Commentary

Out to Launch

Scotch and SodaDutch fashion label Scotch & Soda is repaying consumers that “like” its Facebook page by liking them back. A digital installation in the brand’s flagship Amsterdam store displays the name of loyal fans across black-and-white images from this season’s collection. “Thanks, we like you too” launched yesterday and remains through Jan. 2. Perfect Fools created the installation.

 

NissanLeafThe Nissan LEAF is celebrating its first birthday, and electrical sockets are singing. The ad takes viewers throughout homes, keeping a close eye on electrical sockets and power surges singing “Happy Birthday” to the Nissan LEAF. Living room sockets, nightlight sockets, a little girl’s bedroom socket and even the garage socket take part in the celebration. More than 19,000 cars were purchased, equaling 32 million gas-free miles driven. See the ad here, created by TBWA/Chiat/Day.

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Travelers InsuranceGive a dog a bone and he’ll wind up with a motley crew of pooches trying to get their paws on it. And so begins “New Bone,” the latest ad for Travelers Insurance. Realizing he’s being followed, the pooch hightails it through streets, alleys and backyards until he reaches his final destination: the yard of his bloodhound friend, who has a bandaged paw and a cone around his head. The array of dogs witness the good deed and smile accordingly as the voiceover says, “thinking of others this holiday season.” Watch the ad here, created by Fallon Minneapolis.

 

PurinaPurina launched an adorable TV spot for its Veterinary Diets FortiFlora Nutritional Supplement brand. The ad touts the supplement’s probiotic benefits by first showing adorable dogs that are not feeling themselves. I love the opening scene with a Great Dane sprawled out on a bed, leaving little room for anyone else. Another star in the ad is Mishka, the talking Husky and YouTube celeb. Mishka is happy to feel better and shows it by saying “I love you” multiple times. See the ad here, created by Colle+McVoy.

 

Emergen-CEmergen-C created a Facebook app that lets you do more than post a short birthday or congratulatory message on a friend’s Facebook wall. Say It With Fruit sends a personalized video message sung by an orange MC, a robotic pomegranate and a pineapple, lemon and lime. Senders fill out the recipient’s name and answer a question, and a custom video for one of six different occasions is created. Choose from “Hooray, you were born”; “Something awesome happened, congrats”; “Baby, I'm thinking of you, baby”; “I owe you one”; “You can do it”; and “Just because we're Facebook friends.”  The videos are pretty funny. “I owe you one” is great. The fruits sing a song called “I’m forever grateful to you, too.” My favorite scene shows an orange singing “I’d cry for you,” as he’s standing next to an onion. Senders can post videos on their friend's Facebook Wall or send them by email. Walrus created the campaign.

WalmartI had high hopes for cuteness when I saw that Walmart had released a video of a yodeling cat in an effort to promote its Internet-ready electronics. In reality, I’m creeped out. The adorable white cat, complete with festive Christmas hat, sings “Jingle Bells” in a yodeling manner. I just can’t get past the human mouth yodeling away on the cute cat. The video is brandless until its conclusion, when a circular ornament pops into focus saying, “Merry Christmas. Walmart.” Watch the video here, created by The Martin Agency.

 

CatventI like this use of cats much more. Big Fuel teamed up with The Humane Society of NY to create the 2011 Catvent Calendar. It’s an online advent calendar that unveils a new cat each day that’s available for adoption. Each cat is featured in a 30-second, high-quality video. In one video, Chic Chi is dressed as the Hubble telescope. In another, Hampton the cat wears neon to pay tribute to the first display of neon lighting in 1910. Of the 14 cats revealed, four have been adopted. Here’s hoping all 31, and then some, find suitable homes.

 

Best BuyThe latest spot in Best Buy’s holiday campaign "Game on, Santa," features a Kristen Wiig look-alike who gives Santa a run for his money. In "Convenience," a woman orders a laptop online and picks it up at her local Best Buy. The Best Buy saleswoman remarks that Santa has some competition, prompting the woman into competitive action. The woman waits for Santa on the roof of her house and starts a “Ho, Ho, Ho” contest. At first, Santa thinks this is fun and cute and goes along, until he realizes the woman is ready to take Santa down. And she does, sort of. She ends her territorial rant by kicking the plastic Santa off her roof. “Game on, Santa,” closes the ad, seen here, and created by CP+B.

 

Castello CheeseA TV and online campaign for Castello Cheese showcases the Marquis de Castello, a man passionate about his taste for cheese, women and wild parties. Set in a lavish castle in the 18th century, the ad highlights the different moods stimulated by different cheese flavors. One cheese stimulates conversation, another gets the party jumping, and the final cheese gets partygoers in the mood for love. Watch it here. Mother London created the ad, edited by Fresh Editorial

 

Webroot AppRandom iPhone App of the week: Webroot is known for protecting consumers’ online data. For the holidays, the company also wants to protect your social media dignity with “The Holiday Party Sobriety Test.” The free app is a mobile version of Webroot’s “Social Media Sobriety Test,” introduced in 2010. The app suggest events where over-sharing should be kept to a minimum. The app begins by asking users to spin a wheel and then perform one of five random sobriety tests, like aligning two images or a shootout game. If you fail, the app locates the closest pizza place, pharmacy, taxi or motel. If you pass, the app directs you elsewhere, like a local bar, for instance. TDA_Boulder created the app, available in the App Store.

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