Sure, 72andSunny and Samsung have had some fun comparing the latter’s smartphones to Apple’s in recent years, but in the last several months, it seems like the brand’s finally getting over their complex and showcasing the product line on its own. First, they highlighted the Galaxy S4 with a graduation-centered campaign. Now, they’re showcasing new features for Father’s Day with “hip dads in action.”

In “Swaddle Master,” a befuddled father learns the tricks of the swaddling trade via Smart Pause YouTube. With “Quick Snooze” (below), meanwhile, the same cardigan-wearing dad watches the game with his little one at the end of the day. As his eyes droop shut, the game pauses. He reopens them and it picks up where he left off.

Though this creative work may not go viral or win awards, showing the practical (and less glamorous) application of the S4’s features will perhaps win the hearts of young parents everywhere. On a special occasion like Father’s Day, maybe hitting your target audience is enough?

Credits after the jump.

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Now that the fictional game, “Unicorn Apocalypse,” created by 72andSunny in its ongoing campaign to promote Samsung Galaxy has come to fruition, where else to turn but the movie version and a pitch to the one and only Tim Burton. The writer/director takes center stage amongst the sea of geeky, Galaxy-addled developers and comes up with his own standard oddball concepts for where to take “Unicorn” next in this clip called, aptly enough, “Meeting with Tim Burton.”

The 90-second clip was just one of several Samsung ad placements during last nights Oscars broadcast (guess they saved up their Super Bowl budget for this) that told the tale of the evolution of the honestly (and perhaps deliberately) terrible-sounding faux-game. Still, the most recent installments like the one below where the creatives meet the account folks add a decent amount of smirk and snark to balance the scales. Credits after the jump.

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Hey, look! It’s that dude who was on 30 Rock for a few seasons before they realized his character was totally worthless. This guy. Man, has that dude fallen on hard times or what? Let’s all hope he gets back on his feet before things get worse.

Anyway, the above 90-second spot from 72andSunny takes place in the fictional video game development studio of “Unicorn Apocalypse,” a fake game no doubt inspired by Adult Swim’s online “Robot Unicorn Attacks,” but about zombies because 20-something nerds sure love those. If you think 90-seconds sounds like a long time to watch hipster nerds talk about zombie unicorns and play around with their phones, you’d be right.

I’ve been a little back and forth about Samsung’s recent iPhone-bashing campaign. Perhaps it’s because I think it’s a really great idea, but the execution just misses the mark for some reason. Perhaps that reason, as most blatantly exhibited by the spot above, is because Samsung is targeting pretentious millennials who look down about those with different tastes. It makes sense to label iPhone buyers sheep, but there has to be a more subtle way to do it. Also, here’s a newsflash: pretentious people don’t think they’re pretentious. They just think that they’re right. So, portraying an over the top version of the demo (however accurate), will undoubtedly turn off the very consumer you most want.

As the current top comment on YouTube asks, “Why does Samsung insist on making everyone with their phone act like a 20-something douchebag?” Good question. Credits after the jump.

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Like a less-slick, self-assured version of Harvey Keitel‘s “The Wolf” from Pulp Fiction, actor Peter Stormare, who you might remember from playing Steve Buscemi‘s even sleazier partner-in-crime in Fargo or to a lesser extent, “Slippery Pete” on Seinfeld, stars as “The Replacer” in 72andSunny’s latest lengthy effort for Activision. This time, agency and client team up to promote the latter’s Call of Duty: Black Ops II – Revolution, which will come equipped with new multiplayer apps, a new weapon and even a zombie mode to play undead.

In the two-and-a-half minute clip above, we find that “The Replacer” is actually a way more charitable character than Wolf, lending his services to a variety of gamers, whether a frustrated, domesticated type, an expecting parent, a guy on a blind date, a landscaper or even a zoo cleaner. The intensity of previous Call of Duty clips has supplanted by comedy, and we kinda welcome the change of pace. And plus, we have a soft spot for Stormare, a man who’s played bit/supporting roles in more movies than we can count.  Credits after the jump.

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72andSunny’s marketing blitz for Samsung continues with this new spot for the Galaxy Note II starring none other than LeBron James (whose other, more charitable ad for Samsung was launched simultaneously). We admit we were intrigued ever since we first caught this 90-second clip at the beginning of the NBA season opener featuring James’s Miami Heat versus their hated rival, the Boston Celtics. Directed by Anonymous Content’s Mark Romanek (the man who’s also behind some of our fave music videos as well as One Hour Photo), the Samsung spot is presented as if we’re following the three-time MVP on his first day back on the job in the NBA (it was actually shot a week before Tuesday’s opener).

From morning family time, complete with cereal, to his trip to the barbershop to the championship ring ceremony at American Airlines arena, we get a gist of what James may have actually gone through on game day (or maybe not). We have to say, though, the Galaxy Note II’s stylus arguably steals the show. Credits after the jump.

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We were a bit stacked on the campaign front yesterday, but we couldn’t overlook this amusing, somewhat creepy but ultimately harmless effort from the folks at Atlanta’s Fitzgerald+CO for pizza chain, Mellow Mushroom. We’ve been told that the chain, which was founded nearly 30 years ago near Georgia Tech University, embraces a hippie mentality, a fact that’s reflected in its rather, um, laid-back mascot you see in the clip above.

The rather dazed and confused character is part of Fitz+CO’s effort to gain Twitter followers for its client and show to love for a select few current ones. But rather than just click follow on their Twitter profile, the agency decided to take it several steps further and actually have a couple of mascots, “Mel” and “Dude,” trail 20 @mellowmushroom followers over a period of one week. The video you see is hopefully a precursor for many more to come. Additionally, if you want to “Follow Mellow,” click here and you could win free pizza for a year. Hey, there are currently 130 Mellow Mushroom locations in 100 cities, so you could be in luck. Credits after the jump.

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Ah yes, the 2012-13 NBA regular season is almost upon us and to get things warmed up, Goodby Silverstein & Partners has unveiled the spot above called “Countdown,” which is part of the agency’s larger, ongoing campaign for the Association dubbed “BIG.” The tick-tock syncs up well with the rituals of several players including Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and Andre Iguodala, leaving us hyped enough for the Kia tip-off next week. Still, it remains to be seen if every hoopster in this cast will be healthy enough for opening night. Credits after the jump.

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-As we first noted last week, Ian Sohn has indeed returned to Ogilvy Chicago, now officially joining up as EVP, director of emerging platforms & partnerships.

-Following a review that started in July, EVB’s London office has picked up global social AOR duties for Chivas Regal. link

-Deutsch LA kicked off its new “Why VW” brand campaign for Volkswagen that includes the spot called “Smiles” above. link

-Well, this is interesting. As part of Adweek‘s “Brand Genius” honors, the trade is bestowing its first “Brand Visionary” award upon NYC mayor Mike Bloomberg.

-By the way, have you seen the fake NYPD ads that are complementing today’s Occupy Wall Street anniversary? link

-Yes, the “most interesting man in the world” will fundraise for President Obama in Vermont. link

-Global creative agency ATTIK promoted Michelle O’Hea to account director on Scion.

-Chicago-based agency Tris3ct promoted CSO Thomas Stiefermann to EVP/managing director of its new El Segundo, CA office.

-Vegas-based The Pitch alum SK+G has been appointed as agency of record for a handful of Orient-Express luxury hotel properties in North America.

-New York comms firm Roth Partners was named AOR for Newell Rubbermaid’s baby product brand Graco in North America. There was no formal review and billings were undisclosed.

-Creative producer Nicole Visram joined L.A.-based Arcade Edit as EP.

-So, what can the ad tech world learn from the new iPhone? link

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.