Commentary

Out to Launch

ToshibaToshiba thought of everything when crafting its TVs and laptops. In one ad, a flat-screen model is ready to ship if WiFi isn't included. This makes the head honcho think of every worst-case scenario possible, like when a plug that can't reach the TV causes a chain reaction that redirects a satellite, altering a car's GPS, directing a woman to drive off a cliff. And she does. Watch it here. Should a laptop ship without an impact-smart hard drive? Sure, if you love zombies. A laptop is dropped, then plugged into a power grid that leads to a North American power outage. Drinking spoiled milk turns people into zombies (who knew?) leading the head honcho to insist on an impact-smart hard drive, thereby avoiding the zombie apocalypse. See it here. goodness Mfg. created the ads, directed by Ulf Johansson of Smith and Jones.

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Sony/IntelThe conclusion of "Project Shiphunt" is 5:30 long, but worth watching. Back in May, Sony and Intel gave five high school students from Saginaw, Mich. a challenging mission: use Sony laptops with Intel core processors to locate shipwrecks in deep water off Presque Isle in Lake Huron. What an adventure. Working with scientists, the kids found a shipwreck, the M.F. Merrick. Watch it here. The kids also found a second shipwreck, the Etruria, all of which will be documented on an hour-long special Aug. 30 on Current Media. 180LA and @radical.media created the campaign. 

Powell Street PromenadeWhat I love most about this initiative is that a car company improved two blocks of pedestrian walkways for San Francisco resident and tourists. To promote the Audi A7, the brand and its agency, Venables Bell & Partners, teamed up with the Union Square Business Improvement District to launch The Audi Design Project: Progress on Powell Street. Designed by Walter Hood, The Powell Street Promenade transformed two blocks between Ellis and Geary Streets into an area where people can eat, relax and use free WiFi. An additional six feet of pedestrian space was added, making room for custom-designed aluminum benches, planters, tables, rails and bike parking. LED lights illuminate the space via power collected from solar panels. Check out the finished product here and here.  

Summer's EveIt takes a lot for me to talk back to the TV -- or the big screen, for that matter. But there I was last Saturday night, hunkering down to watch "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" when a preview started. Or so I thought. It was a look-back in time. There was a powerful Cleopatra addressing her legion of followers, men jousting for a woman's heart, kung-fu moves I swore Ang Lee was behind and a woman in the grocery store buying Summer's Eve for her "V." The teenage boys sitting nearby laughed awkwardly, I yelled out "WHAT?" and made a mental note to track this ad down so I could write about it today. "The V" campaign is not only running in National CineMedia's FirstLook pre-feature, but it's also a TV spot. See it here. There's also an educational Web site called "ID the V," where users can take a quiz to ID the V. The Richards Group created the campaign.

Heineken LightHeineken Light launched "Handlebar Moustache," the latest spot in its "Occasionally Perfect" campaign. The first ad highlighted the right and wrong times to rock a snakeskin jacket. This time around, it's an ode to the handlebar moustache. The modern-day man with the old-school facial hair has a hard time on crowded buses or kissing an acquaintance hello. When the man is thrust into a bare-knuckled boxing match, it's as if the planets have aligned. He knocks his opponent down and gets a kiss from a pretty lady watching the fight. See the ad here, created by Wieden+Kennedy New York.  

MTVMTV International launched "Bubblegum Love," an animated story of first love. It's 20 seconds of a teenage girl falling in love for the first time. Cue the butterflies in stomach, flying heart butts, exploding flowers and squirting volcanoes. Paging Dr. Freud. See the ad here, created by MTV World Design Studio Milan and directed by David Lobser of Blacklist

 

Jack DanielsJack Daniel's launched "As American As," a TV spot highlighting American-made objects from the past: a jukebox, old TV, motorcycle and electric guitar. "Here's to the American Spirit," closes the ad, along with a glass of Jack Daniel's. Watch it here. There's also a Facebook app chock full of creative and posters that users can download or purchase. Arnold Worldwide's Boston office created the campaign. 

 

USA Pro CyclingThe USA Pro Cycling Challenge launched a campaign today to promote its inaugural race in August. More than 100 professional cyclists will take on the terrain of the Colorado Rockies. Outdoor ads will run throughout Colorado, and print ads will be found in USA Today, The Denver Post and Velo News. My favorite print ad, seen here, shows a bevy of cyclists with the Rocky Mountains behind them. "Pain is climbing 12,000 feet and finishing second" reads the copy. VML created the campaign. 

Sausage AppRandom iPhone App of the week: Did you know that it's the Summer of Sausage? It is for Whole Foods Market's Mid-Atlantic region. But you don't have to live in the area to partake of the festivities. The company launched an app with recipes, a store locator, a sausage contest and a '60s-themed "dress your sausage" game. Come fall, the app will automatically update with a new seasonal food to eat. The Watsons created the free app, available in the App Store.

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