Fly safe with Durex

Adrants posted this funny stunt by Durex Poland. It's really quite simple, and a rather intuitive brand association with"safety instructions":



The only problem I have with it is that I don't believe the "guerrilla" aspect of it. I simply can't imagine getting that many camera angles on the reaction shots without very obviously making a video. It appears very staged to me.

Funny, though.

Berlin tries to out-sexy Paris

Surprisingly, there was no grim kinkiness involved. Just a barely-dressed lingerie model freezing her T&A off on the cold grey streets of the City of Lights.



Not particularly original, or even edgy by today's fashion ad standards. But I did like the soundtrack.

F'd Ad Fridays: Femen emasculates NZ men (nudity)

Back in March, Ukrainian women's protest group FEMEN protested a New Zealand radio station's contest to "win a wife" in the Ukraine via one of those awful mail-order bride companies.

The winner, a winemaker known only as Greg, was so scared of the publicity that he refused to go to meet his "prize".  With characteristic subtlety, FEMEN celebrated their victory — and gave a warning to all other Kiwi men to stay away from Ukrainian sex tourism — by having this poster pasted all over Auckland:

Millions of men are now crossing their legs awkwardly.

I love the parody of Soviet propaganda.

Femen's statement (via Google Translate):The action served as a clear warning to the New Zealand men that Ukraine is not a country of sex tourism, and the Ukrainian is not a gift!

Me, I'm just trying to stay on their good side.

Amsterdam Splashmob

I never imagined that a bunch of beautiful women paddling surfboards through the canals of Amsterdam could be so boring. (Okay, I never really imagined a bunch of beautiful women paddling surfboards through the canals of Amsterdam, but anyway...)



What is it that doesn't work? Is it the awkward paddling? The sleepy music? The slow pacing? The women's self-consciously fake flirtiness in between moments of obvious discomfort?

"Oh! Oh! I know the answer!"

Anyway, it's for the Superkini by O'Neill. In case you hadn't figured that out yet.

Women's bodies exploited by advertiser

Literally:

Posted on Copyranter this morning, this purports to be a guerilla move by DDB Auckland to get more impressions (ha ha tee hee) for NZ fashion boutique Superette:

"We put indented plates on bus stop, mall, and park benches, so that when people sat down, the message was imprinted on their thighs. This meant that as well as having branded seats, a veritable army of free media was created, with thousands of imprints being created and lasting up to an hour."

As Copyranter noted, probably none of the un-staged impressions was particularly legible. But of course that's not the point anymore. Guerilla and ambient work these days is designed to appeal to a global internet audience (and awards show judges) rather than to function in the meatworld.

But points for finding a new way to impose sexy advertising on women.

It takes a lot to keep me from wanting to eat pizza...

But Colgate and Y&R Paris have found a sure way to turn me off my hot, greasy mistress of cheesy goodness:

How about "non"?

A pie only a dentist could love. Truly gross. The last thing I want to think about when my pizza arrives is somebody else's saliva. That's why I always tip well.

On the bright side, at least this might help fight rising obesity rates in France.

Link and images via Ads of The World.

Operation Beautiful

Remember Stuart Smalley from Saturday Night Live?



Al Franken's send-up of self affirmation is still hilarious. But to a 26-year-old woman from Charlotte, North Carolina, letting people know they're beautiful when they look in the mirror is serious business.

"Caitlan", as she introduces herself, is the editor of the web site Operation Beautiful. And she has begun a movement encouraging women to leave little notes of affirmation on public bathroom mirrors, in library books, and anywhere other women might encounter them.

According to Caitlan's mission message the site:

The goal of the Operation Beautiful website is to end negative self-talk or “Fat Talk.”  If this little blog only does one productive thing, I hope it helps readers realize how truly toxic negative self-talk is  — it hurts you emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

Through my own experiences fighting Fat Talk, I’ve realized the power behind an anonymous act such as Operation Beautiful.  When I post a note, I’m saying, “I CHOOSE to be positive!”

I began Operation Beautiful by leaving positive messages on the mirrors of public restrooms — at work, at the gym, at the grocery store.  I scribble down whatever comes to mind — "You are beautiful!" or "You are amazing just the way you are!"  My personal goal is to leave as many Operation Beautiful notes as I can. Maybe some people read them and just smile, but I bet some people are truly touched by the effort of a random stranger.

Caitlan is a blogger at Healthy Tipping Point, where she shares fitness and healthy eating tips. Turns out she's into running.

Operation Beautiful now has a book published, and has been making the news in the States, and I just saw it posted at the "Because I Am a Girl Canada" Facebook page.

What do you think of this movement? Can a blind and anonymous compliment make a meaningful difference in people's lives?

Or is it worth it just to get us talking about health, fitness, and self-confidence?

Have the guts to go guerrilla?

When I first saw the thumbnails for this campaign on Ads of The World, I thought it was for PeTA. Or maybe organ donation.

But on closer inspection, it turned out to be a very gory self-promotion by Der Doctor Guerrilla, an Italian alternative marketing agency that wants to get noticed.

How would you react to receiving one of these nasty little things on your desk? Especially just before lunch?

"Would new ideas be of service to you? [Need new ideas?] Fresh human brain from a male adult (but not too adult)"

"Could a hand be of service? [Need a hand?] Fresh human hand from an adult male (but not too adult)."

"Would heart and passion be of service your agency? [Need more heart and passion at your agency?] Fresh human heart from an adult male (but not too adult)."

What we non-Italian audiences (and readers of AOTW's bad translations) are missing is the pun. In Italian, "servire" isn't just used like English "serve" but also to indicate a need. That's why I provided the awkward double translations above.

Another thing that doesn't really translate is the fourth concept. It's uniquely Italian, and to understand it you need to know that Italy's first civilization, the Etruscans, considered the liver to be the most important organ in the body, the seat of life and the soul. The Etruscans were later so assimilated by Rome that even their language has been lost. But today, Italians use the expression "if you have the liver for it" like we use "guts", "stomach" or "balls" — to indicate willpower, determination, and manliness.

So now you can amaze your friends and frighten your enemies at agency Christmas parties by deconstructing this ad:

"Would the liver to do guerrilla marketing be of service to your agency? [Does your agency need someone with the guts to do guerilla marketing?] Fresh human liver from an adult male (but not too adult)."

UPDATE: The Doc himself left a note on Acart's Facebook page:

Hi Tom, thanks for the post and nice to meet you ... The translation of the concepts you've done is apt, I knew I likely to encounter misunderstanding on the "liver". There is only one small mistake: I am not an agency but a freelancer looking for work as a creative:)