news update on the Nissan campaign, was it staged? read about the new news on AdAge,
read "Clever Nissan Campaign Too Slick For Its own Good" it smells a little fishy:

Fake Advertisements Get the Bird, By Dove?
Watch why nobody looks that good leaving the house in the morning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWoYppgwe_U



I really like the dove Real Beauty campaigns, I like their products and I like what they stand for. This commercial is like the anti-advertisement and I think alot of people can appreciate it and relate better to it, like me. And I can’t truthfully say that about many ads, for that matter. Although I know all the miracles that make up and a hairstylist on set can do, I think it needs to be broadcast all over the world to make sure everyone remembers that women, and even men, don’t and I suppose aren’t, supposed to look like that.

This “artificial beauty” commercial shows a girl, plain Jane, Sarah plain and tall, you or me, getting all dolled up for a shoot. It is shot in time lapse and ends with her picture being Photoshop-ed, it shows the transformation of this girl into something that looks nothing like the original girl. The end product is a girl who looks so familiar; she’s in magazine, in ads, in movies, but not sitting next to you and not walking past you in the street.

I applaud this ad and all the dove is trying to do. It not only showcases Dove’s brand and their cause in a great light, but they are planting the seeds for a counter culture movement; some may even call it a revolution.

Read some more about it on Ad Age:

Lexus' Unparalleled Parking



See for yourself, if you haven’t witnessed the miracle at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q9d--Jb1I0

Girls, you’re gonna love this, no more people honking at you while you try to see behind you.

The new Lexus LS is truly “unprecedented”. I couldn’t have agreed with this statement more. Like I just saw the parting of the Red Sea, their two launching commercials just make me drop my jaw every time I’ve seen it. Without frills, glitz, and excess fluff, the commercial just highlights the cars uber distinctive benefit: no hands parallel and back-in parking. How is this possible? Are we approaching the futuristic age in which we won’t have to do anything for ourselves? It seems that it is so. According to the advertisement, the Luxury Sedan will steer itself into a parking using sensors and backup cameras, called the Advanced Parking Guidance System. It can parallel park and back-in-park “with only minimal brake work from driver”, says their website. Although you do have to do some brake work, I think that the maneuvering is the hardest part, and Lexus addresses and solves that problem in a fantastically stylish way.

In just a simple presentation of what their product can do, it wouldn’t have been hard to create a successful advertisement with such an ingenious product, but they showcased in its naturally classy and sophisticated way. In fact, in one commercial, they use a pyramid of champagne glasses in the place of cars. But I can’t say enough just how much I appreciate something that shows the consumer, straight up, what their product does. Lexus doesn’t bullshit or drown a legitimately good product in fluff. Clearly, it is nothing like anything else on the market, although I am sure others will be soon to follow, only the people who are truly interested in being at the fore front of the technologically advanced. Lexus’ advertisements call it like they see it, and from here, it looks amazing.

View the Demo at Lexus:
http://www.lexus.com/models/LS/

Not Shaken or Stirred, Anymore


Watch the Casino Royale/ Heineken commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uexH46G0QNc

The highly anticipated new James Bond movie, Casino Royale, teamed up with Heineken to advertise the movie and beverage. 007 doesn’t drink martinis or Red Stripe, like the last product placement in the last movie, anymore, he drinks Heineken. Although he doesn’t even make an appearance in his own commercial, its still all about the stealthy spy moves by the new Bond girl.

Although we know that a server is carrying it on a tray and enters the elevator with it, Eva Green, the Bond girl leaves the elevator, races the server to a room and supposedly beats him up outside of it. She picks up the Heineken, takes it into the room, pops the cap and smiles. Although I don’t get what specific message they are trying to send, or if they are just merely trying to associate themselves with it, but they really need to pick up pace for the next commercial.

But TMC News says that “The commercial has all the ingredients of a Bond film - sophistication, suspense and action, with a twist of humour”, although I have to disagree. Later, after much research, I come to find that:
“The plot shows James Bond's co-star Vesper Lynd entering Hotel Splendide to rendezvous with Bond in his room; In Casino Royale, Vesper is sent by 'M' to keep a watchful eye on Bond. And n the Heineken ad, Vesper's mission continues. As she strides across the lobby, she observes some suspicious activity. In the end, Vesper gets her Heineken”, says TCM News.

Now that makes more sense, but shouldn’t a good ad say it all for itself, unless it wants you to search more info out at their website? Well, I don’t believe that is what the 007 and Heiniken people had in mind. But this is the only time that lead Bond actors are featured in brand advertsisng campaign linked to Casino Royale”.
Eva Green is in the “print, outdoor advertising, and consumer competitions to win exclusive James Bond prizes, merchandise and on- and off premise promotions”, states TMC News

I still feel that for a ground-breaking "six figure promotional partnership" the creative team could have come up with a lot of more impressive things that 'go bang' for that commercial, seeing as how it could have featured cool spy gear, awesome fighting scenes, and maybe next time, even, Bond himself. I wonder why they chose this typical situation for the commercial, and why its not even Daniel Craig’s real voice, according to AdJab, and many other sources.
In accordance with my questions, Heineken International had that said, "Partnerships with the international film industry are an important part of our global marketing strategy to further increase the premium Heineken brand equity and accelerate the growth of the brand, which is available in almost every country in the world. Through experiencing the World of Bond, both on and off screen, Heineken connects with its urban young adult consumers worldwide and drives desirability and demand for the brand." Great. Not as an inspiring an answer, as I originally thought. But, I still don’t see those gadgets?


Read about it at:
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/10/27/2023109.htmhttp://www.adjab.com/2006/10/27/james-bond-drinks-heineken-video/

Read why it didn’t make sense, and why no one can tell what its about, at:
http://www.canmag.com/news/4/3/5440