I really like the idea behind these print ads. But the tag, "The last word in beer" just doesn't seem to work. I'm not even sure exactly what it's supposed to mean. Remove the tag, leave the Heineken bottle cap, and you've got a great print ad.
found by this flickrer
Heineken
Shoe News
Nike vs. Adidas
Nike Snoozers
The Snoozers Episode 3: Bad Idea
Video sent by snoozer
Adidas Adicolor
Adidas on the other hand is taking a more old school approach to marketing and is re-releasing the Adicolor LO (originally from 1983). The kit "includes the original plain white shoes, paints, brushes and a wooden palette. The box will also include sealant to keep your painted shoes looking great." Check out the Adicolor site and find out how you can create the coolest pair of kicks on your block.
Via cool hunting
The Winner: Adidas
New and improved iPod packaging
Ever wonder what the iPod packaging would look like if Microsoft designed it. Find out here. Sad. Funny. But True.
Nutrigrain - Feel Great
A friend recently reminded me of this bizarre Nutrigrain spot that was made a couple years ago. When I first saw this spot, I was just amazed the client ever even signed off on it. I have to give props to Nutrigrain for going way out there. If you haven't seen it, give it a watch here.
This seems to be an attempt to hit a male target for a product usually purchased by women. It's well cast and well written. It's mainly just wired, but the babies bit is genius. Hope you "Feel great."
VW - Hand Made
Copy: Phaeton. Handmade perfection.
A bit of a visual pun, but still, nice work for VW by Crabarz&Parner, Hamburt.
Via Ads of the Wold
Pepsi vs. Tenenbaums
Watch this new Pepsi Commercial.
I got a strange feeling from this spot. From the very beginning, I felt like I was watching The Royal Tenenbaums. Is it just me? It's definitely not a shot for shot remake like we saw with the Apple/Postal Service video. But it still feels a little too similar for my liking. A message to advertisers: If you're trying to be hip and original, be hip and original.
Book Review
Finally, on the heals of American Copywriter’s book review podcast, comes my belated praise of Life after the 30-Second Spot
by Joseph Jaffe.
Jaffe’s book does a wonderful job of simply explaining how the world of media, and those who consume it, are changing and what you as a business marketer can do about it.
For many it will be a much-needed wake up call. But for those of us who are “hip to technology,” and read on the bloglines about new nano/wifi crap that comes out every day, it does an excellent job of putting the many pieces of the new media puzzle into perspective. So, for just a moment, you can step back to view the whole picture without getting dizzy.
In his book, the 30-second spot becomes Jaffe’s whipping boy for the ad industry and media as a whole. He argues “The 30-second spot – at least as it exists today – is either dead, dying, or has outlived its usefulness.” Of course, many of us have heard something like this for years, and are asking, “when is it really going to happen?” But what Jaffe is truly talking about is the fundamental shift in how consumers consume media and how this change can only progress. He has a great quote:
“What used to be a collection of faceless eyeballs, blended into an anonymous audience, is now the glaring eye of the empowered consumer, who pulls at will and pushes aside irrelevance and unnecessary clutter and noise.”
Jaffe manages to light a welcomed fire under the seat of the ad industry and he truly gives the 30-second spot a bludgeoning. But print, radio, and traditional outdoor, for the most part, come out unscathed. Several of Jaffe’s suggestions and predictions can certainly be applied to these age old mediums. But are they also dead or dying? Do the mediums of print or radio have any place in the world of new media, or will they too be simply pushed aside by “the glaring eye of the empowered consumer?” These question seemed unanswered. Perhaps I smell another book – at least I hope so.
You can order Life After the 30-second Spot here.
Props to Mr. Jaffe for Using New Marketing to Prove New Marketing." Much thanks for a free copy of the book and my apologies for the belated review.
HP Deleted Images.
Here's a fresh spot for HP digital photo that asks the question "Where do the deleted images go?" I'm not sure if this is part of a new campaign (it feels more like a one shot) but it is certainly a new direction from the "Picture Book" ads that were so popular.
I like the sign off: Shoot fearlessly. Delete Easily. But if that's the message, I would have liked to see a lot more deleted images in the room. The spot kind of has an empty church reception feel. It should have felt more like a mad zoo of weird deleted crap. Regardless, it's a nice idea that they can have a lot of fun with it.
Watch it here
submitted by Vast and Grand
Lunch Time
Nice work for Heinz. I also really like that Heinz took this idea of putting messages on their ketchup bottles and actually carried it through to their packaging. A few examples I remember from the bottles were "Warning: Slow moving condiment enclosed," "Easier To Spell Than Worcestershire," and "Comforts Burnt Hot Dogs." When an agency can really sink their teeth deep into a brand (and impact things like packaging, uniforms, in store signage) - the work, as a whole, is always going to be stronger and more compelling.
via
Burger King Peep Show
It's official. The King can't get any creepier. See for yourself here
Thanks again to Joey Tomatoes
Vandals WANTED
explanation of Idea: "In India, people have a bad habit of inscribing their names on the walls of national monuments and defacing them. These WANTED posters were placed against these walls to drive home the point that this act is a crime. It also encourages people to report and prevent such acts, whenever they saw one."
This is a great idea. Powerful and so simple. It's a shame to see graffiti and vandalism deface the few traces of history we have left. I hope the campaign is effective.
via
Berlitz Language
Berlitz Language
Video sent by Littlejohn
Transforming a city with design
I can't really categorize this as advertising, but I came across some really great thinking done by the design group INOUT. They define themselves as "a promotional platform bringing young creative people together by means of exhibitions, publications and productions." The following examples let you "experiencing the city through the eyes of these designers." 
6 bicycles versus 1 car. A critical proposal for urban planning.
"This water collector invites all the animals that inhabit our towns and cities to come and slake their thirst."
"These days, a fountain no longer really serves any useful purpose beyond its decorative appearance. here a mirror permits it to be transformed into an outdoor bathroom."
You can see more work from INOUT here
Found at Design love me
Steaming cup of joe
cupofjoe
Video sent by nikilabellevie
One Second Commercial
If you haven't already seen it, thanks to Coloribus for creating a link to the first One second commercial ever. Yes, it's literally only one second long. Adrants reports that "One Second breath freshener placed a once second commercial during every commercial break on every TV station in Belgium" in May of 2005.
Watch it here
Update: Thomas K points out here that the first one-second commercial was created for Master Lock in 1998. Thanks
Make Poverty History
www.makepovertyhistory.org
There are a lot of people that say advertising is evil or pointless or whatever negative thing they can think of, but there are some messages that absolutely need to be heard and need to be communicated well. There is nothing wrong with advertising itself, the problem comes when the power of advertising is misused. These ads tell a compelling story. Notice how the images are purposefully un-aesthetic. That's because there's nothing special about this toilet or trash can - they're real. They belong to everyone - they're common, just like poverty is a common problem.
Via Twenty Four
ClimaCool
New work from Reginald Pike for Adidas. 
Once again Reginald Pike gives us their odd perspective on the world of advertising, this time for Adidas ClimaCool Shoes. I wasn't quite sure what ClimaCool meant - but it was clear from the spots that it had something to do with keeping things cool. The adidas site says that "ClimaCool® provides 360-degree cooling for the entire foot." There are five spots in the campaign, directed by Brian Lee Hughes. All five of them are quite good. These spots, like most of Reginald Pike's work, are very stylized,bizarre, and funny - in a creepy sort of way that makes me love them. Keep up the great work guys.
Here are my three favorite
Ice
Fish
Twins
Moleskin Exhibit
I'm a big fan of the "Legendary Moleskin Notebooks." I keep one with me at all times - just to jot down a thought, phone number or big idea. I know a lot of artists, writers and students who do the same. So, I love that Moleskin is sponsoring this art exhibit in Japan.
"THE EXHIBITION WILL BE INSTALLED IN FIVE ART/DESIGN BOOKSHOPS IN CENTRAL TOKYO. IT WILL SHOWCASE ALL OF THE NOTEBOOKS AS COMPILATIONS OF ORIGINAL WORKS BY THE ARTISTS." Here are some highlights. You can view more of the work here And if you don't have a Moleskin of your own, get one. 
Thanks to Room 116 for pointing me to it.
Aluminum Ads
Copy: All aluminum Audi
This outdoor campaign for the All aluminum Audi A2 (in 2001) is one of those ideas that is just too perfect. For the first all aluminum car, the first all aluminum billboard was created. And, as you can see, the ad takes on a life of it's own. As time passed the aluminum reacted with the elements to reveal the messaging. This is one of those campaigns that as an advertiser, I really wish I could have experienced in person - actually walk by it every day as it evolved. If that doesn't say I'm an advertising dork - I don't know what does.
Read more about the production of and concept behind this ad over at Adverbox. Thanks for the great Find. If you don't check Adverbox everyday, you really should.
New Jetta
Click to watch
This is a wonderful spot for the New VW Jetta done by DDB, London. A commercial can be so much more interesting when you point out the negative aspects of the product in order to make a positive point. From start to finish this is a beautiful spot - notice not a word is spoken. And I love the tag line at the end - but I won't give it away here.
Thanks to Joey Tomatoes
Everything has structure
Copy: Perfectly Organized
I love this thought. It's so simple and yet it really makes you see every day items in a completely new light. The ads also says "We can organize anything." An alternate tag line could have been "Anally practical." But theirs will do just fine.
See more ads in this campaign over at adverbox
Land Mines
Copy: Constructed to Destroy
A campaign for Aktionsbuendnis Landmine.de, a German organization fighting against landmines. I like how these ads don't use graphic imagery, which only generates an emotional response. These ads tastefully communicating the power of landmines in a way that makes you think about the problem instead of making you turn your head away and wish you had never seen the ad. Agency: Scholz & Friends Berlin GmbH
via houtlust
This ad has a similar thought but the exact opposite message.
Copy: For those with an eye for assembly
for Siam Tamiya (model kits shop).
Multi-touch screen
Not directly related to advertising - but extremely cool. This video shows off the powerful capabilities of a multi-touch sensing screen. The video looks like it's straight out of the minority report. It's incredible what they can do now. (Be sure to watch the whole video.)
"While touch sensing is commonplace for single points of contact, multi-touch sensing enables a user to interact with a system with more than one finger at a time, as in chording and bi-manual operations. Such sensing devices are inherently also able to accommodate multiple users simultaneously, which is especially useful for larger interaction scenarios such as interactive walls and tabletops."
via coolzor
Lego - imagine
This ad really gets to the heart of what Lego is all about. The possibilities of what you can do with lego are endless. The tag "imagine" works so well, kind of like a "just do it," because it's talking about using your imagination as a way of life but the ad is also asking you the viewer to imagine what you could build from this small beginning in this endless space. What would you build?
via
Trash hoops
Some great interactive outdoor for Nike. You could actually get a little pickup game going with these. Not to mention they bring a whole new meaning to "trash talk" (sorry, I just couldn't resist)
via billboardom
America's Finest News Source
If you're a big fan of The Onion, as I am, then you will know these ads are perfect for them. It's nice to see some copy driven work in a visual ad world these days. And if you haven't heard, The Onion has a daily one minute podcast - funny stuff. So, go subscribe to it. It could be the highlight of your day - if you're a pitiful person.
Two Faced
Copy: Get Both Sides (News Magazine)
Here's an example of typography at its best. It's amazing you can identify the face of each person with just the use of the letters in each word. If anyone knows the agency or art director who did these let me know - the art direction is incredible.
(UPDATE: Agency - Almap BBDO Sao Paulo, Brazil. Won two golds)
via twenty four
Super Bowl Ads - my top 5
Monday Monday Monday! The day everyone talks about the Super Bowl Commercials. And once again, the commercials didn't live up to the hype. Of course, there were a few highlights - the game for one.
So, I will try to keep this brief. Here are my top 5 commercials and then my pick for the absolute worst and why. My list isn't about which spot got the biggest laugh, or which spot had the craziest effects. So, some of my picks might surprise you. I'm more interested in the commercials that tried something new, that broke the mold of a typical super bowl ad and stood out from the rest of the crap that left you thinking "eh, that was okay." It's the freakin Super Bowl and your paying 2.5 million dollars - you better get more of a reaction than "okay." And I thought I said I was going to keep this brief.
#1
Sprint- watch it here
This commercial is hilarious. So unexpected, so ridiculous. It's ubelievably awkward, painful, and funny. This spot gets the "biggest balls" award. And I love the concept of crime deterrent. Hands down - best spot of the night.
#2
Ameriquest - watch it here
The line at the end of this spot is beautiful "Yep, that killed him" as he stands over the patient with the defibrillator - and the look on the patient's family's face is priceless. Big thumbs up. Plus, this commercial (and its sister) get extra points because they are for a mortgage and loan company. Making a mortgage company hot is no small challenge.
#3
Fed-ex - watch it here
A lot of people liked this spot, and they should. It's completely logical while being illogical. And who doesn't like dinosaurs. But the true reason this spot gets my pick is because it has an amazing kicker (i.e. ending). A little dino get's punted and a man dies, all in 3 seconds. Love it.
#4
McDonald's Hamster - Watch it here
Original, odd and funny. This commercial was completely unexpected from McDonald's. It's incredibly low budget and simple - everything a super bowl commercial is not. It stands out and that's why it gets my vote. This actually aired a few minutes before the game - but I'm counting it.
#5
Budweiser Wave - Watch it here.
You might wonder why I pick this spot out of all the Budweiser and Bud Light commercials. All the others feel very expected, very forced, very formulaic. While I think some of the Bud Light stuff was funny - they all kind of feel like a stand up comedian delivering a joke. That's really all they are. And while the Budweiser horses are recognizable and carry a lot of brand meaning, they just don't have the same magic that they use to - they feel trying - and in the end fall flat. The Budweiser Wave was imaginative and magnificent. From start to finish you're thinking "That's cool." It takes you by surprise - and left me feeling satisfied - like a good beer commercial should.
Honorable Mention
Hummer - watch it here
I love this spot, however, it aired well before the Super Bowl, so I don't count it as a true Super Bowl ad.
Absolute worst
Diet Pepsi -
While Go-daddy was a huge disappointment after all the hype. The Diet Pepsi spots were just embarrassingly bad. I don't want to go into it - I'll start getting angry.
Watch or download all the Super Bowl commercials at iFilm
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