Ogilvy apologizes for Malala mattress ad

On Monday, I blogged about this really distasteful "borrowed interest" of Pakistani teen activist Malala Yousafzai's near-fatal shooting and recovery to sell mattresses in India.

A couple of days later, the whole campaign disappeared from Ads Of The World. But it was too late. The PR damage to Ogilvy, India, was apparently already done.

Just now, on Twitter:

We would like to apologize to Malala Yousafzai and her family. Our official statement can be found here. http://t.co/DgGPz6gK33
— Ogilvy & Mather (@Ogilvy) May 15, 2014

Here's the statement:

The recent Kurl-On ads from our India office are contrary to the beliefs and professional standards of Ogilvy & Mather and our clients. 

We deeply regret this incident and want to personally apologize to Malala Yousafzai and her family. We are investigating how our standards were compromised in this case and will take whatever corrective action is necessary. In addition, we have launched a thorough review of our approval and oversight processes across our global network to help ensure that our standards are never compromised again.

It's just one more example of how global brands (including ad agency ones) are exposed to risk when regional partners do something that contravenes the sensibilities of the internet. More strategic and creative oversight is clearly needed.

Most unsexy condom ad ever?

We're seen some great condom ads lately. This is not one of them.

Created by Ogilvy & Mather, Japan, for e-tailer Condomania, this campaign features shrink-wrapped naked couples in very awkward-looking embraces:

Perhaps the humour is just foreign to me. But they look like dead, packaged meat. Ewww.

Via Ads Of The World

The most violent condom ads you will see today

The stork is executed in brutal human fashion.

The concept may be clever, and the illustration divine, but these ads don't exactly put me in the mood for love. Plus, how many young people today even know the old-school stork myth?

Ads by Ogilvy, Honduras. Via Ads of The World.

Dove launches another powerful campaign about body image

Via Marketing

I've had mixed feelings about Dove's various "real beauty" campaigns, but this new one by Ogilvy Toronto is pretty solid. It's also very, very depressing.

Via Marketing

The campaign press release claims that "6 in 10 girls have quit sports and activities that can play a major role in their future development, because of how they felt about their looks."

It includes this quote from Dove V.P. of Marketing, Sharon MacLeod:

"Women across Canada have more power than they realize to shape a positive future for the girls in their lives. We want to help them realize that girls want them to play this role and to empower them by giving them the tools to start this dialogue today."

Dove advertises directly to Photoshoppers

Well, this is neat. Ogilvy One in Toronto anonymously created a fake Photoshop Action (a free add-on) for Dove, posted it on Reddit and on design forums, and presumed to trick Art Directors, designers and photo retouchers into downloading it. They called it "Beautify" and it was supposed to add a skin glow to models.

It did something entirely different:



Very clever PR stunt, but was anyone really duped? And if they were, what were their reactions? Nonetheless, the gag isn't really the ad that will meet Dove's objectives. The video is. It's on-brand, and extremely shareworthy. Well done!

Tip via Ads of The World

The message of this ad is, basically, "eat me"

This magazine ad, by by OgilvyOne in Dubai, apparently provides a taste of the product without actually requiring a sample:



Not something you'd want to try with a magazine in your doctor's waiting office. This kind of insert probably ended up costing the client more than actual sampling ever has, but its newsworthiness probably more than makes up for it.

It may be a reminder that Fanta's flavour comes out of a test tube. But that's hardly what Fanta drinkers are looking for.

Tip and image via The Shortlist

Put your baby to sleep with a hairdryer?

I'm trying to figure out these Ogilvy Poland ads for Philips hairdryers. Apparently, "white noise" is good for putting kids to sleep. But putting a corded, heat-producing device in a crib and turning it on?

Reminds me of this campaign:

...in a bad way.

Via Ads of The World

Thai love curtains

You know, if you're going to use sex in advertising, look to these ads from Ogilvy & Mather, Bangkok (heh heh heh... "bang cock"...) for some pointers:

1. Make it fun
2. Be original
3. Don't objectify women

I love the vagueness of the one above — Man on woman? Man on man? Woman pegging man? Woman pegging woman?

That's what creative should do; inspire the imagination.

The second, however, leaves little to the imagination:

Via Ads of The World

Today's unnecessary use of Hitler in an ad is brought to you by Comfort Fabric Conditioner

Via AOTW

Enough already, Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai. This is not only insulting to the rest of the world, but also to one of your greatest social justice leaders.

Other examples of Godwin's Law:

Hitler employed as shampoo pitchman
It was inevitable: This blog is Godwinned (slight nudity)

Dove gives "feel-bad" Facebook ads a makeover

Dove has introduced a new Facebook app (created by Ogilvy Australia) that lets you replace "feel bad" weight loss, cosmetic and body enhancement ads with positive messages about body acceptance, and then share them with other women:



I'm not quite sure how it works, but I would guess that it has permission to game the Facebook social ad system to re-target women who would otherwise be served up the "negative" ad with Dove messages.

But if that's the case, how does it affect Facebook's contract with its other advertisers? Ethics aside, if you had paid media money to have your nasty old muffin top ads served to a certain profile of woman, wouldn't you be pissed if they were subverted by Dove?

Or maybe, just maybe, the "bad" ads are actually decoys placed by Dove to provoke interaction with the brand? Hmmm...

I have no way to test this theory, however, as it is only available in Australia.

What do you think of this campaign? Is it real? Or is it a trick?

This ad campaign will ruin your day

Kerry tipped me off to this campaign for Fernat-Branca Bitters, by Ogilvy Denmark.

I'll say one thing for them: They'll sure drive you to drink.

MILFs for sale #FdAdFriday

Ads of the World featured this interesting guerilla campaign by O&M Buenos Aires for womwn's organization AMMAR.

Apparently, 93% of the country's sex workers are mothers trying to make ends meet. The campaign aims to raise awareness for the need to protect these women with more progressive prostitution laws.

At first blush, however, the campaign seems like more of a way to scare clients away. Argentina's callgirls advertise using business cards left in public places. O&M created surprise fold-outs that showed the maternal reality behind the sexy promotion.

I'm not sure targeting clients is the best direct strategy, but of course these days innovative campaigns are all about indirect reach through PR and social media.

This spicy pickle is worse than torture #FdAdFriday

Wow, that's a weird way to sell food.

I guess it's not that different from American hot sauces that brand themselves on their ability to burn your anus, but the graphic torture scenario is somehow even more unsettling.

There are three more in this series — tear gas, cutting onions and watching a sad film. They're all at Ads of The World.

F'd Ad Fridays: What what? In the dog's butt...

Now that's an unpleasant campaign. Ogilvy & Mather, Japan, would like you to know that Sneaker Freaker Magazine is doing something about the urban dog shit issue.

Really:



Tip via Ads of The World

"Snatch" — Now that I have your attention...

Copyranter posted this rather unimaginative "edgy" campaign for a gym. Ads of The World has the whole series of pun-driven ads, but none is as eye-popping (or is it "pants-popping"?)  as this one.

Not really something I see closing more memberships. At least the creative team had fun.

F'd Ad Fridays: Creepy bunny creeps you in the men's room

This series by Ogilvy Group in Bucharest, Romania, will ruin Bugs Bunny for you. Unless you want him to be like that, in which case... you're welcome?







Via IBiA

Durex fortune teller says "cover your little feller"

Ads of The World just posted this nice ambient ad infiltration by Durex in Taiwan:



An interesting case of manipulating cultural predispositions. According to the case study, Taiwanese youth don't want to talk about condoms or sex, but are obsessed with having their fortunes told. So the agency (Ogilvy) built an old-school fortune booth that distributed condoms and warnings about unsafe sex.

Clever. The ending looks pretty staged, but still clever.

Beautiful ad for the Dirty Bird

Acart French Copywriter Vincent send me this video from Ogilvy Johannesburg, for KFC:



Damn you for making me cry, Vincent! It's my ninth wedding anniversary today (putting me somewhere in the middle of that transition) and my son has a little girl best friend those kids made me think of.

Gorgeous work! I just wish it weren't for gross old fried chicken, that's all.

It's a great PSA... if you can stand to watch it

I had a hard time not looking away, but then again I have a young son at home.



Jarring, heartbreaking and moving at the same time. I hope this makes a difference for the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children — and for kids worldwide.

By Ogilvy, Dublin.

Via Copyranter