• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, May 11, 2011

HBO launched an amusing campaign for HBO GO, a service that allows HBO subscribers to watch HBO content on their iPad, iPhone and other broadband-connected platforms. Now you can take shows like "Hung" and "True Blood" into the waiting room at your doctor's office. The spots illustrate a typical day for most people: boring and repetitive, until something ridiculous happens. HBO GO lets users escape reality, for however brief a period. A woman in a doctor's office can't get enough of the "Pen" she's writing with. Makes her almost want to check all the ailment boxes. Watch it here. Everyone has had an "Elevator" conversation like the one seen here. Weekends always go by too fast. What words sounds stranger the more times you say it: tuxedo, pajama or beluga? Decide here. "Fan" is my favorite ad. A co-worker speaks directly into a fan, altering his voice. His lunching co-worker is not amused. See it here. "The story you could be watching is better than the one you're in," closes each ad, created by BBDO New York.

Volkswagen launched two TV spots promoting its CC and Tiguan vehicles. The 2012 CC has a rearview camera option, which comes in handy when a son tries to take his dad's car for a joyride. The father wrote the car's mileage in chalk on the driveway, allowing the son's fun to end before it began. See it here. "Piñata" is funny. A kid at a birthday party tries to break a car-shaped piñata and it won't budge, despite some powerful hits. The piñata moves to reveal a VW logo, meaning it's built like a Volkswagen. Watch it here. Deutsch LA created the campaign.

Castrol EDGE launched its first global campaign, consisting of TV, online and print elements. The TV ad is currently running in the U.S. and will roll out in Europe, Latin America and Asia throughout the summer. Castrol EDGE is thoroughly tested at an outdoor facility in an undisclosed desert location. The oil allows large machinery to perform at peak levels for longer periods than Castrol SYNTEC. Watch "Tested to Perfection" here, created by Ogilvy and Mather NY and produced by Psyop.

I can't get enough of "The Gas and the Brake," a TV spot for Hertz introducing "Horatio," an animated mascot voiced by Owen Wilson. The spot asks viewers if they are the gas (dangerous and exciting) or the brake (conservative and reserved) in life. The ad follows a boy and a girl on their journey through life. Jason is the brake while his female pal is the gas. Jason is squeamish when dissecting a frog while his friend outfits her frog in a dress. When it comes to camping, Jason almost becomes dinner for a bear while his friend catches dinner with her mouth. Who needs a fishing pole and bait? See it here. There's even a fun microsite where consumers can take The Gas or Brake quiz to determine which persona best suits them. There's also The Decider Game, where visitors pick which Facebook friends are "Gas" or "Brakes." DDB New York created the TV spot and G2 created the microsite.

Smirnoff launched a TV and online campaign this week to promote its malt mixed drinks, using the tag line: "It's like having a bartender in your fridge." And in this campaign, party throwers have a "fridgetender" inside their fridge or cooler who looks like Josh Brolin. The fridgetender high-fives a partygoer who is walking home from the festivities in one ad, seen here. An online ad shows a fridgetender pouring a glass of cranberry and lime vodka for a Web surfer. Sadly, the drink can't penetrate the computer screen. Watch it here. A woman has a tough time deciding what to drink in the next ad, seen here. Good thing she has a man in her fridge. Fridgetender moves outdoors to serve two men different flavors of Smirnoff drinks. In other words, fridgetender must move from cooler to cooler in a seamless manner. Would he be a coolertender in this ad? Watch it here. JWT New York created the campaign.

Mars Chocolat France launched a print and outdoor campaign informing consumers about the difference between freezing a candy bar to eat and Mars ice cream bars. The difference is simple: the ice cream bars contain ice cream, so they'll melt fast in warm weather. Three ads feature kids with looks of despair, having dropped their ice cream on the ground. The kids are holding candy wrappers rather than cones, but the melted mess is real. See the ads here, here and here, created by CLM BBDO.

Dial for Men launched a TV ad promoting dirt... Camp Dirt. Camp takes place in Granby, Colorado and looks like a dirty, yet fun time. Too bad it's for men only. I've always wanted to have a paintball war. Men can play paintball, slide down muddy hills, have a bulldozer drag race and blow things up! The ad closes with Dial for Men's Facebook page, where men can enter for a chance to play in the dirt for three days. Watch the ad here, created by Red Tettemer + Partners.

Women are training to save men from making unmanly choices in this ad for Miller Lite. This spot resembles most scenes from "Baywatch": women in single-colored bathing suits running on the beach in slow motion. Women climb over rope walls, perform squats while passing 12 packs of beer to one another (not a bad medicine ball replacement) and take educational classes on how men can win prizes by drinking Miller Lite. Cue the promo for Tastepoints.com. Watch the ad here, created by Draftfcb, Chicago.

Random iPad App of the week: Chick-fil-A created a series of comic books with its cow mascots taking on the additional role of superhero. These comics are given away in kids' meals and are now available in a free iPad app. Read about the adventures of Cowborg, Cold Cuts, deciBell, Swatter and the Gristle Missile. I'm sure their job is to encourage consumers to eat more chicken. Engauge developed by app, available in the App Store.