January 20, 2011

Colbert and the artist

Friend of AC, best man of JJ, and super art guy Wade Hampton was the first artist featured in the Colbert's Nation user generated art contest. More evidence that the AC nation still rules. You may or may not remember Wade from this old AC episode about creativity.

Posted by John on January 20, 2011 at 08:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: AC News , Consumer Content , Current Affairs , Design , Entertainment , Pop Culture , Television , The Creative Life , The real world

November 11, 2010

Snow White Redux

This track is created with vocal syllables, musical chords and sound effects recorded from the 1937 Disney classic Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. A lot more cool stuff here.

Posted by John on November 11, 2010 at 08:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Consumer Content , Entertainment , Film , Movies , Music , Pop Culture , The Creative Life

September 20, 2010

A real revolution in social media.

You've probably seen this. I hadn't. This is right up my comedic alley. Best touch? "France likes this." 

Posted by John on September 20, 2010 at 03:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Classics , Consumer Content , Copywriting , Current Affairs , Entertainment , Pop Culture , Social Media , The Creative Life , The real world , Web/Tech

August 04, 2010

TheFunTheory.com Blows My Mind

I may be late to this party but I don't care: This shit is amazing. The thesis as put forth by thefuntheory.com:

This site is dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. Be it for yourself, for the environment, or for something entirely different, the only thing that matters is that it’s change for the better.

As proven by the piano/stairs video, they got it totally right. Add the fact that they also have a contest to crowdsource more ideas that prove their thesis,  with videos and voting and such and the whole thing goes from great to simply brilliant. Seriously.

The biggest thing for me though, is who is sponsoring the whole thing. Right, it's VW. They are paying somebody to manage the site, to do the original stunts and to maintain the whole thing. Yet aside from the front page of the site, I don't see a VW logo anywhere. Or a picture of a car. Or a link to our newest TV campaign. Or even a list of correctly-spelled dealer names. Sure you've got a © Volkswagen at the bottom, but of course you're gonna get that.

My questions: 
1. How do we get our clients to sponsor this kind of "initiative"? There's clearly a shocking amount of earned media here, but, as you guys know, that's really difficult to pin an ROI onto.

2. Are some clients just too unsophisticated or simply unwilling to greenlight a project like this? And if so, is there any way to get them to change their thinking?

3. What can you do that takes a non-advertising idea and turns it into way to get your clients earned media and, dare I say, viral attention?

In all, I think this is about the most awesome thing I've seen in awhile. What do you guys think?

Posted by Tug McTighe on August 04, 2010 at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brave New Marketing , Consumer Content , Current Affairs , Entertainment , Marketing Trends

August 28, 2009

Recently dumped? The iPhone can help.

If you can't laugh at the dark thoughts of the recently dumped, honestly, what can you laugh at. Genius little details (check the calendar reference) make this worth several viewings. Don't thank us. Thank @benkunz and Thought Gadgets.

Posted by John on August 28, 2009 at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Consumer Content , Current Affairs , Entertainment , The real world , Web/Tech

June 16, 2009

Creative kids make me happy.

In a day when creative education is getting slashed left and right it's heartening to see a public school program really engaging kids. I also love seeing that. while most of the kids are into it, there are still more than a few faces getting made.

Posted by John on June 16, 2009 at 03:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Consumer Content , Current Affairs , Pop Culture , The Creative Life

May 30, 2008

Bushnell: A million bucks for a Bigfoot.

Bushnell makes all kinds of yummy optics and cool electronic gadgets. From binocs, to laser range finders to GPS units to scopes to trail cameras. You know what a trail camera is don't you? You attach it to a tree somewhere deep in the forest and it waits patiently until it senses movement. Then it clicks off a few frames. The idea is to photograph nature without all that human intervention stuff. Sometimes the results are pretty interesting. Like the photo of the raccoon who decided to take a ride on the back of the boar.

Now comes the report that Bushnell seems to be preparing to offer a cool million to the first person who can capture indisputable proof of the Sasquatch with one of their trail cameras. As noted, the Sasquatch is an advertising favorite and probably deserves a spot here.

In any case, a tip of the hat to our friends at Bushnell. The promotion is coming soon. The buzz is starting now.

Posted by John on May 30, 2008 at 01:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Brave New Marketing , Consumer Content , Marketing to Men , Pop Culture , Science , Sports

July 23, 2007

Hide your Harry Potter Shame.

For those of you who just can't admit in public that you're devouring the new Harry Potter book, there's this nifty user-generated solution. Handier than a Weasley product.

Posted by John on July 23, 2007 at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Books , Consumer Content , Pop Culture

June 18, 2007

Mash it up with Adobe.

Adobe Systems is looking for an ad. And you can make it. The “Take Creative License” contest gives entrants the opportunity to mash-up images available on the Adobe Stock Photos library and create an ad for the Adobe Stock Photos Service. The winning entry will be published in the September issue of Graphic Design USA Magazine along with an editorial highlight about the designer and their design process.

Go get 'em kids.

Posted by John on June 18, 2007 at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brave New Marketing , Consumer Content , Design , Web/Tech

May 22, 2007

Marvel vs. DC.

Conservatives vs. liberals. PCs vs. Macs. DC vs. Marvel. Some tribal skirmishes never grow old. Check out the rest of the series, too.

Side debate: Is Batman really the most Marvelicious of the DC characters? Which characters from which comic universe could or should switch? Let your geek flags fly, people.

Posted by John on May 22, 2007 at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brands , Consumer Content , Current Affairs , Entertainment , Pop Culture