If you haven't seen the new Adidas Star Wars spot and microsite yet, you're missing out. First off, the launch spot (posted below) follows the tone and style of the original Adidas Houseparty work. But with the addition of Star Wars and some sweet Darth Vader shots, the new spot is set to make a mark and stop a lot of people from fast forwarding through it on their PVR's.
The real gem of this campaign, though, is the microsite. Launched in late November, the site integrates Facebook Connect and creates a short story about Darth Vader targeting your location. When I logged in via connect, my profile picture was pulled into the movie and so was a Street View picture of my flat in London (not sure how they pulled this one into the experience...somewhat strange but still cool!).
Vader then, using the Death Star, targets my flat and blows it up - leaving a large Adidas logo in the Google Map where my flat once was.
After the experience is over you get the usual stuff (send to a friend, become a fan, etc). I like this campaing because it creates a digital experience around the product, incorporates social aspects into it (and Adidas as over 2 million fans on Facebook) and generally gets the user excited about the product.
I wouldn't consider myself a hardcore Star Wars fan by any means, however after watching the spot, going through this experience and checking out the inspired kicks, it's hard not to want a pair.
Go to the microsite now.
Original post found via So Sticky.
Saturday
Wednesday
Mobile. You Don't Know Until It's Gone.
For the last week, I haven't had a mobile phone. I've been in the UK for just under a week now and just haven't had time (or a bank account, until today) to actually get one. For someone who had an iPhone and a BlackBerry for the past two years, it's a dramatic and strange change.
I know, I know - 1 week? What's the big deal? In reality, when you're addicted to a variety of digital outlets (social networks, texting, gaming, photo's, etc), you'd think that you could just get your fix on your computer. But in reality, when you're busy running from meeting to meeting and project to campaign, you don't have time to spend checking Twitter, writing blog posts or commenting on the go. And this has had a huge impact on me.
To be honest, I didn't notice it until yesterday after work. Getting home around 9PM and being obsessed with getting online and doing 'personal stuff' (read: messing around online). Fast forward to midnight and it felt like I hadn't acheived anything. Why is this?
Because having a mobile allows you to compartmentalize your personal bits throughout the day. Like leaving your inbox for two hours and coming back to a hundred emails, I find my personal digital endeavours are the same. If you don't manage them in your daily downtime, they build up and you spend your online moments trying to catch up.
But that's the strange thing - the phases of the withdrawl from a mobile life. For me, they are the following:
1. Relief: Nobody can get a hold of me (sometimes quite nice) and I can find anyone - when I want to - online. I can focus on the tasks and just unplug and shut down.
2. Missing out: The DM's and messages start to pile up. The blog posts stop getting posted and the Reader has 1000+ unread posts. I start to get worried that I'm deeply behind.
3. Panic: Seeing a title wave and wondering what to prioritize in the limited amount of downtime that I might have. Do I chat with people on Facebook or read my favorite blogs from the day? Do I watch a TED talk or update my LinkedIn profile? With a mobile, you never have to choose, you just prioritze.
4. Evaluation of digital essentials vs. time wasters: Right now, I'm questioning some of my digital 'priorities'. Do I need to update Twitter on a daily basis to maintain my follower base? Do I need to check my 60+ subscriptions ever morning to find new news? What, in my digital life, can I give up?
When you have a mobile, you have another way to connect. You can squeeze more, short, experiences into a day and feel as if your multi-tasking. But if some of those tasks don't really matter, what - exactly - are they worth?
Apps, geotracking, AR, location search, Sixth Sense...all mobile technologies that are going to give us more capabilities and connections. But at the end of the day, if you don't have them right now, do these technical add-ons become things you can't live without? Or just things that you wish you might have never found in the first place?
I know, I know - 1 week? What's the big deal? In reality, when you're addicted to a variety of digital outlets (social networks, texting, gaming, photo's, etc), you'd think that you could just get your fix on your computer. But in reality, when you're busy running from meeting to meeting and project to campaign, you don't have time to spend checking Twitter, writing blog posts or commenting on the go. And this has had a huge impact on me.
To be honest, I didn't notice it until yesterday after work. Getting home around 9PM and being obsessed with getting online and doing 'personal stuff' (read: messing around online). Fast forward to midnight and it felt like I hadn't acheived anything. Why is this?
Because having a mobile allows you to compartmentalize your personal bits throughout the day. Like leaving your inbox for two hours and coming back to a hundred emails, I find my personal digital endeavours are the same. If you don't manage them in your daily downtime, they build up and you spend your online moments trying to catch up.
But that's the strange thing - the phases of the withdrawl from a mobile life. For me, they are the following:
1. Relief: Nobody can get a hold of me (sometimes quite nice) and I can find anyone - when I want to - online. I can focus on the tasks and just unplug and shut down.
2. Missing out: The DM's and messages start to pile up. The blog posts stop getting posted and the Reader has 1000+ unread posts. I start to get worried that I'm deeply behind.
3. Panic: Seeing a title wave and wondering what to prioritize in the limited amount of downtime that I might have. Do I chat with people on Facebook or read my favorite blogs from the day? Do I watch a TED talk or update my LinkedIn profile? With a mobile, you never have to choose, you just prioritze.
4. Evaluation of digital essentials vs. time wasters: Right now, I'm questioning some of my digital 'priorities'. Do I need to update Twitter on a daily basis to maintain my follower base? Do I need to check my 60+ subscriptions ever morning to find new news? What, in my digital life, can I give up?
When you have a mobile, you have another way to connect. You can squeeze more, short, experiences into a day and feel as if your multi-tasking. But if some of those tasks don't really matter, what - exactly - are they worth?
Apps, geotracking, AR, location search, Sixth Sense...all mobile technologies that are going to give us more capabilities and connections. But at the end of the day, if you don't have them right now, do these technical add-ons become things you can't live without? Or just things that you wish you might have never found in the first place?
Simplicity turns me on....honestly.
If you haven't seen the video for the Nexus One phone have a look at it before you read the rest of this post.
The simplicity of the communication, the minimalist approach to the design makes that video an absolute stand-out. Think about how complex the features of that phone are and think about the endless list of benefits those features can deliver to the end-user. Instead of killing our eyes with details and over-loading our minds with messages the showcased the product in a way that to me is magical and turns me on.
The simplicity of the communication, the minimalist approach to the design makes that video an absolute stand-out. Think about how complex the features of that phone are and think about the endless list of benefits those features can deliver to the end-user. Instead of killing our eyes with details and over-loading our minds with messages the showcased the product in a way that to me is magical and turns me on.
Coke: Happiness Machine
Definition 6 and Coke are delivery happiness. It reminds me a little of the VW Fun Theory from an experience standpoint, but that is more than OK. That is awesome.
The way that this execution will ignite the conversation around the brand and how it delivers happiness is the way more agencies and all marketers should be thinking. 5 years ago this execution would not have the impact or even be executed the same. To have impact move beyond the walls of the campus and the friends they would have needed to have a PR campaign supporting this, hoping that the video they shot gets shown on the evening news, covered in the dailies the next, shared in the school newspaper, etc. Then they would hope that consumers who viewed the PR would go online and visit coke.com or search for the video and find the site to see the full video.
That or they would have had to turn the vidoe into :30 and :60 spots and spent a bucket of money on media to get the world to see what they are doing (delivering happiness).
The social web has made the cost of distribution move to $0 very quickly so brands should be spending their money on creating experiences & content that consumers will see as valuable and distribute on their behalf, not on media.
Currently the video is at 4,700 views on YouTube and it appears has been up for about 16 hours. Lets see where it is in 24 more hours.
The way that this execution will ignite the conversation around the brand and how it delivers happiness is the way more agencies and all marketers should be thinking. 5 years ago this execution would not have the impact or even be executed the same. To have impact move beyond the walls of the campus and the friends they would have needed to have a PR campaign supporting this, hoping that the video they shot gets shown on the evening news, covered in the dailies the next, shared in the school newspaper, etc. Then they would hope that consumers who viewed the PR would go online and visit coke.com or search for the video and find the site to see the full video.
That or they would have had to turn the vidoe into :30 and :60 spots and spent a bucket of money on media to get the world to see what they are doing (delivering happiness).
The social web has made the cost of distribution move to $0 very quickly so brands should be spending their money on creating experiences & content that consumers will see as valuable and distribute on their behalf, not on media.
Currently the video is at 4,700 views on YouTube and it appears has been up for about 16 hours. Lets see where it is in 24 more hours.
Monday
Cera-nation meets Jersey Shore: Youth Revolt
I was just introduced to this wonderful piece of promotional advertising.
A last minute attempt to connect with the MTV & Jersey Shore fans before the opening night of the film. In my opinion it is hilarious and achieves exactly what it needed to. Well done.
A last minute attempt to connect with the MTV & Jersey Shore fans before the opening night of the film. In my opinion it is hilarious and achieves exactly what it needed to. Well done.
Trident: The people have tweeted
Everyone has heard the stats that consumers trust the recommendations of peers and friends more than advertising (big surprise there). At the same time we all know that social media and the features and functionality of the always evolving world wide web have enabled us share, express our opinions and make our networks and communities know all of our likes and dislikes.
Trident has picked up on both of these nuggets of knowledge and created this print ad. Well done.
Thank you to the wonderful Christine Santimaw for sharing. Image from Mashable.
Sunday
LT DANCE: The Electric Glide
I really hope that this video is a part of some Nike Superbowl commercial. Oh my do I ever pray that this is a calculated part of a strategy that will ultimately reveal itself as a genius superbowl campaign.
If not, I have lost all respect for LT.
If not, I have lost all respect for LT.
Eat This, Diamond Shreddies
I'll admit it, I'm a fan of the Diamond Shreddies campaign (and not just because it's Canadian). But this new webspot from Raisin Bran Crunch is hilarious and instantly classic.
Like Shreddies, Raisin Bran is a pretty boring and unchanged product. It's extremely difficult to get people talking about it and most of the existing advertising is easy to ignore (see any US spot). Not anymore. A fun idea with nice execution and one that will get noticed by a large target.
Check it out and tell us, what do you think?
Like Shreddies, Raisin Bran is a pretty boring and unchanged product. It's extremely difficult to get people talking about it and most of the existing advertising is easy to ignore (see any US spot). Not anymore. A fun idea with nice execution and one that will get noticed by a large target.
Check it out and tell us, what do you think?
Please. Take me back.
Loving this new campaign for LactoFree (a milk product). It would have been so easy to do a boring "Guess what? Now people who are lactose can drink milk again" spot but W+K choose to do (what they normally do) and create a campaign built around an insight and an idea.
People with lactose have typically had a bad experience with a milk product (after all, how do you think you initially figure out your lactose intolerant? You spend the morning feeling awful and then go see a doctor who tells you that it was probably the milk you poured on your favorite cereal).
As a result, they are very reluctant to try milk again - even if it's lactose free. As a result of this fact, W+K uses the "take me back" approach that a boyfriend traditionally uses on his girlfriend who has either kicked him out or dumped him (or both).
The result is some entertaining TV.
People with lactose have typically had a bad experience with a milk product (after all, how do you think you initially figure out your lactose intolerant? You spend the morning feeling awful and then go see a doctor who tells you that it was probably the milk you poured on your favorite cereal).
As a result, they are very reluctant to try milk again - even if it's lactose free. As a result of this fact, W+K uses the "take me back" approach that a boyfriend traditionally uses on his girlfriend who has either kicked him out or dumped him (or both).
The result is some entertaining TV.
Saturday
AdJoke Goes International
Sorry everyone for the lack of posts thus far in 2010. It's been a wild few weeks for Paul and I. I've recently moved to London, England to continue working in the ad biz and I'm excited to bring more of an international flare to AdJoke over the next few years.
As anyone who has been to another country knows, advertising is dramatically different. Sure, the same mediums exist (and digital is still just as important), but the brands, messages and ideas are (sometimes radically) different.
You might remember some of my posts during my various London trips about how wild some of the brands here can be. With Paul trucking away in North America and me chilling here in Europe, expect more ads, opinions and ideas.
I'm also going to be doing a number of posts about the differences between the Canadian and UK ad landscape. My transition into the workforce starts Monday and I will be sure to update ya'll with the latest and greatest campaigns.
Thanks for your patience and, as always, for reading and commenting!
Monday
Ask the Right Questions
Welcome to 2010. While we all make our usual resolutions (not drinking for a month, working out more, reading more, etc), here's one idea for you to think about over the next 12 months: don't ask the obvious questions, ask the right one.
Malcolm Gladwell gave a TED talk in 2007 about what we can learn from spaghetti sauce. The talk focuses on the food industry and the way that thinking differently about a product (creating the perfect product vs. the perfect products) altered the way that we eat in a dramatic fashion.
This talk has profound implications within the ad industry even though it has very little to do with it. We assume that there is a set path to acheiving an idea that resonates with our target consumers. A brief, informed by resarch and coupled with an insight, is given to a creative team which typically consists of an Art Director, Copywriter and (if you're lucky enough) a digital expert. The team then gets some time (a week or two) to come up with a few ideas which they present to the broader agency (and revise), then the client (and revise) and then (maybe) launch to the general public.
This process has existed for decades. Brief, creative teams, client presentations, launch, repeat.
Over and over and over. It's produced great work. It's produced awful work. And it's been copied and repeated by almost every agency in the world.
Is it right? Should we be doing things differently?
Or rather, what happens when one group dramatically alters the 'process' and shifts everything?
It's not about digital or TV or print. It's about the way we approach the process to conceive impactful ideas that change our client's businesses.
As Gladwell proudly states, there is no perfect idea. There are only perfect ideas. Much more to come on this topic.
(Happy New Year, by the way!)
Malcolm Gladwell gave a TED talk in 2007 about what we can learn from spaghetti sauce. The talk focuses on the food industry and the way that thinking differently about a product (creating the perfect product vs. the perfect products) altered the way that we eat in a dramatic fashion.
This talk has profound implications within the ad industry even though it has very little to do with it. We assume that there is a set path to acheiving an idea that resonates with our target consumers. A brief, informed by resarch and coupled with an insight, is given to a creative team which typically consists of an Art Director, Copywriter and (if you're lucky enough) a digital expert. The team then gets some time (a week or two) to come up with a few ideas which they present to the broader agency (and revise), then the client (and revise) and then (maybe) launch to the general public.
This process has existed for decades. Brief, creative teams, client presentations, launch, repeat.
Over and over and over. It's produced great work. It's produced awful work. And it's been copied and repeated by almost every agency in the world.
Is it right? Should we be doing things differently?
Or rather, what happens when one group dramatically alters the 'process' and shifts everything?
It's not about digital or TV or print. It's about the way we approach the process to conceive impactful ideas that change our client's businesses.
As Gladwell proudly states, there is no perfect idea. There are only perfect ideas. Much more to come on this topic.
(Happy New Year, by the way!)
Wednesday
Thursday
Crowdsourced Star Wars
Star Wars: Uncut Trailer from Casey Pugh on Vimeo.
Although this is a few weeks old, I just stumbled on it and love the idea. A few rabid fans have decided to remake Star Wars using user generated clips cut together. Simply go to their microsite, register for one of the 1100 or so 15 second clips and shoot your segment. Upload it to the site and the team will stitch together the entire film for all fans to see.
While this might seem incredibly geeky, I think this could become a huge idea. The amount of passion behind film and television creates niche groups who love this type of stuff. I can think of a dozen shows that would be fun to re-create in the 'real world' and hope that more sites like Star Wars Uncut sprout up in the near future.
Found via Socialgraph.
Tuesday
The Best Ad of the Year?
It's not a TV spot or a website. Not an experiential marketing tactic or social media promotion. Not a banner ad, billboard, branded game or special product placement. Not a CRM program or integrated campaign. It's not global campaign, it's a one-off execution.
And it's just a newspaper ad. A black and white newspaper ad. From former Toronto Blue Jay, Roy Halladay.
Halladay was recently traded to the Philadelphia Philly's. He'd been the face of the (struggling) Blue Jays for years and always gave fans a steadfast hope that anything was possible. A true class act and champion.
To truly express his feelings, he ran this ad in the Toronto Star today:
The full copy reads:
"My wife Brandy, sons Braden and Ryan, and I would like to express our deepest gratitude to the Toronto Blue Jays organization, its incredible fans, and the city of Toronto.
Great brand management? For sure. But I get the sense that he did this for us - the fans - more than he did for himself. After all, we would have loved him no matter what. This just makes him that much better.
Nice work, Doc.
Found here. Image credit.
And it's just a newspaper ad. A black and white newspaper ad. From former Toronto Blue Jay, Roy Halladay.
Halladay was recently traded to the Philadelphia Philly's. He'd been the face of the (struggling) Blue Jays for years and always gave fans a steadfast hope that anything was possible. A true class act and champion.
To truly express his feelings, he ran this ad in the Toronto Star today:
The full copy reads:
"My wife Brandy, sons Braden and Ryan, and I would like to express our deepest gratitude to the Toronto Blue Jays organization, its incredible fans, and the city of Toronto.
A class act rarely seen in today's sports world. For a guy who has made millions and has been consistently one of the greatest pitchers in the game but has never won a championship, he never had to do something like this. It's not the $50K he spent on media to make this happen, it's the thought that he wanted to do it in the first place.I feel blessed to have been part of the Blue Jays since 1995 and am extremely thankful for the opportunities it has provided. Throughout the past 15 years, there have been so many people within the organization that have made a wonderful and significant impact in my life, it would be impossible to name them all.
I am sincerely grateful for the incredible support and compassion the Blue Jays fans have shown me. I am in awe of your overwhelming passion and devotion.
Toronto will forever have a special place in my heart.
The memories will last a lifetime and so will my gratitude.
Best Regards,
Roy"
Great brand management? For sure. But I get the sense that he did this for us - the fans - more than he did for himself. After all, we would have loved him no matter what. This just makes him that much better.
Nice work, Doc.
Found here. Image credit.
Monday
p-card.ca: Send your Warmest Wishes
Extreme Group (where I work) is out with our holiday cheer.With stream options including normal, trickle, firehose and tipsy you can customize your own warm wishes in the snowbank for all of your loved ones to see. A full video of your masterpiece is shared with all to see from first drip to the last drop of warm holiday love.
Drop by p-card.ca to create your own.
Saturday
Guiness Scout: A drop of greatness in every man
This spot will be running through-out Africa to coincide with the African Cup of Nations and FIFA 2010. I have a feeling Guiness sales will be up over the next few months in Africa.
Best Christmas themed ad of 2009?
I have a feeling that these ads will be getting talked about a lot more over the next few weeks. These :10 second spots take classic Christmas imagery and add some live action arms and voice-overs to bring to life the party.
It is excellent and entertaining creative from Mother London.
It is excellent and entertaining creative from Mother London.
Orangina: Maybe too bloody
Maybe this is a brand missed in the top 10 bad ass brands of 2009 requested by Emma.
I guess they think an out-of-shape naked man being dominated by a sex panther will sell juice.
I guess they think an out-of-shape naked man being dominated by a sex panther will sell juice.
My god this ad sucks
Are you kidding me? How about another alcohol brand creates an ad that shows that their product is for care-free, we live by our own rules, create our own party, cool and spontaneous people. Give me a break. It's a load of shit. We don't buy it and neither do consumers.
People die so you can propose
Ok, the title might be a little harsh but...well nevermind. This spot is both intriguing, well shot and well a good idea.
They should create a site where you can enter your diamonds certification number and see the area it was mined and its "safe and legal" journey to its new home.
They should create a site where you can enter your diamonds certification number and see the area it was mined and its "safe and legal" journey to its new home.
Wednesday
Top 10 'Badass' Brands of 2009
For our first Top 10 list, Emma has asked us to do a rundown of the best 'Badass' brands of the year. Prior to doing so, I had to look up what Badass actually meant and the always-accurate Urban dictionary has a good definition:
For the purposes of this list, I'm going to skew the above definitions and include brands who have 'Badass' stories, ideas, executions and work. While the definition is pretty broad, here is your list to the most 'Badass' brands of the year.
10. Tom Ford
Debatable I know (he probably could have been #1 on the arrogant list as well), but when you run ads that feature women putting lipstick on using a guys belt buckle as a mirror or showcasing your product in various 'positions', you've got an attitude and you're not afraid to stand out. Just look at one of his 2009 catalogs to get a sense of his 'style'. All in all, you can't ignore his style, ego or any of his ads. Hard to say that about other brands these days.
9. Harley Davidson
As I was putting this list together, I asked a few colleagues to think of one 'badass' brand and Harley was - by far - the one that was mentioned most. Whether it's their biker dude ads, their site which encourages you to be bad or the fact that a ton of hardcore guys actually have the logo tattooed on their arm, something about their story continues to resonate with (mostly) boomer guys. You might think this is a cop-out because the creative hasn't been stellar over the last few years (including this video showcasing the new 'Nightster') but if you asked anyone over 45 about what brands are 'badass', I guarantee you this would be one.
8. West Coast Chopper
Despite the fact that Jesse James has gone a bit mainstream with recent appearances on The Apprentice and this brutal T-Mobile spot, he still has a brand that is known for it's individuality, outlaw appeal and 'hardcore' guy image. I don't know a ton about Harley vs. West Coast but from a brand perspective, West Coast seems newer, cooler and different. A quick search on YouTube also proves that hundreds of thousands of dudes love nothing more than to watch Jesse take his new bikes out for a test ride.
7. AshleyMadison.com
Why would a website that encourages you to cheat on your partner be considered Badass? For starters, it's morally questionable and a pretty unique idea. But they get our #7 spot because of their sneaky advertising strategy. In Toronto, they tried to advertise on the TTC (our public transit system). The ownership of the TTC really didn't want the "Life is short, have an affair" slogan plastered on the subway system so they denied the ads. But AshleyMadison went further and told commuters that if the ads were allowed, anyone riding in car with an ad wouldn't have to pay the $0.25 rate hike (a controversial issue here). The government ended the debate and no ads were run but they still get a mention on our top 10 for trying.
6. Calvin Klein
CK has a history of running ads that push the envelope. Whether it's Marky Mark or some scantly clad model, they always seem to create executions that generate controversy. This year was no different. In the spring, CK put up this billboard in a popular center in LA (I actually saw this in April and was pretty surprised that it was located near a mall with hundreds of kids running around). Nothing like a topless teen girl sandwiched between two guys with another waiting for his turn on the floor. The ad was torn apart by CBS and various groups and was eventually taken down. That said, I'm sure the media generated from the billboard was valued way more than the actual cost to make the ad.
5. Rockstar Games
No explanation required but I'll give a brief one anyway. The company responsible for the Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne and Midnight club. Remember that GTA is the game that encourages car jacking, senseless street killing, drug deals, the gangster lifestyle and hookers. And even though it's not technically targeted to kids, we all know that the TV spots air during times when your 13 year old is going to be hanging out with his friends in the basement. And even if you keep the TV off, with over 10 million views on YouTube, the kids are going to find a way to watch.
4. Valleywag.com
If you want to know the gossip behind Silicon Valley's greatest tech billionaires, start-up nerds or just the latest on who made out with who at an industry party, look no further. For years, Gawker Media's Valleywag has provided readers with the low down on the most popular web companies out there. Want to see pics of Mark Zukerberg that he wouldn't want you to find? No problem. Interested in what young blond Google's Eric Schmidt is currently dating? Find it here. I can't imagine how many times the site has been sued but for tech nerds out there, it's the closest thing to being truly badass.
3. American Apparel
A clothing company that uses scantly clad (teen) models and adult film 'stars' to promote their products. If you're a mother with a teen girl and you've never seen these ads before, my guess is that you're going to change the settings on your daughters computer and make sure that she never leaves the house unaccompanied. If you've you've walked by one of the stores in the past few weeks you probably either felt sick after seeing one of their ads or compelled to go inside and actually confront someone who works there (and ask them how shit like this is OK to promote). I'm quite surprised that there hasn't been more of an uprising against this creative. It's not even isolated to 2009. This is what they do - all the time.
2. DC Shoes
I've been a fan of DC for a long time. Their work has constantly pushed the limit and they've embraced their cool, skater target in a way that is authentic and different. Remember the video that they shot in 2008 with the Chairman of DC driving his Subaru in a snowboard park? They followed up the video with another on in 2009 that shows Ken Block (Chairman) and rally driver Gymkana driving a souped up Subaru through a port authority loading dock. The shots are unbelievable as are the stunts and track. Badass to the max.
1. Vivid Entertainment
Yes. A porn company. But Steve Hirsch (the owner and founder) isn't just any run-in-the-mill adult 'businessman'. He's the type of guy who signs deals with 'actresses' that he knows people (males mostly) will pay to see. Why is his brand #1 on our 2009 list?
You may have heard of Tiger Woods having some 'troubles' over the past few weeks. Well one of Tigers mistresses is the LA-based pornstar Holly Sampson. She's been all over the daily talk shows telling everyone about her 'experience' with Tiger. So what does Steve decide to do? He decides that he's going to write a script about her experiences, cast her in a new 'video' and have her re-live the experience live for everyone to see. He says the film is a 'docudrama' about Holly and Tiger; how they met, how they 'loved' and how they lived (I'm sure the dialog is going to be stellar).
Now, Tiger probably isn't very happy about this move and who knows if it will ever see the light of day but you can't argue that Vivid is pretty badass (and that there is no level that is too low for Vivid to try and make a buck).
Thanks to Emma for the first list idea and please feel free to add more in the comments.
| "1. adjective. having extremely favorable qualities 2. adjective. pertaining to a person or thing that is rugged, strong, and/or ready to show these qualities" | ||
For the purposes of this list, I'm going to skew the above definitions and include brands who have 'Badass' stories, ideas, executions and work. While the definition is pretty broad, here is your list to the most 'Badass' brands of the year.
10. Tom Ford
Debatable I know (he probably could have been #1 on the arrogant list as well), but when you run ads that feature women putting lipstick on using a guys belt buckle as a mirror or showcasing your product in various 'positions', you've got an attitude and you're not afraid to stand out. Just look at one of his 2009 catalogs to get a sense of his 'style'. All in all, you can't ignore his style, ego or any of his ads. Hard to say that about other brands these days.
9. Harley Davidson
As I was putting this list together, I asked a few colleagues to think of one 'badass' brand and Harley was - by far - the one that was mentioned most. Whether it's their biker dude ads, their site which encourages you to be bad or the fact that a ton of hardcore guys actually have the logo tattooed on their arm, something about their story continues to resonate with (mostly) boomer guys. You might think this is a cop-out because the creative hasn't been stellar over the last few years (including this video showcasing the new 'Nightster') but if you asked anyone over 45 about what brands are 'badass', I guarantee you this would be one.
8. West Coast Chopper
Despite the fact that Jesse James has gone a bit mainstream with recent appearances on The Apprentice and this brutal T-Mobile spot, he still has a brand that is known for it's individuality, outlaw appeal and 'hardcore' guy image. I don't know a ton about Harley vs. West Coast but from a brand perspective, West Coast seems newer, cooler and different. A quick search on YouTube also proves that hundreds of thousands of dudes love nothing more than to watch Jesse take his new bikes out for a test ride.7. AshleyMadison.com
Why would a website that encourages you to cheat on your partner be considered Badass? For starters, it's morally questionable and a pretty unique idea. But they get our #7 spot because of their sneaky advertising strategy. In Toronto, they tried to advertise on the TTC (our public transit system). The ownership of the TTC really didn't want the "Life is short, have an affair" slogan plastered on the subway system so they denied the ads. But AshleyMadison went further and told commuters that if the ads were allowed, anyone riding in car with an ad wouldn't have to pay the $0.25 rate hike (a controversial issue here). The government ended the debate and no ads were run but they still get a mention on our top 10 for trying.
6. Calvin Klein
CK has a history of running ads that push the envelope. Whether it's Marky Mark or some scantly clad model, they always seem to create executions that generate controversy. This year was no different. In the spring, CK put up this billboard in a popular center in LA (I actually saw this in April and was pretty surprised that it was located near a mall with hundreds of kids running around). Nothing like a topless teen girl sandwiched between two guys with another waiting for his turn on the floor. The ad was torn apart by CBS and various groups and was eventually taken down. That said, I'm sure the media generated from the billboard was valued way more than the actual cost to make the ad. 5. Rockstar Games
No explanation required but I'll give a brief one anyway. The company responsible for the Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne and Midnight club. Remember that GTA is the game that encourages car jacking, senseless street killing, drug deals, the gangster lifestyle and hookers. And even though it's not technically targeted to kids, we all know that the TV spots air during times when your 13 year old is going to be hanging out with his friends in the basement. And even if you keep the TV off, with over 10 million views on YouTube, the kids are going to find a way to watch.
4. Valleywag.com
If you want to know the gossip behind Silicon Valley's greatest tech billionaires, start-up nerds or just the latest on who made out with who at an industry party, look no further. For years, Gawker Media's Valleywag has provided readers with the low down on the most popular web companies out there. Want to see pics of Mark Zukerberg that he wouldn't want you to find? No problem. Interested in what young blond Google's Eric Schmidt is currently dating? Find it here. I can't imagine how many times the site has been sued but for tech nerds out there, it's the closest thing to being truly badass.
3. American Apparel
A clothing company that uses scantly clad (teen) models and adult film 'stars' to promote their products. If you're a mother with a teen girl and you've never seen these ads before, my guess is that you're going to change the settings on your daughters computer and make sure that she never leaves the house unaccompanied. If you've you've walked by one of the stores in the past few weeks you probably either felt sick after seeing one of their ads or compelled to go inside and actually confront someone who works there (and ask them how shit like this is OK to promote). I'm quite surprised that there hasn't been more of an uprising against this creative. It's not even isolated to 2009. This is what they do - all the time.
2. DC Shoes
I've been a fan of DC for a long time. Their work has constantly pushed the limit and they've embraced their cool, skater target in a way that is authentic and different. Remember the video that they shot in 2008 with the Chairman of DC driving his Subaru in a snowboard park? They followed up the video with another on in 2009 that shows Ken Block (Chairman) and rally driver Gymkana driving a souped up Subaru through a port authority loading dock. The shots are unbelievable as are the stunts and track. Badass to the max.
1. Vivid Entertainment
Yes. A porn company. But Steve Hirsch (the owner and founder) isn't just any run-in-the-mill adult 'businessman'. He's the type of guy who signs deals with 'actresses' that he knows people (males mostly) will pay to see. Why is his brand #1 on our 2009 list?
You may have heard of Tiger Woods having some 'troubles' over the past few weeks. Well one of Tigers mistresses is the LA-based pornstar Holly Sampson. She's been all over the daily talk shows telling everyone about her 'experience' with Tiger. So what does Steve decide to do? He decides that he's going to write a script about her experiences, cast her in a new 'video' and have her re-live the experience live for everyone to see. He says the film is a 'docudrama' about Holly and Tiger; how they met, how they 'loved' and how they lived (I'm sure the dialog is going to be stellar).Now, Tiger probably isn't very happy about this move and who knows if it will ever see the light of day but you can't argue that Vivid is pretty badass (and that there is no level that is too low for Vivid to try and make a buck).
Thanks to Emma for the first list idea and please feel free to add more in the comments.
Tuesday
What Top 10 Do Want to See?
It's the end of the year which means that every blog, social media 'guru', publication and creative group are putting together lists of everything. The top viral video's of the year, the top ads, the top experiences, magazines, podcasts, Facebook fan pages, Tweets, users...you name it. AdJoke has done some posts like this in the past but I'm going to throw it out there to you guys. Tell us the Top 10 and I'll put it together. Only condition is that it has to be advertising related. And yes, the Top 10 worst ads of 2009 is a category.
So comment, Tweet and tell us. We'll post and give you full creds for the idea.
So comment, Tweet and tell us. We'll post and give you full creds for the idea.
Thursday
Silence Speaks
A series of videos has been created for the Nova Scotia workers compensation board highlighting how being silent at the work place doesn't really help at all. In fact it makes the workplace more dangerous.
Well Silence is tired of being silent and he has finally began to speak.
Here is the latest video: Silence Speaks
A Gentleman Bear has been let on the grounds? ...hilarious.
Well Silence is tired of being silent and he has finally began to speak.
Here is the latest video: Silence Speaks
A Gentleman Bear has been let on the grounds? ...hilarious.
Epson Projectors: Extreme Gamer
An interesting way to showcase the power, clarity, lightness and portability (kind-of) of an Epson projector.
The decade according to 9-year olds
The decade according to 9-year-olds from allison louie-garcia on Vimeo.
Found on The Curious Brain
Unbelievable quotes. A very interesting look at the world that 9-year olds are living in.
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