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Ad of the Day: United Airlines Shows Its Team USA Pride

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/05/2014 - 18:17

Now that the Super Bowl ad bonanza is (finally) over, it’s time we all take a well-deserved break from obsessively tracking TV spots created for major sporting events. Just kidding! The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics is just a day away (although the opening ceremony won’t air until Friday—figure that one out), and while Sochi is still scrambling to finish preparations for the big event, here in the U.S., marketers have already kicked off an onslaught of Team USA-themed campaigns.

Clio Awards Accepting 2014 Entries

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/05/2014 - 17:47

Agencies from across the global creative landscape are invited to submit their best work from the past year—in 18 media types—for consideration by a panel of jurors for the 2014 Clio Awards show in October.  The entry period opens today and ends April 11. The members of the 2014 jury were also announced today, with a 50-50 gender ratio to "more equally represent contributions of women to the industry," the Clio Awards said in a statement today.

Diversity PSA Misses the Mark by Saying Two-Man Luge Is 'a Little Gay'

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/05/2014 - 17:17

Prepping for a two-man luge race looks like two dudes humping, says a new PSA from a Canadian equal rights group protesting Russia's anti-gay laws ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. The spot, created for the Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion by agency Rethink Canada, shows a pair of spandex-clad sledders rocking back and forth before launching down the track, all to the tune of synth pop classic "Don't You Want Me" by The Human League.

These Snacks Taste Sweet as a Bag of Kittens and Puppies in Odd British Ads

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/05/2014 - 16:38

In a loopy but memorable attempt to symbolize the sweetness of its biscuits and tea-cakes, McVitie's new British TV campaign shows cute, cuddly critters emerging from its snack packages. Ordinary folks open their boxes and out pop puppies, kittens and, most disconcertingly, a wide-eyed, Yoda-like primate called a tarsier. (They're getting pretty lax down at the packaging plant, I guess.) The snackers, unfazed, snuggle with their new furry friends, which vanish once the biscuit-munching begins. Oh, and classic TV themes—from Murder She Wrote, Fawlty Towers and the U.K.

Sites I Visit Are Now Following Me on Twitter, and It's Super Creepy

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/05/2014 - 15:41

Yesterday, I had a turkey and ham sandwich for lunch. I know that's incredibly uninteresting, which is why I didn't mention it online. But then, 30 minutes after browsing their menu, @FirehouseSubs followed me on Twitter. That afternoon, I was researching some Shorty Awards winners from recent years (again without mentioning anything about it online), and 30 minutes later, @shortyawards followed me on Twitter.

Diet Dew Helps You Hunt Ducks with Dale Jr. and Rail-Grind a Horse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/05/2014 - 14:33

One of my favorite ads from Super Bowl night actually ran before and after the game, when Diet Mountain Dew bought some slightly discounted time for its new spot, "Dale Call." We see a duck hunter pull out his trusty turbo-powered call, which sounds like a Nascar engine and summons Dale Earnhardt Jr., regardless of location or time of day. I can't think of too many scenarios where that would be useful, which might be why it's a bat signal solely reserved for duck hunters.

Where Teens Spend Their Time Online When Not on Facebook

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/05/2014 - 11:12

Despite reports that young people are moving away from Facebook, they’re still using the social network in big numbers—fully 66 percent of people 14-34 say they’re frequent users, according to The Cassandra Report, Fall/Winter 2013 edition. Further, usership rises as people get older, suggesting that the youngest teens aren’t moving away from Facebook as much as using other platforms along with it. Nevertheless, other platforms are challenging its dominance, chiefly YouTube, which is frequently used by 68 percent of those 14-34.