Did you know that your soda can aspires to become part of a sports stadium and your empty plastic bottle dreams of contributing to an ocean-side park bench? Well, they do, and you can help them reach their lofty goals by doing one simple thing: recycling them.

At least that’s the message sent by Pereira & O’Dell‘s new pro-bono campaign for the Ad Council and Keep American Beautiful, “I Want to Be Recycled.”

The PSA featuring the bottle opens with the evocative line, “They said I couldn’t dream. Called me a piece of trash and swore that’s all I’d ever be.” The viewer then watches this tenacious little dreamer overcome its seemingly hopeless start inside a trash can, and follows it across city streets, down lonely highways, and through rugged terrain until it finally reaches its destination and becomes what it “always wanted to be.” The spot ends with the tag line “Give your garbage another life. Recycle,” and shows the address for IWantToBeRecycled.org.

Basically, think “Where the Heart Is” condensed into 30 seconds and starring a milk bottle instead of Natalie Portman. Read more

Agency JWT Singapore/Manila recently teamed up with Unilever shampoo brand Cream Silk Hair for an undeniably creative (and undeniably creepy) promotion.

In order to prove how well Cream Silk products strengthen hair, the pair organized a string quartet concert in a Manila mall. All of the bows used in the concert — usually made with horse hair because of its durability — were instead strung with human hair that had been washed and conditioned with Cream Silk products.

The ad below shows South East Asian bow-maker Paul Goh crafting the bows out of human hair as an instrumental version of Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” plays in the background. The spot culminates with a clip of the 40-song, 240-minute concert, all of which took place with zero hair breakage (pretty impressive). The video closes with the compelling line, “Not only can strong hair be seen, it can be heard.” Read more

Ubisoft, makers of the historical action-adventure video game franchise Assassin’s Creed, have created a decidedly artistic and original campaign, titled “Defy History“, to promote the next installment of its popular series — Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag.

Playing off the game’s historical setting and furthering the concept of video games as art, the promo urges fans to “become part of a masterpiece” by digitally placing their own faces in a painting crafted by artists from L’Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris.

The website associated with the campaign states that users can “get a chance to have your face in an epic painting crafted by one of Europe’s finest cultural institutions.” The painting, which can be seen on the site, features a battle scene from the “Age of Piracy,” the time period during which the game is set. Using a webcam, fans can put their own faces on characters from the painting, and the most popular faces will be immortalized on the canvas. The final work of art, complete with fans’ faces, will be displayed in Le Musee de la Marine this November, just after the October release of the game. Read more

Ever get onto the commuter train after a long day at the office and rest your head on the window glass, letting the hum of the window’s vibration lull you into a trance? Well next time you plan to snooze while leaning up against a subway window, you may be in for a surprise: rather than the familiar buzzing sound, you might hear a message being transmitted directly into your skull via the vibrations. Should this occur, we assure you you aren’t hearing ghosts or being secretly recruited to be the next 007; you are simply experiencing a new form of advertising brought to you by BBDO.

The ads, which are completely inaudible until your head touches the glass, work by using a process called bone conduction. What’s that? Well, we aren’t scientists, so the simplified explanation is this: you don’t only hear sound through your ears — sound waves also vibrate through your skull. It’s the same phenomenon that causes your voice to sound different inside your own head than it does to the rest of the world. Small transmitters attached to the windows send out high-frequency vibrations, which are picked up not by your ears, but by your very bones.

In other words, these ads effectively transmit their messages directly into your head. Read more

Okay, we realize that the back-to-school shopping season is — next to the winter holiday season — the most important time of year for retailers, but as infuriating as it is to see Christmas lights in stores before Halloween, we find it equally jarring to see back-to-school ads running between spots for Independence Day sales.

As most families were planning 4th of July festivities, retailers like Apple and Walmart were already thinking about pencils, books, electronics and school clothes, hoping to get an early jump on the $84 billion in sales that back-to-school shopping accounts for in the retail world. But are people really receptive to school-related advertising just a week or two after the last bell rings?

Statistically, most people start stocking up on school supplies three to four weeks before classes begin (i.e. mid-to-late July through mid August). “In seven and a half years, I’ve never once seen so much emphasis put on back-to-school before July 4,” National Retail Federation spokeswoman Kathy Grannis told AdAge.

Since the start of the recession, the NRF has noticed a change in holiday shopping trends — rather than waiting until the last few weeks to shop, many people attempt to space out their spending by starting their shopping early. It’s possible that retailers like Apple and Walmart are hoping a similar trend may appear with back-to-school shopping. Read more

Remember Superstorm Sandy? Though it’s been a long time since the devastating storm made headlines, it remains fresh in the minds of east coasters still recovering from the punishing winds, rain and surf unleashed upon them last fall.

In an effort to re-rally support for those still struggling to put their lives back together, Toyota released the below video last week, titled “Meals Per Hour.” For every time the video is viewed (up to 1 million views), Toyota has pledged to provide a meal to Sandy victims still struggling to feed their families. As of yesterday — one week after the video’s release — the short documentary-style film had already generated 892,000 views/meals. As of this writing, that number has jumped to 905, 695.

In the video, we see that for many in the Rockaways of New York, life has yet to return to normal. We are introduced to the Metro Food Distribution center, a local food bank struggling to provide enough food to those who need it. One volunteer says that even though workers are dedicated to providing assistance, part of the problem is that “there isn’t really a system set up…if you have a good system, the work takes care of itself.”

Enter Toyota, which has had a fair amount of practice creating efficient systems (cars don’t just manufacture themselves, you know). The Toyota Production System (TPS) is based on the idea that “the summation of many, many small, cheap improvements can have a big impact.” One Toyota representitive, who shares TPS with non-profits around the country, explains, “These basic principles of the Toyota Production System apply to any kind of process — it doesn’t have to be manufacturing.” Read more

All those tears shed. All those boxes bought.

Many were upset to learn last year that business troubles (the workers blamed the management, the management blamed the unions) were pushing Twinkies off of store shelves. Attempts to restructure ended in November and brands were sold. Twinkies was among those that went to Metropoulos & Co. and Apollo Global Management for $410 million.

Less than a year after fans grieved the loss of those eternally fresh spongy yellow cakes, they’re headed back to the grocer on July 15.

Read more

“Gambling makes life more intense” — and it also made life a lot more prosperous for Monaco. The quote was from a docudrama about the petite principality and the building of a casino in Monte Carlo 150 years ago. The medieval town and surrounding area was impoverished before Prince Charles III of Monaco decided gambling was their best economic bet. The name Monte Carlo, or Mount Charles, reflects the elevated terrain and the proximity to Italy.

Monaco launched a year-long celebration for its monumental anniversary, with events at home and abroad. “Monte Carlo is the epitome of luxury. It’s known for style, sophistication and architecture, and many architects have left their footprints on Monte Carlo”, said Maguy Maccario Doyle, consul general and director of the Monaco Government Tourist Office. She spoke at a Wednesday event at the French Institute/Alliance Francaise (FIAF) in New York.

The Nouveau Musée National de Monaco (NMNM) commissioned documentary photographer Gabriele Basilico to convey Monte Carlo in a series of black and white photographs. Those are on display at FIAF through August 23 alongside a wall of colorful Monaco postcards. “The exhibit shows an interesting approach to the principality and the neighborhoods”, noted FIAF’s director of visual arts, Antoine Guerrero.

As an international capital of “sport and spectacle”, Monaco has long attracted high-rollers. Its commemorative programs this year are especially alluring. Last month they turned Casino Square into a tennis court for an exhibition match between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. In July they’re hosting a concert featuring rock stars like Rihanna and Elton John. An August exhibit at NYC’s Forbes Gallery will feature photos of celebrities who frequent Monte Carlo.

Read more

In an effort to engage younger travelers (i.e. “millennials”), Marriott Hotels is undergoing a re-branding, and is launching a new multi-year global marketing campaign created by Grey NY.

The goal of the effort, called “Travel Brilliantly,” is  to amplify the brand’s dedication to leading the future of travel. In a release, the company states that it aims to appeal to “the next generation of travelers, who seamlessly blend work and play in a mobile and global world.”

At the heart of the campaign is the idea that a hotel is not actually bound by its four walls. Instead, the focus is on celebrating how the global travel experience is a mind-opening, inspiring life event that cannot be measured in miles or contained within brick and mortar. “This is not a hotel,” the advertising states, “It’s an idea that travel should be brilliant… It’s not only about where you’re staying. It’s about where you’re going.”

Compelling though this romantic and existential view of travel may be, the company is backing up its message with tangible changes, including re-designed lobbies and public spaces to better accomodate “the next generation of travelers who blend work and play, demand style and substance, and require technology.” The hotel chain is also introducing new concepts designed for the new mobile worker including Workspring at Marriott, Red Coat Direct and Workspace on Demand. Read more

By now you’ve likely seen the musical, pseudo-philosophical, and now-viral three-minute video announcing Samsung‘s new partnership with Jay-Z, which first aired during the 2013 NBA Finals Game 5. The deal, which cost Samsung $5 million, allows the first million Galaxy and Note mobile device-users who download the corresponding app to access the rapper’s latest album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, for free, three days before the record drops on July 4.

At first glance, the $5 million price tag may seem like a major marketing risk, especially considering that promotions like this don’t usually generate a major sales increase due to the fact that most cell phone users are locked into two-year contracts. Factor in the unthinkable possibility that not every Samsung user is also necessarily an avid Jay-Z fan, and one might wonder whether the tech company could possibly see a decent return on its investment.

But if we instead assume that the goal of this collaboration is media attention and visibility for the brand, rather than a spike in sales, the idea suddenly appears like a match made in marketing heaven. Read more