Hasta La Creative!

Around AdFreak, I’m known as a big thinker, always considering the nature of the human condition in the universe and mulling existential ways to stretch out my lunch hour and such. So I naturally checked out BigThink, despite its description in The New York Times as a “combination YouTube and Facebook for intellectuals.” Sounds pretty deadly, huh? The site itself, well … it launched with “selected ideas” (and closely cropped headshots) of Sen. Ted Kennedy, American Enterprise Institute fellow Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer and actress/playwright Anna Deavere Smith. Makes you want to visit, right? “Poking” Ted Kennedy is such an abhorrent concept, I was relieved there was no such functionality. This reminds me of a Web-2.0 take on PBS, but without the endless pledge drives or Barney the Dinosaur, so at least that’s an improvement. Now, if BigThink would like to feature my big thoughts on advertising, media or whatever, I’m available.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

LONDON – The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and NatWest will sponsor 4Homes, Channels 4’s property strand. From January, RBS and NatWest’s mortgage and insurance businesses will sponsor a raft of programmes returning in 2008, including Relocation, Relocation; Grand Designs; Property Ladder and Location Location Location.

Loath to miss out on the open applications hype but too lazy (or busy hunting?) to build one, PETA is hosting a contest for people keen to develop a Facebook or OpenSocial app promoting PETA or its campaigns. (Does…

To draw eyes to its eco-friendliness, UK-based energy company EDF put together this Frankenstein’s hide of an ad. It includes cuts from Thunderbirds and The Wombles, and bits of speeches by John F Kennedy and former President Clinton. The…

In macho baseball parlance, a “slump buster” refers to an unattractive woman with whom a struggling slugger has sex in an attempt to break out of a slump. That goes a long way toward explaining why the pros are always adjusting themselves at the plate. In his autobiography, Jose “Squealer” Canseco said he’d rather go 0-for-40 than seek out a slump buster. He preferred steroids, and hasn’t shut up about it since. Slump Buster is also the name of a new energy drink endorsed by Boston Red Sox first-baseman Kevin Youkilis, who doesn’t go into slumps that often. I guess the name will be controversial, which was probably why they chose it. The Red Sox are world champs, so you’d think Youk could get a classier ad gig, like shilling (or is it Schilling?) for Dunkin’ Donuts. (It was, in fact, Schilling.) Still, Youk’s assignment isn’t really any more downmarket than David Ortiz’s efforts for D’Angelo’s sandwich shops. Most guys would take Slump Buster over that cheese-steak stalker any day.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Chemical pesticides poison more than pests. Go organic.

Advertising Agency: Calder Bateman Communications, Edmonton, Canada
Creative Director: Kevin Barclay
Art Directors: Jeff McLean, Regan Fraser
Copywriter: Bob Wood
Photographer: Blufish Studios
Published: December 2007

LONDON – Times Media is set to launch a promotion featuring classic children’s TV DVDs with the aim of targeting families and nostalgic adults.

We could give a crap about manners. We need the table.

Advertising Agency: Neiman Group, Harrisburg & Philadelphia, USA
Creative Director: Jeff Odiorne
Art Director: Spink
Copywriter: John Gilbert
Published: December 2007

LONDON – Environment minister Joan Ruddock has warned the direct marketing industry that it needs to improve its environmental record if it is to avoid legislation such as a mandatory opt-in for direct mail.