We all remember our awkward first kiss stories, full of nervousness and rapid heartbeats. Based on “First Kiss,” the new 30-second ad in the Taco Bell Live Mas campaign that came through the tips line, we can now add sticky fingers and spicy breath to the list of uncomfortable descriptors.

Mixing Doritos Locos Tacos and kisses may not seem like the best idea, but this spot might strike the right cord for those who value some teenage sentimentality and John Hughes movies. Associating Taco Bell with cuteness is a tough trick to pull off, you know, with the greasy smells and penchant for attracting drunk college guys as a significant customer base, but Deutsch LA and director Zach Math found a way to pull it off. Taco Bell seems to have tapped the right nerve with Doritos Locos Tacos: the product helped create 15,000 new jobs. Maybe the company can use the profits to provide complimentary mouthwash with any purchase, so young lovers who want to make out in Taco Bell parking lots can have pleasant memories.

Credits after the jump.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

It’s coming up on two years since VW and Deutsch LA’s beloved “The Force” aka “Little Darth” spot captured the hearts of America during Super Bowl XLV. While most agree that “Little Darth” was worthy of the acclaim and awards bestowed upon it, the VW/Duetsch duo has had a difficult time following it up. Last year’s “The Dog Strikes Back” fell well short of its predecessor, and perhaps this is due to an erroneous insight into what the public loved about “Little Darth.”

Yes, the Star Wars tie-in to “Little Darth” was great, but it wasn’t the reason the spot became one of the web’s biggest hits. “The Dog Strikes Back” also had a pretty blatant nod to Star Wars as well, but the spirit of “Little Darth” was lost, and the spot became more of a sequel than a standalone ad. The real reason the public loved “Little Darth” so much was because it was just so damn adorable, and judging by the above new spot for the VW Passat, this insight is now crystal clear.

What we have here is a great (and simple) slice-o-life spot, with an absolutely perfectly timed punchline that will make you giggle and then give a long “awwww.” It’s a bit surprising that VW didn’t hold the spot until this year’s Super Bowl, but I’m quite excited for what Deutsch has planned next. Credits after the jump.

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Alas, there are no “T-shirt uniforms” to hammer home the message of individuality in this latest Dr. Pepper campaign from Deutsch LA, which is now eschewing grandiose productions and blockbuster cross-promotions to instead focus on real people, real stories. The above spot, dubbed “One in a Billion” (title track courtesy of the Vinyl Hearts), should give you the basic gist of how the agency’s ongoing “Always One of a Kind” campaign for the soda brand is evolving.

The heartwarming, human interest angle is one that’s been tread on aplenty, but it’s a somewhat interesting detour considering that at the end of the day, all agency and client are doing are selling soda. Will it take this year? Who knows, but in the meantime, check out out two specific stories, one focusing on a model-turned-boxer and the other a mother of five/roller derby queen along with credits after the jump.

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From Deutsch LA comes the above spot for PlayStation Vita, Sony’s latest portable gaming console that, at the lofty price tag of $250, is selling slower than Dreamcast, Sega’s final console before it dropped out of the console-making business completely.

Yes, PlayStation’s pricing model has gotten itself in some financial trouble over the last few years. While PlayStation built up its reputation for having the best video game titles and competitive technology since the release of its first console in 1995, the company got a little greedy with the release of PS3 and PlayStation Vita. Both of these systems are what most gaming experts would agree are the most technologically capable in their respective console categories, but six years after its release, Sony is still refusing to drop the price on the PS3 under $250. Meanwhile, in spite of the Vita’s sluggish sales since it debuted on the international market earlier this year, Sony is still not dropping its price tag. For you to truly understand the above spot for the Assassin’s Creed 3 bundle pack for Vita, you need to understand the position that Deutsch is in.

Unlike the campaign for the PSP, PlayStation’s earlier handheld platform that was marketed to casual gamers, Deutsch is aiming to hit the video game fanatics that are willing to shell out $250 in exchange for constant stimulation at all times. Look at it this way, thieves are probably more likely to rob iPhones on the subway these days instead of foreign-looking, clunky devices. Add to that the promise of a violent murder during your morning commute, and perhaps Sony can move some Vitas during the holiday season without lowering the price. Credits after the jump.

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As a Wisconsin man, the “Happy Cows Come From California” campaign has always irked me. What, California, are you suggesting OUR cows aren’t happy? Sure, they might be a little fatter, a little more lethargic, and may or may not experience what some would deem “alcoholism,” but does that mean they’re sad? NO! At least they aren’t smug little overly vain California cows, with their hybrid cars and over-sized sunglasses.

Well, apparently no one else believed this silly “happiness” claim, as the California Milk Advisory Board seems to have dropped their completely untrue tagline in this new spot from Deutsch LA. Instead, the CMAB cares not about cows’ feelings, but rather focuses on how a cow and its milk function as part of your nuclear family. As we can see, cows enjoy singing off-key renditions of Cher Lloyd’s “Swagger Jagger” under the helm of director Fred “Kevin from The Wonder Years” Savage. Yes, it’s a bit more in-your-face that Deutsch’s introduction to the “Make Up Part of Your Family” campaign. But, if there’s one way to convince your Californian family to drink milk, you might as well do it with shrill noises that your kids will absolutely love. Credits after the jump.

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If you take the time and money to buy organic milk, you have a low-level fondness for cows. You hope they get to eat grass and see sunlight. Those who go to the farmer’s market and ask, “So, are these happy cows?” have a higher allegiance to the gentle beasts.

In their latest campaign, the California Milk Advisory Board wants dairy consumers to take the next step by inviting cows into their homes. “Make us part of your family,” they moo.

But actually they don’t moo. The cows in this campaign are talking California cows, and in the first TV spot, we’re introduced to a teenage gossip cow whose monologue is filled with words like “supes” and “bt-dubs” (meaning super and by the way, respectively). It’s hard to nail teen-talk without seeming contrived and stale, but this cow does a decent job. I’d have to consult my 14-year-old cousin to be sure, but I think this speech matches many middle-school convos. It should, considering the spot is directed by Fred Savage, Wonder Years star and now director and producer for shows like Hannah Montana and Modern Family.

The spot airs this week, accompanied by a making-of video. Though our commentator straddles the line between sensitive dad-type and creative director-stoner, the incredible mechanics he showcases make up for his dazed tone.

Credits and making-of after the jump.

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To prove the speed of VW cars, Deutsch asks people who know the meaning of “fast” to co-star in their latest TV spots. Four YouTube sensations—a Rubik’s Cube wizard, a beatboxer, a speed reader, and a lightning-finger guitarist—accompany Eric Norris (son of Chuck) around a race track, aiming to complete tasks in their various skill sets before the VW cars complete a lap.

Granted, it’s far easier for a car to get around a track than for a vulnerable human to read the Gettysburg address while in said screeching, speeding car. The race might not have been very fair. But, these spots are still fun, and the quickness of the VWs is nothing to scoff at. Also, can we pause for a second to appreciate “speed cuber” Anthony Brooks, who can solve a Rubik’s cube with one hand (above)?! I can’t even look at a Rubik’s cube, knowing that as soon as I touch it I will be met with total frustration and humiliation.

Deutsch did well by choosing Internet-famous individuals with awesome, unusual talents. Their presence gives us the impression that VW cars aren’t just fast, they’re original and inventive, too.

Credits and more spots from the campaign after the jump.

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From the “Curse of the Billy Goat” in 1945 to the Steve Bartman incident in 2003, the Chicago Cubs are bar none the most “cursed” team in professional sports history. Even Boston’s “Curse of the Bambino” only battered around the Red Sox for a paltry 86 years. The Northsiders haven’t won a World Series in 103.

Each spring, you hear the Cubs loyal say, usually jokingly, “What if this is the year? Can you imagine what would happen to this city?” Well, Deutsch LA and director Matt Aselton are making the impossible come to life in this new spot for PlayStation and “MLB12: The Show,” which was filmed with permission from the Cubs and the help of 155 extras in Chicago last month. The city erupts from Wrigley Field to the Loop, and, wow, the Wiener’s Circle is even more insane than usual. But, almost cruelly, the fantasy abruptly ends when we’re taken inside one emotional fan’s living room.

Sorry, Cubs fans. The curse is still on. But, with new president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and manager Dale Sveum, maybe, just maybe…NAW, who are we kidding? Credits after the jump.

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From Deutsch LA comes the above TV spot for Dr. Pepper, set to debut during the BCS National Championship game tonight. As college football fans know, it’s a funny coincidence that tonight’s game will be anything but “one of a kind,” as the two teams playing already met once before in the regular season (with LSU beating Alabama 9-6 in overtime).

As you’ll notice, “Always One of a Kind” is veering quite a bit away from the “controversial” nature of recent work for Dr. Pepper 10, which is, by the way, “not for women.” For the brand’s full calorie-d product, Deutsch is taking a more inclusive approach. See, Dr. Pepper classic isn’t just for women. It’s for proud cougars who wear their identity on t-shirts. It’s also apparently for control freaks, momma’s boys and canine wingmen, all of whom look quite dashing in red. And, in case you’re wondering, the “I’m a Pepper” shirt that shows up at the end is an homage to a 1970s TV campaign of the same name.

The obvious complaint is that the “one of a kind” individuals in the spot are all wearing the same t-shirt, an observation that skeptical millennials are sure to point out upon seeing the ad. Well, Dr. Pepper has them covered, because viewers can actually purchase customized “I’m a (declaration)” shirts from Dr. Pepper’s website. I wonder if “I’m a Coke loyalist” or “I’d like to teach the world to sing” will fly with the powers that be. Also, for you social media devotees, Dr. Pepper’s promoted #ImA hashtag is currently trending nationwide on Twitter. Credits, and an animated new spot from Deutsch (this time for Diet Dr. Pepper) follow after the jump.

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Playstation pitchman Kevin Butler tones down his snarky/silly schtick for a tick in order to honor Veteran’s Day in this latest “Hall of Play” inclusion from Deutsch LA.  Here, Butler honors a gamer (as well as all the men and women in service) who guys by the handle “TheBigIrish1138″ and happens to be stationed with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. Yes, there is a sensitive side to the smarmy sap, who we presume will get back to his usual gamer-saluting antics shortly. Credits after the jump.

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Deutsch LA launched the next phase of its well-received “Michael” campaign for Playstation that now stars none other than the game console’s brash pitchman, Kevin Butler. After paying homage this week to people with handles like @nychus, @motherboop and @legiondragon, Butler now honors someone named DirktheDaring (above). For the next 15 days (through 11/24), we can expect daily salutes from Butler and if you head over to the Playstation Facebook page, you can get a personalized “To Michael” clip sent to you. Perhaps someone was inspired by a certain, award-winning W+K campaign? Who knows, but gaming geeks, this one’s for you. Credits after the jump.

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