Hasta La Creative!

Artist Luke Jerram is turning one street in Bristol, England—specifically, Park Street—into a giant waterslide for a day. Sanitary issues aside (what happens when pigeons crap in it?), the stunt is meant to raise questions about urban planning and how to avoid the high costs of traditional infrastructure.

"Park and Slide will be a unique and memorable once in a lifetime experience and asks people to take a fresh look at the potential of their city and the possibilities for transformation," he writes on his website. "Imagine if there were permanent slides right across Bristol: linking Clifton with Hotwells; Cotham with Stokes Croft. This is our city, and maybe it's up to us to shape its future?"

I'd love to bring this guy to the U.S. just so he can freak out an entire country's worth of city councils that still think light rail is a left-field idea.

Jerram has raised £3,217 of his goal of £5,618 so far.

Via PSFK.

Colorado is proud to be the first state to legalize recreational marijuana use. Ad creatives in Colorado are happy to have an opportunity to make stoner references.

Three new PSAs for the state's Department of Transportation (by Denver agency Amélie Company and HSI director Simon Cole) gleefully remind would-be weed smokers that they are free to act like idiots while doing many things—but not while driving. Get high and do a bad job installing your TV. Get high and do a bad job playing basketball. Get high and do a bad job cooking steaks. Don't get high and drive. It's pretty simple.

Everybody wins, except for maybe some viewers, who might find that after chuckling at the hopeless handyman spot, the joke burns out a little too quickly. Plus, that lady shooting daggers at the ill-equipped grill master clearly needs to mellow out. Really, it's hard to believe she hasn't already … especially when she's wearing that hat.

By David Schwab, Octagon First Call

Season 18 of Dancing With the Stars kicks off Monday night with some big changes—most notably, Erin Andrews is the new co-host, replacing Brooke Burke. Like Burke, Andrews is a past competitor—she finished third on Season 10. Andrews has a strong (mostly male) fan base from her days on ESPN and current gig with Fox Sports, so this new role should make her more of a household name with women. She is already busy in the endorsement space, with current and past deals including Reebok, TruBiotics, Diet Mountain Dew and Ticketmaster. It's also worth noting that Burke is still incredibly relevant and popular with brands, especially with her ModernMom.com platform reaching women 25-54.

Here's a look at our marketing predictions for the new cast:

Drew Carey: Carey has been a TV mainstay for two decades, most recently as the host of The Price Is Right. His endearing humor and nice-guy image will garner him much fanfare and show success. Carey's awareness level among adults 25-54 is twice as much as the average celebrity comedic personality, and DWTS will only increase that. His inspiring 80-pound weight loss over the last few years was a big media draw and gives Carey added relevance in the health and wellness space. As DWTS draws back the curtain on Carey's off-screen life and interests, look for opportunities with brands and organizations in the photography (he is an amateur photographer), health/nutrition and literacy (he is a strong advocate for libraries) spaces.

Candace Cameron Bure: Bure played DJ on the ABC show Full House and has made several appearances in television and film since the show ended in 1995. A devout Christian and mother of three, she has written two books about her approach to juggling motherhood; her most recent sparked a minor controversy in regards to her family structure. Still, she will be of interest to wholesome, family-targeted programs, and there are always plenty of mom-driven PR campaigns popping up. Working in her favor is the fanfare surrounding Full House after John Stamos, Bob Saget and Dave Coulier reunited for an Oikos Super Bowl commercial. It would be fun to see them and other Full House castmates show up to cheer her on and further fuel cast-reunion buzz.

Danica McKellar: Another child TV star turned nostalgia icon, McKellar is still best known for her role as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years, but she has also authored four books on mathematics primarily targeted at adolescent readers (check out her "Pi Day" tweet from last Friday). A television veteran with a mass-appealing platform of youth empowerment and education, McKellar has all the makings of a fan favorite. Prime for the brand space, she is obviously great for education/academic-focused brands (LeapFrog, TI, Teach for America, etc.) or brands looking to activate with an intellectual spin (e.g., Gillette's "How Does Superman Shave?" campaign). Beauty, health and apparel brands should also watch closely as Danica is attractive, too.

NeNe Leakes: Leakes transitioned from The Real Housewives of Atlanta to a starring role in the short-lived NBC sitcom The New Normal and a continued recurring role on Fox's Glee. Her vibrant personality is sure to be a hit with viewers and will deliver some entertaining postperformance banter with the judges. She has participated in past marketing partnerships with Pretzelmaker and Sears. She made a smart choice to join DWTS, which could further incite interest from brands looking to activate campaigns that need a "larger than life" personality. More of a bump in marketing, not a mainstay.

Cody Simpson: At just 17 years old, Simpson is the youngest competitor this season. The Australian pop star is one of two cast members DWTS is likely banking on to bring in younger viewers this season. Unlike past teen stars on the show who hadn't resonated for brands yet, Simpson has already partnered with Bing, Jay Jays clothing and Teen Cancer America. His burgeoning music career sets him apart from past teen competitors who were associated only with Disney shows. Categories to consider would be soda, tech and shoe/accessory lines. Solid fan base of almost 6.5 million Twitter fans. 

Meryl Davis and Charlie White: We anticipated a surge in Davis and White's marketability following their Winter Olympics gold medal performance and even mentioned that competing slots on DWTS would be most advantageous for them. They are not completely new to the DWTS family, as pro Derek Hough choreographed their Olympic routine. Davis and White were prominently featured in Kellogg's, Visa and P&G TV ads around Sochi, and those brands should take advantage of this extended spotlight. I don't see many new marketing deals but definitely an increase of performance fees at skating shows around the country.

Amy Purdy: As a Paralympian (bronze medalist, snowboarding), Purdy is the best human-interest story in the field. She is a double amputee and also underwent a kidney transplant from her father at 21 years old. Her magnetic personality, undeniable athleticism and inspiring story have already attracted brands including Toyota, Kellogg's and Runway. An occasional actress, she's also comfortable playing to a camera and being on the national stage. DWTS will introduce her to a whole new wave of opportunities and a definite future in motivational corporate and public speaking.

James Maslow: Maslow, 23, is the latest in a long tradition of young stars competing on DWTS (see Simpson above). As Disney is the parent company of DWTS network ABC, most young competitors have come from Disney Channel properties, but Maslow launched his career on competing network Nickelodeon's hit show/boy band Big Time Rush. A run on DWTS could help propel him as a solo musician (the show ended last year, and the future of the band is still TBD).

Diana Nyad: After years of preparations and four failed attempts, Nyad in 2013 became the first person to swim from Cuba to the Florida Keys without a shark cage. Her endurance and no-quit attitude are obvious and should mitigate her advanced age (64) in terms of the competition. She is already an established motivational speaker, and the DWTS exposure will introduce her to further corporate speaking opportunities as brand execs tune in and track the cast throughout the season. However, she probably won't draw the same interest for marketing deals that her fellow competitors will.

Billy Dee Williams: At 76, Williams is the oldest competitor in this season's cast. He is rumored to be returning for the next installment of the Star Wars franchise, which could make this DWTS stint the beginning of a late-career renaissance for him. During his heyday, Williams was most famously the spokesperson for Colt 45 malt liquor, but we see few marketing opportunities for him post-DWTS. He probably won't be the one to do the typical PR runaround in New York or L.A., but his built-in sci-fi fan base and likable persona could potentially still be leveraged in digital content and marketing activations at sci-fi focused events (e.g., Comic-Con).

Sean Avery: Avery is a former NHL-er who spent the prime of his career with the New York Rangers and in the penalty box. He built a reputation as a bad boy during his hockey career, so expect him to carry that mantle throughout the DWTS season. Following his retirement from hockey, Avery modeled in campaigns for 7 for All Mankind (directed by James Franco) and Hickey Freeman. While Avery has tried to showcase the dynamics of his personality over the years, DWTS may not help his cause as he will be fighting an uphill battle to shine through a mix of personalities who are better known, have stronger and more positive backstories and/or have stronger marketability. He is the first hockey player to compete on DWTS, but that won't mean much to brands.

David Schwab is managing director of Octagon First Call, experts in aligning celebrities with brands to deliver a quantifiable return on objectives. Follow him at @david_schwab.

If you think it's a stretch that Taco Bell is repurposing mid-day bang ballad "Afternoon Delight" as a metaphor for going to Taco Bell, you're really going to be shocked to hear this: That's almost exactly what inspired the song in the first place.

In the chain's new ad, we see co-workers, classmates and geriatric bingo competitors slipping off together to the tune of Starland Vocal Band's enduring 1976 classic. And despite all the furtive note-passing and conspiratorial up-nodding, we quickly learn they're just heading down to the local Taco Bell for a "Happier Hour" promo that runs from 2 to 5 p.m.

It's a cute ad and even features a cameo by 6-foot-tall America's Next Top Model contestant Laura Ellen James. But what's truly surprising is that the song actually was based on an afternoon food excursion.

According to band lore, singer Bill Danoff was amused by the fact that Clyde's restaurant in Georgetown featured a spicy happy hour menu called "Afternoon Delight," which he thought sounded like a metaphor for sex. (And thanks to him, it now totally is.)

So there's your odd fact for the day. I still don't recommend you refer to a Taco Bell visit as an "Afternoon Delight," though it sounds better than "Afternoon Grease-Beef Injection." Good luck inviting your supermodel classmate to that one.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has finally achieved his lifelong dream. No, it's not becoming a champion weight lifter/action hero/governator. It's his dream of owning his own "f–king tank."

Since it's only natural for a man who has been blowing things up since 1979 to want to pulverize things with his new toy, he's inviting you and a friend to join him.

In an effort to raise money for the After-School All-Stars program, the Terminator has created an instantly viral video offering you the opportunity to "come to L.A. and crush things in my tank!" Crush anything you want: pianos, taxis, bubble wrap. Hell, he'll even crush movies that make you cry. Wait, does Terminator 3 count?

Here's a clip of Arnold reminiscing about his tank time in the Austrian Army:

Olympic skier Ted Ligety plays straight man to a sullen, animated snowflake in this 90-second spot from Al Gore's Climate Reality Project.

It's part of CRP's "I Am Pro Snow" campaign featuring winter sports stars. Ligety's side of the conversation was created from footage of the gold medalist chatting with a technician while shooting a segment for Warren Miller's documentary Ticket to Ride.

Copywriter Jim Heekin voices the snowflake, who's just not cool with global warming. "For me, 2013—not the best year," he says. "I had a lot of my friends, close friends, melt way before their time." The flake tries to get a grip, telling Ligety: "Sorry, dude. This is my stuff. I should be a better friend to you."

The absurdity continues as the skier provides thigh-drum accompaniment while the flake raps, "Yo, my name is snow/And my beats got flow/And, yo, these winters gettin' hotter/'Case you didn't know." (Climate change skeptics will, of course, point to the fact that early 2014 has been one of the coldest winters for most of the U.S.)

Props to CRP for taking an unconventional approach, though the spot might be a bit too flaky for its own good.

It's been years since Burger King's U.S. advertising was truly weird. You have to go back to the Crispin Porter + Bogusky stuff from the mid-2000s—in particular, the deeply troubling "Eat Like Snake" ad from 2006.

Colenso BBDO, however, is keeping BK ads weird for the New Zealand market. Check out the three spots below from director Nick Ball, featuring the most unlikely BK patrons ever—Sir Roger Poppincock and Baron von Cravat, along with an elderly gent on oxygen and his young, pissed-off Russian bride.

Reaction, it's fair to say, has been mixed.

"Hey Burger King, just have to say I think your latest TV ads are dreadful," one Facebook commenter writes. "So much for a tasteful and family orientated pitch. Do you really think that people would find that funny? Old men with some young girl saying when are you going to die, apart from the obvious stereotypes, ageism and sexism, what about the cultural offense you cause by assuming that women from Russia only marry older men? Not impressed." (BK replied: "We are sorry you're not loving our ads. Thank you for taking the time to let us know your thoughts, we appreciate all feedback."

The chain also got some heat for advertising its lamb burger with a billboard that said: "Cute, cuddly & now delicious." In response to that, another Facebook commenter wrote: "I would like to complain on behalf of vegetarians and vegans about the morally and ethically offensive nature of the 'Cute, cuddly & now delicious' lamb burger billboard in Sandringham. Marketing should have been more considerate."

"Our advertising isn't intended to offend, just to get noticed," the marketer replied. "We hope that there was sufficient humour in this billboard to demonstrate our position and are sorry that this campaign upset you."

Women earn 30 percent less than men for the same work. Some 64 percent of the world's illiterate people are women. Almost 800 women die every day from preventable complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

These are just some of the mind-boggling global injustices cited by UN Women on a new website, HeForShe.org, intended to motivate men to act against gender inequality and violence toward women. Created by Publicis Dallas, the campaign asks men to upload YouTube clips of themselves speaking out in support of women. For further inspiration, it includes a simple but powerful video of well-known men—including activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Matt Damon and Patrick Stewart—sharing their perspectives.

It's not a risk-free approach for UN Women, which had a global hit last year with its Google autocomplete campaign by Ogilvy Dubai. Some might think that focusing on men somehow implies their opinions are of greater value. But Publicis says the unusual strategy is the campaign's strength.

"He For She is a unique women's rights campaign in the simple fact that we don't approach the problem from a female perspective, and that's what makes it so powerful," Brad Roseberry, the agency's chief creative officer, said in a statement.

The cause is made all the more pressing by the fact that it's gone underaddressed for so long. (The ad industry, of course, has plenty to do in fixing its own deeply ingrained gender inequalities.) As the new campaign so clearly expresses, the power to solve it often remains concentrated in the hands of men.

Credits below.

CREDITS
Client: UN Women
Agency: Publicis Dallas
Executive Creative Director: Brad Roseberry
Creative Director: Natalie Lavery
Copywriter: Jacob Latchem
Art Directors: Alex Pierce, Joshua Tovar
Producers: Lori Wallace, Desiree Townsend
Web Developers: Alex Pierce, Eric Taylor, Dennis Covington, Jason Awbry
Designers: Alex Pierce, Joshua Tovar
Account Directors: Susan Scott, Whitney Sprague
Editing Company: Republic Edit
Editor: Andy McGee
Producer: Jacklyn Sandoval Roman

When Maria Kang posted a picture of herself looking fit and trim while surrounded by her three young sons last year, she became a lightning rod for debate over realistic body images and "fat shaming."

But despite all the criticism it generated, Kang has remained unapologetic and even launched a site called NoExcuseMom.com. To raise awareness of the site, she once again created a Facebook image of herself, this time labeling different parts of her body with phrases like "works 8hr+ days" and "gave birth to sons in 2009, 2010 & 2011." 

The new photo generated more than 17,000 Likes and 1,200 comments, ranging from passionate praise to snide quips like, "Who watches your 3 kids as you work out?"

While Kang's physique is definitely the center of attention, it's worth taking a look at the No Excuse Mom website, where women of all shapes and fitness levels are featured and celebrated. But given Kang's highly personal, often polarizing approach, the "What's your excuse?" challenge is sure to continue garnering its share of blamers and believers alike.

Via AllFacebook.

New photo posted by Maria Kang:

2013 photo posted by Maria Kang:

Claiming that its anti-SeaWorld billboard was wrongfully rejected for display, PETA is suing the San Diego Airport Authority with backing from the ACLU. 

The billboard pairs actress Kathy Najimy's face with the message: "Welcome to San Diego! If you love animals like I do, please avoid SeaWorld." It's part of an ongoing campaign against the marine park chain, whose critics have been whipped into a frenzy since the debut of the hard-hitting documentary Blackfish about the park's alleged mistreatment of orcas. 

PETA also released a statement from Najimy (best known these days as the voice of Peggy Hill), who suggested other tourist attractions like Balboa Park and the Old Globe theater, as well as getting "naked at Black's Beach." I mean, it is PETA. Even if she hadn't said that, they'd probably add it in post.