Commentary

Out to Launch

If only life ran this smoothly. Sprint Nextel launched "Wedding," an amusing TV spot that posed the question: "What if film crews ran the world?" Weddings would play out just as they do in movies: without a hitch. The ad touts Nextel's direct connect with GPS tracking feature that enables all crewmembers to stay in constant contact. The rain stops, the perfect lighting is achieved, the location of the wedding cake is tracked and a stand-in groom is used to replace the actual one, who's suffering from last-minute jitters. Watch the ad here. Goodby Silverstein & Partners created the campaign, directed by Jim Jenkins of O Positive.

Having unruly hair clearly makes you as unattractive and undesirable as Medusa. And milk will fix that. The California Milk Processor Board launched "Medusa," its latest Spanish-language TV spot, targeting Latina women. A princess remains unmarried, due to unruly hair. The father offers his daughter's hand in marriage to the man who can tame her locks. Weapons and contraptions yield little help; a peasant gives the princess a single glass of milk that turns her snake-like hair straight, shiny and lustrous. The two marry and live happily ever after. Another Hollywood ending. "Toma Leche," concludes the ad, seen here. Grupo Gallegos created the campaign and handled the media buy. Psyop handled the animation.

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Apple launched three Mac vs. PC TV ads and one online ad featuring John Hodgman and Justin Long. A woman is looking for an ideal computer in "Elimination." A group of PCs are winnowed down to meet her needs, until she requests a computer free of viruses. "Ugh, she's all yours, Mac," quips PC. Watch the ad here. The difference between Mac customer service and PC customer service is apparent in the next ad, seen here. PC hosts his own radio show in "PC Choice Chat." Each caller is deemed a crank caller or abruptly hung up on once the query makes Macs appear more favorable than PCs. See it here. The online contextual ad, "Booby Trap," ran on sites like Wired, PC Mag, PC World, CNN Money, The Onion and About.com, among others. PC is disgruntled that PCMag gave a glowing review of iLife 09, so he decides to set up a booby trap online that will shock anyone that clicks a link to demo iLife. His trap backfires and PC winds up shocking himself instead. Watch it here. TBWA/Media Arts Lab created the campaign and handled the media buy.

Hot McDonald's French fries are so tasty that if you drop one in your car, it is worth contorting your hand between the seats, where the unknown lies, to retrieve it. I can honestly say that I've done this more than once. Two friends are riding in a car when the passenger drops a fry between the seats. Viewers find out what lurks in this uncharted territory: loose change, pen caps, crumbs and, most important, a legion of little people who inhabit this terrain, searching every last crevice for food. The fry drops and the hungry army screams with joy until the passenger finds his missing fry. "Trust me. No one wants this more than me," says the guy as he eats his found fry. I would have at least blown on it, before I ate it. Watch the ad here. DDB Chicago created "No Fry Left Behind," which was directed by Tim Godsall of Biscuit Filmworks.

WE tv launched a TV, print and online campaign promoting the upcoming season of "Bridezillas." Don't mess with a bride on her wedding day -- or prepare for the consequences. Bridezillas, however, take expected hiccups in the wedding planning process and overreact times 100. The TV spot shows a priest with a black eye, a bridesmaid with mascara running down her face, a cook covered in food, a photographer thrown down a flight of church stairs, and a handful of brides wreaking havoc on those who stand in their way of having the perfect wedding. See the ad here. A print ad, seen here, shows a content bride standing in front of crying bridesmaids, an injured priest and a chef wearing his creation. Filter Advertising created the campaign and Media Storm handled the media buy.

The Museum of Modern Art created a 90-second film in an effort to attract a wide range of people to appreciate modern and contemporary art. "I See" follows an uninterested man listening to an audio guide while viewing "Symphony Number One," a sculpture created by Vladimir Baranoff-Rossine in 1913. The man's night at the museum takes on a different tone when the audio guide's narration turns personal, by referencing the man being chastised by his boss, the rhythm of a train, a kiss and the laughter of friends. His attention piqued, the man exits the museum with a different perspective on things he encounters. See the video here, the first in an annual series of commissioned films by rising filmmakers. TAXI created the ad, directed by Azazel Jacobs.

Best Western launched an online video that mocks the recent slew of Congressional hearings outing large corporations that asked for bailout money while holding expensive executive retreats. A Congressman begins to shame a corporate bigwig by naming perks and amenities received on a recent retreat. The man replies, "We were at a Best Western." "OK, then," replies the Congressman, who changes the topic du jour to steroid usage in professional sports. See the ad here, created by ISM.

This ad is a couple of months old, but it stars the irresistible E*TRADE baby. The adorable little guy is chatting with a group of friends, ribbing one of them for still shelling out money to a broker. "Well, he's a friend of my father's, though," replies the friend, as the babies howl with laughter. The best part is the baby seated in the back. He appears to be crying, not laughing. Watch the ad here. Grey New York created the ad and Sparks Media handled the media buy.

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