Craig Ferguson: Advertising deifies youth...and stupidity

He's got a point. Haggis for everyone.

Read more...

Friday Ad Haiku: Spec Work

(via)

I suppose every industry, in one way or another, gives a little sumthin'-sumthin' away for free to wet a client's whistle. Ice cream parlors divvy out the tiny spoons to taste test the newest flavors. Flooring companies give away free swatches of Berber to color coordinate. Hell, even the corner boys give away testers of H to drum up buzz amongst the junkerati.

But our freebies aren't like others' freebies. They're not as simple as handing out a sample to help people figure out if the carpet matches the drapes. We don't dip our hands into an ice cream freezer to pull out comps for a broadcast campaign. We've gotta make it on demand.

What a business: we work for the opportunity to work for money. While it's no big deal to the food court hustler pimping bourbon chicken samples whether you eat at their place or out of an ashtray by the GAP, it makes all the difference in the world for us. Because free, ain't easy. And the truth is, no matter how good your work is (or you think it is), no matter how much of yourself you've invested into a free sample, there are no guarantees. Them's the odds, friends. Especially in an economy that's sucking sand.

So we keep doing it. Because that's the price to play in this competitive climate. And because, deep down, we secretly love the chase.


The first one's free. But
the second'll cost ya. Just
kiddin'. That's free too.

Read more...

Intern Sweatshop: Typography is Art

Imagery and the copy in an ad have always gone hand in hand. There are times when they unite to create a spectacular display of typographic art. If you think creating imaginative and clever graphics in an ad is tough using graphics and photography, try using only words. That’s how typography can become an art form in and of itself. Having the ability to visualize something and design it using only text has got to be a huge challenge, and I’m envious of the designers of the following ads; creating such powerful illustrations requires great talent.

At first, I didn’t even realize that the dog in this ad was made from letters. Then it hit me: such a clear depiction of a dog has been created from one word. Created by 1PointSize in India, this puppy speaks volumes in just five simple letters.

This ad for Greenpeace calls to “help stop global warming before it’s too late.” Created by Grey Tel Aviv in Israel, the message is perfectly clear, and a complicated image of a flooded London street is entirely unnecessary. The simplicity lets the viewers visualize the drastic results of global warming without showing anything but a single word.

This great ad for a Sao Paolo newspaper demonstrates in an inventive way that celebrities literally make up the paper’s news. Though the letters don’t form any words, the idea is that print can come to life. Taking an iconic celebrity like Marilyn Monroe and portraying her in nothing but characters goes beyond just advertising.

This one is definitely my favorite. Created by AMI Collective for Vodaphone, this ad is a true piece of art. The colors add depth and help distinguish the different elements, but the fact that type can be carefully sculpted to resemble the Sydney Opera House is astonishing.
Clearly, these awesome ads show that creating a strictly visual ad doesn’t need to have any images in it at all.

Read more...

Out-of-Home Stigmata, Kiwi Style

I've never been to New Zealand, but based on my anthropological research - consisting mainly of HBO series, travel ads, and discussions with Australian people - I can confidently say they take auto safety very seriously.

Exhibit A: Their billboards bleed when it rains to remind drivers that inclement weather can be dangerous.

(via)

I'm not quite sure what the billboard up the road that vomits pea soup is supposed to warn people about.



More outdoorsy stuff here, here, and here.

Read more...