Hasta La Creative!

Walmart reported first-quarter sales and earnings that missed forecasts, but it’s forging ahead with more local price-comparison ads and e-commerce investments amid signs its executives see that both are working.

Earnings of $1.14 per share for the quarter ended April 30 fell a penny below analyst forecasts. Comparable-store sales for the nameplate U.S. stores fell 1.4%, compared to a forecast of “about flat,” breaking a streak of six positive quarters.

But executives pointed to things they said are producing positive results, including aggressive pricing, particularly on groceries, backed by local market-basket price-comparison ads on TV and radio that U.S. CEO Bill Simon said will now expand to 70% of Walmart’s markets, up from the current 60%.

Continue reading at AdAge.com

This amazingly beautiful commercial makes mundane corporate sponsorship look like, well, much more than a simple exchange of sponsorship dollars. It touts the Qatar Foundation’s support of the FC Barcelona soccer team.

The TBWA\Qatar-created commercial was shot in several locations in Barcelona, including the Telephonica Tower, the historic Gothic Quarter and FC Barcelona’s practice stadium, Camp Mini. FCB players, including four-time FIFA Ballon D’Or award winner Lionel Messi, were also photographed on location at Camp Mini in between TVC filming sessions. Sports choreographer, Andy Ansah, was enlisted to work with the FCB players to capture of their best performances.

The spot was directed by first-time director Adam Swaab of Wolf & Crow, who brought to life objects representing aspects of QF’s mission and make them travel from the main QF campus in Doha to Barcelona, where they become FCB players in the midst of a soccer match.

Really beautiful work.

Overstock.com is a price play, and we all know how enticing low prices can be. It’s nectar to the price-conscious shopper.

Even so, I find the following commercial off-putting. Take a look:

Momma’s gotta shop. Really?

Well sure, if the family is to be housed, clothed, fed, transported to and fro and so on, then yes, Momma’s gotta shop.

This customer insight — or observation as the case may be — does nothing for the brand. Momma’s gotta shop, and hey ladies check it out, Overstock.com is an online store. Wow, get your credit card out.

To make matters worse (or better, depending on your POV), the Momma in this commercial is a cougar. It seems low prices excite her in more ways than one.

The post “Momma’s Gotta Shop” Is Not An Idea, It’s A Customer Insight appeared first on AdPulp.

The retirement of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has dominated the sporting headlines, but to date little has been said about the impact his departure would have on the club’s commercial partners.

This new Deutsch LA-created ad for the Volkswagon Passat will lull you into tranquility with its smooth montage of a man getting ready to go to work. He wakes up, kisses his wife, checks in on his son, carries him down the stairs, feeds him breakfast and then heads out to to his driveway where his Passat is parked.

And then…

All set to the tune of Lucky Man by Jim James of My Morning Jacket. The ad touts the vehicle;s top safety pick by the IIHS.

The was directed by Matthijs van Heijningen, who gave us the talking bear rug in “The Bear,” the award-winning ad for France’s Canal Plus.

Hey, didin’t CP+B do this crash stuff before for VW?

Dave Evans, a manager at the Information Commissioner’s Office (IC), believes consumers only become interested in privacy when brands misuse data.

The only really surprisingly thing about Dollar Shave Club CEO Michael Dubin's appearance in an American Express ad is that it didn't happen sooner. It's been more than a year since Dubin charmed impecunious razor purchasers everywhere with his amusing starring role in his company's debut ad. He's a born pitchman—for whoever he'd like to endorse. The AmEx spot frankly is a little bland, but it proves that while the man may know his dollars, he has trouble with his cents. Via Co.Create.

The final qualifier for the World Cup – a must-win to earn a World Cup berth. As an official sponsor and supplier, adidas Japan K.K. wanted to turn the event into an opportunity to make a connection with its audience using the unifying theme of football. The objective was to create an event that Unites and Engages football fans throughout Japan in support of their national team and generate dynamic connections among football fans in support of their team.

Advertising Agency: TBWA\HAKUHODO, Japan
Executive Creative Director: Kazoo Sato
Associate Creative Director: Takahiro Hosoda
Copywriter: Motonori Sugiyama
Art Director: Hirohumi Nakajima, Keisuke Shimizu
Experience Designer: Kaname Aratame
Production Company: ROBOT Communications

This is, by far, the strangest, most disgusting and oddly sexual method ever used to sell cereal. Touting Curiously Cinnamon cereal, Boombox Breakfast features ex-footballer and presenter Chris Kamara pitting Latin lowrider Bobby against Dominica in a crazy game of oral cereal catching.

While Bobby is in his uber-hydraulic lowrider, Dominia is suspended over a large speaker in which Curiously Cinnamon cereal has been placed. As Bobby revs his lowrider, a microphone captures the sound which is then released via the large speaker. The cereal, of course, goes flying all over the place and Dominia is supposed to catch as many pieces in her mouth as she can.

Awkwardly, the whole things ends up looking like she received a giant porn facial. Hey, we just call it like we see it.

Michael Ian Black is not the most interesting man in the world, but he might be the most interesting beer endorser. Last Friday, the comedian, who has 2 million Twitter followers, posted a tweet to a Dos Equis app—which seemed somewhat out of character for him. And indeed, when called on it, he freely admitted that he's been paid for the tweet. Black took a fair amount of heat for being a shill, but responded to the haters frankly, and often humorously. He also got support from some fans, including model Chrissy Tiegen. The best part? He got his revenge on the haters in the best way possible—for Dos Equis, at least. "Because the blowback on it has been so unexpectedly harsh, I'm going to tweet it again for free," he wrote, and then did just that. See below for some highlights from the saga. Via Business Insider.

I just turned myself into a Most Interesting Person with the new @dosequis Legend of You app. Check it out on.fb.me/166xmC6

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) May 10, 2013

@planetoffinks No, they wrote it and paid me thousands of dollars to run it.

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) May 11, 2013

@planetoffinks I dunno. I just like money.

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) May 11, 2013

@planetoffinks Hopefully the salaries they didn't get went towards paying me.

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) May 11, 2013

Enjoy your Dos Equis, my friend. RT @interpolantics1: @michaelianblack @dosequis wish you had died on 9/11, fucking douche.

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) May 11, 2013

@brianlynch @dosequis It's a terrific beer drink from Canada!

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) May 12, 2013

@brianlynch @dosequis I literally have NO idea.

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) May 12, 2013

@chrissyteigen No shit. I'm certainly happy to do it. BTW, is there anything you need promoted?

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) May 11, 2013

Yes @dosequis payed me to tweet. But because the blowback on it has been so unexpectedly harsh, I'm going to tweet it again for free.

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) May 12, 2013

I just turned myself into a Most Interesting Person with the new @dosequis Legend of You app. Check it out on.fb.me/166xmC6

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) May 12, 2013

My only regret, and it is a HUGE regret, in tweeting for Dos Equis, is that I somehow misspelled the word "paid." bit.ly/16lcsA7

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) May 16, 2013