There's a bunch of these ads for the Toyota Yaris featuring actor Michael Showalter, but this one's probably the most...literal? Existential? Minimalist? This one was, for me, the most amusing. Poking fun at the conventions of automotive advertising is rich territory. But really, you can feel the creative brief coming through the screen -- "Remember, this is a young, hip, jaded target …
The Magazine of Passionate Pursuits
Marriott International’s world-class luxury brand, JW Marriott, has launched a new in-room lifestyle publication, JWM magazine, exclusively for guests of JW Marriott hotels and resorts. The quarterly publication caters to its consummate, well-traveled guests with editorial content that reflects their three greatest points of passion – culinary, culture and personal well-being. Mitzi Gaskins, vice president, …
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With GLBT Advertising, The Target Isn’t Always The Intended Target
This week, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) honored Google Chrome for the "It Gets Better" campaign. And deservedly so. But writing in Xtra!, a Canadian GLBT news site, Bruce Chambers takes a closer look at other efforts that may, or may not appeal to the GLBT audience, despite their intentions and use of gay and lesbian characters. He uses this example, an ad for Hyundai that ran in …
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Direct To Boston
BOSTON--Direct marketers from agencies and client organizations near and far are in the house for their annual Direct Marketing Association confab. But that is not why I am here. I am here to geek out, thanks to an invite to speak on the future of paid content from the organizers of the first-ever Geekend Roadshow, a special track inside of the DMA's sizable offerings. One thing that is apparent straight away is a …
La Comunidad Brings Creatives Together — In A Bizarre Locale
The agency La Comunidad has two offices -- one in Miami and one in Buenos Aires. So to celebrate their 10th anniversary, they're sending two creatives to meet halfway between the offices -- which apparently, is somewhere in the Amazon jungle. Here's the intro video: You can track their progress for the next 10 days. I'm guessing the result will be some combination of "Survivor," "Deliverance," and quite …
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Is All That !@#$% Cursing Necessary?
I'm wondering if this spot for Sega's "Rise of Nightmares," made for Kinect on xBox, would be funny if Grandma didn't curse. But then, we always laughed when my grandmother cursed occasionally. Because it was so unlike her. The agency that created this spot is Hub Strategy in San Francisco. …
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Spotlight on NW Creative: A Pulse For The People
I'm still learning the cultural and professional nuances of the Emerald City, but I saw a little bit of the community spirit on display tonight at The Pulse Awards, a new awards show put on by the Puget Sound AMA. What made this show a bit different was not just an emphasis on overall marketing prowess and results over pure creativity, but also that attendees were the ones voting on the winners. And each entry …
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RIP Steve Jobs
There's really not much to say that others haven't said. I've been using Apple products for 30 years, and I'm writing this on a MacBook Pro, with an iPhone and iPad nearby. There's very little I've done professionally that wasn't created, in some way, with the help of an Apple product. If ever there was a person who understood that technology was meant for humans to use to connect and create, it was …