Busey lends his unpleasantness to new ads

I don’t doubt Gary Busey’s gangbanger-taunting prowess for a second (especially not after seeing his shirt), so clearly he was the right choice to promote the video game Saint’s Row 2. The game, for the uninformed, promises “a much darker and more sinister story” than its predecessor, one “that leads your character down a path of betrayal, revenge and redemption against the city that has left him for dead.” Again, this sounds like something Busey would be intimately familiar with. We should base more things on his exploits.

—Posted by David Kiefaber

Carolan to lead Microsoft agency sales

LONDON – Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions has appointed Virgin Radio deputy sales director Paul Carolan to the role of head of agency sales.

Ryanair takes complaints about ad watchdog to OFT

LONDON – No-frills airline Ryanair has submitted a formal complaint to the UK Office of Fair Trading about rulings made by the Advertising Standards Authority against seven of the company’s ads over the last two years.

McKinney producer starts green magazine

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“When he’s not directing the interactive production department at McKinney, Shawn Covely enjoys a hobby—making the world a better place.” Thus opens a press release from Havas’s McKinney in Durham, N.C., where Covely is turning his back on emerging media to pursue his true love: print. He’s launching Footprint Eco Magazine. Its mission: “to educate and entertain the public with stories on a wide range of environmental and sustainability issues.” I nodded off during that sentence and dreamed McKinney won back Audi then resigned it to cut down on carbon emissions in its visitors parking lot. If I seem to have a negative attitude, it’s because this is missive No. 999,999 this week on the greening of American business, and I haven’t been thinking straight since AdFreak banned plastic cutlery from the office. The magazine’s launch event will be held at a Whole Foods in Raleigh. It’s “printed on 100% recycled newsprint with soy-based inks.” So Whole Foods can stock issues in the snack aisle for when the $6 granola and hemp bars are sold out.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Toyota, NCP and Xerox latest sponsors of FINA World Swimming Championships

LONDON – Four more brands have agreed deals to sponsor the FINA World Swimming Championships 2008.

Retro Instruments for Modern Music – MP3 Stylophone (VIDEO)

(TrendHunter.com) Awesome news – the 1970’s “organ in your pocket,” AKA the Stylophone, is back with a bang and it is awesome. Are you too young to know what this is? It’s a battery-operated instrument with metal keys that you press to close the circuit, which in turn generates a unique and annoying noise.

On the …

University of Gent: Clock

University of Gent: Clock

Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Brussels, Belgium
Creative Director: Jan Teulingkx
Art Director: Ilse Pierard
Copywriter: Raf de Smet
Photographers: Michael Meyersfeld, Evert Thiry, Kris van Beek
Published: March 2008

University of Gent: Bedroom

University of Gent: Bedroom

Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Brussels, Belgium
Creative Director: Jan Teulingkx
Art Director: Ilse Pierard
Copywriter: Raf de Smet
Photographers: Michael Meyersfeld, Evert Thiry, Kris van Beek
Published: March 2008

University of Gent: Olympics

University of Gent: Olympics

Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Brussels, Belgium
Creative Director: Jan Teulingkx
Art Director: Ilse Pierard
Copywriter: Raf de Smet
Photographers: Michael Meyersfeld, Evert Thiry, Kris van Beek
Published: March 2008

University of Gent: Apple

University of Gent: Apple

Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Brussels, Belgium
Creative Director: Jan Teulingkx
Art Director: Ilse Pierard
Copywriter: Raf de Smet
Photographers: Michael Meyersfeld, Evert Thiry, Kris van Beek
Published: March 2008

University of Gent: Adoption

University of Gent: Adoption

Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Brussels, Belgium
Creative Director: Jan Teulingkx
Art Director: Ilse Pierard
Copywriter: Raf de Smet
Photographers: Michael Meyersfeld, Evert Thiry, Kris van Beek
Published: March 2008

One More Candle To Burn

Wherever you are in Ad Land, have a drink for our fearless leader, David Burn. It’s his birthday today.

FlamingBirthdayCake.jpg

David runs multiple blogs, a twitter feed, works at a cool ad agency, and goes to tons of live shows to keep up on the latest bands. He’s either got more energy than anyone I know, or he lives 30-hour days.

Happy Birthday big man!

Syzygy bolsters planning with MRM’s Jarvis

LONDON – Digital agency Syzygy has made a raft of new appointments, including creating the new post of head of planning, which has been taken by Adrian Jarvis from MRM.

Daily Express to publish tomorrow despite strike

LONDON – Express Newspapers will be publishing Saturday editions of the Daily Express and Daily Star tomorrow, despite the bulk of its journalists going on strike today in protest over pay.

Slam keeps six-figure Brothers brief

Weber Shandwick-owned Slam PR has retained the six-figure Brothers Cider consumer account after a competitive pitch.

Samuel L Jackson stars in Virgin Media TV ad

Samuel L Jackson is the latest Hollywood A-List celebrity to star in the latest ads for Virgin Media TV.

Polish national airline to use Saltmarsh

LOT Polish Airlines is to use The Saltmarsh Partnership for a new drive in the UK and Ireland.

Cake sold to Havas for £12m

Marcoms giant Havas has bought consumer agency Cake for £12m in a deal squeezed in before April’s tax changes.

McCann and MCE hired by healthcare trust

The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland has appointed Belfast-based consultancies McCann PR and MCE Public Relations to advise on PR, external communication and public affairs.

Asda lets shoppers watch sport

LONDON – Asda and mobile network Orange are trialling a scheme allowing customers to watch football from their supermarket trolley.