Ad Crunch

Ever wondered about a web application that converts your inbox into a social networking hubb? If yes then it has arrived and if no then acknowledge Xoopit. The product which was released with initial client support for Google’s Gmail has become faster and is quickly gaining popularity among netizens. It enables you a single- click-multi-function facility. With it, you can browse Flickr, YouTube, Kodak, Picasa, and Shutterfly. Share photos, send emails, exchange vids and do a lot more from the environs of your inbox. It also helps in organizing ur files, attachments and briefcases. And, in bonus stay connected with your pals via Facebook or comment on their blogs!!

Currently Xoopit beta is available as a Gmail plugin for FireFox , on the web and on iGoogle . The company envisions the plan to expand its offerings to webmail services like Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, and AOL in the long run. With the flooding of web applications day in and day out , will Xoopit be able to organize our digital life (as it claims to do) or clutter it even more remains to be tested.

Via WSJ

Weddings are usually associated with celebrations, laughter, fun, frolic, luxury, and grandiore. None of us can relate marriage to gore, bones and devil. The ads that have been recently launched by Agent Provocateur depict wedding in a horrible light. These white wedding ads feature the renowned model Kate Moss. She is looking absolutely appropriate in these ads. Her style is perfect, the looks are beautiful yet horrible. The ads simply create a feeling of fear and timidity in the onlookers minds. They are actually spellbounding. What is different about the ads is that these are in complete contrast to the photographs that were launched by the organisation some time ago. Those pictures displayed the sense of happiness and romance associated with marriage. Everything in them was beautiful, rosy and lovable.

The ads aspire to display a sense of the annihilation of the bride s wedding day, which would, then, give way to the coming up of the religious organisation behind it. The excellent concept has been wriiten by Joe Corré s, who is the founder of Agent Provacateur and it has been beautifully shot by Nick Knight. The ad is literally stunning and is overbrimming with innovation, excellence and originality.

Via Fashionolic

Well, the latest advertisement campaign by the renowned brand of jeans, Ichi Jeans, is exclusive and marvelous. It is in fact, a great way to attract audience for the ad and also consumers for the product. The product, indeed, is extremely fashionable and stylish. However, I feel that the advertisement creates an air of excitement around the jeans that has to be sold. Just have a look at the novel ad campaign by the company. The advertisements, no doubt are innovative in the extreme sense.

It is so different from the regular ads that we generally encounter for jeans. i am sure that the ad would be successful in appealing the target audience, a great deal. it is exclusive and a master piece of art.

The advertisement features a babe, wearing the branded jeans, and standing stylishly, among the group of various animals. The babe has posed with various humans cum animals. These are cows, monkeys, chickens and birds. Well, the strategy is to signify that you would look like a babe in front of others (who appear to be animals), if you wear the very fashionable Ichi Jeans.

I really love this ad and am sure that I would go forward to buy this tag as soon as possible. i am extremely impressed by this brilliant ideology working behind the concept of this advertisement. Simply wonderful!

Via Fashionolic

Levis is back with a bang. Scowling A.D. went to LA to click them with the very dependable, photographer Joseph Rodriguez. Well, if you didn’t know Rodriguez also has the much admired book called ‘Gangs of East L.A’ to his credit. Coming back to the ad campaign, I feel it makes more sense the more pictures your see.

It has been executed so well! Levis had lately begun to lack a sense of exclusivity and identity but now it seems to be back in action. No doubt the ad is very impressive. I liked it a lot though the firing squad and the cheerleaders were a bit weak with so little expression on their faces. The dad is just too good with his cowl.

The ad succeeds because of the personal touch in it. The reactions are real and the world is real too. The ad makes you wonder what exactly does Levis’ range of ‘Original misfits’ do to you to prompt such reactions. And the rebellious part of us will definitely make us try ’em out too.

More:

Via ScampBlog

What do you think of nudity and advertising? And the endless arguments which say that showing a naked woman in ad campaigns is okay as long as their nipples are not showing. Wonder when it became a rule that it is religiously being followed by so many. How can one forget hundreds and thousands of videos on YouTube (which doesn’t like nudity) and Flickr (which can’t get enough nudity) show women barring their upper body except for the nipples? Mexico recently had an ad that featured a woman minus the nipples. Yeah, it was an ad for Mia seamless lingerie.

]I can’t imagine anything fruitful coming out of this ‘voyeuristic debate’ about whether women should be shown fully naked in ads or not? The mindset behind is clearly hollow and superficial because it tries to do nothing more than tease the viewers. How else would you expect an audience to react if you are trying to titillate him or her by shamelessly showing all parts of a woman except for her nipples? The approach is very crass! I think the debate should be between presenting a naked woman aesthetically and showing a nude lady to just tickle the sexual desires? What would you choose?

Essential Specks:
Published: November 2007
Advertising Agency: Teran/TBWA Mexico
Creative Directors: Joaquín Maldonado, Daniel Pablos, Yasser Flores
Art Director: Yasser Flores
Copywriters: Eduardo Rodriguez, Daniel Pablos
Photographer: Rames

Via AdsOfTheWorld

True North launched by PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay last year is a line of healthy snacks and now, the non-roster shop StrawberryFrog has been roped in by them for the creative duties. True North offers baked crackers and premium nuts targeted at health-conscious consumers. Aurorra Gonzalzez of Frito-Lay says, “We were looking at options to expand out portfolio and build on our health and wellness commitment, so True North was born.”

StrawberryFrog’s appointment is of importance because Omnicom Group shops had been handling most PepsiCo brands, ranging from Lays and Cheetos to Flat Earth. But it isn’t clear if other roster shops were involved in the pitch for this position. Omnicom design’s Wolff Olins in New York is responsible for name, packaging and story behind the brand over the past year. Wolff Olins has been referring calls to Frito-Lay.

True North will be available in stores by mid of this year. As StrawberryFrog handles the creative side of the product, OMD will be tackling the media duties, our sources shared. True North is the third healthy snack from Frito-Lay, Sun Chips (multi-grain chips) and Flat Earth (vegetable crisps) being the first two. Watch out for that silver pouch with the slogan “100% healthy” on the front that’s True North for you!

Read

McDonalds is out of the obesitywagon that lurks in every school canteen. I got to learn of it from a very interesting blog, which read as follows:

Deer Mac Donalds,
How could you remuv ads from report cardz just becuz parents got made at you for puting them their? Does this mean if I get good grads I kant get frys no moor? I had perfect attandence last yeer and got a C in Citicenship and got frys and apple pyes. The pyes was good, thanks. I m lovin it. 1 day maybe I can werk for you so I hop you wont regect my applecation for a job. I see myself in middl managment.

`Sinceerly,
Daved Gianatasio
Grade 5

What a laugh! Kudos to the brain behind it because the language and the carefully chosen words give a complete wash over to the Big Mac which has been the bone of contention for most parents. Yes, believe it or not but McDonald s was having itself featured on report cards for publicity. Which was a cool move considering the fact that school kids want to be treated at McDs when they stand first in the school exams and they also need the same burger and fries combo when their grades aren t good enough, the ultimate morale booster you see. But parents raised a lot of hue and cry and finally, the schools had to give in. Having li l ones pig on the burger or French fries isn t every progenitor s dream. Imagine the big blobs of fat they end up becoming due to such an unhealthy diet.

The school definitely had to suffer the loss of a good sponsor. But priorities need to be set right. Perhaps, educational institutions need to be more aware of their responsibilities towards the students. Kids need to be shaped in a healthy and fulsome environment.

Via AdWeek

Santa would be gleaming of joy after he has finished reading this blog. Guess what, nearly one in 10 Americans (26.4 million people to be precise) this season visited OfficeMax s ElfYourself. It is a holiday site that allows users to paste images of their faces onto dancing elves. The number of visitors went up ten times more than last year, which was also the site’s first year of existence. Anne Bologna, founding partner and president of Toy, New York, the mastermind agency behind the elf idea, says that it is a digital phenomenon.
But the big question is: Did OfficeMax really benefit with a surrogate ad campaign like this? Director Hitwise Research, an internet-tracking agency, Heather Dougherty says, “The danger with such ads is that they are cute and funny but not related to the brand.” However, Office Max came out to be a winner. As per Dougherty, “Office Max” was one of the 20 most searched terms in December.

“This is just what we wanted to achieve,” exclaims Bob Thacker, senior VP-marketing and advertising at OfficeMax. He goes on to add, “We wanted to be talked about and look what a little bit of image warming did to our brand.” And the best is yet to come. This little elfish participation affair cost less than a TV ad which is usually priced between $300,000 and half a million dollars.

Via AdAGE

Like they say charity begins at home. And Samuel Zell, the real estate biggie, seems to be a keen follower of the adage. His latest effort is to bring a substantial change in the culture of his newest acquisition and first media company, The Tribune.  Remember that lovely document that is actually every worker’s bible…the employee manual? Well, the Tribune CEO for interactive and broadcasting Randy Michaels was tapped by Zell to rewrite the company’s employee manual.

The Los Angeles Times (a Tribune publication) reports that the document has shrunk from 11,519 words to 3,663 words and is nothing like the incomprehensible document that it used to be. The lawyered gobbledygook has been modified to make it more reader friendly. Please read through the opening of the manual, which goes as follows:

Rule number 1: Use your best judgment.

Rule number 2: See Rule 1.

No doubt Zell is using his cutting edge thinking to redo the company fundamentals. And if the employees would also do the same, Tribune land will be a great place work wise producing great results.

Via AdPulp

For the ultimate dishwashing experience, try Yes. This is just what the ad by the famous dishwashing company seems to say and that too with a striking elegance. The concept signifies not only the effectiveness of the product but also its classiness. One must understand that the product is slightly mundane, although an important part of a household, but the ad succeeds in glamour-ising it.

The brilliant shine strikes the eye of the observer and grabs attention immediately. And the reflection of the brand name makes this ad a sure winner. The ad creator has completely understood that the ad is the mirror of the brand it works for. Another interesting aspect of this idea is the absence of a catchy one-liner, not that it mars the beauty of the place it is used at. But the fact that it is not there highlights the simplicity of the feature; in other words, Yes is very user friendly which again comes across as a strong point for dishwasher makers.

Via Adland