The Raleigh | Durham Egotist RSS Feed

McDonald's Uses a Billboard-Sized Chalkboard Menu to Show the Freshness of Their Food

The Denver Egotist — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:44:08 +0000

National

The artist and his team drew and erased it twice a day, every day. It'd certainly grab our attention. Nice idea.

The Creative Ops Ninja

The Denver Egotist — Fri, 03 May 2013 20:06:34 +0000

National

Love this promo for Portfolio Night Boston, featuring the ultimate overzealous ad jagoff.

Domino's Live Lets Customers Watch Their Pizza Being Made by Employees' Loving Hands

The Denver Egotist — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:52:43 +0000

Local

Today at 11am, Domino's launched a pilot program that opens the doors to Domino’s Pizza in the form of a live, uncut view into a Salt Lake City Domino’s location through five webcams installed throughout the store. According to CP+B, with this upgrade to Domino's [Order] Tracker, Domino’s Live bridges the gap between digital ordering and the physical world, enhancing the visual experience even further.

For the entire month of May, when Salt Lake City citizens order Domino’s online, they’ll be prompted to go to www.DominosLive.com and watch pizzas being made. And, of course, it’s the next step in transparency — a staple of Domino’s since their Pizza Turnaround three years ago.

Learn to Say F**k You to the World

The Denver Egotist — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:41:33 +0000

National

In 1965, Sol LeWitt wrote fellow sculptor Eva Hesse a four-page letter of encouragement, urging her to stop doubting herself and to simply continue making her work. Despite the fact that some would consider their friendship unlikely, the two sculptors were close friends and wrote to each other frequently about their ideas, work and personal lives from 1960 until Hesse's death ten years later. Often quoted, LeWitt's letter has become a source of inspiration and a vote of confidence for many artists the world over.

Producer Aaron Rose (Beautiful Losers, Become a Microscope) worked with punk rock band Rancid to remake LeWitt's words into a bold and boisterous song. With wild and wavy LeWitt-inspired animation, this video energetically embodies the message of its writer.

Ordinary Shit is a Whole Lot Cooler in Space

The Denver Egotist — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:32:39 +0000

National

Wringing out a washcloth, for example.

Via

Droga5 Gets Inside the Mind of Music for Spotify

The Denver Egotist — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:10:57 +0000

National

How's this hit you?

Movie Goers Get a Taste of Homelessness in Winter

The Denver Egotist — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:07:41 +0000

National

In the middle of the winter, they turned up the AC in the theater then live-broadcast a feed of homeless people relaying what it's really like. Strong work from Havas Worldwide.

What Most Schools Don't Teach – From the Greatest Minds in the World

The Denver Egotist — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:02:16 +0000

National

Learn to code, people. The world needs you.

We're Looking for a New Owner/Editor for The Raleigh | Durham Egotist

ego_maniac — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 18:53:24 +0000

Local

Hey Raleigh | Durham.

Know anyone who wants to run this site? We don't. That's why we're asking. Lots of bennies. Find those here, as well as how to contact us: www.theegotistnetwork.com.

– Management

Mercedes-Benz Magazine Films BMX Rider in Giant Natural Half-Pipe in Australian Outback

The Denver Egotist — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:34:47 +0000

National

The video takes place in the rock jungle gym that is the Hyden Wildlife Park for what is the world’s first attempt to drop in on this rock of historical significance. “Wave Rock” is a 47 ft high, 350 ft long granite rock face shaped like an over-vert quarter pipe located in the Western Australia Outback.

We really like this experimental form of advertising for Mercedes. Here's their full mb! magazine, which is definitely worth a gander.

We All Have McDonald's In Common

The Denver Egotist — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 17:39:48 +0000

National

They nailed this, no?

How to Spend $275 Million in 48 Minutes: Three Super Bowl Ad Trends for 2013

joshhogan — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:54:20 +0000

Want to watch $275 Million get spent in 48 minutes? Just tune into CBS at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday to see one of America's greatest primetime displays of violence, debauchery and poor impulse control. And I'm not talking about the Super Bowl…

I'm talking about the Super Bowl ads.

In all seriousness, these days it's no surprise that independent research year after year continues to show that over half of U.S adult viewers plan to watch the Super Bowl as much, or more, for the ads than for the game itself. In fact, social listening measurement findings suggested that in 2012 64% of respondents said that half or more of their conversations online with respect to the Super Bowl were about the commercials themselves.

With the average investment of $4 Million on the line for a 30-second spot, it's no wonder why the CMOs of many of these advertisers are looking to squeeze their investment for every penny.

There are three standout trends that have continued to proliferate the Super Bowl ad space for the last several years (and by all accounts will continue even more in 2013).

01. Online Ad Preview and Teasers

Online Ad Previews and Teasers are becoming more of the norm. VW made the most famous splash last year with its Star Wars parodies that received over 56 Million hits after allwas said and done, largely in part to the pre-release of the spotson YouTube.

This year's early winner goes to the Kate Upton Mercedes spot, which in one week gained over 5 Million views (and counting).

&amp;amp;amp;nbsp;

Humbling news as, by this author's account, this is one of the more ridiculously off-brand spots I've ever seen. Given the fact that the CLA won't even be available for the next 7 months, the brand needs lasting impression and awareness. Regardless of the substance, it's clear that Mercedes knows the value of online traction and will do whatever it takes, no matter how low-brow, to get an early lead among its rivals.

Regarding the idea of Super Bowl teasers, the concept is simple,but the debate still rages on about whether or not the big reveal should be saved for the big game. While we don't promote a "one size fits all" approach to advertising, and I'm sure there are errors to the rule, it's hard to argue with the facts. Mashable reports, "According to YouTube's research, ads that ran online before the Super Bowl last year got 9 Million views, on average. Those that waited? 1.3 Million." With, on average, three times as many views online over broadcast, many could argue that the real winner in all of this is actually YouTube.

02. Ads for Social Democracy

Ads by social democracy are becoming more common in 2013. While Doritos pioneered the concept with their user-generated ads in the past few years, this year we are seeing a greater variety of the concept. For instance, one of the biggest brands in the world, Budweiser, has finally launched a Twitter account in its name. The brand, which had a little more than 600 followers Monday morning, is using the account to promote its upcoming Super Bowl ad, which will feature a Clydesdale foal via their Twitter hashtag campaign. Pepsi is also using their site and Twitterto recruit some of their fans to strike a pose with their can before their half-time show.

But, the big pre-game winners in 2013 seem to be the "choose your own adventure" style ads from Audi and Coke. In what Audi says is a Super Bowl first, they recorded separate endings for their "Prom Night"commercial, and are compiling social votes where the audience chooses the ending. Coke created cokechase.comto tease their spots by highlighting three different sets of teams who are all racing to win a giant coke in the desert. The team with the most votes online will get their spot aired right after the game.

03. Second Screen

This year, more viewers than ever will be watching on a second screen. Now in real-time, technology allows brands to engage with the viewing public on their mobile phone or tablet during the event. For instance, Yahoo's Into_Now pioneered app technology that augments the second screen experience by using the unique audio digital signature in a television show topickup, and serve up, content directly related to that show. CBS estimates ad revenue alone from their second screen engagement to be between $10-$12 Million. Being able to interact with stats,player bios, team formations, highlights and social aspects is an essential part of any second screen approach for the sports enthusiast.

Regardless of all of the hype, a few certainties remain. The Super Bowl represents one of the highest risk: reward ratios in advertising. Because of this, marketers are getting smarter by using not only the right tools, but also the right content to get the consumer's attention. Disintermediation is taking effect and the consumer is finally starting to see large-scale control of and connection with their favorite brands. As our society gets more social and mobile, so does the advertising.

Needless to say, as an advertiser, I am thankful for the Super Bowl. If not for any other time during the year - the Super Bowl gives us an annual magnified window into the progress of advertising. With so much attention to the commercials, it almost makes me feel sorry for the guys on the field.

Almost.

Originally posted on the Rodgers Townsend blog.

SportsCenter Hires a World Renowned Chef/Puppet

The Denver Egotist — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:43:01 +0000

National

Few make better commercials than the W+K NY team for SportsCenter.

Alcohol-Aware Glowing Ice Cubes that Send a Text to Friends When You've Had Enough

The Denver Egotist — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 16:40:03 +0000

National

The electronics inside the ice cubes know how fast and how much you're drinking. The cubes change color from green to orange to finally red as you keep drinking beyond the safety limit. If things get out of control, the cubes send a text to your close friend using your smartphone. They were envisioned and created by Dhairya Dand after an alcohol induced blackout.

Multiply that Winning Feeling

The Denver Egotist — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:40:09 +0000

National

Fantastic. Agency: DDB New York.

The Art of Creative Coding

The Denver Egotist — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 18:04:05 +0000

National

Another awesome piece from PBS's Off Book series.

Programming plays a huge role in the world that surrounds us, and though its uses are often purely functional, there is a growing community of artists who use the language of code as their medium. Their work includes everything from computer generated art to elaborate interactive installations, all with the goal of expanding our sense of what is possible with digital tools. To simplify the coding process, several platforms and libraries have been assembled to allow coders to cut through the nitty-gritty of programming and focus on the creative aspects of the project. These platforms all share a strong open source philosophy that encourages growth and experimentation, creating a rich community of artists that share their strategies and work with unprecedented openness.

NIKE: Do More

The Denver Egotist — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 16:07:05 +0000

National

Filmmaker Casey Neistat and his friend Graham set out on a quest to do more and revisit what it means to #makeitcount with the Nike+ FuelBand.

A Crushy Xmas

The Denver Egotist — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:55:01 +0000

National

Warm holiday spirit, courtesy of the wee elves at Toronto-based Crush.

Toronto Christmas Classics - Episode 3 from CRUSH on Vimeo.

Toronto Christmas Classics - Episode 1 from CRUSH on Vimeo.

The Last Pictures Project Puts Photographs Into Orbit to Remain After the Earth Itself

The Denver Egotist — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:08:11 +0000

National

Since 1963, more than eight hundred spacecraft have been launched into geosynchronous orbit, forming a man-made ring of satellites around the Earth. These satellites are destined to become one of the longest-lasting artifacts of human civilization, quietly floating through space long after every trace of humanity has disappeared from the planet.

Trevor Paglen’s The Last Pictures is a project that marks one of these spacecraft with a visual record of our contemporary historical moment. Working with materials scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Paglen developed an artifact designed to last billions of years — an ultra-archival disc, micro-etched with one hundred photographs and encased in a gold-plated shell.

In Fall 2012, the communications satellite EchoStar XVI will launch into geostationary orbit with the disc mounted to its anti-earth deck. While the satellite’s broadcast images are as fleeting as the light-speed radio waves they travel on, The Last Pictures will remain in outer space slowly circling the Earth until the Earth itself is no more.

Heavy.

Trevor Paglen - The Last Pictures Project Video from Creative Time on Vimeo.

Via

SID LEE: 2012 Demo Reel

The Denver Egotist — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 20:14:14 +0000

National

The definition of an advertising agency in 2012. It's a good time to be in this business with shops like this blazing the trail.

Burn

The Denver Egotist — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:27:22 +0000

National

Agency: Publicis, Milan.

Via

New Social Sharing Buttons

The Denver Egotist — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 20:05:57 +0000

Local

You may or may not have noticed the new buttons under posts that make social sharing of stuff you like on the site easier. We've also added these buttons to each member profile page — so you can go Like and tweet about your profile on the site (or those of friends or agencies you admire) to your heart's content. You'll also find these buttons on each job posting page, so it's easier as a company to socially talk about any active hiring you're doing.

Thanks for sharing. We appreciate it.

Bingo Players: 'Get Up'

The Denver Egotist — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 16:21:41 +0000

National

Don't fuck with a duck. Director: Tim Hope, Passion Pictures.

Bingo Players ft. Far East Movement 'Get Up' (Director's Cut) from Passion Pictures on Vimeo.

Saluting the End of #Movember with the National Beard and Moustache Championships

The Denver Egotist — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:45:12 +0000

National

These are some seriously hirsuite gentlemen, impressively mustachioed.

Via

Beat Zombies with Sports

The Denver Egotist — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:46:06 +0000

National

The spot's been banned on Norwegian TV after complaints. Softies.