Hasta La Creative!

(TrendHunter.com) This year, Trend Hunter has launched 14 different niche trend reports, perfect for those with a very specific area of innovation.

(TrendHunter.com) The Master Trend Hunter 2009 Trend Report is our complete digest of innovation, consumer trends and business ideas brought to you by the world’s largest trend spotting community (a global network of…

(TrendHunter.com) Britney Spears is gracing the December 2008 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine. In it, Britney spoke about her much-publicized meltdowns, which included her psychiatric hospitalizations and rehab, losing…

(TrendHunter.com) In stumbling upon New York artist Andy Golub’s website and viewing his body art gallery, I was struck by his exceptional, surreal images painted on real women.

The large, distorted facial features makes…

It’s hard to imagine a hipper scene than the one portrayed in the latest TV ad for the Adidas Originals brand. The spot, celebrating Adidas’s 60th anniversary, shows a rockin’ house party crashed by, among others, Katy Perry, D.M.C. (of Run-D.M.C.), Russell Simmons, David Beckham and Method Man. Even harder to imagine: a more unlikely song for everyone to be grooving to. It’s Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ 1968 hit “Beggin’ “—not the original, but a remix by Parisian producer Pilooski. Truth be told, it’s catchy as hell and fits the commercial’s retro/of-the-minute vibe perfectly. Kristian Manchester, creative director and partner of Sid Lee, the Montreal agency that created the ad, said the shop went through thousands of songs before finding this one. Originally, he says, they were looking for a Motown or Stax/Volt tune, but “every time you find a great song, someone would ask, ‘Was that in a car ad?’ ” Only after committing to the track did Manchester find out it had been a huge club hit in Europe in the summer of 2007. Still, he’s happy with the choice. “It had the right rhythm and tempo and was a little nostalgic,” he says. “It felt like it was from a lost party.” Fans take note: Adidas plans to offer seven different remixes of “Beggin’ ” on its Web site.

—Posted by Todd Wasserman

LONDON – Design agency 999 has given a new look to the Gleneagles Natural Mineral Water bottle, produced by Highland Spring and sold exclusively in top UK hotels and restaurants.

Mullen and the Ad Council successfully walk a fine line in these anti-drunk-driving spots. Using humor to draw attention to such a charged issue can be tricky, and in the process it’s all too easy to stagger drunkenly and fall face-first to the pavement … yadda, yadda … you complete the metaphor. These ads, thankfully, mix the portions just right. The sight of severely injured accident victims popping up and chatting as if nothing’s wrong, as the drivers tearfully claim they were “just buzzed,” helps mitigate the tragic-PSA cliche factor and heighten viewer interest. The reprise of the hyper-realistic serious theme at the close of the spots seems unforced, logical and not at all preachy. Ultimately, the dream-like humorous interludes—off point and disingenuous, just like the drivers’ claims that they weren’t really that drunk—drive the nightmare quality of the scenarios.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

(TrendHunter.com) Art upon the skin continues to grow more popular, and as a result, international body painting contests seem to be too. The photos above are from Stockholm’s Body Painting Contest held last month, a first…

Via pauldervan I found that Fake bloggers soon to be ‘named and shamed’ on Times Online. Turns out;

The change is part of a Europe-wide overhaul of the consumer protection laws. It will oblige businesses not to mislead consumers and also will outlaw aggressive commercial practices such as aggressive doorstep selling, bogus “closing down” sales and pressurising parents through their children to buy products.

Interesting.

A trip down memory lane to previous discussions on transparency and WOM here on Adland:

Is buzz illegal?
How young is too young to be a marketer?
Don’t make WOM become SPAM!
WOMMA ethics draft not well received
NIMF attacks WOMMA for “buzzploiting” children and teens
The Hidden (in Plain Sight) Persuaders debate
Justin Kirby sheds light on difference between viral and deception.
Word of mouth marketing – do we need regulation?
WOM confusion
Bzzagent doing everything wrong – comment spam on the rise

read more

LONDON – The Arts Council has selected four agencies to work on a variety of digital projects including the relaunch of its website and regional marketing campaigns.