Jailbroken Ipod Touches featured in Ads

Both Circuit city and RadioShack have run the same image in their weekend circulars - the image of a Ipod touch that has been jailbroken.

My guess is that this can be blamed on one of two things, cheap clients and stock photography or a moronic retoucher/photographer assistant..etc.

Essentially I believe they purchased the cheapest stock photograph available and it just happened to be of a broken phone. But what I believe to most likely be the reason is that this is the fault of the retoucher or the photographers team. Most devices are shot turned off and captured or downloaded electronically, then placed onto the screen during the retouching stage. This is usually the case especially when used for print as the resolution must be at least 300 dpi.

I imagine Steve Jobs and a number of RadioShack & Circuit City execs will be mighty pissed Monday.

The lesson - hire smart professionals, have an eye for detail and don't be cheap.

Wii Remote Hacks

Brilliant video from the 2008 TED conference. Check out some of the innovative (and cheap) ways to re-use your Wii remote.

We will keep you updated on the state of 3D gaming after the EA game release in May.

Unreleased Mac vs. PC - Developers take the year off

Experiential Site Design

Site design is one of the most important considerations for building an interactive experience. Many corporate sites provide horrible user experiences because they want to incorporate all the information on one page - new products, thousands of options, the latest deals, plans and, of course, contact information.

I've recently been working with an experienced UXD (User Experience and Design) consultant and have learned the need to structure all information in a cohesive and intuitive way. It's amazing to see the improvements in a web site when you clearly define the path's that you want your users to go down and the pages that are most critical for them to view.

One of the top UXD blogs that I've been able to find is called Logic+Emotion. Written by David Armanio (current VP of Experience Design at Digital shop Critical Mass), the blog is the destination for aspiring interactive people to understand the importance of thinking through design and enabling your users to have excellent experiences.

Not only does it provide a good overview, but also great examples.

My favorite site - from an experiential POV - is Motorola City. Designed by European agency Soulpolice and managed by BBDO NY, Mororola City's objective is to let users experience the benefits that Motorola can provide to governments and their communities.

By combining video with 9 comprehensive stories, the site provides a great view of Motorola's products and solutions - from managing a fire in downtown to fingerprinting a suspect in the subway.

This site isn't just executed flawlessly - it's designed with the main objective in the forefront. Every click, video and story helps to highlight the benefits of working with Motorola. If you want to get a sense of the possibilities of a website, you've got to check it out.

Just remember the next time your working on a site - it can look great, but if the user experience sucks it's not going to last long.

If Apple created Facebook

I just finished reading the article "Evil/Genius" from this months WIRED magazine. It is an interesting review of how Apple does not follow the silicon valley way of working. Autonomy, collaboration and employee rights do not rule, Steve Jobs does. Apple is a world of security, job insecurity and a fear of disappointing Steve. It is this environment that powers the machine that creates some of the worlds most sought after products and industry innovations.

The article Evil/Genius reiterated what I had previously heard about Apple, discussing Steve's style of micro-managing every aspect of every project, how software and hardware development are separated in an almost church and state like structure and how the only person who truly understands how it will all come together and go-to-market is Steve.

This got me thinking about some of today's digital trends and how they would be impacted/changed if Steve Jobs oversaw their development and launch. Lets focus on Facebook.

1. Facebook and Applications - All apps would be put through a detailed review ensuring that the user experience of both the members adding the app as well as the experience of visitors to profiles is not negatively impacted. This would probably eliminate over 75% of the current apps available of Facebook. Some such as friend block and funwall that make it so that some profiles take 3 minutes to load would be eliminated.

2. Who can join? - You would have to have an Apple computer to access the group. This would set-up barriers to join, but it would also strengthen the ties within the social community and probably act as a catalyst to Mac adoption as friends and family become interested and want to join.

3. Advertisers - would be non existent except Apple. The revenue stream would probably come from a free to join (basic profile) but pay to add and access applications and functionality.

4. Steve Jobs would decline your friend invite.

5. Video - as all Mac's come with a built in camera their would be video integrated. Groups could talk to one another - watch one another. When you are online your profile could be actual video of you, etc.

6. Innovation would happen once a year - Macworld would be where all of the new apps are introduced and unleashed upon the world of social networking giving us all one year to play with them, add them and then start to speculate on how Apple will improve our online lives next year.

Pregnancy Test Commercial

This is the most technologically advanced piece of technology that you will ever pee on.

Another great quote

I still don't know what it is about sharing great quotes that I enjoy so much, but here is another one... this one I think will really resonate with those from the ad world...

"In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts; they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thrasher Funds - Niche Will Rule

Thrasher Funds has been created for the new Generation of Investors. As they say on their site...

"The GendeX™ Mutual Fund offers Next Investors, a group of more than 60 million Gen X and Y'ers largely overlooked by the financial market place until now, the opportunity to leverage their youth along with a disciplined investment and savings strategy to help use what they already know to engage the stock market. We provide the Next Generation of investors the opportunity to invest in markets near to them, while providing the education, fundamentals, and diversity currently available in investment products aimed at older generations.

We created The GendeX™ Fund for any investor who has not felt a connection to investing or who wants a new style of investing represented in his or her portfolio."

Absolutely genius. I truly believe that niche products for the masses will begin to truly control the marketplace. Everyone wants to feel as if they are unique, even when they are investing.

Don't forget to watch the videos... flipping the industry on its head.

Kobe Jumps Over Aston Martin - New Nike Commercial

Google Trends and my love

My love for Google Trends is strong. Today I was discussing them with a few colleagues and they helped me realize a few things:

1. Media are you watching - how many media companies use google trends to search relevance, interest and the effectiveness of programs. one example - last nigh Fox News US ran a story on a campaign called "faces of meth" 12 hours later it peaked and 21 hours later it is still popular ranking as the 30th most searched term in the world. What does this mean? For media planners it means Fox News has a following, people pay attention AND they are active on the Internet. Advertising today is about conversation. If you can't create one, be apart of it.
   
   
2. Media are you listening - when does the conversation around your product, company or industry peak? How can you adjust your media spend, campaign in-market dates to capitalize on this information? One example - when are your competitive products at an all time high in search? How does this compare against your search trends? What did they do to reach that high and how can you learn from it?
   
   
3. The world are you paying attention - Personalized search. It will take your search history and personalize your current search content to your preferences. What articles have you read, what sites intrigued you. Google knows - you can enhance your online experience.

Ohh and what is the point of the image above. I bet Samsung & LG had the strongest LCD/Plasma TV sales during boxing day AND I bet I know which provinces had the strongest sales.

Or maybe it is all bullshit.

TIME - The Top 25

Need a blog to read other than AdJoke?

Check out TIME's top 25 listing here.

(we just got word that AdJoke came 26th...)

If only all marketers saw digital in this light...

"Digital is far from done in isolation," says Rob Master, North American media director. "It's part of a broader campaign. In many cases now it's the centerpiece of a broader campaign. I think that's become a real integral part of how we use the web, moving beyond just promoting web addresses in TV spots or print ads to really making them a critical part of the storytelling for the brands."

Amazing quote but look at how many campaigns use only a TV spot or print ad to drive traffic - we still have a long way to go.

LG TOUCH

LG has launched three touch phones in Canada, the Venus, Vantage and VU.

Publicis Modem has created a flash site that allows you to discover the phones in an incredibly unique environment.

Check out the great new website here LG TOUCH

They make you visit the homepage then click on the banners....

Finally...

A TV Spot with an objective to drive to the much better, more immersive website. Not an unrelated spot with a URL tacked onto the end (that nobody cares about).

Nice work, VW.

Found on Organics Threeminds

The Future of Advertising

"Don't show me a script, show me the press release" - Alex Bogusky

If you do one thing this week, check out this presentation from senior planner Paul Isakson. It's a great look at how digital has changed advertising, how to ensure that your brand gets noticed in the new age and what you can do to create better work for your clients.

It's filled with great quotes from industry leaders (my favorite above) and offers somany excellent insights - especially if your nervous during our transition from traditional to digital.

View Upload your own

Found on Logic+Emotion

Does your product live up to the hype?

It's one thing to say your product is the fastest. Or the coldest. Or the most healthy. It's another if it actually lives up to your positioning.

We've all been there. You buy something that says it's the best when actually, it's horrible. Any brand can make a claim, its the ones that actually live into their promise that are successful.

That's why I love this OOH execution from 3M. Nothing says "we back up our claim to being number one for security" better than actually showing it.

What do we do?

One of the best pieces of advice I've received in the industry is always keeping in mind what someone in client services actually does - sell creative.

With continual deadlines, timelines, media mistakes, client feedback, creative push-back, office politics, technical issues, freelancer issues, production problems, server and email problems and all the other fun problems to deal with, it's easy to forget that at the end of the day, the core product of any agency is the work.

Some agencies specialize and create great work. Others churn out ads to satisfy deadlines. And some...well...some just seem to stay alive for no conceivable reason.

What does you're agency do?

Public Service Annoucements

Remember those Drug Free America spots that had a scary guy narrating as an egg got cracked and then thrown into a pan? (THIS IS YOUR BRAIN...THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON DRUGS...).

Well we've seen a few PSA's over the last couple of days that are worth checking out. One of them is extremely creepy and about sexual abuse victims and the other is from Europe about the speed limit.

The sexual abuse one goes right for the creepy - it's such a weird image that it's impossible to forget. The European speed limit one goes for an emotional response.

When it comes to PSA's, which execution is more effective? The one the creeps you out or the one that makes you feel (and think)?



And the Speed Limit...

A Great Spot

Just checked out this spot from Godin's blog. I have to say that it's one of the best TV spots I've seen thus far this year. Why? Because it asks a direct question to the viewer right off the bat and forces you to pay attention.

But even when you do, you don't...and that's the point.

Worlds largest diamond mine

Not ad related but I find this truly amazing. The sheer size of this mine blows my mind. This is the worlds largest diamond mine in Siberia. The hole is so big that area above the mine is closed to helicopter traffic as the downward flow could suck the helicopters into it.

Mini keeps having fun

TAP Project and thougths

I am sure that you have seen this before. I wanted to share it because the other night when I was watching the video I was trying to think how many times I had heard an idea of this proportion come-up in a brainstorm, presented to a client, etc to only see that idea never see the light of day because of budget constraints, lack of time, or a key player just doesn't get it.

For the team at Droga 5 it must be an incredible feeling to have clients, CDs, Directors , etc that believe in their big ideas and give them the time, money and opportunity to make them see the light of day.

On another note I do have a few issues with the video. It says the cost to UNICEF was $0; but somebody had pay for the site build, hosting, the production of window decals, printing of OOH, production for OOH video elements, etc. I just don't see hard costs being donated and all work being done for free.

Ad Quote of the week

Nothing can be so amusingly arrogant as a young man who has just discovered an old idea and thinks it is his own.

- Sidney J. Harris

Found on my iGoogle "quotes of the day"section.

The Audition

Got passed this neat little video from an aspiring actress. Pretty funny.

Thanks to pantyboy22.


The Auditioner from Kate on Vimeo.

High Life- delivering common sense to the ad industry

I have posted a few of the spots from this campaign before. I absolutely love it. Maybe the best casting of any campaign.

Genius positioning, amazing casting and endless opportunity. Trying to find the hotel and baseball spot but here we have some great common sense commentary about the advertising.

Click play and enjoy....