allowed France to qualify for the World Cup against Ireland. (Try watching that replay in an Irish bar as I did. Ouch.) And if you follow Gillette, you recognize the point of sale approach to all of their ad campaigns: Athletes, hero shot of the product, tech background and bold italic copy. The latest version though features said handballee Henry—with the ball now gone. He says a replay of the game would be fair, but good luck with that. The last thing FIFA cares about is fair. (Besides, what game of this magnitude in any sport has ever been replayed over an error shown on replay?

*waits, ponders*

Gillette denies any connection between the two events. Yeah, okaaay. Whatever. They could’ve avoided it in the first place by, um, having a futbol player with the ball BY HIS FEET.

Oh and yes, NFL refs aren’t the only ones who take shit.

But did they conceive in Vegas, that's the thing.

2009-11-29T10:51:00.004-05:00

The latest What’s Your Excuse spot for Las Vegas would’ve been less creepy if the guys weren’t trying so hard to believe the pregnancy thing. As it is, makes a perfect Bud spot. (Except for the whole, drinking while pregnant thing.) The shit they give the office manager’s assistant Bill is probably the funnier stuff in it. (For now, I’m going to get ready to celebrate Chinchilli Day.)

They told me to SELL THIS WAY!

2009-11-27T17:27:00.004-05:00

Man I hope Tyler & Co. got a shitload of money for this. As one commenter said on YouTube:

“Ok ANY remake would butcher WTW people, let's get over that. I think it’s cute they used it like this. ^_^”

Uh, no. Please, just return to the group home.

The only mildy* acceptable version was Run DMC’s mix. Otherwise, this one just about hits a new low for using songs in commercials. Forget Wendy’s use of the Violent Femmes or any brand that appropriates a song for the one or two words which sync with a brand message, remakes suck. (And even then, most brands disregard the real meaning of the rest of the song. In the case of Wendy’s, the band was split on allowing the song to be used.) Lest I forget because I was asleep at the wheel (Zing!), Hess also butchered Free Ride last year.

Happy Holidays!

*Actually, Muh-muh-muh-my-Mohegan! sucks worse, but because I loved Aerosmith so much more than the Knack, they take first place here for band moves that suck.

Microsoft & Family Guy: Change of heart or PR move?

2009-11-27T01:32:00.003-05:00

Saw this spot on the recent Family Guy along with the other Windows 7 series, which are even up on Microsoft’s YouTube page. So much for distancing themselves. Unless it was just a PR move? Maybe they decided to quietly ease back into the show?

It’s a cancer vs. pharma throwdown!

2009-11-26T23:19:00.016-05:00

This is the problem with pharma.

The ads for the diseases themselves are typically more powerful than ads by any pharmaceutical company with the drugs to combat them. Yet, here in the U.S., the regulations governing the latter almost guarantee a direct-to-consumer advertising (DTC) that is at times insulting, and at others, bordering on farcical. (By the way, the only other country in the world to allow DTC is New Zealand.)

Before I chum the waters of the pharma advertising debate, focus on how intense this “Fight Back” campaign for the Canadian Cancer Society is. You gotta love Canada. They give us Shatner, Rush and good PSAs. The English version of the DDB campaign above is different in tone from the French version here, (with site), and has more intensity in my opinion. (The melodrama in the French version is working overtime thanks to the art film-like cabaret piano.)

Minor things though. These are powerful. Both use real people to act out scripted and poignant stories of the fight against cancer by either themselves or loved ones.

For its part, cancer is personified as coming from the viewer’s point of view. (Having had a family member lose said fight, the English version resonates more for me, due in no small part to a more intense background track.)

Time to chum.

The pros and cons of pharma ads can be debated all day: I’m right. You’re right. We’re all right. Let’s just assume though that pharma advertising is screwed in its present form.

The minute a brand talks about how their product might be the answer for the disease you have—or didn’t know you had—it comes under scrutiny for implying just those very claims, and rightfully so.

The current solution however, is to include a ton of legal copy that is supposed to give consumers the info they need to make informed decisions, (also known as fair balance).

Tell me how that’s accomplished in a :30 spot again?

The fundamental problem with this approach is that so much legalese needs to be included that it undermines what the ad was theoretically intended to do:

Educate people about the truly important stuff.

So basically, the main selling feature of most pharma ads becomes that it’s less harmful than its competition. (Your honor, I call Celebrex’s 2-minute warning as a witness.)

Isn’t that like saying Budweiser is better because it’s involved in less fatal traffic accidents than Miller?* Yet the only warning you see in beer or liquor ads is what... drink responsibly. Based on that logic, pharma should have the same type of warning: Use medicine carefully.

Instead of holding up work that features a rooster in your bed as rising above the competition because it started out as “unbranded,” pharma brands should focus on helping consumers sort through the bullshit. Going to Washington to lobby for the right to Twitter ain’t what I mean, either.

By the way, ALL pharma brands use the unbranded approach at some point. It’s not innovation—it’s how they bend the regulations without breaking them. For example, a microsite about headaches doesn’t mention the brand behind it.

When you click on it though, it takes you to another site that’s for the drug that works on... headaches. That this positioning and approach can win a Clio is absurd. It’s the equivalent of giving an award to a print ad simply because it appeared in a magazine.

(If you need more of a breakdown of other issues at work here, this consumer study highlighting the key differences is as good as any.)

Back to the cancer spot up top, this is where pharma needs to go.

Consumers end up being more confused than educated, certainly not helped by leaky faucet metaphors for erections or costumed characters for heart attacks.

As the Taxi spot for “Antiquing” showed, pharma can be truly funny. Likewise, these cancer spots show pharma can also be intense and emotional, just as living with cancer is.

When an ad works, it grabs you—how can it do that with 50 pages of mandatory?

*They would call this a hypothetical situation. Chill MillerCoors lawyers, chill.

How about a space for people with a lower credit card balance?

2009-11-26T19:38:00.002-05:00

Yes, the Whole Foods ethos is about being green. But I saw a sign like this last night while out for a last-minute Thanksgiving dash. The version I saw said something to the effect:

“This space is reserved for low emissions & fuel efficient vehicles only.”

I’m green like that, but is parking closer now the reward for changing how you live? Or does Whole Foods not want those drivers to waste gas driving around looking for a space? (Even if they have to drive an extra 1/4 mile around the parking lot, don’t they have a little extra mileage to spare thanks to better fuel efficiency?)

(Image.)

Microsoft Twitter Haiku—you knew it was a matter of time.

2009-11-26T18:56:00.000-05:00

Oh sure,

Better Server tools
Providing interactive
Analysis Live!

Has a certain charm to it. But you can do better than that my friends. Enter your best server themed haiku here to win a Sony entertainment system and Xbox Elite.

IT really pissed
worked off server, not desktop
swore at me all day

(Image.)