Shots fired! According to this new car spot from Arnold Worldwide, Volvos are for real people, but Mercedes-Benzes are for snooty women of the 1% who preen at themselves in rearview mirrors. This is some good, clean class warfare, automobile-style, and luxury brands better watch out.

A few years ago, a Volvo was a boring car for people who needed affordable transportation. Now, the price hasn’t changed much, but the image has shifted slowly. It’s not that crazy to think that someone with enough money would pick a Volvo over a Benz. And the new spot tugs at the right cords of today’s economic realities to make the comparison seem not only feasible, but preferable. There are also a few campaign teasers on Facebook that flesh out the appeal of Volvo as “luxury for real people,” including: If your dog has a wardrobe, the Volvo s60 probably isn’t for you. Now they’re going after snobby women and people who dress up their dogs! More shots fired, Volvo. I’m in. Credits after the jump.

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According to the parties involved, specifically Arnold Worldwide and Jack Daniel’s, the spot above marks the first one in a quarter-century for the latter spirits brand’s Gentleman Jack rare premium whiskey line. The focal point of the campaign is what agency and brand are dubbing “The Order of the Gentleman,” which sounds like a more refined version of the Stonecutters or the secret society/motley crew assembled by Jagermeister and Mistress. The spot itself called “Secret Meetings,” which debuted during last night’s premiere of Anthony Bourdain‘s new CNN show, Parts Unknown, stars apparent “Order of the Gentleman” member Titus Welliver, who among other things has appeared in all three Ben Affleck-directed movies in recent years.

As we’ve been told, the somewhat mysterious clip above is just the beginning of a campaign that will roll out over the next few months and includes online components among other things. Indulge your urbane self further if you care to here. Credits after the jump.

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We’ve been told by those in the know that this new effort from McGarryBowen NY for Verizon called “Powerful Answers” actually marks the wireless carrier’s first ever corporate branding campaign. Set to the sounds of legendary composer Philip Glass, Verizon veers from the usual Wireless and/or FiOS promotion to, according to parties involved, “showcase tech solutions that no one knew they did.” As you can see in the spot directed by Park Pictures’ Lance Acord above as well as the anthem clip below, some Verizon folks are lab rats whose tech prowess translates into solutions for medical emergencies just as easily as they could the classroom. We didn’t know there was side to them, but hey, you learn something new every day. Exhaustive list of 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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And so, we move from the undead to dead presidents in DDB’s latest bizarre spot for the NY Lottery, one that suggests winning the “Cash Blast” scratch-off game means an instant beach party with your pals Washington, Lincoln, Hamilton, Jackson, Grant and Franklin. In fact, should you win millions playing the odds at your local convenience store, it probably would be a pretty good idea to hire impersonators of these presidents/forefathers to join you in celebration as you flaunt your cash to the legions of friends you just bought. They say “money can’t buy happiness,” but “they” are a bunch of jealous poor people who haven’t had Abraham Lincoln throw up on a techno DJ at one of their soirees.

Any guesses as to what Ulysses S. Grant is smoking when he walks by camera? If you invite an Alexander Hamilton impersonator to your shindig, are you duty-bound to also invite an Aaron Burr impersonator to see if things heat up? More importantly, will giggling at a lottery spot about a pretty generic scratch-off game make you want to play it? Credits after the jump.

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As a longtime follower of the Halloween mythology, I was somewhat struck when Rob Zombie decided to overhaul the series, but probably more so when he subsequently took his talents to Woolite. But, it doesn’t veer from the man’s vision and neither does this spot starring Ron Howard‘s brother Clint, who plays somewhat maniacal in this effort from Saatchi & Saatchi New York for the ant-killing brand, Amdro. It’s only thirty seconds, but damn, did those pesky ants have it coming to them. Credits after the jump.

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Kids: is there anything more annoying? Always asking their stupid questions and making those terrible shrieking sounds, isn’t it about time that they can just watch SpongeBob SquarePants 24/7 and never bother you for anything again? Enter Verizon’s FiOS network and this spot from McCann NY. With one network, your kids can shut up for hours whether they’re watching TV, your laptop, or you cell phone.

Okay, so you might not leave your kids alone with your laptop or your cellphone all of time time for fear that they might break or lick your electronic devices. But, Verizon’s FiOS does run on a fiber-optic network, making it the first integrated network geared towards home use to do so. More importantly, when has Comcast’s ads featured something as cool as a house that transforms into a doctor’s office that transforms into a car in seemingly one take?

While it’s not available everywhere, FiOS has steadily climbed to over three-million television and internet subscribers nationwide. This sleek campaign tells us that Verizon wants to make a big push with its network this holiday season, continuing to expand its coverage and targeting new demographics. We should also note that this ad is much more entertaining than having to sit through an entire Transformers movie, Megan Fox‘s presence notwithstanding.

Credits and another spot after the jump.
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