This three-minute Samsung spot played during halftime of the NBA Finals last night, and it ran before my YouTube videos this morning. It’s Jay-Z, playing with sweet beats, so of course I didn’t click “SKIP AD.” You better not either, because at 1:20 you’re going to bob your head emphatically as Jay and his team recreate the sound of the speakers blowing out. If you skip the ad, you’ll also miss Pharrell’s face, looking incredulous and smiley as he assists Jay’s genius. You’ll miss uber-producer Rick Rubin hanging out on the couch barefoot.

Just as we were getting worked up over Yeezus, HOV comes through with Magna Carta Holy Grail and perhaps the greatest (or at least highest-profile) marketing coup in Samsung’s history. On July 4, the first million Samsung Galaxy users to download a customized app will receive the album for free. Three days later, other drabby people–i.e. iPhone users–get access. It’s a tantalizing prospect, and one that depends on avoiding the lately inevitable leak. Or maybe not–if the app’s “personalized stories and inspiration” really consist of never-before-seen content, then it’s an asset even if (when) the music sweeps the Internet in advance.

Read more

Any agency can always reach deep down into it’s bag of tropes and tricks and pull out a zombie idea for just about every brand. Some people are bound to like watching the undead jaunt around in some apocalyptic retelling of the universe regardless of whether the take is funny, serious, or cool. For Australian-based shop The Monkeys and Boost Mobile Australia, that cool take on zombies in the centerpoint of their latest campaign: “Stay Living.” Sleek action, plenty of gore, and some moody music are all you need for the phone carrier juices to start flowing.

The clips for this campaign are somewhat graphic, making them stand out when compared to typical American commercials. Zombies getting shot in the head with arrows or completely disrespected with huge katanas to the skull holds some edgy appeal that you won’t find in our commercials with little kids who want “Puppy Brothers.” If anything, these Boost Mobile ads are a fun watch as you think about moving to Australia to start your own zombie apocalypse narrative.

From the power trio of Atmosphere Proximity, The Parternship at Drugfree.org and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy comes the above spot for the “Above the Influence” campaign which asks the question, “Who better to convince kids not to drugs than their peers?”

Of course, this begs a second question. “Wait, which of your peers is the BEST at not telling you to do drugs?  That is the peer we need.” And so, things got interesting. After all, what’s more American and capitalistic than making this shit into a contest? This isn’t about the message anymore. No sir, this shit is about TALENT. You got talent? Stand up, let’s hear it. No talent? SIT DOWN. Do some drugs until you’re able to talk about them in a raw, powerful way that is better than that other kid’s way of talking about drugs. Then, you win.

Before you submit your awesome ad idea at Above the Influence on Facebook, start strategizing. What kind of shenanigans will your peer group use to their advantage? Perhaps they lost a family member to drugs. Perhaps they’re recovering addicts themselves. Remember, this isn’t about drugs. This is about winning, and being the most popular kid at school for appearing in an anti-drug commercial. This is about fame. This is about being the best.

Better than any of their campaigns with colored blocks and folky music, Venables Bell & Partner’s latest spot for Google Fiber exemplifies the coming-together of technology, passion, and creativity.

Last summer, Google Fiber was introduced to Kansas City. In the year that followed, Google wanted to “see how high speed Internet could impact lives.” At Children’s Mercy Hospital, they met Nick LeGrande, a 13-year-old baseball player who has been diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a life-threatening blood disorder. His mom said he’s only cried once during the subsequent ordeal, when his doctor said he couldn’t play baseball.

Last night, Google Fiber technology (and the generosity of the company itself),  gave Nick the chance to get back in the game. He threw the first pitch at an Oakland A’s game, even though his illness prevents him from being around crowds and he’s 1,800 miles away from the stadium. With help from a Google-Fiber enhanced, Deeplocal-built telerobotic pitching machine, Nick’s movements were translated to Oakland as he felt the field in Kansas City via live camera. He stood on a specially-made indoor baseball stadium, with real sod and clay. The crowd cheered in real life and online. I cried.

Here’s hoping VB+P continues in this innovative, benevolent direction. If Google Fiber means making dreams like this come true, then we need it all across America. In the meantime, our thoughts are with Nick.

“Designed by Apple” is the third and newest spot in TBWA\Media Arts Lab’s recent reinvention of Apple’s TV ads. The first two, “Photos Every Day” and “Music Every Day” offered a refreshing take on the iPhone, moving it out of Apple’s white world and into the real world. It seemed as though Apple was hitting its stride, until today.

Now, it’s difficult for tech companies to do sentimentality, but it’s not unprecedented (see Google). But, “Designed by Apple” is trying so damn hard to make you feel anything that it misses the mark by a mile. Perhaps it’s watching grown men absolutely lose their shit when Tim Cook mentioned “Finder windows” during yesterday’s Worldwide Developer Conference yesterday, or have the press react to Jonathan Ive‘s pastel-tinged redesign of iOS as though it was 2013′s answer to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This is so saccharine that it’s silly.

Maybe the most misguided part is the tagline, “Designed by Apple in California” (check out the web video here). After all, as anyone who’s ever owned an Apple product knows, the words “Assembled in China” always immediately follow that statement on every device.

Water cooler talk seems to be a popular theme this week. Today, our awkward conversational time passing introduces us to Phil and Marty, the bull and bear duo in the first national campaign for social investing firm Ditto Trade. The online company uses a chain-like system to initiate trades from Lead Traders to the general users, as you can see in this handy diagram. In the above spot, Phil and Marty discuss the merits of Ditto Trade’s unique investing platform. Notice the clever characterization, as Phil uses bullish tactics to sway the reserved Marty.

Ditto Trade CMO Jeff Abbott, a former SVP/creative director at Leo Burnett who spent 20 years at said agency, is the mastermind behind this anthropomorphic campaign. The televised spot is part of a varied pitch to would-be investors that includes print, billboards, and digital ads. Ditto Trade is approaching one million “dittoed” trades by its users, so we may be seeing more of Phil and Marty in the future. I wonder, though, how does Phil button his dress shirt with his clunky hooves? Might have to address that in the sequel. Credits after the jump.

Read more

Humans have a burning desire to verbally communicate with dolphins, especially when it comes to ad folk. First it was Megan Fox, Acer marine biologist, taking a scientific approach to dolphinspeak, and now we have a Dolphin Translator app from Green Works, the eco-friendly arm of Clorox, essentially creating the digital version of the Oxford English/Dolphin Dictionary. Created by Omnicom-owned Critical Mass, the dolphin-themed approach weaves its way into a campaign meant to help consumers avoid getting lost in translation when it comes to environmentally-conscious lifestyles.

As you’ll see on the Green Works website, you can type just about anything (up to 120 characters) into the translator to hear the dolphin version. What you do with the cute, squeaky response is up to you, unless you are already fluent in Flipper. Odds are, the dolphin noises will just sound like, well, dolphin noises: indistinguishable and vaguely babyish. But, if you’ve ever been curious how a dolphin would say tomato, then this is the app for you.

Credits and a behind-the-scenes video after the jump.

Read more

A few months ago, we covered the announcement for the 3rd annual Saatchi & Saatchi Music Video Challenge. Well, the time has jumped by – maybe you noticed, maybe you didn’t – but we’re back to report the 12 finalists and one People’s Choice winner. The contest asked interested directors to create an original music video for OK Go’s new single, “I’m Not Through.” You can check out the finalist entries here. On June 20, the winner will be announced as part of the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors’ Showcase.

As you’d expect with an OK Go contest, there is an abundance of quirk and artistic shenanigans. The parties involved say the finalists come from all corners of the globe, but really, they just come from western countries, mostly the US and UK. One finalist is from the Bahamas. It’s now that we’re reminded that globes don’t have corners. Not to show favoritism to my personal preferences when it comes to abundances of quirk and artistic shenanigans, I’ve randomly selected two finalist videos (one below the jump) for your viewing pleasure on this dreary Friday afternoon. Enjoy.

Read more

LeBron James may have a South Beach mansion full of trophies, but until yesterday, he had yet to accomplish one basketball-related goal: gracing the cover of a video game. NBA 2K14 won’t hit stores until the fall, but last night, viewers of the NBA Finals on ABC got to watch the introductory ad – created by Zambezi – where James announces his plan to join past coverboys like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. For 2K Sports, having the best basketball player in the world endorsing your basketball product is not too shabby, either.

Lost in all of this is the noble presence of Steve Kerr, once the foil to MJ in the NBA, and now, the foil to Marv Albert in NBA broadcasting. Kerr plays the role of “2K Investigator” in the commercial’s somewhat-lame hook. But when a six-foot white guy who couldn’t dunk gets into a basketball video game commercial, everyone wins.

Credits after the jump.

Read more

Before you read on, watch the above spot in full screen. If you have heart problems, maybe avoid this clip altogether.

Good? Okay, “Spoiler Alert” and all that. The above spot comes from Leo Burnett’s London shop and is part of the UK’s Department of Transportation campaign, “THINK!” It’s pretty damn terrifying, watching a bloodied head come crashing through glass.

Unfortunately, the press release ruins some of the magic by telling us that the guys in the bathroom are actors, as there are probably some rules about pulling this prank on unsuspecting citizens, especially if they’re at risk for a heart attack. In any case, pretty effective messaging. Oh, and don’t drive drunk this weekend. Credits after the jump.

Read more