9/11 Tribute - "Never forgotten. Forever grateful."

While most of the content that I post on this blog is intended to be humorous and light hearted, I felt that I had to make an exception with today's post.  As you know Sunday was the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. While New York City commemorated the anniversary with the dedication of the 9/11 Memorial, other cities throughout the country held similar memorials that also remembered those who lost their lives as a result of the events on 9/11, as well as those in the eventual War on Terror.   

On this important anniversary, a couple of companies took to the airwaves to run their own 9/11 tribute commercials. State Farm and Budweiser were two of the companies that aired these 9/11 tribute commercials during NFL games on Sunday.

State Farm brought in Spike Lee, who filmed nearly 150 schoolchildren, ages 8-11, from the New York City area, showing them visiting four firehouses and thanking firefighters with their own version of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' song "Empire State of Mind." The spot is full of loving New York imagery, closing on the new 9/11 memorial and the words "Never forgotten. Forever grateful." This State Farm spot is embedded below.



Budweiser reprised—with a twist—one of its most well-received Super Bowl ads of all time: the spot from February 2002 in which the Budweiser Clydesdales visit New York and kneel before Ground Zero. The new version shows One World Trade Center under construction in the background. This reprised Budweiser spot is embedded below. 

Back From the Future

Back to the Future fans, this post is for you. Many B2F fans have always wondered since the release of Back to the Future II, when Nike would perfect the technology that would allow for the production of power-lacing shoes, just like the ones that Michael J. Fox wore in the movie. Well I have some good news and some bad news. Unfortunately, Nike has not yet perfected the technology behind power-lacing shoes. We will have to wait til 2015 for a pair of those. But they have been able to replicate the shoes that Fox wore in Back to the Future II. Nike is currently auctioning off 1,500 pairs of the Nike MAG self-lacing shoe—the same shoe worn by Marty McFly in Back to the Future II—on eBay to support the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's research.
    
Nike went all out in their effort to promote this amazing opportunity to own a piece of movie history. They even got Christopher Lloyd to reprise his role as Doc Brown for their advertising efforts. To help promote this once in a lifetime event, Nike and its ad agency Wieden + Kennedy produced a spot, slightly over two minutes, that stars Kevin Durant, Bill Hader, Christopher Lloyd, Tinker Hatfield and Donald Fullilove. As you can already guess, Lloyd even utters his trademark phrase, "Great Scott," in this comical spot. Kevin Durant tries his best, but underwhelms in his role as a customer who recites Biff's trademark catch phrases. I guess Thomas F. Wilson was unavailable. This spot is embedded below.



As you can see, this amazing opportunity is being called Back 4 the Future. Nike has even created a website, by the same name, that allows fans to not only explore the shoe in more detail, but also provides links to both the eBay store and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. To bid on the 2011 Nike MAG shoes, go to nikemag.ebay.com. Please remember that all net proceeds from the auction sales of these shoes will go directly to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. If you would love to own a pair of these shoes, but find that the current bids are out of your price range, please head on over to the Michael J. Fox Foundation's website and donate whatever you can. Hopefully the more money we can set aside toward Parkinson's research will allow for a cure to be found that much sooner.

In addition to the comical spot featuring Christopher Lloyd and Bill Hader, Nike also produced a short clip that highlights this limited edition shoe. To top this, a short video featuring Michael J. Fox, was also produced. In this short video, Fox introduces the shoes and provides details on the auction and how you can score yourself a pair. Fox even appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman recently, to help promote the shoes and the ongoing auction. All of these videos can be view after the jump. Enjoy!

Let the Hunt Begin

Wieden + Kennedy is at it again. This time its for the new Dodge Journey.

 
In an effort to help promote the new Dodge Journey, W+K created a modern day scavenger hunt. Teaming up with YouTube help spread the message of this contest, Dodge and W+K have hidden three Journey crossovers across America. Each of the Journey crossovers are located in a different region of the country, one in the West, another in the Midwest and the final one in the East. If you are lucky enough to be able to find one of these crossovers, then you will win it.

Dodge and W+K are utilizing YouTube to not only introduce the contest and explain the rules, but also to allow people to view additional videos including a 24/7 live camera feed of the hidden vehicles, all of which will reveal additional clues. Additional TV spots will break on September 10th, 16th and 23rd. Each of these commercials will reveal details on where each of the vehicles is headed and where it can be found. There will be clues in nearly every frame of each commercial about the vehicles' ultimate destination.

The commercials introducing the Dodge Journey scavenger hunt contest and the rules of the contest can be viewed after the jump.

Watch Out Below!!!

Here's a scenario for you: You have a magic festival coming up soon and you are looking to promote it in a way that no one has ever done before. So what do you do? If you ask Lg2, an ad agency in Quebec City, they will tell you that there is no better way than to play a trick on the audience. That is exactly what they did for the Quebec City Magic Festival.

In an effort to help promote the Quebec City Magic Festival, Lg2 utilized a billboard in downtown Quebec City. Unlike your traditional billboard, this billboard had a little surprise that came along with it. So what is the surprise, you ask? Lg2 installed a giant magician hat on top of the billboard, that had live pigeons flying out of it. Just like a real magic trick! Unfortunately, just like any other magic trick, the secret behind this trick will never be revealed, or at least from the client. The client made it a point to include the following message in their promotional video below, "Like any good magic festival, we never reveal our secrets."      

When Your Past Come Back to Haunt You

Have you ever wondered if something that you did in the past will someday come back to haunt you. For people who enter the political world, this question seems to pop up all the time during a campaign or while in office. But, how often has this question popped up in the sports world, especially to a MLB manager? For Kirk Gibson, the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, this is the exact question that he was faced with this season.

 
Entering his first full season as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Kirk made it a priority to banned any items from the clubhouse that could cause distractions, including cell phones, iPads, toy guns and toy planes. Unfortunately, he never thought of placing this ban on YouTube. As a result, a couple of veteran players found an old Right Guard deodorant commercial that Gibson filmed in 1989 and decided to turn a screencap of their sudsed-up skipper into fashionable neck ties, as part of a team-building practical joke. Who were the guilty culprits, you ask? FOX Sports Arizona reports it was the team's closer J.J. Putz and second baseman Kelly Johnson (was recently traded to the Toronto Blue Jays) that concocted this devious plan. While Putz denies any involvement, Johnson did nothing to combat the the accusations of his involvement. In an amusing interview with FOX Sports Arizona, Johnson said the following:

I (made) 40. I wanted to make sure that everyone got one. We got the staff, the coaches ... Anyone gets called up, it's like 'Welcome to the big leagues, here's a tie.        

So what did Gibson think of these comments from his then second baseman. As you might suspect, the hard-nosed Gibson did not find the prank all that funny.

I think they're both guilty, Gibson told Fox Sports. And there will be retribution toward them at some point this year ... I don't aim to get even, but I do aim to get ahead.

It turns out that Gibby was just joking with these comments. It could be that his tough demeanor, has been softened as a result his team's performance on the field this season.

Here is the commercial that created this mess for Gibby and some laughter for the rest of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.

The World's Worst Driver(s)?

Have you ever had a difficult commute into work? Have you ever been cut off by another driver? Have you ever wondered where the person in front of you learned how to drive? If you have answered yes to any the questions, then you need to watch the following video. I think it may provide some insight and answers for you.

The Great Debate!

Did you have a tough time getting back to the grind today, after the long holiday weekend. If you did, then here is something to help you get your work week off on the right foot.



Who would you rather have looking over at you: her or hungry eyes over there! Let your voice be heard and let the Unemployed Ad Man know who you prefer.

Is it Monday Night Yet?

With the start of the 2011 NFL season just four days away. ESPN has already begun airing its latest round of commercials promoting Monday Night Football on ESPN. This year's commercials provide a unique twist and play on the words of this year's tagline, which is "On Monday night, your only job is watching football." Here are the first two commercials that have already begun to air on ESPN. Enjoy! 

It's Not Crazy, Its Just Another Marriage Proposal!

If you haven't noticed recently, the Detroit Tigers have made their presence felt in the mainstream media this season. First, it started with the team's improved play on the field. Challenging their division rivals with close pennant race, for a chance to win the AL Central for the first time ever. Then they grabbed the honor of starring in one of Major League Baseball's 2011 postseason commercials. Now, Comerica Park and the Tigers are starring in a commercial for ESPN. Like most ESPN commercials, this commercial provides its own twist to a question that is commonly asked in today's sports venues. Take a look and see!    

A Smartphone App That Isn't Meant to be Shared

Is it possible that there is a smartphone app out there, that is not meant to shared. In this spot for Hungry Howie's, that appears be the case. So why shouldn't this fictitious smartphone app be shared, you ask? Well, I will let you take a look and see.       



Now that I have your attention, are you curious to know who came up with the idea for this commercial? This spot was created by DBA Worldwide, for its client Hungry Howie's. Great job, guys!  

New Era is on Fire!

Boston Red Sox fan John Krasinski and New York Yankees fan Alec Baldwin are back to their old tricks with their latest installment in New Era's trash-talking ad series from Brooklyn Brothers. As many of you know, the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry is considered one of sports most heated rivalries. With the American League East division title still up for grabs this season, it is shaping up to be an exciting race to the end, both on the field and in this ad series.

In this latest spot, Alec Baldwin not only finds out just how flammable Red Sox tickets are, but he also discovers just how gullible John Krasinski actually is. Take a look and see!



The other videos from this hilarious ad series can be viewed after the jump.

Bus Shelter Ad of the Day

Today's winner comes from Saatchi & Saatchi in Cape Town, South Africa for its client Osram, which is one of the world's largest energy saving light bulb manufacturers.

In an effort to help educate the general population of the energy crisis that was happening in South Africa at the time, the agency utilized a creative execution that ensured the consumer would interact with the ad message. The message inside the bus stop was triggered by a sensor that would turn on only when someone approached the bus stop. When triggered it would illuminate the shelter as well as the ad message, which read: “Only use electricity when you need it”. This bus shelter ad is a strong reminder of how simple it is to save energy, by switching off a light when it’s not a use.

"Legends are Born in October"...Even in Motown!

Major League Baseball finally got it right with their newest commercial for the 2011 postseason. Instead of the norm, an ad exclusively featuring either the Yankees or the Red Sox, one of this year's commercial features Motown's own, the Detroit Tigers. The spot which features Magglio Ordonez's pennant clinching home run in 2006, is debuting this weekend on FOX, TBS and the MLB Network. This year's postseason ad campaign also features the tagline, "Legends are Born in October." If you haven't already seen it or would like to watch it again, here it is (embedded below).    

Jello's "Pudding Face" Hits the Great Outdoors...Well, Kind Of!

If you haven't been living under a rock for the last few months, you probably have already encountered an ad for Jello's new "Pudding Face" ad campaign. If for some reason you haven't or you have been living under a rock, embedded below is one of the commercials from this campaign. 



Apparently, Jello must have felt that this campaign was so unique and creative that it shouldn't be limited to just traditional media. So they decided to merge this ad campaign with both traditional and non-traditional mediums. Their ad agency, Crispin Porter + Bogusky (Boulder), came up with an idea that not not only did this, but brought it to a whole new level. In July, they installed a billboard in New York City that uses Twitter to monitor and display the world’s mood in real-time. This billboard, which is located at the corner of West Broadway and Grand, is a live, offline version of the mood meter they've had running online at www.jellopuddingface.com. When the mood starts to dip, it uses Twitter to give away pudding until it comes back up.

So how does this innovative billboard work, you ask? Well, apparently CP+B monitored Twitter for two months, and they found that a global average of 1,200 smiles : ) and 800 frowns : ( a minute, was a pretty consistent figure during this time period. Using this data, they built a billboard in Soho that pings Twitter every seven seconds, searching for the : )s and : (s and adjusting the percentage – and the face – as necessary.       

Get Loonie with McDonald's "Dollar Drink Days"

In case you missed it! There was an interesting and creative idea concocted recently by a Canadian ad agency to help promote McDonald's "Dollar Drink Days" in Canada. Cossette Vancouver's recent Canadian promotion for McDonald's "Dollar Drink Days" featured 4,000 dollar coins arranged in the shape of the Golden Arches, embedded in a block of ice at a beach party in Sylvan Lake, Alberta. Party goers were encouraged to chip away at the ice to free the coins. This "Dollar Drink Days" beach party promotion also included a DJ, street promotional teams, hula hooping, limbo contests and giveaways. Check out the YouTube video below, to see a time lapse of the promotion from start to finish. In case you were wondering, it took just five hours for all the coins to be retrieved.

R.I.P. Bubba Smith

If you haven't heard the news already, Bubba Smith died yesterday at the age of 66. Smith was found dead, apparently of natural causes, Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. You may remember him from his college days where he played defensive end for the Michigan State Spartans football team. Or possibly its from his reoccurring role as police officer Moses Hightower in the Police Academy movies.

In addition to all of these accomplishments, Smith also appeared in many different TV commercials, including ones for Miller Lite.



A couple more Miller Lite spots, featuring Smith, can be viewed after the jump.

Rest in peace, Charles "Bubba" Smith, you will be missed.

Bus Shelter Ad of the Day

Today's winner comes from Colle+McVoy in Minneapolis for its client Caribou Coffee.

In an effort to introduce Caribou Coffee's new hot breakfast sandwiches, the agency decided to make area bus shelters looks like ovens. These bus shelters even had actual heat coming out from the coils above. Pretty creative, don't you think!

Sunscreen On The Go

Have you ever gotten to the beach and realized that you left your sunscreen at home. Well your in luck now, if you live in Perth, Australia!

Thanks to the Sun Smart Cancer Council of Western Australia, beach-goers can now protect their skin against those harmful UV rays before they hit the beach. These interactive bus shelter ads, which have been placed at Perth's two most popular beaches, feature a built-in sunscreen dispenser that dispenses free 30+ sunscreen to anyone walking by or waiting for a bus. 

In an effort to help remind the youth of Australia about the harmful consequences of too much sun exposure, Cooch Creative Perth was asked to come up with an idea that Australian teens could not only relate to, but also remind them about the consequences of too much sun exposure. As you can see their solution was to create these interactive bus shelter ads. 

Located on the poster space of the bus shelter, the sunscreen is dispensed out of a little cut-out in an area of skin marked for cancer removal, with the tagline "Cutting your sun exposure is easier than cutting out a skin cancer." It also features little icons at the bottom of the poster that suggest you can protect yourself in five ways—shirts, sunscreen, hats, trees and sunglasses. 
  

A New Medium for Advertisers: Prayer!

If you haven't seen it already, please drop everything and hit the play button below...........NOW!!! You will not be disappointed.



Channeling his inner Ricky Bobby of Talladega Nights, Pastor Joe Nelms of the Family Baptist Church delivered a prayer that no one will ever forget. He delivered this invocation before the Nationwide Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville Superspeedway.  

It turns out this prayer even had an impact on the drivers participating in the race. Eventual race winner Carl Edwards appreciated the humor that came with Nelms’ prayer. “I turned to Jack (Roush) after that. Edwards said, ‘If anything happens, I want him to be at my funeral.’ That was one of the best invocations I have ever heard.”

Don't blink, because it appears that advertisers now have a new medium to target with their ad messages, thanks to Pastor Joe Nelms.

Get a Quick Charge With Vitaminwater

Have you ever been witness to the following scenerio? You are out and about, and you just realized that you left your charger at home and your cell phone or iPod battery is just about to die. Well you may be in luck now, if you live in Boston, Chicago, New York or Los Angeles.

 
It turns out, Crispin Porter + Bogusky and Glacéau's Vitaminwater wants to help you out. CP+B is installing USB ports in bus shelter ads in the above cities for an ad campaign for Vitaminwater. The bus shelters, installed on bus routes in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston, offer a 5-volt battery powered USB port that allows users to charge mobile phones, music players and gaming devices. They form part of the soft drink brand's 'You're Up' campaign, underlining its message that its formulated to provide a quick boost when you are on the go. 

Too Good To Be True

If you missed it, apparently Sears was offering the new 16GB, wi-fi only version of the iPad 2 for the low, low price of $69 online. That's an amazing 86% off the SRP of $499. The 32GB, wi-fi only model was also priced at an unbelievable price of $179 or 70% off the SRP of $599. So what's the catch with these unbelievable offers, you ask. Well, as it turns out, these offers was posted in an online ad by mistake, says Sears. Apparently a third-party seller, GSM On Sale, is being blamed for this mistake.  In response to this third-party seller's mistake, Sears issued the following statement on its official Facebook page: 

Unfortunately, today one of the Marketplace third party sellers told us that they mistakenly posted incorrect pricing on two Apple iPad models on the Marketplace portion of the website. If you purchased either of these products recently, your order has been cancelled and your account will be credited. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Many of the customers who initially jumped at these offers, were extremely upset that neither Sears or GSM On Sale were willing to honor their orders at the mistaken price(s). So they did what everyone does in today's society, they turned to social media to vent their frustrations.

As it turns out, this mistake has affected GSM On Sale even to this day. When news of this mistake was first reported on Sunday, their website was already out of commission. GSM On Sale left the following message on its homepage:

Our online store is currently closed for maintenance. Please visit us again soon    

Now come the question of whether or not GSM On Sale or Sears can recover from this mistake in the eyes of their consumers. Only time will tell!

Cooming Soon: Cheesy Poofs to a Walmart Near You

If you haven't heard the news already South Park fans, Erik Cartman's favorite snack food is coming soon to a Walmart near you. That's right, Cheesy Poofs will shortly become the greatest thing since sliced bread.

As part of an extensive promotional campaign ("Year of the Fan") to observe the 15th season of the show, Comedy Central, which has been home to South Park since August 1997, is teaming up with  Frito-Lay to bring this snack to a Walmart near you. Thanks to this deal with Frito-Lay, 1.5 million packages of Cartman's favorite fattening snack food will be available at Walmart by the end of August, for the low, low price of $2.99 for 2.375 ounces of cheesy goodness.

For those of you who are reluctant to pay $2.99 for a 2 3/8-ounce bag of Cheesy Poofs can get a free bag at an exhibit, called the Ultimate South Park Fan Experience, that Comedy Central is sponsoring in conjunction with Comic-Con International in San Diego July 21 to 24. The exhibit, running 15,000 square feet, will also offer artwork, memorabilia, photo and tattoo booths, trivia contests and a station to create South Park avatars that can be uploaded to profile pages in social media like Facebook.  

Roger Ebert Should Lay Off the Fatty Foods
Tags: SOUTH
PARKmore...

For those of you who forgot, Comedy Central is presenting the 15th season of South Park in two parts. The first part ran from April 27 to June 8 and the second is scheduled from Oct. 15 to Nov. 16. Also, the series has already been renewed for a 17th season through 2013.

This isn't the first time something like this has happened to an animated series. To help promote The Simpsons Movie in 2007, products like Frosted KrustyO’s cereal and Buzz Cola were sold in 7-Eleven stores; some stores were even temporarily converted to Kwik-E-Marts, after the inconvenient convenience store in The Simpsons.

So now comes the question, which promotional branding campaign will be deemed more successful. South Park's - Cheesy Poofs or The Simpsons - Frosted KrustyO's cereal and Buzz Cola at 7-Eleven stores. Only time will tell. 

Tips on How to Survive the NFL Lockout

Does the NFL lockout have you down? Are you afraid that your fantasy football league will be cancelled this year, as a result of the lockout? ESPN has some advice for you. In this humorous spot, ESPN reminds its faithful followers that while it may seem bleak now, don't forget that you've had to endure many bad things before, so don't let the lockout get you down. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you sign up for this year's fantasy football league on ESPN. Why, you ask? Because ESPN told you to. That's why!

What's Wrong with this Picture?

Attention How I Met Your Mother fans, be on the lookout for a very bad teacher. If you have been watching syndicated reruns of the popular series you may have noticed something different with some of the older episodes. Apparently ads for some current movies like Bad Teacher and Zookeeper have made their way into episodes from as early as 2006. How could an ad for a movie released in 2011 make its way into a HIMYM episode that was produced in 2006, you ask. Was it magic? No, not exactly! It turns out that 20th Century Fox Television, the studio distributor of HIMYM, has partnered with a company called SeamBI, which stands for Seamless Brand Integration and is responsible for digitally altering old episodes with new products and brands. SeamBI's CEO Roy Baharav calls his company an “advertising technology innovator.”  “What we do is we insert, very efficiently, brands into content in a natural way and in a way that is valuable to advertisers,” Baharav says. “So we find the balance between not compromising the integrity of the content and, on the other end, bring a lot of value to the advertiser.”

After seeing the pressure that DVR penetration was putting on the 30-second commercial, Baharav decided to do something about it. So in 2005, he started SeamBI, to provide advertisers another avenue to get their message across to their audience. It took over two years to fully develop the technology, according to Baharav. But in September 2009, it finally went on the air appearing in syndicated episodes of My Name is Earl, which is another 20th Century Fox Television property. After working their magic, SeamBI was able to place two to three insert opportunities (depending on the storyline) in each of the 96 episodes of My Name is Earl. SeamBI has also worked new brands and ads into the show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?

The really interesting thing about this technology is that the advertising can be changed for different markets and can also be changed to a new advertisement in subsequent re-airings. The Bad Teacher ad placements in HIMYM, for example, were specific to the New York metropolitan area.

According to Baharav, SeamBI is already looking at the bigger picture with this technology. They have already started to look beyond syndicated reruns and have targeted broadcast and cable networks with this technology.  “Definitely I see this as something that is going to be a part of the future, as we see the pressure on the commercials keep increasing,” he says. “I think this is going to be a very popular alternative.”

Barbie's New Flat Screen TV

For those of you who have ever wondered. It turns out Walmart does offer everything you need to give your daughter's Barbie dream house its very own flat screen TV. If you don't believe me, take a look for yourself. Just make sure that you have all of those business calls out of the way before you use that new flat screen TV.

Who Wants to Be Like Dirk?

Michael Jordan fans will always remember that famous tagline from those classic Gatorade commercials of the 90s. In case you don't know what I am talking about, that famous tagline was "Be Like Mike." Well now the folks over at Funny or Die have put a creative updated spin on that famous tagline in response to the new NBA Champs. Instead of everybody wanting to be like Mike, the FD folks want everyone to 'Be Like Dirk." If you don't believe me, take a look for yourself.

Be Like Dirk - watch more funny videos

Congratulations Miami???

In case you missed it, Macy's ran an ad in the Monday edition of the Miami Herald congratulating the new NBA Champs, the Miami Heat. Wait...that's not right. Didn't the Dallas Mavericks defeat the most hated team in America four games to two. They did! So why did Macy's run the wrong creative in Monday's edition of the Miami Herald, I guess you will have to ask them yourself.

 
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time something like this has happened to Macy's. Back in 2009, Macy's ran an ad in the Philadelphia Inquirer congratulating the Philadelphia Phillies on their back to back World Series Championships (2008 & 2009). There was only one problem with that, the Phillies were not the World Series Champions in 2009, that honor went to the New York Yankees, who defeated them four games to two.

Its pretty shocking that a mistake like this can happen to the same company twice, and within two years of each other.

The New Face of AARP

Just when you thought Betty White had done everything! First, the Golden Girls, then starring in a Super Bowl commercial for Snickers, followed by a successful campaign to host SNL, now the official spokesperson for the AARP. Yup, you heard that correctly, Betty was the host of SNL in 2010. Just kidding, you already knew that or at least you should have known that. Nope the news here is that she has now landed a job with the one organization that she has probably already been a member of for the past 39 years.

The creative minds over at GSD&M in Austin, TX, snagged Betty White to front AARP's new campaign telling our seniors to "get over it" and join the retirement organization, even though it might make them feel old. In these two spots, Betty shows seniors how you can be old and still get the most out of life. Take a look and see. And for those of you 50 and over, feel free to join Betty and become a member of the AARP.



If you enjoyed that spot, take a gander at the other spot after the jump.....

Hey Losers!

Snickers and BBDO New York are at it again! This time Joe Pesci and Don Rickles team up for the latest installment of the "You're not you when you're hungry" themed commercials. Just like everyone of his acting roles, Joe Pesci portrays an irritable hothead in this spot. If you don't believe me, take a look and see.

Early Morning Wake Up Call

Quick survey for you:

- Has your dad ever took you fishing?
- Does he always wake up before the crack of dawn, to get started on the day?
- Has he ever used devilish means to get you out of bed in the morning?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, then I have news for you. I believe your dad is now staring the latest commercial for Walmart. Take a look and see.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers out there.

To commemorate this day, I have decided to post the one commercial that I feel shows the perfect way for a son to say thanks to his mom on Mother's Day. Enjoy!

The Real Reason Why People Climb Mt. Everest

Have you ever wondered why people decide to climb Mt. Everest? Could it be that they're insane, or that they are extreme thrill seekers or they have nothing else to do, maybe. Well Carlsberg, a Danish brewing company, may have finally shed some light on the real reason why people climb Mt. Everest. Take a look and see.

Its Now Time To Celebrate a Day With No Pants

If you didn't already know, the month of May has already had to important holidays celebrated. First, it was Star Wars Day on May 4th (May the fourth be with you!), and now its No Pants Day.

In honor of today being No Pants Day, I have decided to post the only commercial I know where people walk around and chant with no pants on. And to top that they are extremely proud of it. Without further ado, here it is: 

The Competition Now Heats Up

It appears that Volkswagen's little Super Bowl phenomenon now has some competition. You may remember Volkswagen used a little Darth Vader to help sell its all-new 2012 Passat during Super Bowl XLV. Well it appears that the little guy now has some competition to contend with. In a parody of that famous Super Bowl commercial, Marvel Studios has replaced Lord Vader with its own little super hero to promote its upcoming film "Thor." The ad which nearly matches the Volkswagen spot shot for shot, features a little Thor, trying to get his Mjolnir weapon (square-headed gray war hammer) to work on the treadmill, dog, doll on the bed and finally the family’s car outside. Take a look and see what happens:



To see the similarities of the two spots, here is the Volkswagen commercial from Super Bowl XLV, to compare (after the jump).

Don't Piss Off These Concessions

Do you remember the old movie theater jingle with the singing concessions? Well if you do, you might get a kick out of the latest parody of this age old spot. The latest version with an organized crime feel is promoting the annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. Take a look and see.



If the voices of these mobster concessions sound familiar, they should because they used to play mobsters on television. The characters are voiced by actors from The Sopranos: Tony Sirico is the popcorn, and Vinnie Pastore is the hot dog.

Who Wants a Free Mortgage?

Who out there is buried under a home mortgage, that they wish would go away. Well I have good news for you! There is somebody out there that is willing to pay off your mortgage, for one small favor in return. What is that favor you ask? Its simple, turn your house into a giant painted billboard advertising the company. Are you still asking yourself, who is this company and where do I sign up. Well here you go.

Adzookie, a startup mobile ad firm from Orange, California, is offering to help 100 Americans pay their mortgages, if the homeowners convert their houses into massive painted ads for the business. For the lucky homeowners, Adzookie promises to cover the full costs of mortgages for between three months and one year, depending on how long the homeowners are willing to keep their exterior walls decorated with the company's logo. Since launching the "Paint My House" initiative earlier this month, Adzookie has received about 10,000 applications. The good news is the contest is open to almost any homeowner in the United States, no matter the size of the home or the size of the mortgage. The only obstacle that you may run into is whether or not your municipality or neighbors will allow it.   

Good Idea Or Not? You Make The Call!

Apparently this billboard advertising The Walking Dead TV series, recently showed up on the side of this funeral home in England. While some people may find humor in this ad placement, the residents of the area and employees from the funeral home were not laughing. They were so upset over the placement of this billboard ad that they forced Clear Channel, the owner of the billboard, to remove it and issue an apology.

TGI Friday's New Theme Song?

I wonder if the marketing folks over at TGI Friday's have ever thought about coming up with a new theme song for its ads yet. Because if they haven't, I have the perfect song, for them to use. Its the "Friday" song, made famous by internet sensation Rebecca Black. But don't worry, I am not suggesting that they use her version of the song. Instead, they should use the Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots version, that was performed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Apparently, Stephen Colbert had promised to perform Rebecca Black's viral hit "Friday" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon if the show's fans could raise $26,000 for the charity Donors Choose. If you haven't seen it already, here is a video of their rendition of "Friday." Enjoy!!!

It's Not New Years Day or Christmas Day, It's Better. It's MLB Opening Day!

In honor of the 2011 MLB season starting this Thursday afternoon. I have decided to start it early with ESPN's latest MLB opening day commercial. Take a look.  



If you haven't figured it out already, this spot was narrated by the one and only "Field of Dreams" Kevin Costner.

Also, in honor of the start to the 2011 MLB season, I have updated the Unemployed Ad Man's home page banner to commemorate this occasion. Enjoy!

What Would You Send Back?

Have you ever regretted buying something online that you later wished you could send back. This is the exact scenario that a family is forced to face in a TV spot for the United States Postal Service's Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes ad campaign.



While not everybody owns a weird possessed clown doll, what item have you purchased online recently, that you would like to send back. Let the Unemployed Ad Man know.

In Case You Missed It: Do Dogs Really Chase Cats?

For those of you who have wondered if dogs really chase cats, GEICO has come to your rescue. In their latest TV spot, GEICO shows why dogs chase cats. This ad features it staple spokesman (Mike McGlone) asking the question "Could switching to Geico really save you 15% or more on car insurance?" It is then followed by a comical "70s Starsky and Hutch-like" car chase with your new favorite GEICO stars. Take a look:    



The only thing that this commercial is missing is a dog or cat dressed like Snoop Dogg's character, Huggy Bear, from the Starsky and Hutch remake! Please take note of this GEICO.

The First Sign of Spring: Grilling Season!

Now that spring has finally arrived, according to the calendar, you know what that means..... Oh wait, you don't, well here it is:

We can finally get our charcoal or gas grills out and start grilling, without freezing our butts off.

In honor of this occasion, I have embedded below, the latest Kingsford Charcoal TV spot, for you to enjoy.

The New Late Night Snack

In case you missed it, Ben & Jerry's came out with a new ice cream flavor. Apparently, Ben & Jerry got their inspiration for this new flavor from late night television. Step aside Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, the host of  Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, has now joined the ranks of late night hosts who have inspired new flavors of Ben & Jerry's. Jimmy Fallon's Late Night Snack is a gooey confection of "vanilla bean ice cream with a salty caramel swirl & fudge covered potato chip clusters." Doesn't that sound tasty!

This new ice cream flavor which came about through a deal between NBC's consumer products division and Ben & Jerry's, apparently started hitting stores two week ago. Ben & Jerry's had already been mulling a potato chip mix-in when Fallon and his house band, the Roots, played an original song about Ben & Jerry's treats as the fictional group Ladysmith Snack Mambazo. From this in-show song sprang a piece of licensed swag for Jimmy Fallon, NBC and Ben & Jerry's. Late Night Snack joins Colbert's Americone Dream as the only other flavor to be based on a late night talk show.

Here is a clip from the unveiling of Late Night Snack on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon:

Nothing Says Sun Tan Like a Nuclear Crisis

As, many of you know and all media buyers have been taught, it is imperative that you confirm your ad placement before it goes to press, when it is positioned next to editorial content, especially when that content is emotionally charged. Apparently somebody forgot this step in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal. On Wednesday, Hilton ran a half page, 4-color ad promoting their "Hilton Honors" program, with the headline, "Work, work, work on your tan." What was the problem with this ad and its placement, you ask? Well I will let you take a look and see:

Nothing says sun tan, like the coverage about Japan's nuclear crisis. Call it insensitive or unfortunate. Somebody made a mistake. And if the publication is at fault, I have a feeling that Hilton will be getting an apology and possibly some free or severely discounted space in the WSJ. I guess we will have to wait and see.   

Time to pick the Brackets!

For college basketball fans (like myself), this is the time of the year that we have been waiting for. Its Bracket time! If you are like most of the country, you are probably already in the process of filling out at least one of your brackets this year, if not more.

Every year, someone comes up with a new and creative way to make their tournament picks. This year, ESPN decided to document it in their latest TV spot for their Tournament Challenge bracket game. Take a look:



This year I think I'm going to try the Plinko method for my brackets! What about you?

F-bomb dropped on Chrysler

For those of you who have been living under a rock this week, you missed a shocking tweet from Chrysler on Wednesday.

Apparently a now former employee at New Media Strategies decided to drop the f-bomb on the Chrysler Autos official Twitter page. According to reports, this person had a difficult commute into work that day and decided to voice their displeasure through Twitter. The only problem, they were logged into Chrysler Auto's Twitter account, instead of their own personal account, when they posted the above tweet. While this tweet has since been deleted, the original tweet caught the attention of several people who retweeted it on Twitter, making it impossible to be erased from the web. 

Until this week New Media Strategies was the agency of record for Chrysler's social media business. Within a day of this tweet, that employee had been fired and Chrysler had fired New Media Strategies as its agency of record for social media. As a result of this tweet, both Chrysler and New Media Strategies have been forced to play damage control over this incident.   

Here is some advice to all of you on Twitter, next time you want to tweet something that may be deemed incriminating, make sure you're logged into your own personal account, not your company's or client's account. Just saying!

UPDATE:  Here is the face the behind the tweet. Can't believe that this guys' misguided tweet cost 20 other people their jobs. Article is courtesy of freep.com.

Jen Aniston Sex Tape?

So apparently Jennifer Aniston is going all out in her efforts to promote SmartWater. In the latest TV spot for Glaceau SmartWater, Jen is instructed to do whatever possible to get this video to go viral.  So to help in these efforts, Jen enlists the talents of a handful of internet phenomenons, including the dancing babies, to achieve this goal. Take a look:    



Who knew a kick to the balls was worth around 100,000 hits on the internet!

A Winning Internship Opportunity!

Attention to all of you Vatican assassins and warlocks, put down your tiger blood and listen up. For those of you who have not heard the news, Charlie Sheen is looking to hire a winning intern. On March 7th, the new king of Twitter posted the following tweet advertising this unique winning internship opportunity:

In just 48 hours, Charlie already had over 400,000 clicks to his tweet. According to Internship.com, which is behind this unique sponsorship for the Charlie Sheen internship, almost 75,000 people have already applied to this 8 week internship as of late Wednesday. For those of you, who are interested in applying for this position, you need to hurry up and apply. The deadline to apply to be the social media intern for Team Sheen is today, March 11th. This internship is for 8 weeks during the summer of 2011 and is a full-time paid internship.

For those who are still interested in applying, here a short description of the position from the official Charlie Sheen Internship page on Internship.com:

Do you have #TigerBlood? Are you all about #Winning? Can you #PlanBetter than anyone else? If so, we want you on #TeamSheen as our social media #TigerBloodIntern!

This unique internship opportunity will allow a hard-working, self-motivated, creative, resourceful and social media savvy individual to work closely with Charlie Sheen in leveraging his social network. The internship will focus on executing a social media strategy that will build on the success Charlie Sheen has attained in setting the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to reach one million followers on Twitter. The #TigerBloodIntern is expected to be proactive, monitor the day-to-day activities on the major social media platforms, prepare for exciting online projects and increase Charlie’s base of followers.

You will learn how to promote and develop the social media network of Hollywood’s most trending celebrity.

Good luck to everyone who has already applied or who plans on applying.  Unfortunately, I don't think I have what it take to be Team Sheen's new Tiger Blood Intern. I do not have tiger blood running through my veins and I don't have Adonis DNA like Charlie Sheen. So I guess I will just return to my normal life and keep on Winning on my own.

Don't Cross these Cats!

Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if cats had opposable thumbs. Well, the folks over at Wieden + Kennedy London, decided to find out. In their new commercial for Cravendale milk, cats finally find out that having opposable thumbs has its advantages. Unfortunately, the human race better watch out!



Who knew cats had such a dark side to them. For those wondering, you can now follow the cats leader, Bertrum, on Twitter. Currently, Bertrum Thumbcat has over 1,200 followers.

Thanks goes out to AdFreak.com for posting this story, so that it could be brought to my attention.

The World's First Gay Beer

Apparently a small Mexican brewery called Minerva has developed the world's first beer targeted specifically towards the gay community. Minerva's new beers, which are named Purple Hand Beer and Salamandra, are currently available in some bars and restaurants in Guadalajara, Mexico City, and the resorts of Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos. The "artisan honey-ales" are made with organic honey and malt, giving them an orange flavor, which the brewer believes appeals to gay communities. While the beer has already been introduced in Mexico, it is also being marketed in Columbia and Japan. Since launching the brands, Minerva has also received purchase requests from the US, Argentina, Ecuador and Chile. The company is also planning to launch a strawberry-flavored beer.

Having worked in the advertising industry, I am hesitant to believe that you can actually expect someone to like the flavor of a product based on whether they're straight or gay. If you like something, you are going to like it, no matter if you are gay or straight.

While this was an intriguing story. Unfortunately this beer company has nothing on the Scottish brewery, BrewDog, who packages its brew inside a taxidermied rodent. Now that's what I call a great idea! 

The Newest Craze In Advertising!

Just when you thought the advertising world had utilized every page in the book, comes the newest idea in advertising. What is it, you ask, well let me show you:

It's thigh advertising!

This unique and out of the box idea comes from DDB New Zealand for the fashion chain Superette. Apparently, Superette issued the challenge to DDB to come up with an idea to draw attention to their sale on short shorts. So DDB came up with the idea to place ads on the thighs of those who wear the trendy short shorts.

To create these ads DDB installed indented plates on benches in bus stops, mall seats and park benches across the inner city of Auckland and in the fashion district. These indented plates would then imprint the ad on the thighs of people who sat down on these benches. Apparently, people on these benches are instructed to squeeze their legs as hard as they can against the plate on the bench, ignoring the pain, so that they get a print that might be readable by others at a distance, while they are walking.

Thanks goes out to Adfreak.com for posting this story so that it could be brought to my attention.

New Zealand Police Ad Campaign Banned

Apparently the New Zealand Police are looking for new recruits to join the force. So they did what every company would do, to get the word out. They created a new ad campaign targeting young men who would be interested in becoming part of the New Zealand Police force.

So what was so wrong with the new ad campaign created by the New Zealand Police, that caused it to be banned. Here is a look at part of the ad:

To see the entire ad, you will have to continue reading....

The Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 - #1

While the journey has been fun and eventful, like everything else, it must come to an end. Hopefully you have enjoyed #10 through #2 from the Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 list, because today, #1 will finally be revealed. If you've enjoyed this year's list, make you keep following the Unemployed Ad Man blog, for the latest weirdest, yet funniest stories, pictures, and videos ever assembled from the wonderful world of advertising. While it is early, I do want to let everyone know that I do plan on bringing this list back next year for the Super Bowl XLVI commercials.   

Now, without any further adieu, here is #1 on the Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 list for Super Bowl XLV. Drum roll, please.......................

Doritos - House Sitting

The Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 - #2

Fans of Eminem and the Motor City will enjoy today's selection. Hopefully you enjoyed #3 on the list yesterday, because without any further adieu, here is #2 on the Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10:

Chrysler - Imported From Detroit



Fans of this commercial and the rest of the ad campaign, should check out the "Imported From Detroit" website that Chrysler has set up. From there, fans can re-watch the commercial, find out about all things Detroit, and even buy "Imported From Detroit" apparel. 

The Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 - #3

The Force is strong with today's selection. Hopefully you enjoyed #4 on the list yesterday, because without any further adieu, here is #3 on the Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10:

Volkswagen - The Force



For those of you who haven't seen this already, here is an extended version of the commercial named "The Making of "The Force" Commercial." Hope you enjoy it.

The Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 - #4

Hopefully you enjoyed #5 on the list yesterday, because without any further adieu, here is #4 on the Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10:

CareerBuilder - Parking Lot



Have you ever felt like this guy? Or, do you work at a Yeknom Industries-like place? Let the Unemployed Ad Man know about it.

The Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 - #5

Hopefully you enjoyed #6 on the list yesterday, because without any further adieu, here is #5 on the Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10:

Doritos - Pug Attack

The Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 - #6

Hopefully you enjoyed #7 on the list yesterday, because without any further adieu, here is #6 on the Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10:

Teleflora - Help Me Faith



So why did I pick this spot as #6 on the Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 list, you ask........................................... My heart told me to!

Tiger Woods' New Ad Campaign

So apparently Tiger Woods is appearing in a new ad campaign. What is the product, you ask? Well its kind of a funny story. This new ad campaign is for an Indian mattress company. The ad which features a caricature of Tiger Woods, shows him sleeping in one of their mattresses dreaming about something. What is he dreaming about, you ask? Well, I will let the ad speak for itself.

 

Thanks goes out to the Copy Ranter blog for originally posting this ad on their blog.  

The Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 - #7

Hopefully you enjoyed #8 on the list yesterday, because without any further adieu, here is #7 on the Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10:

Audi - Release the Hounds

Canadian Teens Find Other Ways to Have Fun

So apparently Canadian teens are no longer smoking. According to a new PSA campaign from the Department of Health and Wellness in the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada, only about 15% of Canadian teens are still smoking tobacco. This campaign, which is named "15 and Falling," utilizes their website to host a collaborative forum of YouTube links about other things that have gone from popularity to “suckitude.” Their website even uses a creative message to get their point across:

Sooner or later, everything begins to suck. Bands, TV shows, clothes. It’s a universal law that nothing stays cool forever. As teen smoking’s popularity continues to drop, so too does the popularity of other things. This is where we celebrate their suckitude.

They also have developed a couple of TV spots and a Facebook fan page to integrate with this campaign. One of the TV spots, which i have posted below, shows what Canadian teens are doing now that they no longer smoke. Here is a hint, fart jokes are always funny, no matter how many times you see them. Enjoy!



Thanks goes out to AdFreak.com for posting this story so that it could be brought to my attention.

The Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 - #8

Hopefully you enjoyed #9 on the list yesterday, because without any further adieu, here is #8 on the Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10:

Snickers - Logging

The Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 - #9

Hopefully, you enjoyed #10 (Pepsi Max - Love Hurts) on The Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-Apalooza Top 10 list yesterday. For those of you who can't wait to find out who was named #9 on list, sorry, but you will have to wait just a little longer........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Okay, you waited long enough, here it is:

Pepsi Max - First Date

What would you do for money?

Have you ever been asked the question, "What would you do for money?" Well for Travis Broyles, an unemployed copywriter from Atlanta, decided to place a Craigslist ad detailing exactly what he would do for money. Yesterday, Broyles placed this ad titled "I do Anything" on the site. Not only does he state that he will do anything and everything for money (with a few exceptions), but he also gives suggestions of certain things he will do and at what price points.

I had full intentions of linking the ad to this post, but unfortunately, Craigslist apparently has already taken down this ad from their site. I am not exactly sure why, but it is no longer on the site. Luckily, AgencySpy posted the ad in its entirety on their site. However, if you would rather read the ad here at the Unemployed Ad Man blog, I have included it after the jump:

The Unemployed Ad Man Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 - #10

Now that the Super Bowl is over, everybody must be waiting in anticipation to find out who made the final cut in the Unemployed Ad Man's Super Bowl Ad-apalooza Top 10 commercials from Super Bowl XLV. No need to wait any longer, because here is number 10 on the list.

Drumroll, please, it is........

Pepsi Max - Love Hurts



Now that I have unveiled #10 on the list, you may ask which commercials didn't make the top 10. Here are some of the commercials that received honorable mention on the Unemployed Ad Man's Super Bowl Ad-apalooza list for Super Bowl XLV. Here they are, in no ranking order,

Bridgestone - Karma, Bud Light - Dog Sitter, Car Max - Gas Station and Cars.com - Go First

Enjoy!

Make sure you check back tomorrow, Wednesday, February 9th to find out who the Unemployed Ad Man named as the 9th best Super Bowl XLV commercial.

Super Bowl XLV Ad-apalooza

With Super Bowl XLV now in the books, now comes the fun part. Judging, critiquing and rating all of the Super Bowl ads. Which one was your favorite? Was it Chrysler's "Imported From Detroit" ad featuring Eminem? Or was it Bud Light's "Dogsitter" ad? Or maybe was it the Snicker's ad featuring Richard Lewis and Rosanne Barr? Or was it something else?

If you are interested in finding out what the Unemployed Ad Man thinks of this year's Super Bowl ads, make sure you check the Unemployed Ad Man blog, Facebook page or Twitter page starting Tuesday. Starting Tuesday and continuing for the next 10 days, I will unveil my Top 10 favorite commercials from Super Bowl XLV.

Until then, feel free to relive this year's Super Bowl commercials utilizing the Hulu Adzone widget below.

The Bud Light office gang returns

The trilogy is now complete. Bud Light and its infamous "Swear Jar" and "Clothing Drive" office gang has just released the third installment of this series. This time the office gang has their eyes set on getting fired, so that they can collect their severance package. And what is the severance package you ask, take a look at the commercial and find out:

Volkswagen goes to the Dark Side

Volkswagen has enter the Dark Side with a young Darth Vader in its latest Super Bowl commercial. Take a look and see.

Norway says "Hire the Blind"

The Norwegian Association for the Blind has a message for businesses and its employers, "Hire blind people." As part of its new and odd PSA campaign, the NAB is urging employers to hire blind people, because as they put it, "blind people are awesome to work with. You can behave badly at work—like fooling around with a colleague right in front of them—and they don't even realize it." Check out these two spots from this odd PSA campaign, below.


NOTE: This PSA campaign was created by Try ad agency in Oslo, Norway.

While the NAB is an important cause, the message that they are delivering in these two spots, is absolutely hilarious. Only in Europe can you advertise a message like "Hire blind people, so you can do whatever you want in front of them, and they don't even realize it." I have a feeling a PSA campaign like this would never fly in the United States. Just a guess!

Thanks goes out to AdFreak.com for posting this story, so that it could be brought to my attention.

Winter Driving Tips

For all of you who are being affected by Snow-pocalypse, Snow-mageddon, The Great Blizzard of 2011 or whatever you are calling this winter storm. Here is some video advice for how to drive in these unsavy wintry conditions.      



Who knew that the Jaguar X-Type could handle better in the snow and ice, than a big, couple ton snow plow. Who knew!

Happy Groundhog Day

In honor of Groundhog Day today, I searched the vast quadrants of the worldwide web to find the perfect commercial to commemorate this day. Seeing I could not find a single commercial featuring an actual groundhog, here is the next best thing.



Lets hope that Punxsutawney Polamalu sees his shadow this year, so that the NFL and its players don't go on strike after the Super Bowl. Here's to 6 more weeks of football.

Greatest Online Ad Placement Ever?

Check out this online ad for Aflac and tell me what is wrong with this picture:

While this ad placement is quite hilarious, you have to wonder if this placement was done intentionally. Is it possible that Aflac created this article about "anatidaephobia" with the sole purpose of placing their ad within the article. Some may say yes, while others say no way. I will leave it up to you to decide.   

If this ad placement was not done intentionally, my guess is that Aflac will have a stronger eye towards the details, the next time they execute a media buy with the Health & Wellness page of the Associated Content website, on the purchase order. Just a guess!

Thanks to Adfreak.com for posting this story, so that it could be brought to my attention.