Funny Interactive College Lessons – JCPenney “Dork Dodge” (GALLERY)

(TrendHunter.com) JCPenney is trying to connect with girls who have just graduated from high school with an online game called “Dork Dodge.”

Supposedly the game introduces young women to the dorks they’ll meet in college.…

Interactive Home Building Show – DIY Blog Cabin (VIDEO)

(TrendHunter.com) Blog Cabin is a show on the DIY Network that lets bloggers directly influence the design and construction of a vacation home.

The home building TV show lets its viewers engage in the construction of…

Pennies? Pennies? You can’t pay with those here. Try OfficeMax.

I find it hilarious that a company (or rather, their ad agency The Escape Pod, Chicago I presume) has latched on to how impossible it is to use pennies for anything in the states and taken that to the ultimate extreme. They send a redheaded dude out to try and buy a decent chef-cooked meal paying only with pennies, and even a used car paying with only pennies. 2700 dollars worth of pennies. I love how the chef seems to grab his hair and start comparing the whole ordeal to him running a steak through a blender.“The only reason a dollar is a dollar, is because it’s worth a hundred pennies” replies our redheaded hero. Ah, that’s so true – so those automatic toll-booths change machines should take pennies, right? Do they?

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Media Companies Feel Effects of Ad Slowdown

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — The sluggish pace of 2008 ad spending is starting to catch up with media companies. Second-quarter earnings reports from Viacom, CBS and Walt Disney Co. showed tiny growth in national ad sales and losses in many local sectors. CBS's president-CEO, Les Moonves, even began his company's call with investors by admitting, "We're clearly challenged by the economic conditions affecting many industries, particularly as it pertains to our local businesses."

Agencytool.com

Check out Agencytool.com which is a good resource for all things to do with agencies. I also like the Web design Dashboard which has all the links you need in one spot.

$6 Survival Gadgets – The Heatsheets Blanket (GALLERY)

(TrendHunter.com) With earthquakes and disasters happening more frequently of late, it’s a worthwhile investment to get this $6 Heatsheets Survival Blanket. It will also come in handy if you get lost on a camping or skiing…

The Low Road Express

Volkswagen: Exponent

Exponent

Genuine Volkswagen Accessories®

Advertising Agency: DDB, Milan, Italy
Creative Director / Copywriter: Vicky Gitto
Art Director: Massimo Valeri
Published: August 2008

Fashionable USB Cables – Lisco Doubles as Bracelet (GALLERY)

(TrendHunter.com) USB cables come in very handy to charge our mobiles, music players and access pictures on our cameras, however it’s not very convenient or fashionable to carry such cables around. Enter Lisco, a USB cable…

E21: Brain

Brain

Ideas in action.

Advertising Agency: E21, Brazil
Creative Director: Pablo Bohrz
Art Director: Beto Dias
Copywriter: Matheus Lehembauer
Photographer: Tiago Junqueira
Retouching: GRB
Published: June 2008

Absolut Los Angeles: Bottle

Bottle

Advertising Agency: TBWA, New York, USA
World Wide Creative Director: Rob Smiley
Associate Creative Director: Jeff Feng
Art Directors: Susan Griak, Jin Park
Copywriter: Lynn Branecky
Designer: Adam Larson
Agency Producer: Laura Custus
Production Company: Joe Lewis Company

Personalized Pet Photo Furniture – Custom Printed Chairs (GALLERY)

(TrendHunter.com) I love my dogs, and my dogs are spoiled. Each has their place on the furniture; still, I don’t think I would want my dogs on my furniture.

Maurice Renoma likes animals on his traditional French furniture…

China’s Designated Protest Zones – Beijing Prepares for Olympic Anger

The Beijing Olympics are little less than a week ago, and the city is unable to hide its anticipation…. but protesters aren’t afraid to show their feelings either.

China is prepared for protesters,…

Advertising Standards: Teen

Teen

If you find an ad offensive, tell someone who cares.

Advertising Agency: George Patterson Y&R Melbourne, Australia
Creative Director: Ben Coulson
Art Director / Illustrator: Paul Meates
Copywriter: Vanilla Stener
Photographer: Ross Clugston
TVC Director: Matt Kamen
Published: July 2008

Advertising Standards: Taxi

Taxi

If you find an ad offensive, tell someone who cares.

Advertising Agency: George Patterson Y&R Melbourne, Australia
Creative Director: Ben Coulson
Art Director / Illustrator: Paul Meates
Copywriter: Vanilla Stener
Photographer: Ross Clugston
TVC Director: Matt Kamen
Published: July 2008

Advertising Standards: Bar

Bar

If you find an ad offensive, tell someone who cares.

Advertising Agency: George Patterson Y&R Melbourne, Australia
Creative Director: Ben Coulson
Art Director / Illustrator: Paul Meates
Copywriter: Vanilla Stener
Photographer: Ross Clugston
TVC Director: Matt Kamen
Published: July 2008

Ford’s Cost-Cutting Spurs Shakeup


DETROIT (AdAge.com) — Ford Motor Co. will consolidate sales and marketing for its Ford Division with its Lincoln Mercury arm Aug. 1, according to two executives close to the automaker. In a cost-cutting move, the marketing and sales staff will be aligned by product type and have responsibility for models in that category from all three brands, they said.

Japanese advertising turns to the fembots

The old-fashioned notion still circulating in U.S. advertising agencies is that commercial actors should be, if not likable, at least human. In Japan, they feel differently. There, the job of making viewers feel relaxed, trusting and happy sometimes falls to creepy, fake-smiling fembots—as demonstrated in the above commercial from healthcare company Kincho. In the spot, a humanoid robot named Actroid DER-2, who is already something of a celebrity among simulated-life nerds, sprays on some Kincho sunscreen—and wow, it doesn’t cause her latex skin to bubble, or her stiff, lifeless body to short-circuit at all! Android testimonials are still rare in the U.S., although Bishop from Aliens may still have a shot at scoring that “Got milk?” commercial. Via Spare Room.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Little Sisters in the Lime Light – Ali Lohan (VIDEO)

(TrendHunter.com) Ali Lohan is the latest sister of a Hollywood starlet to make waves in the news.

Following other celebrity siblings like Ashley Simpson (Jessica’s younger sister), Jamie-Lynn Spears(Britney’s sister)…

Bayer Testogel / Reandron: Toupees

Toupees

When testosterone is restored, the gimmicks can go.

Advertising Agency: Ward6, Sydney, Australia
Creative Directors: Grant Foster, Hugh Fitzhardinge
Photographer: Adam Taylor
Published: March 2008