Droga5

Ah, it's awards season. Let the scandals, dust-ups and hurt feelings begin! Sigh... Poke New York is a bit upset with Droga5. Over on the digital agency's website, a post has appeared that reads:

"So, a while back we partnered with the awesome crew over at Droga5 to help them develop the Million, a project in conjunction with the New York City public school system that aims to ignite students' interests in their studies by offering a free cell phone that's fueled by merit-based achievements (grades, attendance, etc.)."

Who knew? The Million, which is great project, won an Andy last week, as well as the Richard T. O'Reilly Award (for Public Service Announcement. On the Andy's entry form, Poke was listed as a production company and this is where the agency is taking issue, albeit very sweetly:

"It was a true partnership where POKE worked hand in hand with the fine folks at Droga to create a comprehensive digital and mobile strategy along with a full-term roll-out plan on how to take Million to the world.

Now, our sources say that Droga5 filed all the entry forms and Poke was never ask about how they wanted to be listed. Then again, (from what we know) Poke never interjected to make sure they got the accolades they felt were due. Here we go again... how much hand did the digital agency have in the strategy, as well as the execution of a campaign? Poke declined to comment. A message was left for Droga, but alas... this snafu over credit will just have to be piled atop the rest.

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Meet Sean Norman Stewart. He's some kind of film art guy. Not really sure actually, but like many a creative before him, Sean has decided that a video cover letter to an agency might land him a gig. In this case, the agency in question is Droga5. The 24-year old's video is heavy on the irony and light on the substance. Sean rounds off his pitch with the promise that hiring him will "maximize your partner's pleasure in bed." Hmmm.... Just because the agency was featured on the Daily Show does not mean that solipsism and irony is going to get you anywhere. Remember Honeyshed? It could be very possible that Droga is over the whole mockery, tongue-in-cheek bit after that million plus debacle.

Sigh. Kids today... there's no reasoning with 'em. Sean? We wish you luck, dude.

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On the The Daily Show last night, Droga5 made an appearance as part of the show's sketch about rebranding the Republican Party. It's in the second segment of the video if you're going to watch above. Okay, even I can't hate. That's some hot shit.

More: Honeyshed's Dismal Vagina Monologue

In case you missed the myriad of IMs, texts and blog posts your friends have been sending you - here's the video from Droga5 for Guitar Hero. Yahoozee! I totally dig it.

How can they be so darn hip on one hand and than total shite on the other with say things like um, Honeyshed? OOOHHH. That's right. We hear that Droga5 DOES NOT create the content for Honeyshed. They do sales and the commercial spots. Apparently, and we say apparently, that's all Smuggler creating that horrific content. Somehow, it makes the Honeyshed fiasco make total sense, right?

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Why are all the girls so fricking dumb on Honeyshed? It's clear that a bunch of boys (we're looking at you Smuggler), created content that echoes their "idea" of women rather than how women largely operate online and as consumers. The girls on Honeyshed are shadows of women, projecting an old idea of femininty against a back drop of sex. It's as if we've stepped back in time to the Mad Men days when women subverted men with pouted lips and allusions to their sexuality. In truth, it makes me incredibly sad.

Girl one: "For all of you who don't know what rugby is..."

Girl two: "Seriously. I don't know what it is."

And then, she goes on to explain what rugby is. In detail. Like she's talking to infants. Forget stupidity. In other spots, Honeyshed goes so far as to reduce female concerns to how their boyfriends feel about what they may purchase. Products are funneled through this myopic lens depressingly and constantly.

If not stupidity and one-dimensional concerns about male approval, the selling tactic is sloppy sexual asides. In the lingerie episode, Honeyshed features a fully clothed solicitous guy standing beside three young ladies in their bra and panties. Need I point out the sexual dynamics going on here? The women then proceed to teach him and the male audience (despite this spot being for women) how to take a woman's bra off. Jesus.

Honeyshed is not for women in any way shape or form. Perhaps, this entices thirteen year olds who are curious about their sexuality, but guess what? They don't have the spending power to make Honeyshed a financial success.

Honeyshed is missing out on a few things: how women shop online; that the digital generation with the spending power to adore this site are older than 16; that if you treat women like Playboy bunnies or twits, you'll never get them get back; that you need to have women deciding how women will be portrayed on the site; that if you're going for the American Apparel, edgy sex sells thing - you are so far off the mark that I can't be bothered to correct you.

Just get rid of the ladies channel. Like now. You're embarrassing yourselves and proving the old adage true: advertising does not understand the needs, desires, thought processes or identities of women.

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I know that you have all been waiting with bated to breath to see who has won our Honeyshed competition. Without further adieu, let us now introduce our celebrity judge for this event, Steve Landsberg, ex-Chief Creative Officer of DDB, New York and Ogilvy Toronto, as well as co-founder of new agency Grok. Take it away Steve!

"Here are my thoughts after reviewing the reviews:

Overall, there was an impressive display of knowledge, passion and creative vulgarity. Special mention to a few reviewers first: The Founder, for technical knowledge and a well-meaning sense of outrage. To Beatrice_Hogg and Matty for their thoroughness and thoughtfulness. Time to Show for the sheer display of anger and hostility emboldened by anonymity.
(Boy, I'm gonna hear about this.)

And finally, the winner is... eburrante for a review that was clever, thorough, intelligent, well-written and amusing. You had me at "sociopathic sassitude".

Congratulations."

There you have it folks. Eburrante? Please email us at agencyspy at gmail dot com to collect your prize. If you missed his/her review, you see it in its entirety after the jump.

To all the entrants, you fucking rock. Thank you!

continued...

Our Honeyshed competition has been pushed off the main page, so here's the repost for those who missed it.

Droga5's Honeyshed relaunched the other day. In honor of this much anticipated event, Agency Spy has decided to hold a contest, which now has over 20 entries. Have you got the mettle?

Go to Honeyshed. Check it out. Tool around. Come back and be Bob Garfield. Please USE THIS PAGE TO ENTER YOUR REVIEW. Right now, we have over 20 entries. Have you got the mettle?

Our celebrity judge is Steven Landsberg, ex-Chief Creative Officer of DDB, New York and Ogilvy Toronto, as well as co-founder of new agency Grok. He'll be looking for great copy writing (funny or not) and a well thought out assessment of Honeyshed (love it or hate it).

The individual/creative team with the best copy will receive the first season of Mad Men from iTunes, mad props from Landsberg and the joy of having won something in a shit economic climate.

The winner will be announced EOD Friday! Good luck!

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Addendum: You get all the details here or here.

From our very cool, telephone tip line: Puma has tapped Droga5 as AOR for its $100 million global account. That explains why Puma has a myriad of products for sale through Honeyshed. Along with their recent win of Method, Droga is on what we call "a roll."

As we get more details, we'll serve 'em up. In the mean time, nice fucking win Droga. Nice. Nice.

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Droga5's Honeyshed, the home shopping network for the digital generation, has relaunched today. In honor of this much anticipated event, Agency Spy has decided to hold a contest.

Go to HONEYSHED. Check it out. Tool around. Come back to Agency Spy and use our comments section to post a review of the site. It can be a haiku or a full blown thesis. It's your turn to show Bob Garfield and us, how it's done.

Our celebrity judge is Steven Landsberg, ex-Chief Creative Officer of DDB, New York and Ogilvy Toronto, as well as co-founder of new agency Grok. He'll be looking for great copy writing (funny or not) and a well thought out assessment of Honeyshed (love it or hate it).

The individual/creative team with the best copy will receive the first season of Mad Men from iTunes, mad props from Landsberg and the joy of having won something in a shit economic climate.

So get to cracking. The winner will be announced EOD Friday!

RULES OF ENTRY:

1. All reviews must be posted by 2:oo pm Friday, the 14th of November.

2. Your entry can be posted anonymously. We will announce the winner and at that time, you can IM us with your contact info.

3. Reviews that are not in good faith (i.e. "Droga can suck my balls 'cause they are hairy!") will be deleted.

This is what I love about Droga5: they're always cooking up some crazy, half baked idea and then throwing it full throttle at the world. Yes, Honeyshed blows big chunks, but you have to admire their tenacity.

Awhile ago, we mentioned their 1 million kids project, which would be national student media network using mobile phones. It launched last February and it took home a 2008 Cannes Lion Titanium Award. But honestly, we didn't really have a handle on what the whole program was about. The video above provides an albeit heavily sentimental explanation of a truly remarkable strategy.

Nice work Droga5.

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