Hasta La Creative!

Apple undeniably has great TV advertising with TBWA’s “Get a Mac” spots, starring AdFreak favorite John Hodgman. As we mentioned previously, it’s also been extending its creative excellence to that most humble of vehicles, the Web banner. Today’s NYTimes.com continues Apple’s latest innovation of syncing up Web-display ads to work together to tell a story. The first iteration of this approach was so successful that it has drawn over 600,000 views on YouTube. The only problem was, it crashed some browsers, leading tech blog Engadget to pull the ad. They seem to have worked out the kinks for the new execution.

—Posted by Brian Morrissey

Leagas Delaney London created this billboard for Stop The traffik, which shows humans in barcode form.

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We like this cute take on a sinister fairytale. Instead of Hansel & Gretel, think gorgeous girl with good shoes. And instead of breadcrumbs in a forest, think breadslices in a well-furnished house. And instead of running home to…

Real estate mogul, Samuel Zell, is intent on changing the culture at The Tribune Company, his latest acquisition and first media company.

Zell tapped Randy Michaels, Tribune CEO for interactive and broadcasting, to rewrite the company’s employee manual–that lovely document workers snuggle up with at night.

According to Los Angeles Times (a Tribune paper), the document–which shrunk from 11,519 words to 3,663 words–is nothing like the mind-numbing, lawyered gobbledygook in most corporate manuals. Consider the opening:

“Rule #1: Use your best judgment.”

“Rule #2: See Rule 1.”

It appears that Zell is using his best judgment. Should his employees do the same, Tribland will be, no doubt, be a happy place.

LaBov & Beyond is this delicious mesh of old-fogeyness and “I swear I’m cool, I swear!”-ness. When we last covered them, they were trying to generate creativity with a whiteboard website. This time around, they’re spreading word that LaBov…

The first Star Wars movie did remarkably well at the Oscars, winning six awards — for sound, original score, film editing, visual effects, set decoration and costume design. It also scored nominations for best supporting actor (Alec Guinness), best director (George Lucas), best original screenplay (also Lucas) and best picture. After that, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences cooled significantly to Mr. Lucas and his droids. The Empire Strikes Back won one Oscar (best sound), but the other four films won nothing — and scored precious few nominations. Still, the franchise does get some belated love with this year’s official Academy Awards poster, shown here. It was designed by Drew Struzan, the veteran poster illustrator who made the one-sheets for all six of the Star Wars films. (Struzan’s son Christian executed this design.) Read more about Drew Struzan’s work here. The 80th Academy Awards ceremony is tentative scheduled for Feb. 24, assuming the writers’ strike doesn’t sink it like the Titanic (best picture, 1998).

—Posted by Tim Nudd

This is Elliot. He still lives with his mother. This is his car. This is his best friend. His idea of fun. How he spends most of his evenings. And this is his job. The only thing that stops Elliot from putting a bullet through his middle-aged balding head is coming to work everyday where he can be more productive in his ergonomically designed office chair and feel like a real player.

Advertising Agency: Tonic Communications, Dubai, UAE
Creative Director / Copywriter: Vincent Raffray
Art Director / Photographer: Peter Walker
Released: January 2008

This is Anas. This is what he eats. What he drinks. What he reads. His casual wear. And his idol. He sports a yellow one. Yet the only thing that makes Anas feel like a real man is when he’s at work where he can sit in his stylish executive chair behind his big strong executive desk and naturally evoke a sense of power.

Advertising Agency: Tonic Communications, Dubai, UAE
Creative Director / Copywriter: Vincent Raffray
Art Director / Photographer: Peter Walker
Released: January 2008

LONDON – Guardian Media Group owner The Scott Trust has appointed Sir Derek Higgs, chairman of Alliance & Leicester and leading academic Maleiha Malik to its board.

LONDON – Maven Research, part of the Munro global group of companies, has appointed three senior research staff including a new associate director.