Paypal snarks Apple in full-page NYT ad

According to Cult of Mac (**shudder**) this ad ran as a full page in the New York Times last week. While Apple isn't specifically mentioned, the reference to stolen nudes is an obvious hit at the company, whose iCloud security was questioned in the breach. (Apple denies this.)

Paypal obviously feels the heat from the new iPhone's Apple Pay feature, so casting doubt on Apple's general security might seem like a great idea. But it seems pretty underhanded to me.

Now you can protest with #Femen without taking your shirt off

It's been a while since I've written about Femen, the Ukrainian-born topless protest group that has since gone global. But this tee, just Tweeted, and on sale at their web site, seemed timely.

Considering that the group considers their bare breasts "weapons" in the war against misogyny, creating a clothed toplessness raises some questions: Is this self-aware parody? Commoditization of their tactics for fundraising? Or just a more accessible form of solidarity for shy women (and flat-chested men)?

There's another version of the shirt that reads, "Every Woman is a Riot" in reference to Pussy Riot - the allied Russian punk protest band that won the world's support when some members were jailed.

Teen who posted "Blacks for Sale" ad is "not racist"

An ad posted on a popular Brazilian online marketplace, offering "Black for diverse uses" for 1 Real (41¢ USD), has been traced to an angry 15-year-old.

The ad suggested that the human beings for purchase could "serve as carpenters, masons, cooks, security guards, nightclub bouncers, janitors, garbage collectors or housekeepers."

According to NDTV, the ad, which was pulled from Mercado Livre after massive online protest, was tracked by police to a teen living in "a northern Rio slum."

Rio police said it had been posted by a 15-year-old who was frustrated because he felt he had been shut out of a computer course by a quota system set up to encourage black students.  

Local daily O Dia quoted Police Inspector Gilson Perdigao as saying the boy had been held for questioning for two hours but would not be charged as he had no previous history of racist aggression. 

The youth's mother, a 43-year-old teacher, told the paper: "He regrets what he did. My son is not racist and asks black people for forgiveness. 

"This was a thoughtless act because he failed the first phase of the exam," she added.

First of all: yes, you're racist. Second, what is a teacher doing living in a "slum"?

In Brazil, this is more than a case of insensitivity. It's criminal.

Veja (Portuguese, translated by Google) cites The National Ombudsman of Racial Equality,
Carlos Alberto Silva Júnior, who explains that Article 20 of Law No. 7.716/1989,  provides for imprisonment from two to five years and fines for people convicted of practicing, inducing or inciting discrimination or prejudice based on race, color, ethnicity, religion or national origin.

Apparently, those who share the offensive material in blogs or social networks with intent to denigrate or discriminate can answer the same crimes. (Yikes!)

NDTV adds that in 2012, Brazil enacted a law that reserves 50% of university placements to students from public schools, with priority given to black, mixed race and indigenous people.

This case is an important reminder of how racism often manifests itself as the anger and frustration of one socioeconomically disadvantaged population against another, who they believe are receiving unfair privilege.

Retailer suggests that your daughters learn "the importance of looking nice"

Facebook humour group Condescending Corporate Brand Page shared this status update from Lazada Super Moms, the targeted outreach of the Lazada Online Shopping Mall in the Philippines. 

And what do they have for boys?

Girls look nice, boys get respected. And that's how the gender roles are policed.

Clickable fashion video wants you to buy in to its fantasy, RIGHT NOW

Back in September, I took a look at Target's new approach to e-commerce — creating entertainment webisodes with product placements that allowed viewers to buy the products they see online without interrupting the show.

It's brilliant, or evil, or both.

Now, as Adrants reports, Juicy Couture is getting into the act, and taking it one step further.



The video, directed by Terry Richardson and starring model Candice Swanepoel, features a frame-within-a-frame. By mousing into it, you are prompted to click directly to the online shop (in a new window).

The story and images (the beautiful woman, living a dreamlike life of luxury) combined with easy and instant access to the superficial trappings of the fantasy create a perfect incentive to impulse shop. In this case, the female consumer would be out $200 before she might even know what hit her.

I've been writing a lot about sensory experiences that impair our judgement, but I've been focussing on how they affect men (because we're such damn easy targets). But what are the irrational factors that cloud the judgement of female consumers? Do you think this includes any of it? Does it make a difference if you're gay or straight? Would it work on you? 

Perhaps not yet. Fast Company quotes Darrell Whitelaw Executive Creative Director at IPG Media Lab, who calls this rollout of YouTube's new click to shop technology "the Sony Walkman of ecommerce and video". It's a reference to how personal cassette players were a game-changer, but it took the iPod to perfect the idea.

“The thinking is spot-on, but the execution is just awful." 

What's awful about it, Whitelaw says, is that every time a user clicks on a product they're interested in, the video stops. This is an experience-busting flaw that most shoppable video shares. It's what's likely to separate the Walkmans from the iPods.

... 

“Every evolution starts with something like this,” Whitelaw says. “I’m not taking away from the quality of it. It’s amazing that someone actually did it and got a client to say yes, let’s jump in and do this new thing. But you still have to look at the fact the next one – that perfect, beautiful experience—that’s going to be the one that gets people to buy.” 

Target takes advertainment to the next (cynical) level with "shoppable" film

I guess today's consumers are a cynical bunch. There was a time when product placements in entertainment were a dirty little secret. Then the '80s came, and a generation grew up with Saturday morning cartoons that were just 30-minute toy commercials. Young adult TV shows started to be sponsored by retail fashion brands. James Bond started selling BMWs controlled by Ericcson cellphones. Etc. Etc.

Fast-forward to the digital age of advertainment. People willingly watch long-form commercials that can be 5+ minutes long. They know it's all selling, and they don't mind at all. It's just the way it is.

Into this context comes the next convergence of advertising and entertainment: "shoppable film"



Next week, Target will launch "Falling For You," starring Kristen Bell (of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Veronica Mars). It's "a romantic comedy highlighting fall fashion, beauty and home product from Target—a clever extension of the fall marketing campaign."

In three online episodes, the target market can watch Kristen, along with Zachary Abel (“Make It or Break It”) and Nia Long (Fresh Prince of Bel-aire”, “Big Mama’s House”) play three Target employees bumbling their way through planning a fashion show. The video hints that two of the characters fall in love along the way — I'll assume they mean the two white people of opposite gender.

As they watch the "film," viewers can e-shop the clothes they see from Target without stopping the action. Because I'm sure it's riveting.

As Consumerist put it:

Are you sick of movies that try to ruin solid product placement with things like plot, action, and characters? Do you also ache to see B-list TV actors cashing a paycheck by appearing in extended commercials for a discount retailer? Then the folks at Target have got the show for you!

Sears pulls "butt plugs" out of online catalogue #FdAdFriday

The Sears catalogue was once a famous source of female models in translucent underwear and the occasional accidental penis, but in this pornified age it seems they feel they need to try much harder to get attention.

According to AdFreak (via Gawker), this tee briefly appeared in their online catalogue, before being removed.

Here's a screencap, via Buzzfeed:

Yes, it even comes in Santorum brown...

F'd Ad Fridays: Dead OBL as infantwear brand

These onesies are for sale at Australia's redbubble.com, just in case you want the joy of your life associated with terrorism, death and patriotic bloodlust:

"We got him, didn't we sweetie? Oh, yes we did! Koochie-koo!"

To be fair, redbubble is an Australian cafepress-type vanity shirt e-commerce site. That means all the designs are member submitted, and sold on consignment. According to news.com.au, they say they removes "offensive" designs if they receive complaints (as they did with the Hitler and serial killer onesies...)

Apple iPayforsex?

The news on ZDNet is that SugarSugar, "The world's most effective and discreet place for finding Sugar Daddy and Sugar Baby relationships" will be launching “an innovative mobile application for locating singles interested in the ’sugar’ lifestyle’” for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Android, and BlackBerry on June 1st.

You can forgive the typo. They're obviously in love.

"SugarSugar.com is for generous men looking to spoil, and dynamic women looking for financial support with bills, or who just need some excitement in life! Started by a real sugar baby, SugarSugar.com only accepts true, proven sugar daddies and sugar babies, and provides a staff of sugar dating experts to help you find the perfect mutually beneficial arrangement.

Sugar Daddy relationships are as old as mankind itself. Men have a natural instinct to surround themselves with beauty, and women have always sought out the security of a mature, financially stable man. While these aren't the only qualifications for a good dating experience, they are a good place to start!

Women: never worry about money again!
Men: join the only dating site where women outnumber you by 8-to-1.

Begin finding your perfect Sugar Daddy or Sugar Baby by creating your free profile now. Start living the sweet life!"

The sweet life of transactional sex.

Nobody can believe that Apple's famously prudish App Store approved this. We'll have to see if it actually makes it through.

What the **** is that "Mobio" thing?

If you've been watching Joannie Rochette's iheartmom video on YouTube, or if you visited iheartmom.ca, you probably noticed a funny little piece of abstract art with a "Mobio" logo on it.





You may also be wondering "what IS that thing?"

Mobio Identity Systems is a Vancouver company that has developed a new way to make electronic payments, get information, or connect with specific content via smartphones.

Don't worry, before we started this campaign, I hadn't heard of them either. But our client, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute had. They premiered the technology on their annual telethon on CTV a few weeks ago, on March 28.

From MobioID's CEO, Clovis Najm (via press release):

"The Ottawa Heart Institute has always been on the cutting edge of technology and we believe Mobio will increase their donation base and encourage a new generation of young mobile smartphone users to donate to this worthy organization."

So how does it work? They included this handy video:



The telethon raised over $5 million, actually exceeding its goal. How many donations came via Mobio? According to the Ottawa Citizen, the high-tech gimmick helped "a bit".

But such is the case for early adopters. MobioID sees great potential for fundraisers in this technology, especially with the 45-and-under crowd, including:

• Ability to inject innovation into the widely traditional telethon space.
• Ability to target younger audiences and appeal to Gen X and Y.
• Increased geographical reach (Mobio barcodes can go viral on Twitter, Facebook, email and phone to phone)
• Ongoing donations possible post-event (once a custom barcode is created it can be used indefinitely in print, advertising, TV, T-shirts etc.)

Of course, the application also holds great promise for e-commerce, allowing on-the-spot impulse purchases from anywhere.

Now that you know what Mobio is, you'll probably start to notice it popping up in geekier circles. Just last weekend, I put down my copy of SuperFreakonomics (which is hard to do) and noticed a Mobio 2-D barcode on the back cover, with an invitation to get more info.

Curious? Give it a shot!