To compensate my lack of time to devote to Ad Krispies, I treat you today to this excerpt of "Spellbound " -- a production that dates back to 1945, created and directed by one Alfred Hitchcock. This part features a dream sequence conceived by none other than Salvator Dali. Enjoy. (Thanks, boingboing!)

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I have to say I'm a sucker for independent films, black & white, polish accents, vodka and storytales. Needless to say, this online micro-site for Wyborowa vodka struck my chord. There is no V in Wodka is agency Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam's way of carrying the message that Wyborowa Wodka is *the* original, the one and only "Voice of Poland" (I'd remove the "o" in voice).

The experience takes you through many creative vignettes exploring the notion of "the unexistence of the W" in Wodka. If you can stand the long loading times (and I have high-speed internet), you're in for an original world which does a great job at positionning the brand and establishing the "Wyborowa" universe.

(Thanks, Adverblog!)

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Powerful. Far fetched idea, but "far" is where you get 'em. Congrats to BBH London for this sure shot at Cannes.

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Nature = animals, juice = Orangina. Hence, naturally juicy. If advertising was any easier, they'd call it Your Mom.

Agency: FFL Paris

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Dirty, dirty, dirty. Agency: Dieste Harmel, San Francisco

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Allow me to repost a response I had made inside a previous post about the Unsubscribe Me campaign:

(...) I think we all agree that there is no debate around the fact that yes, human rights are broken everyday elsewhere in the world. Amnesty, stop hitting that nail.

Amnesty International's goal is to "work to protect human rights worldwide", not just "constantly try to gather worldwide agreement on being against injustice and violence".

Amnesty has a two-pronged mission: "preventing" and "ending".
"Voicing an opinion" is preventing. "Acting" on this opinion is ending.

That "preventing" part is only 50% of the solution, and they are only advertising that part. That's the problem I have.

The other 50% is "ending". My point was to say they are not advertising that part enough." And unquote.

To end massive problems, Amnesty needs the help of masses, and talks to us as a mass. But we are *not* a mass anymore. We were a mass in the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. Now, we are millions of individuals. Amnesty should realize that, and talk to us as individuals. Listen to the first fact stated in this TV ad: "There are 27 million people enslaved worlwide, generating annual profits of 9billion dollars". Massive. But I don't believe I , as an individual, can help put an END to this massive problem by myself, but I believe I can concretely act towards it if you present the problem to me in more accessible steps. There must be something that I alone can do to directly help at least *one* other human being like me. What is that thing, Amnesty? Get inspired by Kiva.org, and please find a good idea.

If "preventing" has a voice, "ending" should have ways. Amnesty, give us a voice to prevent, but give us ways to end as well. Show us more of the good we're doing.

And less of this:

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No relation to advertising - just, sweet jeezus, that's gotta hurt.

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I'm flabbergasted. Zack Kim is my new guitar hero. His dream is to perform around the world someday. Check out Zack's website at http://zackkim.blogspot.com/

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I have problems with this campaign. As defined on their website, the "Unsubscribe" campaign is supposed to "...send out a clear message to the government that we will no longer tolerate the abuse of human rights in the name of 'the war on terror'. Most petitions ask you to sign up, we are asking to take your name off".



This short film is not powerful, it's boring. It feels commercial, artificial and composed. If you're going to show something that really happens in prison, don't say it's a performance, and shoot it to make it look believable, home-made and harsh. "This may offend viewers under 14". Heck - they've all seen James Bond naked on a chair getting his nuts whacked with a rope knot last summer. Next.

Next, I don't see how this effort "sends a clear message to the government". If there's anything, Teh Government is thinking "Oh, it's these people going at it again", with a sneer of discontempt hiding behind the kevlar of their indifference. This campaign is not sending a message to Teh Government, this campaign tries to be a people shocker. Again. I think we're thru with that -- we've seen it all. Unfortunately, we've become insensibilised.

While having little or no effect on Teh Governement, the campaign certainly succeeds in sending a clear message to people, though: spreading information can be a real hassle. I think they took every possibility of sharing things over the web, and made a website out of that. I think this is the first example I've ever seen where too much media came in the way of a good message.

And about the message: "unsubscribe"? Does Amnesty honestly think that the majority of us eats up the drivel that Teh Government feeds us with? Does Amnesty honestly think we're not informed and aware about what goes on? I know I wasn't "subscribed", for starters. And I truly don't see how "unsubscribing" or sharing my miscontentment with others will concretely help a political prisoner in the ultra-secret Alpha BaseX99 somewhere in the desert.

What I don't know is how Amnesty works. I see petitions, I see emails, I see photos of political prisoners and people suffering, I see a lot of turmoil and anger. But what mechanisms are behind the work that Amnesty is doing? How do they save people? Who's been saved? Is Amnesty something that actually works? Now *that* would be something I'd want to hear, and to share. Tell me how far can my actions go, tell me there is real potential in my participating. Tell me that my donations don't fall in the Black Hole of Funding, with extra No Reported Return On Investment on top. Because I don't know.

When does a Non-For-Profit Organization set simple, attainable goals for the public? Everything always seems *huge*, and there is always *so much to do*. Scary. The brilliant Kiva.org is the only organization I heard of that sets concrete, attainable goals and shows results. When does a Non-For-Profit Organization take the time to congratulate its supporters? I have yet to see the results of my giving or supporting. It's always "give-give-give, more-more-more".

Have they created Compulsive Humanitarian Capitalism?

When does a Non-For-Profit organization advertise the progress that has been done?Advertising is always about people-shocking strategies or kids with flies on their cheeks.

What Amnesty International needs to do is start a real conversation with us. About them. About their mechanics. And about the results that our supporting generate. Don't unsubscribe me, subscribe me.

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I don't know what to say. Volvo's greatest idea with Heinz's best signature ever. Come on guys, what's the point on this one? A little originality wouln't hurt when shelling out the big bucks on mega productions. Reported costs on the entire "Good Things Come To Those Who Wait" campaign: £10 million pounds (19 million canadian). And this doesn't even feel like Guinness at all.

Plus, for some unexplainable reason, watching this makes me thirsty for Coke.

Well. If there's anything to say, TheMill really did a great job on the CGI.

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Clever little one. Agency unknown. The art director better stay unknown too.

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Sony recently ported their sucessful Bravia creative platform (remember the balls! THE BALLS!) to their Walkman brand, highlighting a new range of products coming out. Featuring a unified signature ("Music. Like No Other"), their latest spot Music Pieces brings together a "special orchestra" that features large groups of people playing the same instrument, playing each part of a different song to improvise one big piece. Some kind of an orchestral beat box, if you want. This concept symbolises the new Sony Walkman Project, which aims at bringing people online to play one small part of a track, then mixing these parts together to create four music pieces by four composers around the world.

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(Note: This must-read article is pretty long. Print it out and save it for lunch hour fun. Just my recommendation.)

I got the idea of this article after watching the above ads, by Serviceplan Münche in Germany. They're nicely executed, great art direction, and convey the simple message that Magic Scotch Tape is ultra effective. It'll probably get the creative team something nice at Cannes, or in anyone of 50+ different award shows in our industry.

It's just that I'm thinking that somewhere in Germany, a client for 3M has objectives to attain with his brand/product. His agency-of-record presents a funny, clever approach that says exactly what the product does: it holds things together. O-kay. Said approach is presented to consumer inside a magazine. Consumer goes "Heh. funny", and flips the page.

Total bill (my estimation of course) for this process : from $60,000 and up. And what did 3M get for that money? The same thing that watching a Bugs Bunny cartoon produces: entertainment. I took print as example, but the same thing happens on TV and on radio. A marketing action that doesn't encourage a consumer reaction in response is empty information.

Where could be the return on investment on this marketing action? Doesn't it seem cavernous to say that, nowadays, simple exposure to a Scotch Tape ad will make a consumer feel good about the brand, hence it will be its #1 thought when buying tape? Nope. Will being a "top-of-mind" brand offer a product tighter guarantee for extra sales? Nope-nope. Will Scotch Tape develop a long lasting, faithful relationship with the consumer by showing him/her funny, clever ads and promotions? Nope-nope-nope. All of this is starting to smell rank. Even the term "consumer" smells rank. "Consumer" sounds like a mindless pig buying away gobs of everything without consideration for anything.

When speaking about someone performing the action of looking for something to buy, we should roll back to the word "shopper". Nowadays, The Shopper is in charge, because the shopper really shops. The Shopper is informed. The Shopper compares. The Shopper talks to shoppers, who talk to Shoppers. The Shopper searches for advice. The Shopper is more product-oriented than brand oriented. The Shopper doesn't want a product that "delivers more", the Shopper wants to find the product that "compares better". The shopper wants to find a product that's just perfect for what he needs, that fits his/her lifestyle or brings novelty to it. And still, The Shopper needs some brand-name love, some flag value. And all this doesn't mean The Shopper buys only products and goods ; he/she can "buy" a cause, "buy" a service. There are so many these days, people shop for these too.

Advertising is a motor of commerce in our economy. There's no denying it. But it's just not done very well anymore, or for the right reasons. Lots of ad agencies are being paid too much for campaigns that don't work, and couldn't work anyway. Not because the message is weak, mind you. More because the media is outdated. Lots of clients are currently throwing millions out the window, because they're afraid to move out of the grasp of traditional media, hiding behind numbers and patterns. Lots of agencies and clients still don't know how to speak with a Shopper.
The most recent womma.org newsletter, featured an article from the New York Times (clickable link) : Nike Backs Off Traditional Ads, Gets Closer to Consumers. Wow. And Nike's corporate vice president for global brand and category management doesn't have kind words for conservatism: “We’re not in the business of keeping the media companies alive,” Mr. Edwards says he tells many media executives. “We’re in the business of connecting with consumers.” Blunt, and brilliant. Read the whole article, it's an enlightening moment.

Advertising sometimes still treats people like its the Roman Empire: "Panem et Circenses" - Bread and Circuses (or games). But advertainment is not the way to go. It's not about creating 30 second, hair-raising TV moments anymore. It's not about creating clever print ads, or artsy layouts to satisfy the the eye and masturbate the mind.

Advertising nowadays is about creating conversation. Advertising nowadays is like this hot person you've been eyeing at a post-modern art exhibition, coming up to you suddenly, grabbing your hand and whispering in your ear "Let's blow this popstand. Let's jet and have fun out in the city. I'll present you to my friends". Advertising should be a constant motor for making people act, move, buy, see, talk, discover, play and react.

This doesn't mean that traditional media are dead. This means that they're not the main course anymore. They need to be used as gravy. Accompaniment for new, emerging ways to communicate, to generate conversation with The Shopper. All media need to form a chain that interacts, moving The Shopper around, encouraging him/her to take action - to "buy" into something, figuratively. Out with million-dollar TV-and-Billboard campaigns, in with budgets attributed to creative media that generate word-of-mouth, that generate concrete reaction, that let The Shopper be the vector of mass communication.

Is your advertising doing that right now? Great. It's not? Write me. I know a guy who can help you, hahah.

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A bit late maybe, yet here it is: the latest Sony Bravia ad on AdKrispies, featuring colorful blobs of rabbits and claymation, in the Big Apple.

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Tasty vintage treats from YouTube, for your morning viewing pleasure. (Thanks, AdArena!)

"Down, down, down, the stomach thru
Down, down, down, the system too!
With Alka Seltzer they always say,
Relief is just a fart away!"

Yay.

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Aside from being green with envy. Aside from the fact that I would definitely want to know how they sold this one to the client. Aside from the huge amount of budget involved in there.

THIS CAMPAIGN KICKS ASS.

My friends, let's celebrate my return to the world of blogging with this incredible campaign from JWT Paris for Schick Quattro Titanium. It has been awhile since I've seen an integrated campaign with real punch, and I can't say anything but KUDOS. Being the target audience I'm kinda biased of course, but comparing apples with apples, this is by far the best razor ad campaign ever.



The campaign also features a micro-website complete with a video game, character presentation, screensaver, desktop backgrounds, e-cards and more. I don't know if this is the fruit of research or pure gut and insight, but all I can say is that JWT and Schick are spot on. I would love to see that kind of creativity in our North American ads, instead of the proverbial jetplanes, steel walls and cheek-caressing chicks. Learn, Gillette! Stop the race for the most-bladed razor, and put your money in some customer love. (Thanks, Infopresse!)

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After watching this I felt the urge to throw myself out the window to buy insurance.

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Here's a purely irrelevant post to break my month-long silence. I'm just so super-busy. Enjoy. More to come when I feel like it. Love, Dave.

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I don't know who thought about that, but he/she is my superhero of the day.
(Thanks, Boomblogue!)

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I have been thinking about this for a few days past, with no clear answer: How good is a GRP anymore, as a marketing measuring unit? Considering that traditional advertising is losing its grasp on the modern consumer in favor of experiential marketing, peer-2-peer networks and other emergent media, can we truly hope to meaningfully measure advertising effectiveness through reach and frequency anymore?

When Procter & Gamble's Chief Marketing Officer Jim Stengel says "show-and-tell advertising is over", I agree. When the industry says that modern advertising should be a dialogue rather than a one-way conversation, I agree. When trendwatchers consider that online communities are the new influencers, I agree. When my own agency thinks that the best mass communications are done through the mass itself, man are we right.

Word-of-mouth marketing. Guerilla marketing. Communities. Content creation. UGC. We seem to have found or identified new tools to permeate the consumer, and we are liking them because the consumer is liking them. But how do we know that what we're doing loops the marketing loop? How can we be sure that our "new and improved" marketing moves product?


We need to find new ways to track a campaign's success, and they need to be based on the value of interaction. Presenting a message to the consumer should generate another action, and not only an emotion. Non-traditional media should dictate how traditional media is used, because we don't just want people to see, we want people to act. "Come to my website", says the billboard. "Go see my web video", says the TV ad. Offline, to online. Encourage the consumer to go and get more. And to follow that chain until it leads him/her to the product or service.

That's why my little finger tells me that proper measurement of traditional media will now require that traditional media be used as gathering tools, rather than informative tools. If we can find a unit or ratio that measures the reactive power of "static" communication using the web ("dynamic" communication), we will have a better basis for effectiveness measurement.

Any thoughts?

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Yes. We all know how water can be so full of saturated fats.

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Maybe you've heard about it, maybe you haven't. In either case, let me tell you: Stumble Upon is the best thing that happened to the web as a whole since Google, period.

Stumble Upon is a web browser plugin that allows a user to discover webpages and content based on other user's appreciation and rating, a notion that's called a "recommendation system".
It's basically web browsing "a la carte", where each of the webpages on the menu are something you should potentially enjoy.

You browsing is done by random selection inside a category. Say you like football, well, clicking the "Stumble!" button inside the football category will yield you one of the most interesting sites about football available on the net, everytime. Fantastic. But I already had reviewed that awhile ago on AdKrispies.

What's now interesting is SU's "Sponsored Stumblers" program, which seems to have a much more interesting structure than Google AdWords, and better yield. And not without arguments for it:

a) Target the exact audience you want (only qualified viewers come to your site)
b) No clickthrough required (SU pays for every visit to your site, instead of every click on a word)
c) Get feedback from visitors (Stumblers can rate your site in the SU system, possibly making you a destination of choice)

Allan Stern of CenterNetworks has posted an interesting review of SU's Sponsored Stumblers program v.s. Google AdWords. In his final comments he notedly says that"... StumbleUpon is a great alternative to click based traffic in the sense that you get a continuous stream of interested visitors. The traffic is qualified in the sense that the visitors said they were interested in your topic or category. I believe StumbleUpon ads are a better source of visitors than using interstitial ads since the users will be in your desired category."

I'm curious, I'll give it a shot.

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Most people who know me, know that I am a huge fan of the general video game scene.

I recently purchased the excellent Trackmania United (which is all about creating wacky tracks and racing them), and apart from being highly satisfied of my overall experience, I was quite surprised to find local billboard ads for Bell on the racetracks. My reaction was threefold:

a) My gamer brain thought: "Mini ads for Bell. Looky that."

b) My ad industry brain thought: "Bell. The damn beavers again. What an idiotic campaign. I didn't even have time to read the ad, I was racing a high-speed car for pete's sake. Now, what was that billboard showing?? (I had to stop my car in front of the billboard, ruining my lap time) -- It was showing one of the 3D woodchucks saying "Too late. I've won". Too late, you've won what against whom? I don't get it."

c) My analytic brain said "What's the point of placing ads inside a video game, if they're not going to tell me something pertinent or informative, contribute to my gaming experience or give me special advantages inside the game?"

By extending their media placement within games, does Bell really believe that they're effectively engaging dialog with the gamer population? Placing billboard ads inside a video game, with no pertinent message, or anything that actually would call to action towards something that pursues the experience, is to me just another iteration of misemployed traditional media.

There are hundreds of ways to incorporate a brand experience inside a game, adding to the experience. But that's a notion marketers continue to struggle with...

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Just thought this was hilarious.

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If you're looking for something crunchy to sink your reading teeth in, here's Chasing Cool, a witty pop-and-consumer culture branding book that examines corporate America's quest to make its products and services seem 'cool'.

Written by Gene Pressman (former CEO, Creative Director and Head of Merchandising for Barney's New York) and Noah Kerner (former DJ for Jennifer Lopez and current CEO of noise marketing agency), the book "...digs beneath the surface and reveals how emphasizing long-lasting relevance trumps a fleeting preoccupation with what's hot and what's not".

Chasing Cool features an impressive list of over 70 contributors from entertainment, beauty/fashion, sport, media and design industries, with names such as Les Garland & Bob Pittman (founders of MTV), Marc Jacobs, Tiki Barber, Vera Wang, Tony Hawk, Christina Aguilera, Tommy Hilfiger, Scott Bedbury (Nike and Starbucks), Antonio Bertone (Puma), and many more.

From www.chasingcoolbook.com: "Cool isn't just a state of mind, a celebrity fad, or an American obsession -- it's a business. In boardrooms across America, product managers are examining vodka bottles and candy bars, tissue boxes and hamburgers, wondering how do we make this thing cool? How do we make this gadget into the iPod of our industry? How do we do what Nike did? How do we get what Target got? How do we infuse that product with that very desirable, nearly unattainable It factor?"

Chasing Cool is out today May 1st, published by Simon&Schuster.

Click here to buy this book on Amazon!

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A new take on the old Arkanoid-type game, where you must hit bricks to collect actual "breaking news". You can read the news once you collected them, and they are updated daily. Heeeey. A fun, fun way to stay informed. On my first run I got "Terrorist Attacks Increase in 2006" and "Clinton: Bush Unlikely to Pull Troops From Iraq". Wheee!! 250 points.

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Wrong. This did.

From McCann-Erikson, Chile. (Thanks, CreativeCriminal!)

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Talk about an awesome idea for launching the new Solo Walkie Talkie phone, courtesy of agency Rethink in Vancouver. They actually created signage featuring huge functional walkie-talkie phones which, when activated, transmitted from one bus stop to another, further away in the city. Seen in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

(Thanks, Marketing Alternatif!)

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Here's an interesting example of how well-applied guerilla marketing works better than traditional media: a campaign for special 180-tissue packages of Kleenex. "The package seems endless". A simple and powerful idea that most certainly didn't cost the price of TV or billboard ads, for something that'll get twice the gab power. Great work by JWT Mexico (whom obviously have audacious creatives and a very understanding media buying dept.)

As I write this, I'm certain that some media investors are already contemplating the potential of branding conveyor belt media, evaluating gross GRP return, building joint ventures with supermarkets and commercial centers and charging agencies "belt space by the foot".

Remember folks: if it happens, you read it here first.

(Thanks, BriefBlog!)

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Holy smokes. This is one for the history books, folks. (Thanks Chorizo from Ihaveanidea!)

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Axe is a brand that's definitely on fire. But let me tell you, once they're through the whole sexual advertising romp, all that has to be done in that creative universe will. have. been. done. By agency Lowe Dubai. (Thanks, Vlan!)

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Very nicely done and quite wistful, this ad presents the evolution of Levi's through generations. From agency BBH London. (Thanks, Altaidea!)

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You need something to make account people unwind when they get into your most reverred creative office, because your numerous awards and hulk figurines just won't do it anymore? Try Cube World. Looks like fun? It suuuure is, dear customer. The Cube World Cubes (sold separately, batteries probably not included) feature little stick men that work, walk and do crazy little things aaaall by themselves. But that's not all! Link them together and they INTERACT! IT'S TEH FUTURE, FOLKS! You can even SHAKE them, and the integrated motion sensor makes them wap themselves around their invisible walls! This is crazy. I like crazy.

Available at ThinkGeek for US $30. Watch the telly ad, it's OUTTA THIS WORLD! The acting is also OUTTA THIS WORLD! WOW!

Watching this I suddenly get the urge to wrap myself in my NY yankees blanket and eat Honey Combs in front of the TV and...and pretend it's saturday, and also, I'm 8 years old.

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Simple, effective, and apparently, winner of a Lynx award in Dubai. Yay. From Saatchi and Saatchi, Dubai. (Thanks, BriefBlog!)

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Dear loyal readers,

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Hello all you loyal morning readers!! I know I haven't posted much during these last weeks - I've been incredibly busy at work and with other projects as well. Things should be back to normal soon.

In the meanwhile, please consult the archives to see what you've missed! And especially if you're new to AdKrispies!

Stay tuned.

David

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Check out Nike latest viral video for its new line on Meta7 shoes. As reported on ElectroPlankton, "Illustrator Paul Huang teamed up with animators Chris Riehl and Sean Starkweather to deliver a surrealist cell shaded fantasy. The story revolves around an anthropomorphized circle, square and triangle who escape their oppressive lives to be transformed into something better thru an encounter with the Meta7 shoe. "

(Thanks, ElectroPlankton!)

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You read the title. You have been warned.

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A few months ago, I posted an article on Inspiration Tuesdays about James Brathwaite , a brilliant artist/illustrator from our beloved yet crispy cold Montréal.

Well recently I had the pleasure of receiving email from James, telling me he just finished his latest project titled "I Met The Walrus" -- an animated short about an interview with legendary John Lennon during his May 1969 bed-in at the Queen Elizabeth in Montreal, conducted by then 14-year old Jerry Levitan -- producer of said animated short.

Directed by Josh Raskin, the short movie presents the original reel-to-reel interview tape featuring James' illustrations metaphorically telling the story, animated by digital motion graphics talent Alex Kurina.

The teaser is now online at http://www.imetthewalrus.com, and if you ask me, promises a movie worth one or two Oscars in the Kickass Brilliant Animated Short category. You read it here first, folks.

I can't wait to see the whole thing. Hopefully I'll be getting an AdKrispies exclusive email interview with James and crew about the production of the entire thing *wink, wink*, and get to post it later on AdKrispies. Stay tuned.

View the teaser, and visit James Brathwaite's web site The Bathwater.

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Here they are! Freshly embedded from YouTube!! Yay. I have no merit.

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Starting the ball with one of last year's faves from Bud Light. Just for old times sake. Clearly they were much funnier.

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The winning ad from "Pitch Us Your Idea For The Best NFL Superbowl Commercial Ever", proposed by Gino Bona. Directed by Joe Pytka. Such a deception. Sounded better when I first heard it pitched.

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Leaked Superbowl commercial for Nationwide featuring Britney's ex, Kevin Federline. For all you 14 year-old groupies out there eager to get some pre-superbowl Fed-Ex action. Fed-Ex. Ahaha. I kill myself.

(Thanks Annick from Moskito!)

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Spreaking of old boyfriends, check out this great knife holder called "The Ex". Now available at ThinkGeek.

(Thanks, Japanese Gadgets!)

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My God. That is so simple, my self-esteem is hurting. I'm going to die of acute simplicity.
From agency LGF Belgium.

(Thanks, Ziritione!)

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Ain't sure those parts came from a genuine german 'hood? Y'all gotta be kiddin'.

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I'll bet they can't! But then again, some people have a lot of talents on hand. Hahaha, on hand. Get it? Wheee, good times.

(Ahh, it used to be champagne, women and awards. Now it's beer, the old lady and youtube).

Great visual work for Volkswagen by the good people at Grabarz & Partner Werbeagentur, Hamburg, Germany. Production company: Deli pictures postproduction. Personally, I would've pushed this further to have the hands to something that's more in relation to the car universe - right now the concept feels a bit gratuitous, a bit slapped over the brand, a bit borrowed-from-other-interests-to-promote-my-own. You get my point.

(Thanks Luc, at leblogdelagence!)




Feel a bit disappointed by the ending? It's okay, same here. To relieve you and make you happy again, check out this other beautiful thing entirely done by hand. You will thank me.

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Check out how Chuck McBride (ex-TBWA/Chiat/Day creative director) lets everyone know he's clearly leaving his agency "to go on future endeavors". Nice work, Chucky.

Warning: This movie contains scenes of umm, of nature. Yea. Call your parents before viewing to see if it's okay.

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...as featured on Conan O'Brien's show. Crazy Conan. "It's sideburns". Exactly. I love you, man.

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From the very respectable brains at Wieden+Kennedy Portland. And it has Bruce Campbell. But who is Bruce Campbell, might you ask? "Hark!", I retork. You don't know Bruce Campbell? That's quite alright. I had no idea either. But now that I know, it all makes sense. And knowing is half the battle! Bruce Campbell (a-real-ame-rican herooooo!)

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Nice Coca-Cola ad presenting once again the Coke Side of Things, this time with a view on celebrating difference. From agency Santo Buenos Aires and production company Stink.

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I just had to show this to you, folks, as I find it truly amazing: a fully-functional, quill-writing automaton dating from the 18th century -- 1772, to be precise.

Two small keys are used to wind-up the automaton which, once started, can write any pre-programmed sentence upon a velin sheet. It dips its feather in the inkwell, shakes it twice with incredible human-like movement, and actually forms letters better than I could using a quill. His eyes actually follow what is being written, and his head turns as he dips the quill again.

From fogozanos.blogspot.com: "The Writer is able to write any custom text up to 40 letters long. The text is coded on a wheel where characters are selected one by one. According to Wikipedia, some authors explain that this automaton is a forerunner of the computers. This statement is certainly justified since the machine is composed of a "program" and a "memory". The "program" is a wheel which makes it possible to choose the words the android is to write, and the "memory", which is made up by a set of cams, make it possible to form the letters. However, other authors think The Writer works more like a music box than like a computer."

Amazing. (Thanks, Boingboing and Fogozanos!)

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I don't know if any of you have been following the first few steps of The Venice Project? An ambitious endeavor started by Skype creators Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, which consists in having the best of Internet meet the best of TV: Broadband internet television. Well, it's now called Joost (tm). Sort of a YouTube, but with actual programs and user-generated shows, instead of snippets of curiosities. MTV might be on there with special shows, as much as any regular joe wishing to have his own basement show in there.

Blogging has made "print" publishing accessible to the mass, Joost will make TV publishing accessible to the mass. Let me tell you: this is the next holyland for advertising.

Check out the Joost website! They're looking for people to beta test the thing. Wanna try it before everone else? Apply now!

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Last january 10th was my dad's 75th birthday. I thought I'd surprise him with a painting I did of him, when he was 25. Hey, it's not perfect, but I put enough care and detail to make sure I could recognize him everytime I saw the painting. I'm glad I did this - my dad has had this incredible life, and I think this small trinket of appreciation is the least I could do to honor him

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You won't see this one coming. At all. Made by a director called First Church Of Christ, whose web site you absolutely need to see. I swear. The man is so precious he has requested that movie embedding be disabled -- it's that good, folks. I have new found respect for the guy. First Church, my man, let me know when you have some new stuff. (Thanks, Annick from Moskito!)

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