Audi R8 Commercial - BBH

A stunningly beautiful commercial by BBH London for the launch of Audi's R8. A big part of the brief was to make the process of building the car as beautiful as the car itself - something I think these guys have achieved. The soundtrack by Simone White ('the beep beep song') is just goose-bumpy. And I don't think I've read a better end-line in a long time either.

BBH London Recruitment ad

Farting chipmunks and Lynx chicks - I think that explains why most of us are in this business. This latest recruitment ad from BBH London is just great (if you can get the kid's accent!).

Googling yourself? You're not alone

"About half of the online adult population has looked up themselves or someone else online, according to a survey released Sunday. A good 36 percent said they have searched the Web for someone with whom they've lost touch, and 9 percent have dug up information on someone they were dating. At the same time, 60 percent said they are not worried about how much information about them is on the Internet."

(source: San Francisco Chronicle)

Crack Cocaine from Hershey's?

Packaging gone wrong? You be the judge.

"Ice Breakers Pacs, which hit the stores this month, are dissolvable pouches in blue or orange that look uncannily like tiny heat-sealed bags of cocaine, crack, heroin or any other powdered drug.

The Pacs, filled with powdered mint and sweetener, are meant to dissolve on the tongue like breath strips.

They're even packaged in a plastic slide-top case similar to the magnetic key cases drug dealers use to hide their wares under cars."

(source: Philly.com)

Falcon Beer - seriously thick

(credit: Saatchi & Saatchi, Stockholm)

Falcon Beer - seriously cold

Ahh. I love the tongue-in-cheek humour and the single-mindedness of this ad. I got shivers. brrrr.

(credit: Saatchi & Saatchi, Stockholm)

Dirty Laundry + Water = Wet Dirty Laundry

At first I thought it was an intriguing visual. I still do actually. But unless I'm missing something in terms of the washing machine's technology, the claim seems a bit off; a washing machine doesn't clean any kind of dirt - a detergent does! hmmm. A toothbrush needs toothpaste, a dishwasher needs tablets, a washing machine needs detergent otherwise it's just water on dirt. And I need a drink...badly.

(credit: Ogilvy Mumbai)

Emma...who exactly are you?

and so it begins...the hype and the questions: who is Emma and what's this all about?

Apparently I missed out on a lot of other activities building up to the posters. This website has appeared all of a sudden and it's got some more on ''Emma" plus a calendar of what's happened so far. Some teaser campaign seems most likely, but for who? and what? I'm used to getting disappointed when it all ends. Here's hoping the foreplay is worth it all in the end.

http://www.emmajetaime.com/

Emma, he loves you

Someone named "Paul" plastered these all over the Bastille metro stop in Paris. Art direction's not so bad - you got a bleeding heart and a nice stencil of "Emma''. The copy is simple enough and has a call to action. Media placement's also good, as I'm assuming Emma must live nearby or frequents this area quite often. I'm hoping Paul keeps us updated on whether his little stunt (if it's authentic) gets Emma to come back. In the meantime, good luck and may I suggest a direct mailer?

(Translation: Emma, I love you. Come back!)

Doggy bag?

A designer bag from Moschino - any takers? I'm personally waiting for the Husky model to come out.

(Moschino store at St Germain des Pres)

Another Sony Bravia commercial

Not too crazy about the music or the execution - could've definitely been better. And in any case, isn't this idea getting a little worn out by now??

(credit: Y&R Egypt)

Sony Bravia Play-Doh

Sony Bravia's 3rd spot. This one shot on the streets of NY - with little Play-Doh bunnies running amok. Very cool stop-motion photography.

Ariel Colour - Stained Glass

This is a bit of a plug, I have to admit, as I have just moved to Saatchi's on the Ariel account. Things are looking bright! I am told these stain glass patterns were actually created by an artist in Warsaw - the cost of each approx. 600Euros! A nice example of where the line between art and advertising is tastefully blurred.

(credit: Saatchi & Saatchi - Warsaw, Poland)

The name of this travel agency is a scream...literally

(near Lamcy, Dubai)

For a good night's sleep

I think he looks like he's slept on a bed of nails. But if he says he's relaxed, then who am I to say otherwise.

TSA agents watch suspicious body language

"New airport agents have been trained to check for bad intentions in travelers' facial expressions...

...At the heart of the new screening system is a theory that when people try to conceal their emotions, they reveal their feelings in flashes that Ekman, a pioneer in the field, calls ''micro-expressions."

Reading this piece, I was struck by a number of thoughts:

1. How this ties into racial profiling, but that has nothing to do with this blog so forget that.

and

2. Being the ad man that I am, I can't help but see some potential in putting these same systems to work in ad testing. We rely a lot on verbal reactions in research, when in fact it's our nonverbal reactions to commercials that convey our real disgust (say to a typical radio commercial in Dubai) or appreciation (to those Melody Tunes ads for example).

So TSA, where do I sign up?


(credit: Miami Herald)

Melody Tunes - Smack That

This one is by far my favourite!! Too funny.

Melody Tunes - Candy Shop

This is 1 of a series of around 5 other commercials done for Melody Tunes in Egypt. If I'm not mistaken, they're the work of Leo Burnett Cairo. Good stuff. Check out the others on youtube.

Miss Understood

Miss Arab World (center) with 1st runner up Egypt, 2nd Lebanon, 3rd Tunisia and 4th Libya.

Miss Bahrain was crowned Miss Arab World 2007 at this year's contest - the 2nd ever held. With 10,000 entries over the internet, and a participant from Saudi Arabia taking part for the first time (unveiled to boot!), this pageant has finally become mainstream.

(credit: GulfNews)

Talk about the weather, but no politics please

Taxi cab drivers in Lebanon are the quintessential barometer of the country's social & political atmosphere. No one can escape the "chat", in fact it's an accepted part of the experience and no cab ride - whether 5 minutes or 30 minutes is complete without it. Hence, my surprise at the note this cabbie pasted on his dashboard that reads, "Kindly refrain from talking politics". It's certainly a first, and for this opinionated cabbie it's still an anti-opinion-opinion ... another sign of the times.

Sale? Where?

Roaming the streets of Beirut in search of the elusive bargains I keep hearing about, but all I could find was this store. A sign of the times I suppose.

Nothing to tempt your little ones here

Here's a novel concept I spotted at Spinneys this morning as I was getting ready to pay for my cheese croissant and fresh orange juice - a "parent friendly" checkout counter. And sure enough, no chocolates, no Pez, no sugary sweet things on sticks...just Nutri-Grain (ie horse food). "Cool," I thought to myself as I slowly backed up and made a sharp U-turn onto the next counter.

London 2012 Olympics - the logo that's got the world going "WTF!?"

The London 2012 Olympics logo was unveiled yesterday. The reception has been cold. Or should I say hot? As in seethingly hot.

It left one blogger wondering 'How much of my money did they blow on this pink day-glo pig's abortion of a logo, I wonder?' (the answer is a whopping 400,000 Euros by the way). Click here for more feedback from bloggers around the world. What do you think? Is it too 80s? Does it really look like a couple performing oral (blank)? Are you nauseous just looking at it, or do you just not give a damn? I thought so.

'iGasm' fails to turn Apple on

A leading adult toy retailer in the UK has released an ipod-compatible vibrator. And as though that weren't enough, they've gone ahead and named it the 'iGasm' - of course, what else could you name it? Here's part of the sales pitch from the retailer's website: "Go at it hard and fast with a pounding drum 'n' bass track or chill with an ambient classic.” It plugs into the iPod's headphone connector and vibrates according to the music playing (Divinyls' ''I touch myself"?) The ensuing ad campaign is almost a carbon copy of Apple's famous silhouette campaign. Apple, obviously, are not too pleased. They've asked the retailer to remove all ads & posters relating to the product. It doesn't look like the product will be discontinued any time soon, but you better hurry while stocks last - retail price, $60. And no, I'm not getting a commission.

It's raining, men!

And here I was thinking this sort of thing was frowned upon in Abu Dhabi. Apparently they also have an asparagus special.

(thanks Ash for sending the pic!)

Offensive billboard or just pure genius?

This billboard was the topic of much debate in Chicago a few days ago - it was subsequently torn down; many people found it offensive. The lawyers at the firm in question say they only wanted to stir some debate and they confirm that the results of the short-lived campaign were very positive - with a high number of calls coming in. When you consider the free publicity this firm is receiving (AP, Reuters carried the story and at last count on Google News almost 240 articles have been written and let's not forget radio & TV coverage) I'd say this billboard has certainly served its purpose. My posting on this story makes it 241 articles, so I've done my part as well.

(credit: Washington Post)

Non-Fried Chicken

Anyone who knows me can tell you I'm a KFC fan - regardless of the heart palpitations that follow a crispy dinner box combo. But driving by Nando's on Sheikh Zayed Rd I couldn't help but smirk at their wicked little jibe at the KFC outlet that recently opened up right next door. KFC, there's not much you can say is there?

Baby, anyone?

I'm fine with the garage sale, but the baby sale I think is just a little out of line. I'd expect Spinneys to be slightly more selective in the types of activities they allow to be advertised on their bulletins. How much for the bald one sucking his thumb?

Need to finance your nose?

This campaign for First National Bank is currently running in Lebanon. All I can say really is it's about bloody time.

A black cloud looms over us all

To quote the creative who sent this to me "I think this ambient is brilliant. Its simple, effective and just wow..."

Thanks Ash.

Feel free to photocopy

Here's an idea: load up photocopiers with above-average thickness paper that have ads printed on the back. Place the photocopiers on campus and allow students to use the machines for free. And there you have it...great targeting for brands who want to reach students and all done without bribing them with free pizza. This new medium has really taken off in Japan, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it copied (no pun intended) elsewhere.

(credit: Springwise)

One part energy drink, one part aphro

Picked this up from one of the local supermarkets in town during our regular market visits. I guess it was only a matter of time before energy drinks started branching out into other 'energy' benefit platforms. In this case, we're stepping into aphrodisiac territory - watch out Viagra. Erotic? Exotic? I wonder whether the censors just missed this one...

Men-free tourism island planned

"Iran plans a female-only island to boost tourism in a northwest province, the Tehran-e Emrouz newspaper on Wednesday quoted a local official as saying.

It will be on the Urumiyeh lake in Western Azerbaijan province, a municipality official identified only as Aghai said.

Under Iran's strict Islamic law, mixing with men in public is forbidden. Strict sex segregation actually protects women rather than restricting their rights, officials argue.

"There will be no men on the Arezou (Wish) island. Public transport, restaurants and other facilities will be staffed only by women," Aghai said.

Parts of Iranian beaches are reserved for women, where they can remove their headscarves and wear swimming costumes. Women have forced their way into the national sports stadium, defying strict sex segregation. There are several parks for women only.

In public women have to cover their body in long loose coats and their hair with headscarves. The chador, literally meaning 'tent', an all-enveloping, usually black cloth is obligatory in some government offices."

(credit: Reuters)

Here, women propose marriage and men can't refuse

"ORANGO ISLAND, Guinea-Bissau (AP) -- He was 14 when the girl entered his grass-covered hut and placed a plate in front of him containing an ancient recipe.

Like all men on this African isle, Carvadju Jose Nananghe knew exactly what it meant. Refusing was not an option. His heart pounding, he lifted the steaming fish to his lips, agreeing in one bite to marry the girl.

"I had no feelings for her," said Nananghe, now 65. "Then when I ate this meal, it was like lightning. I wanted only her."

In this archipelago of 50 islands of pale blue water off the western rim of Africa, it's women, not men, who choose. They make their proposals public by offering their grooms-to-be a dish of distinctively prepared fish, marinated in red palm oil.

It's the equivalent of a man bending on one knee and offering a woman a diamond ring, except that in one of the world's matriarchal cultures, it's women who do the asking, and once they have, men are powerless to say no."

(credit: CNN.com)

my Campaign opinion piece

Exceptional ads emerge from trivia and experience
CampaignME January 21, 2007

By Hadi Zabad
Senior Planner
JWT Dubai


In Florida, I came across a curious species of fly with a life-span of just one day. They’d float around 5-feet above ground in massive numbers. And while my brief encounter with the mayfly resulted in my having it for breakfast one morning, BBH made a D&AD winner out of the little bugger.

I’d like to believe that had I been handed that same Vodafone brief I may have helped connect the dots between an insect and Vodafone’s thought of making the ‘most of now’. After all, somewhere in my brain the memory of the mayfly and its tragic, though endearing, I-live-for-one-day story is ingrained.

This leads me to my point: how many experiences, factoids, run-ins, memories, and tidbits of information do we have stored somewhere in our psyche that have the potential to be used for great work, and yet never are? Let me ask that question again: would your ad for Vodafone have started with ‘you see a guy...’ or ‘it’s about this mayfly...’? Regardless of whether you’re a creative, suit or planner anyone could have injected that little morsel into a briefing.

Part of the skill needed to create exceptional ads is to present yet another mundane product in an unfamiliar way; to remove a product or brand from a creative rut, and propose an entirely unfamiliar way of thinking about that brand. That means not dwelling on what the competition is doing and who won what, sidestepping the sameness we surround ourselves with and, more importantly, tapping into the potential richness of our individual experiences and knowledge.

The fact that planners are, generally, more freed up means we have the time to soak in tubs of ‘stuff’. And we should take full advantage of that.

I personally relish pouring over weird human trivia (you’re more likely to have nightmares in a cold room), popular psychology (why we’ll never truly be happy), blogs of interesting people across industries (one of the more interesting ones belongs to a call girl in London), YouTube, poetry (where would we be without poetic license?), short films, and comic strips (for a more peculiar perspective on humanity nothing beats strips like The Far Side).

Statistics have enormous potential to inspire as well. Take the following stat for example: last year New York policemen arrested 3,854 innocent people. On the whole, perhaps a little surprising but what can you do with it? DDB Paris made a killer commercial for Cluedo sarcastically suggesting the NYPD might ‘need more practice’. Simple as that.

Truth is, you won’t use your nuggets all the time; most of the time they remain dormant, hidden away in dark corners of gray matter, until one day you get a brief and something clicks in your head. There are no guarantees, but you are better off filling your head with stuff in preparation for that eventuality.

I don’t know why I’m going on about this when Tarsem Singh, the legendary advertising film-maker, said in a few words exactly what this entire opinion piece set out to do: “You don’t pay me for the film I shoot or the awards I’ve won. You pay me for every book I’ve read. My childhood. Every walk I’ve taken, every movie I’ve seen.”

Yellow polka dot burqini

"In a lycra revolution, a cover-all swimming costume is bringing Muslim women on to Australian beaches as lifeguards, unzipping racial tensions which divided parts of Sydney little over a year ago.

The two-piece "burqini", popular in the Middle East, is proving key to a reshaping surf lifesaving - once a bastion of white Australian culture and still a heartland of the country's sun-bronzed, heroic self-myth.

"I am Australian so I always have the Australian life style, but now with the burqini it just allowed me to participate in it more. We used to always go to the beach, but now that I have the burqini I can actually swim," said Mecca Laalaa, 22..."

(credit: Sydney Morning Herald)

Giant Knife version 1.0

Wenger have either lost it or they're pure genius. This 2-pound Swiss knife has 85 tools and is 9 inches long. It's got a telescopic pointer, a cigar cutter and a fish scaler. But the best part has to be that they've still included the key ring. Who says the Swiss don't have a sense of humour?

(Credit: Popular Science)

Sri Lanka

I was in Sri Lanka for New Year's. I spent it at this gorgeous beach down south. Took lots of great pictures but this one, of the Philips 'real flat tv' at the Colombo train station, is my favourite.