• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, December 8, 2010

HBO launched its holiday TV spots Monday, starring fans of HBO series like "Entourage" and "True Blood" reenacting scenes using homemade, cheap, props. How about springing for the shows on DVD or Blu-ray, instead? Awww, Sookie. She has so little to say when she's made of cardboard. A husband reenacts his wife's favorite episode of "True Blood," playing the role of Bill. There's fog, cardboard character cut-outs, set pulleys and a decent imitation of Bill Compton's raspy voice. Watch it here. A woman surprises her man with an episode of "Entourage" told through a gaming board, miniature-sized characters and remote control helicopter. She's promptly cut off with the sound of a channel changing to a static station, along with HBO's plea: "This holiday, leave the HBO to us." See it here. Those with a Webcam can go online and reenact a scene from "True Blood" or "Eastbound and Down" using sock puppets. Move your hands and the AR-sock puppets move, too. See a demonstration here. BBDO New York created the campaign.

"Something's Lurking" in your carpet, and it's not safe, even for plastic dolls and green army men. Promoting the LG Kompressor Elite vacuum, this global video brings hidden dust, dirt and allergens to the top of a rug, in the form of sharks trolling for dinner and hurricane-strength winds. Barbie gets stuck in between couch cushions, unbeknownst to Ken; shark fins begin to swim dangerously close to stuffed animals; a rescue mission is conducted, with army men helping stranded animals to higher ground: the coffee table. The spot ends with the LG Kompressor vacuuming away the particles. "Protect your family from things that are lurking," closes the ad, seen here. Young & RubicamNew York created the video, produced by Psyop and Smuggler.

That's not snow in the air; it's flakes from scratch-off lottery tickets. Walk with your mouth closed. The New York Lottery launched a holiday TV ad encouraging consumers to make their own holiday by giving the gift of scratch-offs. Flurries of people throughout New York are shown walking and scratching tickets. The dust flies upward, resembling snow. Onlookers know what the flakes are really made of. See it here. Users can even go online to create a customized holiday song, sung by a man full of holiday spirit. Plug in your name, Zip code and birthday, and the man sings your praises. Why the Zip code? The song ends with Google Maps popping up, directing video viewers to the closest town that sells the perfect gift: New York Lotto scratch-offs. Just for fun, I'm throwing in an enjoyable New York Powerball TV ad from earlier this year where dreaming big made the sky the limit for one man. He exits the subway, right before the ceilings get smaller. Or is the man getting bigger? He's taller than buildings, petting clouds and seeing the city with new eyes. Watch it here. DDB New York created the campaigns.

What's inside Santa's beard? Would you believe D.B. Cooper? The Oregon Lottery launched "Beard World," an ad promoting its holiday scratch-off game, "What's In Santa's beard?" There's a candy cane that pours syrup from sinks, a headless snowman retrieving his head from the freezer, a walrus flossing his tusks and D.B. Cooper, still attached to his parachute. More importantly, there's the chance to win $10,000. See the ad here. There's also a microsite offering users the chance to win $2,000 plus daily videos showing a new thing found inside Santa's beard. Borders Perrin Norrander created the campaign, produced by Nathan Love and Mothership.

The Illinois Lottery wants you to "Joy Someone" with holiday scratch-off tickets. An amusing TV spot highlights people on your gift list whom you're unsure what to get. How better to thank your tailor who works wonders on your over-sized clothes, or your co-worker who's blessed with the talent of baking life-like cakes? Yes, I did have a Lionel Richie "Hello" video flashback. Watch the ad here. Get ready for a microsite that allows users to upload photos of themselves in awkward positions. Think of the site AwkwardFamilyPhotos for inspiration. Pictures can be shared through email, Twitter and Facebook. Energy BBDO created the campaign. FYI: those awkward photos found on the microsite are actually Energy BBDO employees.

France is a country not necessarily known for its beer, but the country has produced Fischer Beer since 1821. A print campaign amusingly promotes the beer, along with other things France created that you might not know about. Creative uses the term "InFrenchions" to describe the work of French inventors. The parachute was invented in France, after it was tested using a dog. The modern bikini was also founded in France, along with the ménage-a-trois. How could the latter be ignored? See the ads here, here and here, created by HOOK.

Toshiba laptops are made to withstand 99% of drops. I wonder if unrealistic events are also factored into this research -- like woodpeckers. The brand launched a print ad in GQ, Details, Outside, Glamour, SELF and Men's Health magazines featuring an unlikely foe to a laptop placed on a glass-top table with wooden legs. A trio of woodpeckers is dangerously close to pecking through the legs. Promoting its impact-smart hard drives, copy reads: "another common sense innovation in a not so common sense world." See the ad here, created by goodness Mfg.

Online poker site Full Tilt Poker launched a TV and print campaign, shot in black and white, and showcasing professional poker players who make up Team Full Tilt. "Average Night" features a player having his ups and downs. Over his shoulder are his biggest critics and supporters: himself. "Feel every emotion. Show none," closes the ad, shown here. In "Play Like Me," a professional player describes how he learned to play poker by mimicking his idols. As time passed, he gained confidence to develop his own playing personality and technique. See it here. Print ads, shown here, here and here, make losing look beautiful and winning look pretty sweet, too. WONGDOODY created the campaign.

Random iPhone App of the week: NCM Media Networks launched its Movie Night Out app to help users plan a night of dinner and a movie. The app can recommend a movie based on the kind of evening a user has in mind. Users can also read reviews, watch trailers and buy tickets via Fandango. Directions to theaters can be mapped out on Google Maps and shared with friends on Facebook, Twitter and email. The app is free from the App Store.