HBO GO, SS+K Screen Sex Scenes for You, Your Parents and Your Little Sister

In what we’ll call a creative take on those universally awkward coming-of-age moments experienced by everyone fortunate enough to live in a house equipped with HBO, SS+K advertises the network’s streaming service by reminding viewers of the scenes that would be particularly painful to watch with mom, dad and your little sister.

Our favorite part of this campaign is its acknowledgement–nay, embrace–of the fact that very few young people currently using HBO GO actually subscribe to the network.

The lineup of vices is extensive, covering everything from incest:

…to awkward body image issues:

…to that never-comfortable “It’s OK if you’re gay” conversation:

continued…

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SS+K, Tommy John Take on Underwear Double Standard

SS+K is behind a new campaign for “high-end” boxer brief company Tommy John (which has been called “weird” more than once by those who made us aware of it) that, as mentioned, takes on a double standard in underwear.

The 53-second spot opens with a beautiful model slowly undressing, a sure way to get men’s attention. Eventually she reveals a stained, raggedy pair of underwear. “If I can’t get away with this underwear, why do men think they can get away with theirs?” she asks, attacking the double standard that women have to wear sexy lingerie at all times while men can get away with undergarments that have been through the wash 2,000 times and are falling apart. The message is reinforced by the tagline “Don’t like what you see? Women have felt that way for years.”

Of course, the truly feminist message would be to suggest that women should feel free to wear whatever is comfortable. But SS+K is selling underwear here — high quality men’s underwear — so instead they put pressure on dudes to step up their game and expend the same effort (and spend the same amount of money on) selecting their undies as ladies do. It’s a smart way to get the fellas to reconsider their “underwear is just underwear” attitude and perhaps shill out the extra money for Tommy John so their ladies will be impressed. Unfortunately, this campaign also includes a website inviting guys to Instagram their old, ratty undies. And that’s just gross. Credits after the jump. continued…

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Another Day, Another Classy (and ‘Nerdy’) Arnold Farewell

We’ve seen our fair share of agency folks essentially burn bridges on their way out of their gigs over the years, but in recent weeks, select Arnold staffers have given us the flipside with some positive farewell notes. A little over a week after copywriter Richard Tseng left Arnold in rather poetic fashion, we now have this goodbye sent late last week from one Steve Viglione, who’s spent the last two-and-a-half years at said agency as a marketing analyst.

Considering Viglione’s title at Arnold, the graphic above (click for larger version) complete with lines, data points and shifts detailing his time at the agency makes perfect sense. You can see the full-size graphic along with the parting staffer’s complete note, which begins with the line “Saddle up. I’m about to drop the nerdiest farewell email ever written,” here.

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Arnold CW Bows Out Rather Poetically

We’ve contacted one Richard Tseng about this to determine its validity (Update: Yep, legit), but while we wait, here’s his apparent exit letter sent to friends at Arnold, where he’s spent the last 18 months serving as a copywriter on campaigns for Panasonic, CVS, truth, Volvo and more. For some reason, this note from the young creative, who‘s also freelanced at the likes of CP+B and Critical Mass, makes us want to watch a Game of Thrones marathon. Read on..

“In Canada’s frozen north, during a particularly harsh winter, a starving Eskimo tribe (Inuit for the politically correct) was forced to abandon their eldest matron on the ice. Being a tough old broad, she followed her clan for several days, making sure to keep just out of sight.

One day, a polar bear happened upon her. Taking her for a straggler and an easy meal it strolled up to her, mouth open, ready to swallow with one gulp. The Eskimo lady waited and, once in range, plunged her walking stick down the bear’s gullet.

Hours later the clansmen could see her, cresting a snow hill, dragging behind her enough meat to feed the whole tribe.

Times are tough, and circumstances beyond anybody’s control have dictated that I must leave. Totally understand. But, as Rahm Emanuel would say, “Never fucking waste a fucking crisis, fucker.” Which is another way of saying that it’s actually an opportunity. And I intend on seizing it.

So thanks to every member of this tribe called Arnold. It’s been an honor and pleasure working with you. I hope our paths cross again. Who knows? I might even be back one day. Hopefully with enough polar bear sushi to share.

In the words of a fellow young Canadian:

Never say never,
Rich Tseng”

Godspeed, sir.

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