Archives: July 2010

The first kickoff of the NFL doesn’t happen until September 9, but that’s not stopping Deutsch from starting some pre-season trouble making.

Their recent campaign for DirecTV (which lies on the other end of the spectrum from Grey’s “Facebooking”/mini-giraffe effort) captures the passion and dedication football fans have for their teams through some escapades depicting local fans dealing with a rival team advocate invading their territory. Anyone who has ever worn a Red Sox hat at a Yankee game (or this brave soul/idiot in Cleveland) should know the feeling.

These spots were directed by Harold Einstein at Station Film. You can view the rest of this campaign after the jump.

More: “Victors & Spoils Work for Dish Network and a Very Short Story”

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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.

-Mr. Whipple top WalletPop’s list of top 10 ad icons of all-time. link

-Skinny (which now employs a certain familiar, former AgencySpy) launched an online interactive featurette for Lexus dubbed “Dark Ride” a while back and here’s the tech info on it. link

-Now, it’s Roger Federer‘s turn in the U.S. Open promos. link

-Digitas launched the “Moment of Truth” site for the 2011 Buick Regal. link

-Our pal @leyla_a organized the Fiji Water Urban Hunt in Chi-town for social media fans. link

-Village Voice scribe describes her date with BBH staffer “Brian.” link

-Levi’s uses Gowalla to target film buffs. >link

-Fortune: Google owns mobile search. link

-Amazon goes green with new tote bags. link

-Mitch Joel says “product is the new marketing.” link

More: “Thursday Odds and Ends”

-Mike McKay Announces Winner of Twitter Contest

-Today, We Ask Which Agency You’d Recommend as a Creative

-Chiat Loses Another Pepsi/Gatorade Creative

-GlobalHue NY President Out, Verizon in Trouble?

-McDonald’s Tries to Buy its Way into Another Market, Gets Called Out

-Ogilvy Paris Inspired by Microsoft Creative?

-Caputo Teams with Merkin as GCD at CP+B

Adidas has nabbed Atlanta hip-hopper B.O.B for its new ad campaign. The singer/producer known as Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. plays a short-order cook at a diner that only sells Adidas sneakers (how convenient), preparing orders to the tune of his “Magic” collaboration with Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo.

Eh, not the greatest spot out there to date. The part about being served fresh and their tag “served fresh daily” at Finish Line hits home for sneaker heads a tad. But real sneaker freaks would never buy a pair of kicks from Finish Line (I know, I’ve lived with one.)

There’s something nifty about displaying a sneaker brand in a diner. Maybe. I can see it being displayed in an actual storefront of a Finish Line with the brand being shown like in this spot–though something just doesn’t fit right here. Let’s just head back to the cantina and hang with Daft Punk and Snoop, shall we?

More: “Cool: Your Dreams of a Star Wars/Adidas Crossover Have Come True”

“I’m outraged that the LAPD has stooped to entrapping guys who want to have sex with other guys dressed as women.” There’s nothing like getting a great quote and those are the exact words of Tom De Cerchio of Incubator Films, who wrote and directed this Gold Bond ditty.

Perfectly cast and edited with a classic Billy Joel song that I’ll never think of the same way again, the spot promotes Gold Bond foot spray and tells us that the product refreshes and soothes your feet. Noted cinematographer Michael Bonvillain (Lost, Cloverfield, Alias) served as DOP for the commercial, which is a spec and not part of the current Gold Bond Campaign, “Powder My Equipment.”

More: “Disgruntled Guy Sends Message to Old Spice Spokesman via Song”

AgencySpy insiders have confirmed that G2 Direct & Digital’s VP, CRM strategy Debby Chow (left) is leaving for LBi, joining Erin Keefe, who turned in her notice at G2 two weeks ago. We’re still awaiting start dates and exact positions from LBi, but add another one to the pyre.

Update: Chow, who was a partner at Dotglu and an account director at Wunderman prior to joining G2, will be taking on the post of director of CRM at LBi.

More: “Cedric Devitt to ECD at LBi”

You didn’t think Joe the Plumber (aka Samuel Wurzelbacker) would be satisfied with his 15 seconds of fame during the 2008 presidential election, did you? Missouri, you’re in the running to be the next Alabama.

Now being referred to by the official sound title of “conservative activist” by The Hill, the money Joe undoubtedly made off of television appearances and memorabilia sales is now being used to voice is support for Chuck Purgason as the Republican nominee in Missouri’s senate race. Joe calls challenger Roy Blunt (who’s own negative ads we’ve mentioned before) a “the pretender to the conservative throne.”

Since 2008 race, Joe the Plumber has been busy criticizing the Obama administration with speeches at Tea Party rallies. While Joe’s ad features colorful animations and a great shot with him shaking Obama’s hand, Roy Blunt currently holds a commanding lead in the polls over Joe’s man Purgason. The primary will take place August 3.

More: “Being a Democrat Linked to Obama is Now a Bad Thing”

Sources familiar with the matter are telling us that the mass business for communications brand Qwest has shifted from DraftFCB Chicago, though the agency is still handling the multicultural, retail, media planning and experiential portions of the account. From what we’re hearing, the Qwest-CenturyLink merger has plenty to do with the shift.

DraftFCB Chicago basically won the Qwest account on behalf of its Rivet unit at the end of 2007, apparently beating out Fallon and Carmichael Lynch in the process. Hopefully, we’ll have more details on the Qwest biz and where some of it is headed in the coming days.

More: “Draftfcb NY Undergoes ‘Realignment’”

-The WSJ turns the spotlight on Chicago ad icon Albert Lasker. link

-Campbell Mithun launched a new campaign for Famous Footwear (above).

-Las Vegas and its motto are still too racy for the NFL’s marketing department. link

-According to a spy, Joe Hodas was named a partner at Colorado-based agency Vladimir Jones.

-Mashable: Facebook may put off its IPO until 2012. link

-Target is getting heat from grandmas about right wing donations. link

More: “Thursday Morning Stir”

It’s very common for men to associate objects with women, whether it be a car, boat, motorcycle or even something as little as a pen.

In this latest piece for Stella Artois, Mother London and director Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire, End of Violence) illustrate that very human truth. I, myself, do the same thing. My car is called Betsy. The tagline, “She’s a thing of beauty,” is also a phrase men can associate to.

When seeking a unique selling proposition, it’s nice when you come across something that really hits home for your desired audience and which really touches and relates to them on a personal basis. I think Brando would have really appreciated this one. Stella! I could have been a contender.

More: “Stella Gets All Snazzy with New Print Push”