WWF ties with Bauer Media for Earth Hour activity

LONDON – WWF, the environmental organisation, has teamed up with Bauer media to promote its Earth Hour on 28 March.

Johnston Press reports 28% profits drop and ad revenue slump

LONDON – Johnston Press reported a 28% fall in adjusted pre-tax profits to £98.8m in 2008, with the decline expected to continue during 2009 as ad revenues have slumped 36% since the start of the year.

Google Turns to Behavioral Targeting to Beef up Display Biz

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Google's fledgling display-ad network is hoping a pair of new targeting options will bolster its value to advertisers and publishers. The company today announced it will launch a beta test of "interest-based targeting," which lets advertisers target web users based on where they've been surfing across the internet.

BR Video: Public refuse to pay for online news

LONDON – The majority of people interviewed in the latest Brand Republic video said nothing would convince them to pay for news online and they would prefer to buy a newspaper — watch it now.

Mike Moore takes senior role at Phorm

LONDON – Telegraph Media Group’s former digital general manager Mike Moore has joined Phorm, the behavioural ad targeting company, in the new role of global commercial director.

Prince Charles’ herbal product investigated by the ASA

LONDON – Prince Charles’ Duchy Herbals brand is being investigated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over claims made about its Detox Tincture product.

Sony PlayStation signs content deal with NBC Universal

LONDON – Sony PlayStation has signed a deal with NBC Universal to make thousands of films and television programmes available to PlayStation users, two weeks after Microsoft’s Xbox signed with the same studio.

Tributes paid to newspaper veteran Bert Hardy

LONDON – Former colleagues have offered tributes to Bert Hardy, the UK newspaper veteran, who died yesterday after a long illness.

Diritto Rovescio, Threads that weave art, design and mass creativity

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This exhibition at the Triennale in Milan shows knitting, embroidery and all those (mostly) feminine crafts that are now so much in favour. I’ve seen quite a few exhibitions on that very theme over the past few years and this one is definitely not the best but it has merits continue

Chime profits up but outlook uncertain for advertising division

LONDON – Chime Communications, the PR-led group which owns VCCP and sports marketing agency Fast Track, has unveiled an 18.7% increase in annual pre-tax profits to £16.3m.

Ad promoting air-washing device is banned

LONDON – The Advertising Standards Authority has banned a teleshopping ad promoting a device claiming to “wash air”, called the N-Virosphere, for misleading consumers.

Havas-owned Arnold slashes 40 jobs

NEW YORK – Havas-owned agency Arnold is cutting 40 jobs, about 7% of its Boston headquarters workforce, and making pay cuts in its three primary offices.

Fluid Photography – Troyt Coburn Uses Liquefying Techniques to Advertise Lee Jeans (GALLERY)

(TrendHunter.com) Enjoy the creative effort of Troyt Coburn’s portfolio. From the fluidity of his shoot for Lee Jean’s beautiful advertising campaign, to more traditional location catalogs and in-studio work, Troyt Coburn…

Watchdog censures Specsavers web ad

LONDON – An online promotion for a free contact lens trial has been removed from the Specsavers website after the ASA found the terms and conditions to be misleading.

ASA bans “I love S.E.X” ad

LONDON – A poster ad promoting an event at a Leeds nightclub has been banned by the ASA as its headline, “I love S.E.X”, was viewed as offensive and inappropriate.

Slasher movie poster killed off by ASA

LONDON – A poster promoting a film, featuring a close-up picture of a screaming face with a deep knife wound across the cheek, has been banned by the ASA.

The Recession Effect

A very dear friend of mine, working in a top 10 MNC Agency wrote this in, as a response to Recession and Advertising. He requested to remain anonymous, and we shall respect that.

THE RECESSION EFFECT

When small men cast tall shadows, the Sun is about to set – Japanese proverb

So the recession is here. Much has been written, discussed and ‘felt’ of the recession here in India. And I am not going to discuss the ‘bigger picture’ or about the ‘way ahead’ or anything of that sort. It’s much too intellectual for my understanding. I know that being in the corporate world we can’t be and should not be as uninterested as we at times are about the way things are in the economic world. I know however much an ‘ostrich syndrome’ we might have about things like these, we cannot escape it. The results of recession are there for all to see.

Recession is a great learning experience. And I don’t mean economically. It is a time to learn about the human psyche in different levels. You have the Indian agencies jumping the gun and laying off people and freezing the hiring, but that’s the macro level picture. What I find interesting is seeing the micro level behavioral changes of agencies and its people in times like these. It brings out the best, or should we say the worst of them. Thanks to recession, I got to hear and experience instances or anecdotes which range from funny to bizarre. But they all have one thing in common, that is, they demonstrate, what small people we are surrounded with. Small people, who in times like these, draw out their cloaked daggers. Small people, who give veiled threats to others. Sample this, “If you guys can’t do it in time, then I’ll talk to the other team”. Bravo my friend! You just demonstrated how good you can be at what you do.

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Beachside Fedoras – Gisele Bundchen Sizzles for Calzedonia With an Indiana Joes Hat (VIDEO)

(TrendHunter.com) In this swimwear ad campaign, Gisele Bundchen is seen breaking out bikinis and beachwear for Calzedonia, the first endorsement of the line by a supermodel.

The shoot took place on the beaches of Cabo…

Free tickets for STRP festival in Eindhoven

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Live music and cinema shows, performances, talks, exhibitions, films, workshops, etc. I’ve got 5 day tickets for April 8th – 13th for you. Anyone interested, just send me your name and email address continue

The Flydealism Campaign of Virgin America Airlines

600thmIt is a moniker but it is something relevant to their whole intent. Virgin America is flapping its wings and titling it the Flydealism campaign to help reinvent the domestic airline experience and ban mediocrity from the skies. The campaign was created by Virgin America’s advertising agency-of-record, the San Francisco-based Eleven Inc.

The Flydealism campaign has a rolling launch, starting with print ads and Web banners, followed in mid-March by bus shelters, out of home (OOH) and wild postings. In late April, the campaign will include image-driven print and OOH. The campaign is multilayered, with brand-oriented outdoor and direct online. The iconic Virgin America flag is a central element in the work, used both as a visual rallying cry and a creative signal to communicate special offers and deals to guests. The flag will be used in creative elements and in station marketing efforts.

Virgin America offers low fare flights that appeal to today’s tech-savvy business and leisure travelers. The airline offers power outlets and touch-screen Red(TM) entertainment platforms at every seat. The Red system allows guests to control their own in-flight experience, with a touch-screen food menu, live TV, movies, seat-to-seat chat, a play-list of thousands of MP3s, videogames and more. Already launched on 13 aircraft, by the second quarter of 2009, the carrier will be the first U.S. airline to offer in-flight Internet on every flight.

(Source) Press