Hot List: Soapbox in Pictures (And Moving Pictures)
1. Scum Bob Square Pants
I usually love Burger King’s edgy work, but this is an idea that seems to have just gone too far. If you’re going to pay the royalties and go through the trouble of getting Sir Mix A Lot’s infamous Baby Got Back worked into your campaign, let’s try and make it clean. The ad certainly targets children - think about it - it is promoting Kid’s Meals and the new Sponge Bob toys available in them. I just wish they would have done more with such a classic song - at least save it for a brand like AXE.
2. Shameless Signatures
Arrogant? Boastful? Hip? However you take them, the wireless email signatures are showing off and showing up more and more. I wonder how many people fake emails with the wireless signatures. Or how many actually use them as power-moves. Interesting trend in the way business is conducted these days.
3. Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood
Sorry Applebees - you can’t compare to these local faves. The owners of the Ciccio & Tony’s restaurant chain know what they are doing. They open restaurant after restaurant and continue to deliver success. Mmmmmm.
4. Raysball
Tampa Bay is buzzing about the Rays. Great media coverage, much higher ticket sales, player celebrities and wins have Tampa Bay residents buying into this team.
5. In the Running
Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT). After denying Colbert the naming rights of a room on the space station (which was to be named by a popular public vote), NASA compromised and agreed to name a treadmill after him. I dig it.
6. Don’t Be Stingy
I just got back from a lunch with Lewis Williams from Burrell - an agency in Chicago that specializes in minority targeted advertising. One of his examples was the above video. They created it to appeal to the loving side of African Americans and created a R&B song to facilitate the message. McNuggets sold, their videos have a million+ hits on youtube and people actually thought it was a real song. I particularly dig the last line of the spot Girl you gotta 10 piece please don’t be stin-jayyyy.
7. I’ll Take a Double Texican Whopper….of a Bad Idea
I thought this post would only slam one of Burger King’s campaigns. Nope. A Mexican ambassador described it as, “improperly us[ing] the stereotypical image of Mexicans.” You’d think somewhere along the line of advertising flow within the agency and Burger King itself, somebody may bring up the notion that depicting the Mexican race with a short, lucha libre character could be a little offensive. It also doesn’t help that the tagline reads: the taste of Texas with a little spicy Mexican. They’ve released back to back campaigns that have brought the company negative press. It’s like a game of limbo: how low will they go?
8. Mastering Mobile Media
Most sports buffs know a good amount about the Masters, which concluded this past Sunday. It’s arguably the most prestigious tournament in the golf community. This year, the Masters made some great strides that I wouldn’t really expect from a sport with a higher-aged target demo. The first image is a screen shot of the iPhone application they offered for free. It kept me in touch with leaderboards, updates and even streamed live footage of the tournament (amazing). The second image shows the Masters’ social media front on Twitter. Updates, insights and news were constantly being fed to Twitter pages and mobile devices - constantly reminding people to watch and follow. They’ve earned a bravo and one well-done.
9. Putting the Rad in Radio
Pandora radio is a lifesaver. It’s a web player that plays music that you should like based on the bands and genres you select. Usually, it’s right on the money. Most clutch while at work, when your current playlist is getting a little old or when at the beach/pool (yes, they have mobile capabilities). Having Pandora radio on my phone has changed the way I lay by the pool forever.
10. My Guilty Pleasure of the Week
