Volkswagen: Slowmercial For Fast Forwarders

DVRs and delayed viewing have caused a conundrum for the advertising industry – with up to 80% of people who record shows fast forwarding through commercials, how do you get their attention? DDB Brussels has developed, what they call, a new form of advertising: the slowmercial, where the movement is relatively static, so that even […]

WPP, Ford Apologize For Controversial Ads

WPP, Ford Apologize For Controversial Ads

WPP and client Ford have apologized for a series of controversial online ads that were created and posted by a JWT India staffer. JWT is one of WPP’s global agency networks. The ads, which were not authorized, were posted Friday and taken down after the client and agency became aware of them. One of the […]

In Japan, A Company Advertises On Free Underwear

In Japan, A Company Advertises On Free Underwear

In Japan, a startup company has come up with an unconventional advertising idea—offering free ad-supported underwear to men who don’t mind turning their butts into ad spaces. If you want to receive free underwear with ads on them, simply register on the Free-Pants website—answer a few questions about your personal interests and the kind of […]

Movie Posters That Double As WiFi Hotspots

To help bring the “world’s oldest” and possibly the “least popular” ad medium—the poster—into the digital age, South Korean film distributor CJ Entertainment teamed up with ad agency Cheil to create movie posters that doubled as WiFi hotspots. Called ‘WiFi Posters’, the campaign involved installing WiFi devices into existing movie billboards—allowing users within range to […]

Cheryl Giovannoni leaves Landor for Ogilvy & Mather

Cheryl Giovannoni leaves Landor for Ogilvy & Mather

Cheryl Giovannoni is leaving Landor Associates, where she is president of EMEA, to become chief executive of Ogilvy & Mather Advertising UK. Landor would not comment on who will replace Giovannoni as president but Landor managing director Jane Geraghty said: “It has been a pleasure working with Cheryl and we wish her every success in […]

HitBliss: We’ll pay you to watch TV commercials!

HitBliss: We’ll pay you to watch TV commercials!

A US company is pioneering a service which effectively pays people to watch TV ads. The Massachusetts company HitBliss and its video streaming service pays people with “virtual cash” to watch targeted advertisements. Viewers use the credit they earn to buy TV shows and rent movies from the company. “This is radically different than anything […]

Anti-Smoking Ad Pokes Fun At Social Smokers

To poke fun at the social phenomenon known as ‘social smoking’, ad agency BBDO Toronto created an ad for the Ontario Ministry of Health that humorously replaces cigarettes with farts. Called ‘Social Farter’, it tells the story of a young lady who only farts in social situations. “If you only fart with friends, you’re not […]

Cint: Music Platform Users Can Be Utilized To Determine What is On-trend

Cint: Music Platform Users Can Be Utilized To Determine What is On-trend

With enterprising music artists continuing to take advantage of social networks and digital music services to promote their work, A&R executives can benefit from surveying the users of such platforms in order to help identify up-and-coming trends and musicians to sign, suggests Cint, a global provider of tools to obtain market intelligence. Platforms such as […]

Audi Quattro: Interactive Installation

Audi set out to demonstrate the legendary road hugging capabilities of the A4 through an interactive and socially enabled installation. Passersby in Toronto had the chance to race one of 3 miniature Audis around a custom built 20ft x 7ft racing track using an iPad to control the car. The iPad app was paired with an […]