Thursday 13 May 2010

1980s Opinionated

Just been sent a video about "puking liberals" from the team over at JosephStalin.com. JS was particularly concerned with the use of poor illustration and mean language. However, I thought the introduction of graphics was a clever way of showing how visual Downey Jr's language was. Very clever advertisement.


Today's adverts have lost all sense of subtlety, just watch this and tell me you don't want to cancel on your boyfriend and spend the night with your feet up and your eyes and ears up close and televisual with Downey Jr. Even if his ideas are a bit right wing.

Monday 10 May 2010

Mattessons Pork – Goebbels' Classics # 1

Wanted to start posts of 'Goebbels' classics', so without further to do, here's the first one.



The shape of the product is totally unique, and therefore the end shot could not have been used for any other product. Couldn't be 'Ford, You know you want it'. Couldn't be 'Tampax, You know you want it'. It was uniquely Mattesons, and therefore something pretty special and deserving of being the first post in the Goebbels' Classics series.

A related YouTube video turned out to be a totall pis* take, apparently someone thought it would be funny to get two teenage girls to deepthroat a sausage and mock Mattesons.



Got to say I didn't laugh, great sense of humour girls, but I guess that's the catch with having user generated content online. The whole magic of the original ad was the subtlety, yes there are undertones but it's dealt with maturely whereas the girls advert with the double ended sausage fellation does nothing to A. Increase the integrity of the brand or B. Say anything true about the product.

Anyone know who did the original spot?

Kidnap Your Ex For Fun!



Have you ever wondered "how would my secretary react if I actually referred to her by her name?"; "what would happen if a ten foot Ninja Turtle pissed on my little sister?"; "would Morrison's kick someone out if they ate a grape there and then like a thieving hippy?" Well there is now a service to answer all these questions.

'Semagoediv' (Videogames spelt backwards) offers the chance for you to pay a price for actors to come into your life and make your wildest dreams come true. Or nightmares. It's all dictated by this guy called Brock Enright, which is a nice strong German sounding name, you'll give him that. But think of the consequences for advertising, if we can pump actors to our streets to speak our words of persuasion. Insert smiley face here. Here's some more about Brock from Morgan Falconer:

"He has had some 40 clients to date, and what they ask for can vary enormously. One woman he is currently working with in New York, in a game lasting several months, is trying to conquer her fear of deceit, and so, as if to inoculate her, Enright has inveigled around 25 new characters into her life, using actors. He has about 25 barmen on his books. 'I’m not a therapist; I’m more like a cartoonist,' he says."
Full Article Here

Peter Kay rises again

New John Smith's "No nonsense" advert – watch below. This time we see him at the dinner table giving a unique 'say it like it is' performance...


Reprising his role as the hero of saying the unsayable, Kay delivers a timely performance - reminding us all that telling the truth is always worthwhile. That's they key to this ad, it's about truth, a product truth, a human truth, a real truth. John Smith's tastes horrible, but using this advert they were able to convince people for a short period of time that it is totally drinkable. I know I was convinced, so much so that I tried it. Have you tried it? Ah, that's probably for the best.

My question to you, does this advert propagate homophobia or did you not like it?

Just Post It

Nike, BBDO Argentina, The Human Race

But if you thought that was alright, something even more alright, dare I say 'ace'cellent – is the following artistic performance, which holds a special place in my 'favourites'. Sit back, watch, listen, be amazed, and think to yourself, why oh why didn't I think of this, so simple, but such a uniquely intelligent concept, executed with a real sense of joy. Makes the workspace look like it never has done before, & not in a He was a quiet man way either.

Are you ready? Hope so...

(Oh btw, am I the only one whose forgotten the Nike video above?! Bet I'm not. Sorry, back to the magic, here it comes...)

EepyBird's Sticky Note experiment from Eepybird on Vimeo.


So guys, whose going to be the first to copy this? I mean, the colour isn't really like any other.

How to be interesting

Everyone knows the industry isn't just about your book, that's not what's important. What's important is something much more special. You. Just think how many books get flung in and out of agency doors on a daily basis, they can seem repetitive to creatives (of course this isn't always the case). You need to be unique. And remember...

"People seldom notice old clothes if you wear a big smile"
– Lee Mildon


So, to the point. Here are some tips on how to be interesting:

1. Every week, read a magazine you’ve never read before.
Interesting people are interested in all sorts of things. That means they explore all kinds of worlds; they go places they wouldn’t expect to like and work out what’s good and interesting there. An easy way to do this is with magazines. Specialist magazines let you explore the solar system of human activities from your armchair. Try it; it’s fantastic.

2. Take at least one picture everyday
Post it to flickr. You should carry a camera with you. A phonecam will do. The act of carrying a camera and always keeping an eye out for a picture to take changes the way you look at the world. It makes you notice more things. It keeps you tuned in.

3. Once a week sit in a coffee-shop or cafe for an hour and listen to other people’s conversations.
Take notes. Blog about it. (Carefully). Take little dips in other people’s lives. Listen to their speech patterns and their concerns. Try and get them down on paper. (Don’t let them see. Try not to get beaten up.) Don’t force it; don’t hop from table to table in search of better eavesdropping, just bask in the conversations that come your way.

4. Read.
Great places to start:
Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
The Mezzanine by Nicholson Baker
The Visual Display of
Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte
Libricide by Rebecca Knuth

All these books are good for their own reasons, but they’re also good examples of people who are really interested in stuff that others think of as banal and who explain it in a way that makes you share their passion. That’s good.

5. You decide
Well, if you want to be interesting, you need to make this one up. Come up with ideas and write them down on a train ticket, or gig flyer, or better still share your advice and experience as a comment here. We are all learning.


Russell Davis, interesting.

Tips 1–4 basically by Russell Davies, full list found here.
Also, visit here for Russell Davies web page. So. Dreamy.

Le(t)go of your expectations

Really nice, solid campaign from Lego.



The 3D webcam is a real one of those, why didn't I come up with that idea? Can't help but wonder, though, if it would work for anything. Like new pair of Nike shoes, or something equally 'ace'cellent.

Also, click here if you want to know how to create a 3D scan of anything using low end technology. Amazing considering most scanners like this cost well over £1,000.
visit the inventors blog if you want to send him money or thanks or whatever.
It can also be used to make an I Robot in the bath tub.