• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, October 26, 2011

Shake 'n Steak launched a trio of ads that encourage food as blackmail, running, and endless supplies of food. I’m OK with two out of the three. A man cries an oversized “Tear” when he finishes his last pancake. The tear quickly dries once a waitress refills his pancake plate during an all-you-can-eat pancake special. See it here. A man breaks his wife’s prized penguin figurine and is witnessed by his three children. Dad takes the kids out to eat for a delicious but cheap hush meal. Watch it here. Half-price milkshakes during the week for happy hour? Yeah, I’d run there, too. See it here. Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners created the campaign, directed by Mike Long of Epoch and edited by Cut & Run.

Canadian women’s retailer SMARTSET launched a set of TV ads using the new tagline "for all the living you do in-between." Affordable prices allow Canadian women in their late 20s to celebrate memorable events, no matter how minor. Online dating can be difficult. Who knows if a person’s profile pic is circa 1995 unless you meet them in person? In addition, who knows if your date carries around a puppet dressed exactly like him unless you see it with your own eyes? Check, please. Watch it here. A couple packs their belongings into a tiny MINI Cooper. There’s so much stuff that the woman needs to crawl in through the car window headfirst. See it here. Bos created the campaign, directed by Lena Beug of Holiday Films.

Cigna highlights the uniqueness of its customers in its “Go You “ campaign. The first ad applauds those that allow their inner self to shine through. City dwellers are shown en route to work dressed as their true personalities, ranging from the cowardly lion, princess, knight in shining armor and astronaut. See it here. A woman’s blue eyes are the stars of “Full Potential.” The eyes remain constant as the woman’s job occupations vary from surgeon, ballet dancer, chef, cowgirl, racecar driver and catcher. “Your true self. Uncover it. Embrace it. Protect it. What’s healthier than that,” concludes the voiceover. Watch it here. Hill Holliday created the campaign.

Google launched its latest Chrome TV spot earlier this month on Fox, starring “Angry Birds” explaining to viewers the advantages of Google Chrome’s developer services. Whenever Angry Bird Peter tries to explain the inner workings of Google Chrome, he’s interrupted or mimicked by fellow birds, Serdar and Jaackko. Peter plays it cool until Jaackko asks Peter if he’s angry. See it here. Phillip Loeb of Sound Lounge mixed the audio.

Unexpected risk can be found in any financial portfolio. Bank of New York Mellon finds and addresses risks and creates a solid portfolio for its customers, rather than the destructible “House of Cards” shown in the TV ad, seen here. The Concept Farm created the ad, edited by Ntropic. 

Random iPhone App of the week: Big Spaceship launched Taco Finder, the app I never knew I needed. Taco Finder turns your iPhone into a compass that leads the hungry to the nearest taco via GPS technology. Once the app is opened, a wooden arrow directs users to the closest taco, even displaying the distance left for the user to travel. Next, I need an app to lead me to the perfect key lime pie. The app is available for free in the App Store.