Adidas and Sid Lee are framing the new “Unite All Originals” as Run DMC vs. DJ A-Trak, but the versus bit comes on too strong. The campaign is much more affable than combative, think of it as a buddy cop combo where there are three buddies instead of two and the buddies like to wear black felt hats.

Run DMC’s famed history with Adidas dates back to the 1980s, and they’ve been lending their benign street cred to the three stripes ever since. A-Trak may not be comparable as a household name, but he’s a worthy spokesman for the next generation, as you can see in some coverage from early March. For this new campaign, the two acts are combining for a fan-controlled music video that will be dictated user voice commands. A true embodiment of “My Adidas.”

Credits after the jump.

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When Lollapalooza kicks off its annual Chicago invasion today, there will inevitably be the droves of concertgoers who spend more time recording music on their smartphones than actually watching the music, which this year comes from the likes of Nine Inch Nails, The Cure and Queens of the Stone Age. Three staffers from Leo Burnett – designers Derek Heinze and Adam Prewozniak and writer,  Jake Reilly – are attempting to put a stop to the digital nonsense, asking anyone who goes to a concert to experience the music on their one. Lighters are acceptable, although you can use those at your own risk.

After the jump, you can see more graphics for the movement, including a photo of Jane’s Addiction frontman/Lolla mastermind Perry Farrell signing his support on some posters (we’re sure the Yeah Yeah Yeahs approve as well). Oh yeah (“Superhero” joke).

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Here’s a 3-minute long music video for Smirnoff Ice from director Jon Jon Augustavo. From what we can tell, it encourages young women to pre-game their nights out with a substance commonly instilled on others as punishment.

Sure, the “Bros Icing Bros” phenomenon of 2010 may have jumped the shark when Coolio got “Iced” in someone’s back yard. But for anyone between the ages of 21 and 30 who either likes playing stupid jokes or regularly finds themselves as a spectator of others’ stupid jokes, Smirnoff Ice is known as something bros make their bros chug. In fact, in 2010, Smirnoff Ice even admitted that the stupid meme helped kickstart sluggish sales of the milky white beverage. The next step? Get the ladies involved with the aid of canine Tumblr superstar Tommy Pom.

Could young women nationwide start sizzurpin’ the SmirnIce as part of their “Straight Primpin’” ritual? If you encourage widespread use of celebrity Pomeranians to get the pre-party started, anything’s possible. Download “Straight Primpin’” here and view credits after the jump.

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Today, Lexus joins Kanye West on the interactive music video bandwagon. To promote the 2014 Lexus IS sport sedan, ATTIK and Blueyed Pictures created “Amazing Mix,” a surprisingly cool interactive adscape with Cirque du Soleil characters, red birds, and kaleidoscopic effects. Site visitors can type any key (or combination thereof — try “LEXUS” for a special show) to make a mix of these effects, then submit the result for a chance to win tickets to the 2014 Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival, hotel stay at the event and $2,000, or a $500 cash prize.

Like with their Instagram film campaign, this is a step in the right direction for the automaker, though they didn’t get every aspect right. The music that backs Amazing Mix is a weird, blank James Bond knockoff, while the site that surrounds the scene is remarkably 2006. If Lexus wanted an immersive, individualized experience, they should have placed the mix on its own, minimalist page. Also, who are they targeting here? Middle-aged foodies who find Internet oddities amusing? That seems the only logical conclusion when the related prize is tix to the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival. If they’re going for young car owners (which they should be, with the tech and art angle), then that destination isn’t exactly enticing. Make the message more cohesive, and get us to XOXO, or Electric Zoo.

Budweiser’s new campaign “Made for Music” launches in 85 countries today, featuring Jay-Z and Rihanna carefully dispersed amidst other artists including an ice sculptor and street art painter. Jay-Z’s ad is backed by his song PSA, while Rihanna’s features her newest single, “Right Now.” Both spots are directed by Mark Romanek (Never Let Me Go, Bee Season) and each closes with inspirational words from Bud: “It begins and ends with what you make.”

Made for Music was inspired by the Budweiser Made in America Festival which debuted in Philly last year and Jay-Z headlined. This year, Beyonce and Nine Inch Nails will take the marquee billing over Labor Day Weekend.

Jay and RiRi’s ads are mildly inspiring with their filmic, black-and-white “creative spirit.” After the Samsung deal, Jay-Z’s authenticity feels slightly compromised, but both he and Rihanna are still solid examples of hard-working performers. The scenes are nothing new–star reads in the car, star makes decisions with sweeping hand motions, star stands triumphant as the lights go down–so I wouldn’t mind a bit of original dialogue, but all in all these spots do the job. Time to turn up Magna Carta Holy Grail and channel HOV’s productivity.

Credits after the jump as well as clips from our interview last year with Translation CEO Steve Stoute on his agency’s relationship with “the king of beers.”

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While we’ve seem almost every iteration of brands turning fans’ tweets into ads by this point, here’s a new spot for Wendy’s new Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger from agency VML that adds a musical component to this formula.

Using that hashtag #PretzelLoveSongs on Twitter AND Facebook (gah, Facebook has hashtags now), consumers who say exceedingly positive things about Wendy’s new burger had the opportunity for their praises to be turned into a musical number, with some having even been sung by former 98° frontman/Jessica Simpson spouse Nick Lachey during a live event last night in New York, where live-streams always take place for some reason. While the press release doesn’t say if the specific location was Times Square, we’re going to go ahead and guess this happened in Times Square.

Nothing like watching a former boy band member/reality star sing about a cheeseburger in probably Times Square. Oh, and VML offered the chance to participate via your social media, because the most effective use of it is to either praise or make fun of brands who spend a lot of money on advertising. If we’re lucky, it might even be a trending tweet. Update: The event actually took place at a Wendy’s location, natch, on 34th St in NYC.

Convenience store Cumberland Farms (informally known as Cumby’s, Wikipedia informs me) has released their latest #icedhoffee advertisement, in which David Hasselhoff sings about his thirst and how it is quenched with 99 cent Cumberland Farms iced coffee. His voice sounds like Bruce Springsteen’s, evoking July days of yesteryear (Would you sing along if this were on the radio? I think so.), while the green screened beach-centric scenery couldn’t be more kitsch-perfect.

On CNN New Day, anchors said the ad sparked “just a touch of outrage” online. I hardly think the cited tweets count as outrage, but apparently they were enough to incite the Hoff, who called in to the show. “Did you ever think [the ad] would take off like this?” The inquiring anchors wanted to know. Hoff says no, and rightfully so since 150,000 views is nothing on Youtube.  But then Hoffster goes on to say that life is what you make it and amidst all this reality TV he’s happy to provide some respite for our wearied souls.

Everything “Thirsty for Love” stands for is bad: Cumberland Farms coffee is maybe slightly more refreshing than stagnant subway water, and it’s ridiculous the Hoff is making so much money parodying himself. But the ad is self-aware enough that it is fun, and judging by the related hashtag’s stream on Twitter, people are participating in the campaign for that: we all love to make fun.

Channeling the spirits of Lonely Island and many an agency rapper before him, Grey New York producer/production coordinator Adam Defrin has taken it upon himself to write, director, perform in and edit this clip to promote the agency’s monthly open bar outing that it’s dubbed “Dog & Pony.” If you can sit through the clip, which features an apt theme and setting as the first Dog & Pony show is essentially a booze cruise, you’ll catch an odd likeness of Grey NY president/CCO, Toy Myhren, which we guess counts for a ringing endorsement of Defrin’s handiwork. Our only question is, why are the MC/creator and his sidekick wearing sunglasses under the darkest of skies?

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.

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I’m sitting in Salt Lake City Airport, shocked at the number of people wearing flip flops, and I want nothing more than to be in Myspace’s fun room of young, beautiful artists grabbing at one another amidst fluorescent confetti. Their instruments and skateboards may be breakable but they are not. They smash faces and tangle limbs and fall on the floor, but this video gives us the sense that these fiery singers, models, DJs, and rappers will never flame out.

After Justin Timberlake’s reboot, can the same be said for Myspace (capital S begone)? We weren’t sure the social network could drag itself away from obsolescence, but this spot seems to be doing just that, and with a bang. If Myspace is a room filled with the likes of DIIV, Iggy Azalea, Pharrell Williams, Sky Ferreira and Schoolboy Q, then it is anything but irrelevant. If you don’t know those names, you better learn them. And check out the new Myspace while you’re at it; it seems to be the cool thing to do.

Credits and MySpace announce note after the jump.

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