Celebrity

Following 2012′s most topless Super Bowl spot, H&M’s in-house marketing team continues to roll out ads featuring David Beckham in his underwear. Though the 36-year-old international soccer star’s career is in its twilight, Becks must be comforted in knowing that a lucrative second career as an underwear model/designer awaits him once he leaves the pitch for the last time.

The above 220-foot tall Penn Station-area billboard took over two weeks for workers to hand paint. Beckham, who’s bodywear line was quickly snatched up by H&M shortly after its announcement, is thus far ecstatic about his relationship with the international clothing retailer. As he said in an interview with Ryan Seacrest, “H&M has really marketed this whole collection unbelievably.” Add to the unbelievability a mural unlike one we’ve seen in outdoor advertising in quite a while.

Those looking to add some $14.95 undergarments to their wardrobe (or looking for some more picks of Beckham sans clothing) can scope out the David Beckham Bodywear collection here. Chiseled physique and posh wife sold separately.

Create a social media strategy, launch your campaign, and track the results in our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting February 16. The online event and workshop will feature speakers including The Onion‘s Baratunde Thurston (left), Facebook’s Morin Oluwole, and bitly’s Tim Devane. Register now.

Well, this probably won’t diffuse any anger felt by those who are accusing W+K, Clint Eastwood and Chrysler for sending out a pro-Obama message in their Super Bowl ad (which is now live again, by the way). But here’s a little clip that’s being dubbed as an “alternate version” of the official big game spot, the latter of which Eastwood has recently defended, claiming there’s no spin to be had in his “Halftime.” But as you’ll see, we can’t say the same for this quick mash-up, which makes its message loud and clear by the end. Did you think the original had an Obama bias or was it “apolitical” as Eastwood claims? Or should we just discontinue the conversation altogether and let the ad be?

At first glance, there’s not a lot to hate about an ad depicting John Stamos getting headbutted in the face. But, aside from rapper M.I.A. taking a moment to give America the finger during the halftime show, Dannon Oikos’ debut Super Bowl spot was the most controversial part of the Super Bowl XLVI broadcast, and it has nothing to do with making light of domestic violence.

Instead of Dannon calling on longtime AOR Y&R for the ad (Y&R only played a “consultative role”), “The Tease,” was actually crowdsourced into development. Fun trivia: At 21 years old, the ad’s director, Remy Neymarc, could be the youngest Super Bowl ad director in history. However, as one tipster suggests, Dannon’s frugal crowdsourcing methods may be costing the brand more money in the long-run.

First, consider the track playing in the background. Some on social media are saying that the song sounds an awful lot like the John Butler Trio’s “Zebra.” A look at the JBT’s Twitter page shows that the band is in agreement, and probably isn’t too happy about the “coincidence.” Compare below.

Second, the spot looks pretty similar to a 2001 Canadian 7-Up spot. We ask you, dear readers, was Dannon guilty of a concept and a song ripoff during the Super Bowl? If so, will this affect later viewings of Full House reruns?

We guess our pal Isiah Mustafa is on vaca, as Terry Crews takes over once again for Old Spice. Dude is jacked and he’s ready to jet ski into the most mundane of adverts for Procter & Gamble from W+K’s Portland HQ. We thought Kenny Loggins‘ “Danger Zone” was diabolical on its own, but today marks the agency’s first-ever co-branded television advertisements with P&G brands Bounce and Charmin.

Honda has rolled out an extended version of its much-ballyhooed Super Bowl spot starring Matthew Broderick, and as promised, the Ferris Bueller-isms are aplenty. In the above ad from RPA and Old School/Hangover director Todd Phillips, Broderick plays himself but decides to take a sick day of his own and escape in his 2012 CR-V, subsequently riding a roller-coaster, visiting a museum and enjoying some time at the track among other things. It should bring a tear to any fan of John Hughes‘ ’80s classic (whether you think it’s good or bad), but time will only tell whether this spot will actually drive any major sales post-Super Bowl. It’s worth the trip down memory lane, though. FYI, here are a few Bueller-esque Easter eggs below if you didn’t catch them already:

1. The name on the Bluetooth screen is Grace (Rooney’s secretary) (0:54)

2. There is a guy in a trench coat playing clarinet (1:00)

3. The flower delivery guy is a reference to a scene in the movie (0:57)

This summer, NBA point guard Chris Paul became the league’s most sought-after player. After commissioner David Stern shockingly blocked a trade to the Lakers, Paul found himself in L.A. nonetheless, now starting for a young Clippers team. All this to say, it was only a matter of time before Paul ended up being bit by the movie bug, directing and starring in the above spot for Sheets Brand Energy Strips.

Paul joins of roster of celebrity endorsers including hoopsters LeBron James and Amar’e Stoudemire, and unintelligible rapper Pitbull. Sheets Brand Energy Strips are a curious product, ingested as one would ingest a tab of acid, and used as a substitute for other performance enhancers like energy drinks or steriods. Right now, Sheets Brand Energy Strips are taking to Facebook, asking users to create their own video ads for a contest judged by LeBron. Apparently, the video above is just Chris Paul doing his part.

So, athletic readers who regularly take part in strenuous activity, how do you “take a sheet?” Maybe you take a sheet in the alley outside of your office before work. Maybe you take a sheet after a big meal. Maybe you even take a sheet before you and your loved one get intimate. Whatever the case, visit Sheets’ Facebook page to tell other teenagers who think this pun is hilarious how it’s done.

Like Verizon recanting its terrible $2 online bill pay fee, it appears that grocery store chain Wegman’s had a change of heart as well about Alec Baldwin. The 30 Rock star formerly known as The Shadow irked some uptight Wegmans customers with his American Airlines tirade, but a day after firing Baldwin, the company released this following statement:

“We regret ending the Alec Baldwin holiday commercials one week earlier than planned in response to a couple of dozen complaints. We have decided to run the commercials again, effective immediately. Clearly, many more people support Alec, as evidenced by the hundreds and hundreds of tweets, emails, and phone calls we have received. We enjoyed working with Alec Baldwin and his mom, Carol, and would do it again. We appreciate all the kind things they have said about Wegmans and respect the good work they do for communities.”

Nobody puts Donaghy in a corner…nobody.

Hell, if Lady Gaga can do it, why can’t the man who brought sexy back, gave us “Dick in a Box” and played the co-creator of Napster? Also, since he owns a golf course and has been a “staff professional” since 2008, it seems rather appropriate that Justin Timberlake has been named creative director for Callaway Golf, a role that will call for the pop star-turned-actor to oversee the company’s portfolio of brands and market CG’s 2012 RAZR product line. JT is already taking the reins in a new campaign shot on the Vegas Strip starring the Bellagio fountains and Lefty in a behind-the-scenes teaser of which you can see above. Guess that music career resurrection can wait a little bit longer.

With the holiday campaign onslaught now upon us, here’s T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telekom’s little “Christmas surprise” for fans of pop diva Mariah Carey that took place nearly two weeks ago in Europe. The new mom, or at least a hologram incarnation of her, was able to “perform” an Xmas show in five countries for an audience that couldn’t care less that she wasn’t actually belting out holiday favorites in the flesh.

As an aside, having worked at Barnes & Noble many moons ago, yours truly was required to include Carey’s Christmas album in the musical rotation for nearly six weeks each year. So if you will, please pardon us if we watch this on mute while sympathizing with Paul Rudd‘s Michael McDonald-hating character in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Anyhow, at least this Deutsche Telekom effort beats the hell out of ads we’ve seen from other pop divas as of late.

We know the world is still slowly getting over the crushing end of Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore‘s marriage, but that isn’t stopping this enterprising young lad from capitalizing on the actress’s newly restored single status with this two-minute clip called “What About Me, Demi?” As you can see, the goatee-sporting guy above who goes by the name of James is indeed one James Beikmohamadi, a copywriter at CP+B (which has nothing to do with this project) who’s been with the agency for just over a year and worked at EVB prior to that. Will his plea work? Well, you probably know the answer, but why not entertain the CW’s fantasy for a quick minute.