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Tag: Commercial

  • Kim Kardashian Fires Back at Carls, Jr.

    Kim Kardashian Fires Back at Carls, Jr.

    Kim Kardashian is having a war of words with Carls Jr.

    Kim Kardashian appeared in a Carl’s Jr. ad — you know, the kind with scantily-clad hot models scarfing down huge Carl’s Jr. meat, sometimes spilling it on their bodies. But Kim Kardashian did not appear in a a big burger ad. She appeared in a salad ad. Now the CEO of Carls Jr. has spoken out about why Kim Kardashian did salad instead of beef. And his story is not going over well with the Kim K camp.

    “We used Kim Kardashian in an ad. But Kim really couldn’t eat the burgers,” Carl’s Jr. CEO Andy Puzder told the AP. “Luckily, we had a salad we were promoting, so we used Kim in the salad ad.”

    “But if we had not been promoting a salad, we probably never would’ve done an ad with Kim, because she wasn’t good at eating the burger,” he added. “She’s too tiny. She’s really little.”

    Puzder went on to talk about the general feel they are looking for in models they cast in their commercials. You can’t be shy about attacking the meat.

    “First of all, you really need to be able to eat the burger like you’re loving it,” he said. “We don’t want somebody that’s going to go out there and say, ‘Well, I don’t eat burgers.’ You really have to go at it. You really have to attack it.”

    Kim Kardashian’s people are firing back at that statement, saying it was not Carls Jr. who decided Kim needed to do salad, it was hers. They say that Kim Kardashian was releasing a fitness DVD at the time and wanted to do something that better fit her image in that environment.

    As for being tiny, Healthy Celeb lists Kim Kardashian’s height at 5 feet 2 1/2 inches, and her weight at 139 pounds.

  • E-Trade Talking Baby Calls It Quits

    E-Trade Talking Baby Calls It Quits

    If you can’t get enough of the talking baby from the E-Trade commercials, you’ll have to get your fix on YouTube from here on out because the little man is done. After using the baby for six years, E-Trade is ready to move on.

    Even though it might be tough to accept that the E-Trade baby won’t be entertaining us in commercials during the Super Bowl anymore, all of you fans will be happy to hear that the baby is going out in an entertaining way at least. Not only does the little guy announce that he is quitting in a commercial during a bit of a tantrum, he also tells his fans goodbye on his official Twitter page.

    During what appears to be a typical E-Trade commercial, a singing cat pops up and informs the talking baby that he is his new sidekick, which the little guy doesn’t handle too well. “That’s it, I’m done. I’m out of here. Amateurs,” the baby says before throwing a phone at the camera. Watch the last E-Trade talking baby commercial below.

    Check out the E-Trade baby’s farewell note posted to Twitter:

    All good things must come to an end, right? After all, if the Taco Bell dog can eventually find himself out of a job, it stands to reason that the same can happen to a one-year-old. On a slightly more serious note, branding expert Allen Adamson explained the reason the company decided to ditch the talking baby and said it didn’t make sense to keep him around since online trading is so common now.

    “It served its purpose when it first launched, to make it seem like anyone could trade online,” said Adamson. “But now online trading is so common the baby has lost its mission.” So far there is no word on what E-Trade’s next campaign will be.

    By the way, if you’d like to feel old, check out what the talking baby (portrayed by Manolo Gonzalez) looks like now.

    Image via Twitter

  • Honey Maid’s Commercial Sparks Controversy

    Honey Maid’s Commercial Sparks Controversy

    Honey Maid released a new graham cracker commercial this week, and because of the extreme diversity in the ad, the commercial has sparked controversy among viewers.

    The commercial shows families from all walks of life: a gay couple, a biracial couple, a single father, a military family, and a dad covered in tattoos. The tagline reads: “Honey Maid, everyday wholesome snacks for every wholesome family.”

    Since Coca Cola’s Super Bowl commercial, in which viewers see different cultures singing America the Beautiful in their native language, and Cheerio’s biracial ad, it was expected that there would be an outpour of negativity. However, there are some that found the commercial truly heart-warming.

    Gary Osifchin, the senior marketing director for Mondelez, the owner of Honey Maid, said that they were trying to appeal to the ever changing world in which we live.

    “We recognize change is happening every day, from the way in which a family looks today to how a family interacts to the way it is portrayed in media,” he explained. “We at Honey Maid continue to evolve and expand our varieties to provide delicious, wholesome products so they can be a part of everyday moments of connection in a world with changing, evolving family dynamics.”

    Watch the commercial below:

    )

    You can read some of the viewer’s responses below:

    What do you think about the diverse commercial? Leave your comments below.

    Image via Twitter

  • Brooklyn Decker Gets Nerdy For BMW Ad

    Brooklyn Decker Gets Nerdy For BMW Ad

    Brooklyn Decker is a nerd.

    Well, not exactly. It turns out Decker is part of a BMW commercial featuring the stunner as a geeky girl-complete with frizzy hair and braces.

    The beautiful 26-year-old supermodel and actress flaunted a very hilarious pic on her Instagram two days ago.

    “So this commercial for BMW came out today… 🙂 details later…” Decker captioned along with her first nerdy photo she posted.

    The comical picture was accompanied by two other pictures featuring Decker’s transformation.

    While the second post was captioned “Introducing…high school Brooklyn,” we have a sneaking suspicion the gorgeous model didn’t exactly look like that.

    The final picture was perhaps the most entertaining, featuring Decker and her hair and makeup team.

    Decker’s fans went nuts over the pictures, leaving comments and liking the photos.

    Instagram user alexlin_ commented on the last pic and said, “Ermahgerd.” Another user called the model, “freaking hilarious.”

    In the BMW ad, a man reflects back on dumping a young, nerdy Decker and then later regretting it when she becomes a super-successful model.The commercial capitalizes on not missing out on really good things, like Decker and the new BMW.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86Qwx0kqdQs

  • Doritos Commercial: Winner of Super Bowl Commercial Contest Announced

    Instead of spending a ton of money filming commercials for the Super Bowl, Doritos went a different route and did their “Crash the Super Bowl” contest again. This contest involves fans sending in Doritos commercials they filmed on their own and offers a grand prize of $1 million. Doritos aired the two finalist commercials, “Time Machine” and “Cowboy Kid,” during the Super Bowl this past Sunday and had fans vote on their favorite.

    Doritos announced the winner of the $1 million prize on Good Morning America yesterday. “Time Machine” by Ryan Thomas Andersen of Scottsdale, Arizona took home the $1 million prize. The kicker? Unlike “Cowboy Kid,” whose makers spent five grand to film the commercial, “Time Machine” only had a budget of $300.

    “Time Machine” starred Andersen’s 6-year-old son Gavin who shows off the cardboard time machine he built. The young boy lets his neighbor check out the time machine, which has a slot to insert a bag of Doritos to make it run. After the neighbor hands over the Doritos, the boy shakes the time machine and tricks his neighbor into thinking the contraption actually worked, while he takes off with the bag of Doritos to enjoy on his own.

    Check out Andersen’s “Time Machine” video below.

    Andersen’s “Time Machine” commercial was quite a hit and Tom Ortega, chief creative officer for the ad agency Doritos used, thought Andersen did a great job. “He gets it,” said Ortega. “He understands how to write a 30-second story, which is tough. He understands performance. And it has that quality to it where you want to watch it again. It has no wear-out factor to it.”

    The Arizona man has been trying to win the Doritos “Crash the Super Bowl” contest for four years, and now his creativity and work have finally paid off. The $1 million check won’t arrive a minute too soon for Andersen and his family. “Right now, I’ve probably got $3,200 in my checking account,” Andersen said. “I’m not kidding.”

    Even though missing out on the $1 million prize must sting, the runner-up in the Doritos “Crash the Super Bowl” contest received a cash prize of $50,000. Watch “Cowboy Kid” below.

    Image via YouTube

  • Terry Crews Is Having A Great Year

    2014 is already starting off as a great year for Terry Crews.

    Crews currently co-stars in the Golden Globe winning Fox comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, he just appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show, and we’ll get to see him in a new Super Bowl ad with the Muppets. And January isn’t even over yet!

    The people at Toyota have enlisted the help of Crews and the Muppets to promote their new 2014 model of the Highlander.

    Toyota is promoting the 2014 Highlander as the vehicle that has tons of room – enough for Crews, some Muppets, and multiple musical instruements – but “no room for boring.”

    Many have it as the commercial to beat during this Sunday’s Super Bowl.

    In the commercial Crews is decked out in a tie, button-up shirt, and khakis, He’s driving around in his Highlander listening to some “boring” music, when he comes across some Muppets and their broken down van on the side of the road. They take him up on his offer to help, putting all their musical equipment in the back, sending Crews to the backseat, and changing the music to something “non-boring.”

    During the road trip Crews finally succumbs to the fun antics of the Muppets, and before you know it he’s ripped his shirt off and wearing his tie around his head, but did it all really happen? Because suddenly Crews is hanging out of the sunroof of his Highlander parked in his driveway, sans shirt, tie still around his head, while his neighbor Kermit is watering his lawn.

    The pec-popping Crews is no stranger to starring in commercials. He was also known as the Old Spice guy for quite some time.

    Please enjoy the Toyota Highlander ad with Crews and the Muppets in the video below and see if you agree that the the Highlander has room for everything, except for boring.

    It’s going to be quite the Sunday for Crews, since he can also be seen in a new special episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine which will air after the Super Bowl and New Girl.

    Image via YouTube.

  • “Puppy Love” Ad from Budweiser for Super Bowl Goes Viral

    Judging from Budweiser’s new “Puppy Love” ad, the people who watch the Super Bowl just for the commercials won’t be disappointed this year. Budweiser released a commercial today that they plan to air during the Super Bowl, and yet again, the beer company has a hit. “Puppy Love” already has more than 5 million hits since being posted to YouTube.

    Fans of the Budweiser Clydesdale horses will be happy to see that they are back in “Puppy Love.” The horses aren’t providing laughs by kicking footballs this time, though. Instead, the commercial shows the friendship between an adorable lab pup and the horses that will pull at your heartstrings.

    The commercial shows a cute white lab pup that keeps escaping from an animal shelter. Every time he leaves, he heads to the same place–the horse barn. On one attempt at taking the pup back to the shelter, the horses jump the fence and box in the car the puppy is riding in. Who knows what went on right after the horses threw down the gauntlet, but in the next shot, we see the pup triumphantly heading back towards the barn, with the Clydesdale horses right behind.

    “Let Her Go” by Passenger serves as the Budweiser commercial’s background music. Check out “Puppy Love” below.

    You might be wondering what, exactly, a cute puppy and horses have to do with beer, but since when does that matter? Just look back to one of Budweiser’s Super Bowl commercials from last year (one that probably tugged on the heartstrings more than “Puppy Love” will). This commercial shows a newborn foal and the friendship that he develops with his trainer.

    Using animals without a beer in sight in a beer commercial might not make a lot of sense on the surface, but there is certainly a method to Budweiser’s madness. Not only did Budweiser pull off another wildly successful commercial, they also had people talking about it for weeks by encouraging them to suggest names for the foal through social media. Anheuser-Busch said that they received more than 60,000 suggestions via Facebook and Twitter.

    Check out Budweiser’s Clydesdale Super Bowl commercial from last year below.

    Image via YouTube

  • Butterfinger Cups Has Racy New Teaser Ad

    In a bid to outdo the market leader, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Nestle is hoping to take advantage of the hype that comes with Super Bowl to launch its new Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cups with a teaser ad.

    The ad…of the ad (teaser ad) is about Peanut Butter and his wife Chocolate going to Edible Couples Counseling to try to find ways to spice up their marriage. Suggestive pictures of bananas and cherries hang on the wall — the whole thing is spiked with sexual innuendo. The teaser ad features humorous couples like Raisin and Oatmeal, Fish and Chip and Peanut Butter and Chocolate with 1970’s elevator music playing in the background.

    In the ad, Peanut Butter seems visibly uncomfortable,  “What are we doing here?” he says but Chocolate is busy reading an issue of “Exotic Snacking.” It gets funny when Crackers and Cheese emerge from the therapy room holding what appears to be a giant sausage.

    This will be Nestlé’s first Super Bowl ad. The Super Bowl attracts more than 100 million viewers each year and this year’s event will air on Feb. 2 on Fox. The Super Bowl had long been a popular launch pad for new products because many people watch it and it’s live.

    It used to be that advertisers could keep their Super Bowl ads secret until the day of the Super Bowl. Now things have changed, and in the recent years many advertisers release ad teasers way ahead of their Super Bowl ad, in order to make them stand out. Viewers can expect to view the same characters and same couples therapy theme in the actual game but they should expect to view a longer ad.

    Jeremy Vandervoet, brand manager of Butterfinger, said they were using Super Bowl to open up new awareness for Butterfinger Cups. “You need to open up as much awareness (for a new product) and what better way to do that than with a Super Bowl ad,” he said.

    Image via YouTube

  • Old Spice Commercial: “Mom Song” is a Hit on YouTube

    Old Spice Commercial: “Mom Song” is a Hit on YouTube

    Old Spice released a new commercial during the AFC Wild Card game between San Diego and Cincinnati on Sunday, and to the dismay of some folks, the commercial didn’t feature the familiar face of Isaiah Mustafa from “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” commercials. Instead, Old Spice went a different route and debuted the “Mom Song” commercial. The commercial has been very successful after being uploaded to YouTube and has reached almost 1.5 million views so far.

    Since Old Spice has a reputation for being more for older men, the company attempts to appeal to a younger age bracket with the “Mom Song” commercial by suggesting that teenage boys who use Old Spice will become men. “I didn’t see it coming, but it came in a can, my sweet son sprayed into a man,” one mom said in the commercial as her son left to go on a date.

    According to the commercial, the body spray is so successful at turning boys into men that it has moms everywhere are freaking out, and we aren’t talking your run-of-the-mill “My little boy is all grown up…time to down a pint of ice cream” freaking out, either. The commercial shows moms weeping and going into stalker mode while checking up on their sons. We see everything from a mom clinging to the bumper of her son’s car to one mom hiding under couch cushions while her son is making out with his date.

    Check out the full Old Spice “Mom Song” video below.

    As you can see below, the Twitter response to the video was mixed. Was Old Spice’s “Mom Song” video just the right amount of funny or was it too over the top for you? Add your thoughts on the commercial in the comments section below.

    Image via YouTube

  • New iPhone Christmas Ad a Sad Commentary on Culture

    Worried about being criticized over the dependency on technology? How about having to give a reason for those inseparable elongated moments with your smart phone? It’s okay, for Apple knows what you’re really doing.

    In a 90-second commercial titled “Misunderstood” aired yesterday, Apple shows a family getting together with the focal point on the seemingly self-isolating teenage son; he stares at his iPhone all day. What could he be up to? What is he doing? I won’t spoil it for you. Okay I’ll spoil it. The following sentences contain *spoilers* that may take away the holiday magic of Foxconn assembled products. The teenager, despite missing out on life’s most important moments (assuming you find importance in family time) is actually capturing them via his iPhone. Surprise!


    “Wake up in the morning feeling like iPhone, got my fingers on the screen, in my home, all alone.”

    It’s normal to want to capture and document life (I am writing this on a computer and publishing it on the internet, aren’t I?), but is there a point where spending too much time with technology takes us away from everything else? Is too much a bad thing?

    Jennifer Rooney at Forbes asked, “Are we happy that this year’s Thanksgiving and Hanukkah was Instagram’s busiest ever? This commercial glorified that reality. And I don’t think it is a positive message.” Rooney went on to write that this modernity of smartphone obsession is facing a “backlash”, adding that “restaurants offering 5% off of your meal if you relinquish your devices so that you have meaningful conversation with your family at dinner. Like my friend who got so fed up with her daughter’s 11-year-old friends texting–to one another–instead of skating at her ice-rink birthday party that she confiscated their phones. Like texting-while-walking bans.”

    Jonathan Salem Baskin, founder of brand consultancy Baskin Associates and a Forbes contributor said that the ad was “really depressing”, adding that it’s “about loss, not embracing the present (pun intended). It’s also really bad advertising, insomuch that he could be staring at any phone, and the punchline — use our equipment to record all the moments in which you don’t participate — isn’t really promotional anyway.”


    Everywhere he goes, our hero is controlled by the machine. Or is it he who is control?

    The average American adult spends about an hour a day on their smartphone. For teens, Washington Post says it’s: “more than 71/2 hours a day consuming media — watching TV, listening to music, surfing the Web, social networking, and playing video games, according to a 2010 study of 8- to 18-year-olds conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation.”

    According to eMarketer, for this year, 2 hours and 21 minutes is the average time adults spent per day on their mobile phones. The phones weren’t used for talking.

    Average Time Spent per Day with Major Media by US Adults

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013
    Digital

    3:14

    3:50

    4:31

    5:09
    -Online*

    2:22

    2:33

    2:27

    2:19
    -Mobile (nonvoice)

    0:24

    0:49

    1:33

    2:21
    -Other

    0:26

    0:28

    0:31

    0:36

    *includes all internet activities on laptop or desktop computers

    While the future may hold human rights movement for designer babies or voyeuristic glasses that glimpse into one’s life, mankind presently lives in the screen.

    This is the first time we see Captain Emo look at something other than his iPhone. Although it’s another screen he’s looking at, he has a surprise for everyone.

    “I know I’ve been on my phone forever, ignoring you humans, but I have a surprise for you. I’ve actually been…

    …watching you the whole entire time.”

    “Is that an iPhone you got me, grandson?! Please tell me it’s an iPhone! Grandson, is that an iPhone?”

    He was there during the coldest snow fights.

    The ritual sock throw is part of our family tradition; when the son decides to isolate himself from the rest of the family, we kick him out of the house.

    Suspicious or heart warming?

    “You creepy little pervert! Were you watching us make love the whole time?!”

    Apple touches our hearts with such cuteness.

    I must have “Misunderstood” you.

    Captain Emo smiles for the camera, revealing his true identity: the family’s son.

    Mom was wrong this whole time, her little boy isn’t an anti-social grease monkey after all.

    “My job here is finished… I must go now, back to my home planet.”

    Pictures via YouTube

  • Mike Tyson Returns Evander Holyfield’s Ear In Hilarious Foot Locker Ad [Video]

    Foot Locker’s hilarious new commercial features Mike Tyson and a piece of ear he bit off  about 16 years ago. The retailer is promoting its “week of greatness” in a new ad campaign. The ad starts out with Cleveland Cavaliers star, Kyrie Irving chilling by a basketball court with two friends. ” A whole week of the most premium kicks… feels like all is right with the world” Kyrie says.

    What follows is Kyrie’s daydream sequence.

    Boxer, Mike Tyson innocently rings Evander Holyfield’s doorbell and returns the piece of ear he bit off  in the 3rd round of the now infamous 1997 title fight. The repentant Tyson says,   “I’m sorry, Evander. It’s your ear.” He even placed the piece of ear in a little gift box. “I kept that in formaldehyde,” Tyson adds. The two rivals then hug it out. In reality, Holyfield had his ear sewn in place hours after Tyson had a bite.

    The other funny moments in the ad feature cameo appearances by Dennis Rodman who joins in making the world a better place by taking a one way flight to North Korea. This becomes a reason for jubilation to people waiting in line behind him at the airport.  “He’s never coming back!” They celebrate.

    Brett Favre meanwhile finally sees the error of his footballing ways by finally declaring , “A man’s gotta know when to walk away,” after the waitress asks if he wants something else. Hilarious.

    Just watch the video!

    http://youtu.be/VqSnozW9IJM

    Why is Tyson returning Holyfield’s ear? For those of you who somehow don’t know what happened – watch the video

    http://youtu.be/fcXYEIhy-rc

    Tyson and Holyfield rehash the “ear bite” incident.

    (main image via YouTube)

  • Kmart “Jingle Balls” Commercial Controversy

    Kmart is sure to have the most entertaining and controversial commercial of the holiday season. The Joe Boxer ad, which was released this week, has been nicknamed “Jingle Balls”, and shows six men shaking their (well you know) to the sound of the Christmas classic, “Jingle Bells”.

    The “Show your Joe” ad starts very innocently with six very handsome men standing behind a table ringing bells. The controversy begins when they move out from behind the table and begin shaking their hips.

    While some have found the commercial truly offensive, many others have commented that the commercial is “hilarious” and “the best of the season”. Kmart’s Facebook and Twitter profiles have been bombarded with both good and bad comments.

    “Kmart exec’s – you’ve taken Kmart to a whole new Smut level, with your junk jingle,” said
    Jon- Karen Arthur. Another Facebook user wrote, “No… I believe that sickening commercial is horribly inappropriate for a “family oriented” store. It is not being a “hater” to expect common decency in a tv commercial. I choose moral uprightness..So I am boycotting Kmart this Christmas and invite others to do the same.”

    What do you think about Kmart’s “Show your Joe” commercial? Leave your comments below.

    Image via Twitter

  • Tyson Returns Ear To Holyfield In Commercial

    I guess things in the world can be OK after all!

    Mike Tyson finally returns Evander Holyfield’s ear to him…..but this was for fun.

    In a new commercial, where Cleveland Cavalier’s Kyrie Irving is dreaming about if all is right with the world, Tyson is shown with Holyfield giving back the ear he bit off in their rematch bout in 1997.

    Also noted stars included: Brett Farve, Dennis Rodman and Craig Sager. But, it’s Tyson and Holyfield who steal the commercial, as Tyson is seen coming to Holyfield’s home and presenting his ear back to him. It ends with them hugging it out – tough guys embracing is something to see.

    Even Mike can not help to be happy with this commercial as mentioned here:

    So too was Evander:

    What was profound was again looking back at their bout in what has been called by some, the “bite fight,” how these two great boxers over time have been able to forgive and become very good friends. Obviously the commercial was more about selling another basketball shoe, but the message was clear – athletes are people too, and can be enlightened in time. The world can be “right” as Irving stated.

    Image via Twitter

  • This Toys ‘R’ Us Ad Outraged Even Stephen Colbert

    Last week, environmentalist Peter Gleick penned an editorial about a Toys “R” Us commercial from October that, frustratingly, decries hard science in favor of running amok in a toy store.

    “My wife and I were relaxing, watching TV when we saw this advertisement from Toys “R” Us. We were struck speechless with shock and anger,” he writes. “The camera pans around the bus at bored, tired, yawning kids. Then, surprise! He reveals they are not going on a natural science field trip at all, but to… Toys “R” Us! Celebration! Confetti littering the ground as the kids run from the bus into the store!”

    Gleick condemned the commercial for its demeaning presentation of science, and for the frustrating irony in that our society is currently fighting low STEM interest. He argues that it reinforces the values that permitted the United States to fall behind in those fields.

    Here is the controversial commercial from Toys ‘R’ Us:

    Gleick’s column was a little late to the discussion, since former Jon Stewart correspondent and legendary satirist Stephen Colbert referred to the commercial during a “Tip of the Hat/Wag of the Finger” segment of his nightly news satire show, The Colbert Report.

    “Toys ‘R’ Us has really captured the magic of having a stranger take your kids on a bus, lie about where they’re going, then take off their clothes and promise them toys,” Colbert joked on Nov. 6. “This commercial shows kids the ‘great outdoors’ is nothing compared to the majesty of a strip mall. And they still get some nature because, remember, that confetti used to be a tree!”

    Gleick believes Colbert nailed the commercial’s message, and that something needs to be done immediately. “My wife is an overworked, underpaid science educator, teaching university students how to teach science to elementary school children… It is an uphill battle because the resources our society devotes to science education are pathetic,” he said.

    The editor of Grist, Jess Zimmerman, had a comment as well, although she chose to air on the side of brevity. “You heard it here, kids,” she wrote. “Consumerism is great, nature is lousy, who cares about trees, let’s go buy a princess doll.”

    [Image via that commercial]

  • Marijuana Legalization Group May Air Super Bowl Ad

    The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (better known as NORML) is currently leading a contest sponsored by Intuit, the software company behind QuickBooks, to have its ad appear during the Super Bowl. In a genius (at least originally) marketing move, Intuit decided to buy a $4 million, 30 second ad and allow a small business the chance to market its product to an approximately 110 million person audience (Super Bowl audience reached 108.4 million users last year.) This was a two-fold win for Intuit – 1) The project itself creates a large social media buzz and draws more consumers to its company; and 2) It gives people a positive attribution toward Intuit, leading to more business.

    However, Intuit most likely was not prepared for a pro-marijuana legalization group to be leading the polls: “Intuit leadership is surely wringing their collective hands over the matter. Though marijuana isn’t as taboo a subject since its legal approval in varying states, it is the equivalent to a scarlet letter — albeit one tainted green — that their brand is now forced to wear. Such is the danger to brands who go the contest route,” stated branding expert Peter Madden.

    Even if NORML wins the online poll, however, there is still a lot of bureaucracy and red-tape to struggle through, perhaps the main one being the rules for the rounds of the contest following the online poll:

    “An Intuit spokeswoman said in a statement that the next round of the contest, which starts Sept. 25, will ask entrants to complete unspecified activities, after which a panel of judges will pick 20 finalists based on “how passionate, authentic, entertaining and appropriate to the brand the business is.” Both votes and “proof of financial stability” will be considered as well, she said.

    The Top 20 finalists must meet certain eligibility requirements, she said, “which include being an active, lawful small business with fewer than 50 full-time employees.” All potential ads must also meet broadcast acceptability standards, she said.”

    Intuit has gone on record stating that “We have no stance on medical marijuana as a company,” but their past proves opposite – In 2011, Intuit removed its services from an Oregon medical clinic upon learning that they supported the use of medical marijuana, saying that it was an “unacceptable business practice.”

    Director of Communications for NORML, Erik Altieri, is still hoping for fair treatment, though: “We hope Intuit will give NORML the same fair chance as any other entrant. Our victory would be a win for all parties involved: Intuit gets lots of media coverage and good will for themselves and their contest, FOX would bring in hundreds of thousands of new viewers who would otherwise not watch the Super Bowl, and NORML gets to take our message about the tragic failings of marijuana prohibition to the masses.”

    Surprisingly, this will not be the first pro-marijuana ad to air at a sporting event. The Marijuana Policy Project advertised a pro-marijuana billboard outside of the Denver Broncos stadium earlier this month, while NASCAR saw its first pro-marijuana ad from the Marijuana Policy Project this June at the Brickyard 400. Director of Communications for the Marijuana Policy Project, Mason Tvert, stated “Marijuana is less toxic and less addictive than alcohol, and it is far less likely to contribute to violent and reckless behavior. We hope racing fans who support marijuana prohibition will question the logic of punishing adults simply for using a product that is safer than those produced by sponsors of NASCAR events and teams that race in them.”

    While there may be opposition to the ad from Intuit, FOX, and the NFL, one can safely assume that Doritos, perennial power-house of Super Bowl advertising, would welcome the addition to the commercial line-up.

    Image via Twitter

  • Terrie Hall, Star of Anti-Smoking Ads, Dies at 53

    While the name may not spark a memory for most of us, the images created by the CDC in their “Tips From Smokers” campaign sure do. Terrie Hall was the star of these commercials. Hall died yesterday morning after her long battle with cancer. She was only 53 years old.

    Hall started smoking when she was a teenage cheerleader. Like many teens, Hall found smoking to be alluring due to being such a social lubricant (especially seeing as smoking has always been popular amongst cheerleaders because it is an appetite suppressant). By age 25, Hall was smoking 2 packs of cigarettes per day. This habit quickly caught up with Hall, and in 2001 – at age 40 – Hall was diagnosed with oral cancer.

    And, like many smokers, Hall didn’t let cancer slow her habit: “I didn’t think I had to quit. The radiation was getting rid of the cancer, so I could still smoke.” Unfortunately for Hall, the radiation was not removing the cancer faster than it was forming elsewhere. Later in 2001, Hall was diagnosed with throat cancer, which resulted in the need to remove her larynx.

    Hall’s voice, as a result of that surgery, only added to the impact her commercials made when the CDC campaign began in March 2012. The commercial which received the most views has definitely impacted everyone who has watched TV in the past year, essentially resulting in a collective “Ewwwwww”. While this may seem insulting, this is exactly the response the CDC and Hall hope to garner with their campaign.

    The “Tips From Smokers” campaign was extremely effective during its initial campaign. When compared to the same 12-week window in which the campaign did not exist in 2011, the CDC saw the volume of callers to 1-800-QUIT-NOW double, while visitors to the site smokefree.gov increased by a factor of five. The overall result of the campaign saw 1.6 million people attempt to quit smoking, with a little over 100,000 of those successfully quitting.

    Director of the CDC Dr. Tom Friedman stated that “She was a public health hero. She may well have saved more lives than most doctors do.” While the commercials featuring Hall evoked a visceral reaction from most viewers (myself included), the impact of the campaign is well-worth a few seconds of cringing.

    Image via YouTube

  • Nike Brings “Just Do It” Into the Social Media Age

    2013 marks the 25th anniversary of Nike’s timeless “Just Do It” slogan, which means it’s perfect time to construct a new marketing campaign around reintroducing the concept to the world of social media, complete with a #JustDoIt hashtag. While the slogan never really went away, it certainly hasn’t been the prominent tagline in Nike’s commercials as of late. That, however, is currently in the process of being changed, at least for the time being, and to celebrate, Nike introduced a new commercial that brings the slogan back, which can be seen at the top.

    Narrated by Bradley Cooper, the “let’s bring ‘Just Do It’ back” advertisement never actually has Cooper saying the words, but after LeBron get through dunking the crowd into hysteria and walks off, the slogan that many of us grew up with jumps of the screen. See for yourself:

    When you consider how marketing is done in the social media age, however, a simple commercial is not enough. Your audience must be interacted with in such a way where they feel like they are apart of the team, instead of simply another potential Nike consumer. This, of course, means social media engagement. Proving that they understand how much people like to share their new purchases, Nike introduced a new hashtag for those who are eager to show the world their new running shoes; #JustDoIt, naturally enough.

    As you might expect, Nike’s Facebook header image has also been changed to reflect their new focus. It’s probably worth noting that the Facebook post announcing that particular change had over 25,000 likes. One wonders if liking Facebook statuses is part of Nike’s “Just Do It” mantra. As for the #JustDoIt hashtag proliferation, while there are quite a few posts that have the non-hashtag version of the phrase, it’s not being done in a manner that reflects Nike. Instead, it’s more like “most people just do it for attention” or something similar, like teenage girls begging Luke Brooks to follow them (Just do it, Luke!!! Follow me!!! You’re my baby!!!).

    It should be noted that Nike posted the commercial on YouTube today (8/21/2013), and it has already gained over 65,000 views. With that in mind, expect to see an increase of the #JustDoIt hashtag use.

  • What Does Windows 8 Have To Do With Piñatas?

    If you recall, a leak from last week showed the world the first Windows 8 commercials, or so we thought. Turns out that those ads are not going to be the first as Microsoft has finally unveiled the real first ad for its new operating system.

    The new ad is simply called, “Windows 8 is Coming Soon.” It features a random collection of events that seemingly have nothing to do with each other. For instance, why is there a shuttle launch at one moment and then a child breaking open a piñata the next? Why does a laptop explode? Just watch the ad and try to figure it out:

    Still confused? I think Microsoft is trying to tell us that Windows 8 makes life more exciting, but why do they have to show a laptop exploding? Will my laptop explode once I install Windows 8 on it? These are the hard hitting questions that Microsoft will have to address as we near launch.

    All joking aside, it’s a nice ad that manages to be strange and familiar all at once. It’s eye catching, but not enough to obscure the message that Windows 8 is coming. Microsoft is reportedly spending $1.5 billion to make these ads and other marketing materials going into the holiday season. With that kind of budget, we better start seeing feature films with heavy Windows 8 product placement. Maybe the next Transformers movie can have a transforming Surface tablet.

  • New PlayStation 3 Ad Shows Off Re-Designed Console in an Odd Way

    Earlier this month at the Tokyo Game Show, Sony revealed its new re-re-designed PlayStation 3. The newest model of the console is even smaller than the last – 20% smaller and 25% lighter than the PlayStation 3 Slim, to be exact.

    Unfortunately for consumers, despite the new design, the cost of previous editions of the PlayStation 3 haven’t gone down. So, Sony has decided to market the console’s strengths.

    Today, the PlayStation Japan YouTube account released a commercial for the re-design that is quite odd. Here’s the ad, which is only 15 seconds:

    Sorry I didn’t warn you about that, but you would’ve hated me for spoiling it beforehand.

    Now, the questions. Is this the sort of thing that sells consoles in Japan? Could this be a Sony/Capcom joint marketing campaign for Resident Evil 6? Will every new PlayStation 3 come with a free zombie in the disc tray?

    I doubt there will be answers anytime soon, as this ad is unlikely to make it across the Pacific. It was posted without comment to the YouTube channel. I suppose this one will just have to be thrown into the “WTF Japan” category.

  • Nike Quickly Drops Commercial For LeBron James’ Championship

    One wonders how long Nike’s been sitting on this congratulatory commercial for LeBron James, which debuted shortly after the Heat completed their five-game beatdown of the Oklahoma City Thunder. I mean, it’s not like Nike whipped this up while the Heat were pulling away in the second half of Game 5 or anything. Something like this takes some time, which begs another question: what would’ve happened to this commercial if the Thunder would’ve came back and stole the series from the Heat?

    Would Nike have thrown it out, like the baby and the bathwater, or would they have sat on it until LeBron actually won a ring? Inquiring minds want to know.

    As for the commercial itself, it’s very well done. It follows an older man who works a jeweler as he is creating a ring for the champion James finally became. Naturally, the construction of LeBron’s ring gets delayed a couple of times, courtesy of the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks. Inevitably, at least from Nike’s point of view, James completed his goal of winning it all, allowing the jeweler to finish the ring he’s been working on. As pointed out by Ball Don’t Lie (Yahoo’s NBA blog), Nike’s creating something of a history with LeBron and the jeweler in the commercial:

    LeBron and the ring maker go way back to the days of Akron afros and high school dunks. When one sliced through the paint, the other carved through wax. Together, their journey has proven that even those destined for greatness have to earn it.

    Good thing LeBron joined forces with Dwyane Wade, or else who knows how long the Ring Maker would’ve been working on that championship ring.

  • Samsung Galaxy S3 Teaser Compares iPhone Users To Sheep

    Considering the war of words that broke out after Instagram was made available to Android users, perhaps Samsung is onto something. Is it a sense of insecurity that goes with owning Apple products, or are people really that butthurt over an “iPhone-only” photography app crossing over to another platform?

    Again, when you look at the complaints that followed, Samsung may have nailed it down with their latest teaser commercial for the upcoming Galaxy S3. An aside first, however: Since when do tech toys get “teaser trailers?” To which Samsung apparently answered, “when we feel like calling out iPhone users in a very noticeable way.” And that’s just what they did:


    In case you missed it, the text says, “With technology that fits in this easily, you can now stand out from… everyone else.” The “everyone else” is punctuated by a shot of a herd of sheep. All things considered, it’s surprising these sheep didn’t have apples in their mouths. Motivated by the Apple lawsuits (which were countersued by Samsung), it’s clear the Galaxy manufacturer is pulling no punches in relation to how they view the iPhone and its army of users.

    The question is, is that a fair assessment of the average iPhone user? No, not really. There are tons of iPhone owners who didn’t complain about Instagram or, well, anything having to do with Android. They, like other rational folks, enjoy their product while acknowledging other people are free to do the same, regardless of what platform they prefer. This portion or users, however, isn’t as outspoken as the vocal minority, a group of people who allow themselves to be defined by the tech toys they own.

    These are the types of folks who perpetuate the “Android users are too poor for iPhones” and the “iPhone users are a bunch of sycophantic followers who like shiny products” myths that populate almost every “iPhone versus Android” discussion. The thing is, the anti-Android/anti-iPhone snarkiness is not limited to consumers anymore.

    Take Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller, for instance. Schiller left Instagram because once Android users got ahold of it, the app, in his mind, “jumped the shark,” and now, we have Samsung firing a sheep-filled volley at Apple. Can’t we all–“we” as in the tech giants–just get along? Or would that be too boring?