Meme Machine

Morphing Baby Stars In Disturbing Direct TV Ad

Andy Scofield — Thu, 31 May 2012 13:00:48 +0000

There's a new baby in the family, but as relatives gather to coo over the little chap, he does something very unusual and rather creepy.

As aunties and uncles fuss over the little bundle of joy, they debate who in the clan he most resembles, with horrifying consequences.

At first things aren't all that awful. A doting aunt suggests his eyes resemble those of someone else in the tribe. Which they do, their bright and brown and...a little too big for his head.

The next suggestion is that he's got Uncle Nacho's big bushy eyebrows. Then it's Cecillia's mouth, Grandpa's ears, followed by a thin moustache and then a receding hairline. It's terrifying!

The minute mutant alters his features to resemble whoever he's being compared to. Finally, his own mother creates the worst result yet, she can't decide who he looks like. The tiny terror becomes a composite of all the freakish faces so far.

What freakish skill allows him to do this? And how is nobody else as scared as we are?

The answer is revealed, this is not a horror movie, but an ad for Direct TV. The cable network features so many channels that you can see whatever you want. Suddenly it makes sense, the baby is not a aberration of nature, but an analogy, the family see what they want to see.

Produced by Young & Rubicam, Buenos Aires, the ad is intended to run on Argentinian TV, but has found fame, or infamy, online, garnering nearly 4,500 views and 145 shares since it was launched two days ago.

It's true that people may see what they want to see. But we're not sure how many people would want to see this ad: it's very creepy.

The idea behind the ad is great, but we wonder how many people have run away screaming before the big reveal.

New Video Adds A Splash Of Colour To Goal Celebrations

Joe Miller — Thu, 31 May 2012 11:00:59 +0000

There is nothing quite like watching your team score a goal. The ball hits the back of the net, prompting scenes of adulation as the scorer run to the corner flag to celebrate with the fans.

Beers start flying around the pub and strangers hug each other. It's a fantastic feeling. Surely, for a football fan, there is no better sight. Or is there?

Imagine if those goal celebrations included special effects. What is the goal celebrations were brought to life with vivid colours?

Well, this video does just that. Featuring celebrations from famous footballing faces, it adds a totally new dimension to a traditional scene of joy.

Cristiano Ronaldo has laser vision, Wayne Rooney bursts aflame and Anderson Luis shoots guns at the crowd.

The video has some great comical moments as well, with Manchester United's Nani taking out a Star Wars Stormtrooper, Arsene Wenger riding a toy horse and the best of all of them - Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny playing an accordion!

It's no doubt whoever made this meme was a Manchester United fan, with the best clips dedicated to their players and the comical effects mostly applied to Arsenal!

Nonetheless, whoever you support, it makes for a great watch and has already been viewed over 2 million times and shared on 36,000 times

Watch the amusing video below...

Sweets Get A Case Of The Red, White And Blues For Jubilee

Andy Scofield — Thu, 31 May 2012 10:00:48 +0000

As Britain prepares for the Diamond Jubilee this weekend it seems as though everything from shops to ships and from vans to vicars is sporting a Union Jack. Even our favourite American sweets aren't immune to flag fever.

Red and Yellow are the wise-cracking candies, who, in thick American accents, represent M&Ms in various misguided adventures.

Now, the famous 'spokescandies' are attempting to get into the Jubilee spirit by being more British, which seems to involve some badly imitated accents and even worse fashion.

To celebrate the Jubilee, M&Ms is releasing limited edition packs, which only contain red, white and blue sweets. Poor Yellow is desperate to be included and tries to convince Red that he can be "British enough".

For his first attempt, Yellow appears in a bowler hat and tie, with briefcase and umbrella in hand. Red is not convinced, so Yellow tries a tweed suit complete with monocle and demands "do put the kettle on, what what".

Yellow continues to roll out costumes of stereotypical 'British' costumes, including a cockney punk and a prancing morris dancer.

Finally, Yellow appears in a skimpy Union Jack mankini, with matching top hat and wellies. It might seem the most unlikely costume of the lot, but he'd blend right in with most stag do's, or in the fancy dress loving 'Barmy Army' of England cricket fans

Put together by AMV BBDO, the ad is made for TV but has won over 560 views online. Given its Jubilee theme and the fact that the special edition is UK-only, the ad's appeal might be limited to our green and pleasant land.

As keen as Red and Yellow seem to be to celebrate the Jubilee, they are completely oblivious to the oh-so-British street party happening just outside their window.

Ian Wright Dreams "What If" For England Euro Victory

Andy Scofield — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:30:53 +0000

As Euro 2012 draws closer, football fans all over England are letting themselves dream of football coming 'home'. But the fans aren't alone, a former England star is already waxing lyrical about England's chances.

The normal relationship between poetry and football is thousands of voices tunelessly shouting chants about pies. But Three Lions veteran Ian Wright is changing all that in this ad for Absolute Radio.

Wrighty hosts the station's Rock N' Roll Football show, combining football commentary and music with chat and banter. Throughout Euro 2012, he'll be fronting the station's coverage of the competition, providing full commentary of all England matches.

To celebrate, Wright stars in an ad to inspire England fans. The clip features the striker-turned-pundit reading Rudyard Kipling's inspirational poem If to images that chart the glories and the heartbreaks of the national team's past.

Fans watching the clip relive the agony of Maradona's Hand Of God goal in the 1986 World Cup and Gazza's tears during Italia '90. Wright implores fans to believe, to hope and to "fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run".

What if all this happens? Bobby Moore and the 1966 England team give the answer: Victory.

The ad itself is winning fans, with over 22,000 views in just three days. Appearing on Twitter and Facebook, it seems as though the ad, and it's message, is spreading.

Whatever happens on the pitch, inspiration like this will guarantee a roaring crowd for the Three Lions.

Disclosure: Unruly is distributing this video on behalf of ABSOLUTE RADIO. This post is not part of the commercial plan and is written by the editorial team at Unruly, whose opinions are always independent, sometimes scurrilous, and never knowingly under-researched.

Paddy Power Suggests Team Bonding Party For England

Joe Miller — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:00:59 +0000

Uk betting shop Paddy Power has launched a new Euro 2012 spot suggesting all they need to do to win the tournament is have a good old-fashioned party!

It was only a few weeks ago we wrote about Paddy Power's controversial tongue-in-cheek, 'Goal-Line Technology' spot, featuring a plan to keep the team focused during the tournament.

This time around their latest idea to 'help' doesn't seem as if it will keep England too focused. Paddy Power is now suggesting all the players need is 'a bit of team bonding, Eastern-European style'.

The spot is the latest in a number of risqué ads from the Paddy Power's 'We Hear You' campaign and features a number of look-alikes who fill the boots of the national superstars.

The advert sees a dodgy phone camera pan around a rave in the woods, as you spot Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Joe Hart all 'having it large'.

The ad's most comical moment has to be when the camera turns to see Rio Ferdinand, and the voice-over reads 'gatecrasher alert!'

I'm rather hoping Uncle Roy does not implement this tactic for the tournament next month, however, it makes for quite a hilarious scenario.

The ad has already had over 100,000 views and over 400 shares online. Watch it below...

Disclosure: Unruly is distributing this video on behalf of Paddy Power. This post is not part of the commercial plan and is written by the editorial team at Unruly, whose opinions are always independent, sometimes scurrilous, and never knowingly under-researched.

Giving Runners The Finger - Hospital Ad Spoofs Chariots Of Fire

Andy Scofield — Wed, 30 May 2012 10:00:49 +0000

It's that classic scene again. Bare feet splash through the surf, as white-clad men run in slow motion along a windswept beach. But as the iconic music kicks in, it's clear something is not quite right.

These men are far too old and out of shape to be athletes. This isn't Chariots Of Fire, it's a very good spoof of the classic film, and it's advertising the most unlikely of things.

The men huff and puff their way across the sand; they're not running for fun. They're running away from something scary. As the largest of the lads stops to catch his breath, we can see what he's running from.

Catching up with the gang is a giant finger in a doctor's coat. This scares the big lad enough to get him running again. The text explains why he's so scared of the giant digit, "if you're over 40, don't run away from the prostate exam".

Which is sensible advice, until you consider the eye-watering size of that finger. We doubt that the ad for A.C. Camargo cancer hospital will have men running to make appointments.

Produced by JWT USA, the ad is set to run in Brazil and Latin America. Launched yesterday, the ad has already attracted nearly 400 views and has been making appearances in articles and on blogs.

The ad is dispensing sound medical advice, but in a buttock-clenchingly scary way.

Top 10 Most Shared Men In Black Parodies Of All-Time

Joe Miller — Tue, 29 May 2012 12:00:42 +0000

Men In Black 3 hit cinemas last weekend and knocked Superhero smash hit Avengers Assemble off the top spot in the U.S.

It's been a good 10 years since we last saw Will Smith's Agent J and Tommy Lee Jone's Agent K take on extraterrestrial life forms to save planet Earth, but this weekend saw the return of our beloved suited secret agents.

A about a month ago we featured the Top 10 Marvel Film Parodies to celebrate the opening of Avengers Assemble.

Now, as Men In Black 3 knocks Marvel's ultimate superhero team off the U.S top spot, we felt it was only fitting to take a look at the most shared MIB parodies!

Check out the top 10 below!

10. MDIB (Men In Black Parody)

Tribe With Tiny Hands Get Passionate About Pringles

Andy Scofield — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:00:34 +0000

Everybody knows that sensation. The frustrating, hand-crushing, finger-twisting stretch to the bottom of the Pringles tube for those last few delicious chips. These recently discovered films show that one Amazonian tribe has conquered this problem.

The Jinsuepi tribe have lived the jungle undisturbed by the outside world for centuries, that was until a plane crash brought Pringles into their isolated world.

Once they popped their first tube, the tribe couldn't stop, soon their culture revolved around the curvy crisps. This film, recently recovered from the files of a 'famous anthropologist', shows the extraordinary lengths the Jinsuepi went to in their passion for Pringles.

The anthropologist explains that the tribe wrap up one of their hands to stop it from growing. This leaves them with one tiny hand, useless for all but one thing.

At the summer solstice, the tribe gather for an important ritual. Drums play, the tribe dances and the little limbs are unwrapped...all so the tribe can pick Pringles out of the tube.

Unfortunately for the anthropologist, he points out that the chips can just be poured out of the tube. The tribe quickly subdue him with a blowpipe dart.

Put together by Grey, Mexico, the ad was launched yesterday but has already been seen over 100 times. With a dark sense of humour and a quirky delivery, we're sure this ad is bound to set the internet's jungle drums beating.

The Most Hilarious LOL Backflip #Fails Ever

Eddie Tomalin — Tue, 29 May 2012 09:00:01 +0000

Are you one of those who love to see other people hurt themselves while attempting stupid stunts? If so, then you're in for a treat.

Fail Hero, the masters of the video remix, are back with this slightly different compilation. This one features solely people performing front and back flips. We have a whole 3 minutes and 29 seconds of bone-crunching action for your viewing pleasure.

Thanks to all that featured in this fail-tastic video. Remember, we love your fails, so keep up the good work.

If you want more of these excellent failing fruits, be sure to check Fail Hero.

Samsung Launch New Olympics Spot Starring Becks And Jamie Oliver

Joe Miller — Mon, 28 May 2012 13:00:46 +0000

As anyone who has ever stood shivering on a school playing field knows, sport is not about winning - it's the 'taking part' that matters.

It's a message driven home in the latest Olympic campaign from Samsung. The new spot, created by Cheil Worldwide, features a number of athletes, celebs and public citizens that are all 'taking part' in the London 2012 Olympics.

The ad opens with a range of shots that show people who are trying their upmost in the sport they love, as they express 'it's not about winning, it's about taking part'.

A voiceover then kicks in, 'this is an invitation to the United Kingdom; to 60 million people to experience the Olympic Games as they have never experienced them before.'

Mountaineer Kenton Cool explains he is taking part to 'fulfil a 90-year-old promise' of taking an Olympic medal to the top of Mount Everest, while Paralympian Jon Pollock, Team GB cyclist Victoria Pendleton and footballer David Beckham all deliver messages about 'taking part'.

Beckham's 'Beethoven Ode to Joy' spot that we blogged about on Friday is being used to support the campaign, as the brand attempts to push the features of the new Samsung Galaxy S3 model.

This new spot already has just short of 500k views, although it has a long way to go if it's going to match the views and share rates of Olympic ads such as P&G and Adidas.

Watch the advert below...