• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, March 30, 2011

GE launched a hysterical video that sheds light on one of the mysteries of life: where do missing socks go? A PSA for L.O.S.S. (Laundered and Orphaned Sock Society) shows the group holding a peaceful protest outside a laundromat to educate passersby about this serious problem. Pedestrians pass by the cheery clipboard-holding volunteers, uninterested in signing a petition. Volunteers chant: "They live in shoes, but socks are people, too." They carry quirky signs: "This socks," "Lint free or Die" and "Vicious Cycle." The society leader gets arrested. The video, seen here, drives users to SockLoss.com, where the "GE Center for Advanced Laundry Studies" answers sock-saving questions. Feel free to design a missing sock flyer, and enter a sweepstakes for a GE washer and dryer. LBi created the video.

 

Keeping with dryer issues, Farmers Insurance launched "Dryer Fire," illustrating, on an extreme level, how lint balls can cause massive problems for homeowners. Clean your lint filters! Training exercises take place at the University of Farmers, with Professor Nathaniel Burk, played by actor J.K. Simmons, at the helm. To demonstrate how 15,000 dryer fires occur yearly, Professor Burk takes a flamethrower to an oversized lint ball he crafted himself. See the ad here, created by RPA.

The Tokyo, Canada and Singapore offices of BBDO/Proximity created 1000Cranes4Japan.org, a site where users can create a message, placed on an origami crane, to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami. The site's origin comes from a Japanese legend where anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as recovery from illness. Visitors can add their messages of prayers and support and donate to the Japanese Red Cross.

Meet Smutley, an alley cat that sleeps with any animal he encounters. Smutley is part of an online campaign for AIDES, a French non-profit that encourages safe sex. "Protect yourself" also includes print and out-of-home elements, all promoting condom use. The online video stars Smutley in a black-and-white cartoon reminiscent of the "Steamboat Willie" era, until Joan Jett & the Blackhearts' "Bad Reputation" starts playing. Smutley comes across a turtle, rabbit, dolphin, seals, a roasting pig and elephant, to name a few, and he loves them all equally. "He's got nine lives. You only have one. Protect yourself," closes the video, shown here. In addition, a series of comic strips were created to encourage condom use. Illustrated by Nathan Fox, Cristiano Siqueria and Mike Kazaleh, each comic drives traffic to blahblahblahblah.org, a soon-to-launch Web site that offers tools and tips for talking about condoms with your partner. See the comics here, here, here, here and here, but be warned that they are NSFW. The final component of the campaign is a detailed map of a fictional theme park called SexLand, illustrated by Rod Hunt. The NSFW map, shown here and here, will be distributed in magazines and to the visitors of the Museum of Sex in New York. Goodby, Silverstein & Partners created the campaign.

The League Against Cancer (Liga Contra Cancer) launched a trio of print ads where adults and kids are shown shielding their eyes from the sun's harsh glare. So why do we sunbathe and go outdoors without using SPF, increasing our risk of developing skin cancer? "Obey your instinct" says each ad  -- while a girl on a swing, a sunbather and a man in direct sunlight shield their eyes from the sun. See the ads here, here and here, created by Y&R Peru.

Grey New York is capitalizing on the popularity of the mini-giraffe shown in its latest TV campaign featuring the Russian mogul who wants for nothing, no matter how excessive and unnecessary. Enter PetiteLapGiraffe.com, a site run by Sokoblovsky Farms, Russia's finest purveyors of miniature lap giraffes. The faux site has a mini-giraffe cam, pictures of calves and a waiting list for your own mini-giraffe. Copy is written in broken English, similar to how the Russian mogul communicates in the TV ads. Upon adding myself to the waiting list, I received this message:"I make #331,747 on waiting list for own premium Petite Lap Giraffe. A dream made true. If you like, you buy at Sokoblovsky Farms." I have a long wait ahead of me.

Regardless of the weather and road conditions Citroën faces in "Dominoes," the vehicle handles itself quite nicely. Each road factor or season is a domino that falls to the ground as Citroën approaches. The car drives through autumn leaves, rain, snow and high altitudes. See the ad here, created by Agence H, Paris, with visual effects and animation by Psyop.

 

adidas launched "Bring it on," a TV spot starring Cricket player Sachin Tendulkar. "It's a young man's game. He has to reinvent himself," says the voiceover while Tendulkar truly "brings it" to his exercise routines, clearly showing that age is just a number. Did I mention that he's an ancient 37? The spot ends with the Tendulkar suiting up for his latest match and directing viewers to adidas' Cricket page. Watch the ad here, created by TBWA/India.

Random iPhone App of the week: Climb every mountain, while sitting around, playing with your iPhone. Helios Interactive Technologies created an augmented reality app for MINI. Users can take pictures of a superimposed virtual MINI Countryman in their garage, on a mountain, near a waterfall, or on the end of their toothbrush.Users can choose one of four different colors and configurations of the MINI Countryman. The app is available for free in the App Store.