McDonald's... Racist? Read the fine print.

At first sight the new advertising campaign for McDonald's in Sweden gives you quite a shock.

It’s hard to believe one’s eyes, but there it stands, in bold print:

“We don’t hire Turks, Greeks, Poles, Indians, Ethiopians, Vietnamese, Chinese and Peruvians”.

Excuse me, are you serious?

In terms of creativity, boring and so old school... in fact 1968 called and it wants its ad back. This is like the "FREE SEX" in bold, only to reveal "now that we got your attention let's talk about your dry cleaning". Sad, this is just tired. Very tired.

But as usual, read the fine print... further down on the poster (surprise) is written:

Nor Swedes, South Koreans, or Norwegians. We hire individuals. We don’t care what your surname is. Because ambition and determination have nothing to do with your nationality. McDonald’s is one of the most integrated companies in Sweden, with as many as ninety-five nationalities working for us. Join us.

I can't understand how the campaign has sparked heated debates. Those who only read the beginning are of course shocked, whereas others are intrigued by it (and continue reading the rest of the message). Really, I was always of the opinion that Sweden was an innovative and creative capital, but this just doesn't play, not even in Stockholm.

I guess the ad fulfilled its primary objective, which was to make people talk about McDonald’s. But was that really the objective?

Just In Case You Are Ever Asked.

The Origins of the Slinky

In case you find yourself in need of winning a bar bet or simple wondered, "Where did that idea come from?"

Slinky was invented by Naval engineer Richard James.

He knocked a spring off of a shelf when he was working to develop springs that could keep ship instruments stable in choppy waters.

The spring did what a Slinky does… it stepped down to a stack of books, then to the table, and then to the floor, where it righted itself into a cylinder. James knew it would be a great toy, and tests by neighborhood kids proved him right.

And now you Know.

The Unicef Tap Project - Vegas

You don't have to be a celebrity to make a difference.

On World Water Day, March 22, 2007, hundreds of restaurants in New York City invited customers to donate just $1 for the tap water they usually enjoy for free.

All the money raised through the Tap Project helps UNICEF save lives by providing safe drinking water to children around the world.

The Tap Project was born with the vision of David Droga and Droga5 of New York. The idea is to offer patrons of New York City restaurants --where tap water is served for free-- the opportunity to pay a dollar for the same water poured from a bottle bearing a special seal created by Droga5.

In short, the project asked restaurant goers to donate one dollar for a privilege we all take for granted. Proceeds will go to UNICEF's various efforts to make clean drinking water available to the 1.1 billion people who have none.

"We're asking people to consider donating a dollar for the privilege of living in a First World city," Droga says. "The payoff is that we've done something empirically good."

Thanks to every restaurant, customer, donor, and organization who contributed to the Tap Project and helped make the first year a success! The Tap Project will be in cities across the country

Here are examples of this years "Tap Project - Vegas" campaign. Fun, while offering the true nature of Vegas.



Advertising Agency: R&R Partners, Las Vegas, USA
Group Creative Director: Arnie DiGeorge
Senior Art Director: Mark Naparstek
Copywriter: Chris Hagan
Photographer: Roger Hagadone
Retouchers: Liv Ducci Playground

In addition to these ads take a moment to view the "Tap Project" video.

Fresh Work. Fun Work.

Greetings...

Looks like I am backup and running after a few days of rest to get rid of two bugs.

One that took my insides and turned them out, and a bitter virus that killed my computer.

So final, the "AdGuy" has turned "FadGuy". I bought a MacBook.

Yes, I have joined the revolution. A little late, but I have reproted for duty.

I found these ads created by Y&R Toronto for something called Cuttie Cuts a local hair salon for kids. Fun thinking and innovative reuse of the common "tear-away"
poster.


Credits:

Brand: Cuttie Cut Children's Hair Salon
Agency: Y&R Toronto
Creative Director: David Houghton
Art Director: Zachary Muir-Vavrina
Copywriter: Sussana Forieri
Photographer: Jeremy Kohm

Partie a la peche...

Sorry I have been away...

...both physically ill and then the sad painful death of my computer.

I know, I know get a Mac.

So I am... in fact this is my first post using a MacBook... and now I hear there are Hard Drive issues with the newest MacBooks.

Can we ever win.

I promise I will be back soon.

G-d knows the ad world never stops... but until my return go buy one of these:

http://www.chia.com/

Until I return fulltime.

Peace and Love

File Under F@cking Brilliant! Part II.

What do you do when your consumer base doesn't realize that you do much more and offer more… well you create a little magic. The UPS Stores just created a "cardboard" world to help it, um, get outside the box.

A new campaign from independent Southfield (Detroit), Mich.- based Doner Advertising that launched this week and features elaborate cardboard landscapes populated by cardboard people. It's a dramatic break from the more traditional work the UPS Store has used since rebranding itself from Mail Boxes Etc. in 2003. The most recent campaign touting its various services showed consumers in the store, with Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" as its soundtrack and generally met sales targets, but it didn't change the perception of The UPS Store -- which offers printing, copying, office supplies and other business services -- as a shipping-only outlet.

Creative... Yes, Best... Hmmmmm.

The Audi "Boxed Car" spot was all about thinking "outside the box", and I see that as the gold standard of what might be a trend in "cardboard anime" these days. But this effort does get you thinking, "What more can the UPS store do". The message is alittle on nailing down the overall "multi" services.

There certainly isn't much work, if any, out there that looks much like the campaign's first TV spot, called "Coliseum." It features a cardboard small-business owner warring with a cardboard lion in what appears to be a cardboard replica of the Roman Coliseum.

The business owner fights off the lion with the help of the UPS Store, which arms him with documents and other supplies. At one point, he smacks the lion on the head with a rolled up presentation, and the resulting hollow sound is that of a cardboard paper-towel tube hitting a cardboard box, and when the lion roars, the sound heard is cardboard tearing, said Doner VP-Creative Director Jimmy Kollin.

On one level, creating a world full of cardboard seems an odd choice for a marketer trying to show there is more to its existence than shipping, but Doner executives said that was the point. "We wanted to use the thing that they're best known for to promote the things that people don't know we do," Mr. Kollin said. "There's really nothing we can't do in cardboard, so what was the limiter becomes limitless."

AUDI Q5 - Take Me Riding Spot