smart but cruel

again with the animal abuse.

seriously - dont shoot animals, its sad.  unless you're going to eat him - he does look particularly meaty.

The Watchmen!!

 I can't wait for this movie!  

I just finished the book, and the movie will be incredible.  I don't think I've been this excited for a movie since....well....i don't think i can think of a time.   The story is really well written - and when you watch the trailer (After having read the book) you can recognize the stills from the book - its all very exciting.

Im going to buy advanced tickets and line up like a major dork.  It's going to be wicked.

Watch the first trailer here.

Watch the second trailer here.

another viagra ad...

this one doesn't even need comment.

bendy sign

Proof that advertising need not be expensive to be effective.

This is awesome.  Creative.

We had a clapboard sign in my hometown, that was outside a retirement residence that said "upcoming vacancies".   Think about that one....but I digress. 

tee hee!!

As students, we're told to never do viagara, condom or beer ads.

This is why.  This ad is too clever - and impossible to top.  I bet it was fun t0 brainstorm though.....

today's post....

....is lazy.  its my birthday, so I'm taking the day off from serious thought.

vacuum advertisement

That sucker pulled the balloon right outta the sky.

I wonder if it'd rip the carpet right off the floor?

pass the mayonnaise

Aw a kitty sandwich!

No eat kitty!

a friend you can eat...i like this.  catchy.  silly.  fun...

but leave mr kitty be - dont give anyone crazy ideas.

mmmmm....kitty sandwich.....

Never underestimate someone who drives like an idiot

Poor doggy. 

Why do so many ads show unfortunate animals in bad situations?  I mean, this would ahve worked with a child, or a grown person, or even the persons groceries.

I think the groceries would ahve been more effective...you could just have the handles sticking out of the seat, it'd be brilliant.

Let the poor dog go.

funny ad placement

I hope this media person got fired.

Let me rephrase that - I hope the McDonalds media person got fired, and I hope the child obesity media person got a raise.

Thats my kinda advertisin'!!

Whoa!!

Babies drinking pop?

Not anymore!

I can't believe this actually ran.

I'm still blinking my eyes at it.  Yikes.

need to move?

OMG, i think i lived with this girl.

Yikes.

but who says "flatmate" anymore?  seriously - the copywriter just made themselves old and British.

less hot air car salesman (a unicorn, perhaps?)

This guy is HONEST.

Im buying a car from him - clever clever.

Aids campaign for condom use

Condoms give you wrinkles!

This is fantastic - wear a condom, so you dont get aids - so you'll grow old and live a full and rewarding life.

Brilliant.

pictures and babies on groundhog day!!

Aw cute.

Any expectant parent or grandparent would find this ad extremely cute - and would probably rush out to buy this camera.

I can see you're doodle's face!

the headline should be why gamble?

i dont know about this one. 

Its for a casino, and the headline is "if you're going to gamble anyway"....

What it says to me is "If you're really, really really stupid - come to our casino!  We'll rip you off in a way only a sleazy butcher can, and make you sick on top of it!"

Gross.

I don't know ANYONE who would gamble with GREEN meat.  Seriously.  Maybe they should rethink this idea?

Take that abba!

Hahahahaha!

Down with tambourines!  Up with rock-guitars!

clever, simple, clean and fun.

loooove it.

child abuse is not funny

...but this ad is!!

oh wow.  this is hard-hitting offensive and direct to the point.

I love it.  There are others in this campaign with greeting cards and cakes - and they're all outrageously effective.

Wow.

xl lego

Now this one I like.

Yesterday I commented on the barbie image from this campaign - but the lego one is much less offensive to children who might see it.

Just get rid of barbie, in every way.  

barbie noooo!!!

I mean whoa.

There are so many things I could say about this one.

a) barbie gives an unrealistic image of beauty to young girls anyway.

b) this is the other way to the extreme.

c) If barbie already makes heavy children feel badly about themselves, how much does seeing this ad help them do you think?

It speaks to adults, but you can't guarantee children won't see it.  This could do more harm than good, depending on the audience it reaches.

awkward encounter at a museum

this is weird.

i mean i get it, but.....

weird.  it makes me uncomfortable.  for that reason, i guess its successful.

Ouch!

Ow!  What a great spot.

I wonder if they set the photography for this up?  I wonder if a burn bandaid really works?  

Hair!

This is really great.  I think transit ads should always be this interactive - fantastic idea.

It only looks right though because the guy sitting there has naturally dark hair.  A blonde would look kinda funny....like, "pardon my blonde roots" funny.

i know it's a little off topic...

I know this is a little off topic, but man these are cool.  Maybe somebody could do a cool guerilla campaign with neat balloon art?  

Somebody definitely has too much time on their hands.

living the good life

This heineken commercial is really funny.

I  want a walk in closet and a walk in fridge!  Best apartment ever!! My apartment in toronto isn't nearly that cool.....perhaps i need to drink more heineken?

hee hee!!

this is funny.  im not sure who this peter walsh character is, but he seems to know how to organize his birds.  i mean, i can barely tell pigeons apart from seagulls - they're both s#*t hawks as far as I'm concerned.

bravo.

EXTREME!!

wtf? Seriously.  Im all about having a sense of humor...but really.

I dont know if this is for real or not; but I do know it crosses the line.....

whoa.

seriously.

im still shaking my head.

Egos in Advertising

Its about time we talk about ego.

When I look around into the world of advertising, i see an unfortunately high rate of inflated egotism.  

I'm not sure why, but this industry seems to attract people who not only think they're a lot greater than they maybe are, but are so competitive that the spirit of creativity is lost.

I mean, whatever happened to "thats a really great idea you had. great job!"?  Why does it have to always be "yeah, but that's been done" or "i could have done that better".  

We've got egos like hairdos they're different every day

depending on how we slept the night before.

-Ani Difranco

mercedes advertising

"The new bluetec engine turns exhaust into water"

cute.  simple.  smart.  easily executed.  why didn't i think of this?

Hee Hee!  This ad for snuggle by Y&R is great.

No copy needed - just a great photo and product shot. 

It's silly, fun, and lighthearted.  Just great.  Great %&#*ing idea.

glasses change everything.

This is actually kind of funny, despite being exceptionally simple.

I like that they make a hells angel into a fashion designer - it couldn't be more of a transformation.

funny ad

This is hilarious.

A person with an iron for a head.  hahahahaha.

time to get serious

..and there is nothing more serious than drinking and driving.

I like that the tree is as far back into the parking spot as it would be through their car.  Only problem with this spot is that it speaks to people walking down the sidewalk, and not those driving in cars.

The LCBO has "dont drink and drive" on their parking spots at the store, however, I dont think those work either.

We need to figure out a way to advertise IN cars......

whoaaaaaa

This made me do a double take.  

Whether you appreciate the humor or not, it definitely catches your attention, and it definitely stays in your mind.

I don't know if it reaches its desired target market of tea-drinkers, but either way, you would remember this ad if you stood beside it at your morning bus stop.

ugh...

Sometimes I find ads that just really dont make any sense.  I mean I'm sure to some people they make sense, but they just dont reach me.  Take this one for example.

Its for a quick cuisine dish.  I dont understand why shes using the swordfish as a sword to sell food...

Not only does this not make me hungry, it leaves me scratching my head and wondering who could have possibly gotten paid for this work?  Why don't I have a job yet, if this person does?  Maybe I'm being a little harsh, and everyone is welcome to disagree - but man this puzzles me.  

I guess thats the beauty of art - its all subjective.

cool john st stuff

I thought this was a cool campaign by John st.  

Simple idea, nice art direction, overall I think its great.

Really grabs your attention, and stays with you - exactly as intended.  My only problem with it is that it really seems like the overly obvious answer here.

Even so, I think it accomplishes what it intends to.

banned commercials are funny

This is hilarious.

Banned commercials are funny...I dedicate this blog to my dearest friend Liz, who for some reason hates children and finds this commercial even funnier than I do.

Click here to view the link

Oh wow.

I found this years ago, just thought I'd share.  Cant imagine why its banned....

clever

THIS IS HILARIOUS!

Who needs art directors when you have copy like this? 

i mean seriously.

wear a nose cup?

Here is some collateral creative for you, in light of our collateral creative class.

Im not sure what this is for, but if its for a rhinoplasty office, its great.  

Otherwise it promotes upper lips and noses.  Mustache waxing?  Kleenex?  No idea.  clever though....even if its completely ineffective.

He says, she says

So, I've been watching the first season of Mad Men on DVD recently.  I've noticed a few things.

First, its not at all like what I perceive "agency life" to be like today; second, its an entertaining show. 

And third - well, its just downright infuriating.  I'm so glad I didn't live in 1960s America and work as a "secretary" in an ad agency.  Women are considered to have no brains, its a "mans world", and if these women want to get anywhere in the ad business (i.e. stay as secretaries and keep their jobs) they must engage in sexual activity with their bosses.  

In this world of corporate 1960s advertising, women are either "slutty" or "prudes".  Neither option has a brain, nor would be considered "capable of creativity".  How different is this from today though?  Although women today can be found in all levels of  the corporate advertising hierarchy, I read a statistic that claimed a mere 5% of top creatives were female.  We still have to work harder to get there.  I've seen this inequality before - in working with males, it has been assumed before that I did little to none of the conceptual or design work because "women aren't creative".  This makes my blood boil.

I still love Mad Men, its over exaggeration of the lack of women's rights in an office in the 60s really makes me realize how fortunate I am, and how far we have come towards equality.

I promise tomorrow I won't rant.

swear words and old people

A few years ago, I was browsing youtube, trying to find a quick laugh.  I stumbled upon a few different commercials that made me literally fall off my chair laughing.

I think the funniest of those commercials was one done by Y&R (maybe in germany? Im not entirely sure...) for a service to learn english.  It combines my two favorite things...swear words, and old people.  Heres the setup: You have a family, two grandparents, two children, getting into a car.  They turn on the radio.  A song singing dirty lyrics about #%&*ing in the @$$ comes on the radio, and the family smiles and nods their head to the beat.  Its hilarious.  

Here is the link. 

This ad in combination with a few others, and the realization that I could combine my love for graphic arts with clever thinking into a career is what inspired me to take advertising in college.  3 years later, Im so glad I did.  I couldn't picture myself doing anything else.  A job where you can put old people dancing to obscenities on TV?  Yes $@#%-ing please.

you never forget your first time...

So, here it is.  My blog about everything creative.

You're probably wondering,

Who is this girl?

Why does she think she can blog about advertising, what does she know?

The truth is, not enough.  I dont think you can ever know enough about something you're passionate about.

Here you will find a collection of things I like, my thoughts, stuff I love, stuff I hate, things that inspire me, and things that make me want to crawl under my bed and weep gently.

Enjoy.