Apparently, Jesus ads are a thing this week

These ones hail from Astos Dizainas McCann Erickson in Lithuania. Robert Kalinkin is a Lithuanian designer.

Overlooking the awkward translation, as intentionally-blasphemous ads go, these are a little better than the fake Ukrainian International Airlines one I posted this morning. The whole "taking his name in vain" thing just seems to belong more in the fashion industry.

Credits:

Creative Director: Jonas Valatkevicius

Art Director: Ernesta Vala

Copywriter: Audrius Puidokas

Photographer: Reda Mickeviciute

Styling: Robert Kalinkin

Design / Postproduction: Ernesta Vala, Karolis Zukas

Via Ads of the World

Jesus has a quickie with Lady Liberty in Ukrainian shock ad

The giant Jesus statue from Rio de Janeiro and New York City's Statue of Liberty enjoy a post-coital cuddle in a sleazy motel in this ad for Ukraine International Airlines.

While Christian blasphemy is hardly an original tactic to get attention, I question whether this ad ever really ran in Ukraine. Not because of the English — ads are typically translated by agencies looking for international attention and awards. I assume this because Ukraine is still pretty religiously conservative, and I doubt such a large brand would risk a boycott just so their agency can win some award.

Can any Ukrainian readers confirm or deny the ad's placement anywhere there?

UPDATE: My Ukrainian friend Eugene Smirnov has confirmed to me that the ad is, in fact, fake. This post on Adme.ua (in Russian) explains that UIA claims on Twitter that it had nothing to do with the ad, and UkraNews adds that it was done as a joke by someone named Alexander Bozhko for "Altai Fake Festival" which sounds like something akin to the Chip Shop Awards.

Eugene also provided me a translation of a statement by Mr. Bozhko:

This morning my print with two statues appeared on many web sites, and was seen by many people very seriously to my surprise. Hence the need to clarify the situation. 

It's not an ad for UIA. It's not advertising at all. This is fake, without a brief or a client, which was made in my spare time, as a first attempt at advertising. 

This work was intended to be sent to the Altai Fake Festival. Inadvertently, it came to the home page of Ads of the World and from there to other sites. I make every effort to make this work out to remove right now. 

And now the most important thing: I apologize to UIA. And I hope that this work will not create the illusion that this is their communication... and will be seen as a joke, which it is.

It's always been dangerous to do fake ads for fun. With social media, can be downright disastrous.

Great PR for Ads of the World, though...

Credits:

"Agency": kaFe ("Fake") Kiev, Ukraine 

Creative Director: Aleksandr Bozhko

Art Director: Igor Dzhemesiuk

Copywriter: Aleksandr Bozhko

Illustrator: Antonina Aleksandrova

Via Ads of the World

F'd Ad (Good) Fridays: What Would Jesus Shill?

via billboardom

The billboard above is a hack, obviously. But Jesus is often used and abused by lazy creatives as an easy way to shock the squares and get attention.

I do not believe in gods, but I do believe Jesus was real. He lived, he promoted a truly revolutionary philosophy of internal personal redemption in an oppressive regime, and as a result was brutally tortured and executed by them.

It's quite a story, even without the addition of coming back from the grave. A human story of vision, empathy, determination and almost unimaginable suffering that we can learn great lessons from. That's why I respect the man, even if I despise some of the hateful bullshit some of his so-called followers do in his name.

I also understand why people mock the divine Jesus that people hold up as an excuse to judge others (oh, the irony!). I just think the real guy on the cross deserves better than to be made the posthumous pitchman for...

Pizza. Via Ads of The World.

Clothing. Via Tumblr.

Shoes. Via Clarkyboy.

Online gambling. (Via Paddy Power.)

Condoms. Via Coloribus.

'70s jeans. Via Denimology.

Hot cross buns (from the pizzeria above). Via Gawker.

SUVs... and prejudice (must be fake). Via search 

Bread. Via Copyranter.

GPS systems. (Via The Inspiration Room)

Smartphones. (Via Photopol)

Jesus' "brand" has also been drafted into the service of cause marketing, promoting:

Vegetarianism. Via Free Republic.

Atheism. (Via Friendly Atheist.)

Road safety (as corporate social responsibility for Pernon). Via  the Inspiration Room)

Marriage equality. (Vianathanielclaiborne.com.)

Interestingly, the irreverent nature of Jesus ads has resulted in more progressive Christian churches using playful Christ images to promote discussion about their faith:

The United Church of Canada. Via the Inspiration Room.

St. Matthews-in-the-City (New Zealand). Via Buzzfeed.

Even Muslims got into the act:

Via Muslim Village

What do you think of Jesus being used as borrowed interest for advertising? Funny? Blasphemous? Edgy? Unimaginative?

Whatever your creed, I wish you all a safe and happy Easter full of peace, love and renewal.

Jesus Christ, Gervais!

Source: New Humanist blog

According to Patheos, this shot was originally intended for Gervais' Rolling Stone cover.

I'm not offended. Just disappointed.

It's been done, done to death. Manufacturing outrage through sneering imitation of Christ? Maybe in the '70s.

But this is the 21st Century. I expected better, from such a brilliant comedian, than grabbing the low-hanging fruit.

F'd Ad Fridays: Good Friday Edition

Not exactly the Garden of Gethsemane...

It wouldn't be Easter if someone didn't get in trouble over an ad mocking Jesus. Today's winner for irreverent "WTF?" comes from Italy, where a Jesus lookalike is being "crucified" tied to a bed by a large dominatrix and pleads to God for help — on his bluetooth earpiece:



The Telegraph quotes a reaction from Avvenire, a daily newspaper owned by the Catholic Bishops Conference: "It's a sordid concept and incredibly insulting to those who believe in Jesus Christ."

This was produced, by the way, by Italian technorocker Andrea Fumagalli from Bluvertigo.



Yeah, he's going to Hell.