Categories: advertising creative

Minute Maid Boost Taps The Energy Drink Shelf

Posted by: David Kiley on October 08

An enhanced fruit juice from a mainstream brand like Minute Maid is tough to make cool against the myriad of New Age beverage boosters like Vitamin Water. And they especially...

GM's "Best Car Wins" Ads Need to Move On Fast from Chairman

Posted by: David Kiley on September 14

Okay. That was interesting. Use a guy in his 60s who has been at the company for fifteen minutes to tell the public that General Motors is back and relevant?...

Images of Hitler and 9-11 Haunt Some Ads

Posted by: David Kiley on September 09

It’s and advertising paradigm. Got no money? Shock ‘em, and get the media to carry the message. Germany's latest AIDS-awareness commercial turns to Germany’s most evocative character—Adolph Hitler—to generate...

Tanqueray Rolls Global Campaign

Posted by: David Kiley on July 07

Drinks giant Diageo has rolled out a global ad campaign from Wieden & Kennedy, Amsterdam for Tanqueray gin. Themed "Resist Simple," the effort seeks to position Tanqueray as a brand...

Stella Artois Shows Good Storytelling: Too Bad it's a Euro Ad We Don't Get Here.

Posted by: David Kiley on June 10

Stella Artois ad from London agency Mother: Casting dead on. The guy in the suit who makes the paper boat…ugh. Impossibly metro-sexual. And the pirate ship thing works for me...

New 2010 Prius Ad Super Bowl Worthy in May.

Posted by: David Kiley on May 15

Toyota has launched a brilliant new ad for the 2010 Toyota Prius. I confess I haven’t seen a really good Toyota ad from Saatchi and Saatchi in some time. But...

VW Turning To Old Icons To Take on Rivals

Posted by: David Kiley on May 13

Every car company would like to have a Volkswagen Beetle. The original I mean. I mean…take a car that is designed in the 1930s, perfected after WW2. Improved, but not...

Sexist Cookware Ad A Very Clever Viral Ploy

Posted by: Burth Helm on April 29

Over at AdRants, Angela Natividad links to this chauvinist spot for Madison Avenue Pots and Pans, which, according to her, has been upsetting folks in Australia. Find more videos like...

Vitamin Water 10 Ad Goes Too Far

Posted by: David Kiley on April 20

I hate to sound so earnest. But when I saw this ad, I couldn’t help but feel frustrated as a parent, and disgusted as a former ad agency executive. This...

New U.K. Ad For Honda Reprises Garrison Keillor

Posted by: David Kiley on April 14

This new ad for Honda by Wieden & Kennedy, U.K. is a return to using bright graphics and the distinctive voice of Public Radio host Garrison Keillor. This spot is...

NY Anti-Smoke Ad From Australia Lights Up Controversy

Posted by: David Kiley on April 10

There is a firestorm over an anti-smoking ad that has run in the New York market. Some say the ad goes too far, even calling it “emotional terrorism.” Give me...

Ford Fusion Hybrid Ads Going For Halo

Posted by: David Kiley on March 03

Ford finally has an aspirational passenger car besides the Mustang. It’s the ">Ford Fusion Hybrid. Ford breaks advertising for the new hybrid sedan today on American Idol. The focus of...

New Pepsi Ads Hit and Miss As They Try and Ride Obama's Ascension

Posted by: David Kiley on January 21

The new Pepsi ads that so clearly try to play off an otherwise capture the moment of Barack Obama’s ascendancy to the White House hit…and miss. This is the...

No Such Thing As Corinthian Leather in the Cordoba

Posted by: David Kiley on January 15

It's worth noting the passing of actor Ricardo Montalban, who gave us one of the best "worst ads' of all time. It's also worth noting that "rich Corinthian leather" was...

Burnett Food Bank Ad Warmed My Heart

Posted by: David Kiley on December 29

Every year, somebody sends me some fruit and candy from Harry & David or some such mail-order operation. Let me tell the world...NOBODY WANTS THIS! These boxes and baskets...

J. Crew Turns Michelle Obama Into An Unofficial Spokesmodel

Posted by: Burth Helm on November 12

This sponsored link was at the top of my Gmail account this morning: It leads to this Michelle-inspired J. Crew landing page. Cool, huh? Public relations meets direct advertising. I...

Ranty Denis Leary Is New Voice of Ford Trucks

Posted by: David Kiley on November 04

Denis Leary is the new voice of the Ford F-Series pickup truck. The new effort, from WPP’s Team Detroit, attempts to leave behind the ubiquitous feats of strength one-upmanship that...

New Starbucks Ad From BBDO: A Coffee Break From Political Fighting

Posted by: David Kiley on November 04

Now that I have seen a TV ad from Starbucks, I wonder why it took the chain so long to embrace regular TV advertising. The coffee chain broke its first...

This Latest Windows Ad? It was Shot Using Macs

Posted by: Burth Helm on October 22

Last week at the Assoc. National Advertisers conference I had dinner with a couple of Microsoft people who are involved in the new ad campaign. The campaign, one said, should...

Microsoft Gates/Seinfeld Ads: Storytelling That's Catching On.

Posted by: David Kiley on September 15

I may be in the minority, but I think the new Microsoft ads featuring company founder Bill Gates and comedian Jerry Seinfeld created by Crispin Porter +Bogusky are hitting the...

Al Gore's "We" Advertising Needs a Makeover

Posted by: David Kiley on August 19

I promise that this is a total coincidence. But for the second time in two days, I find myself going after the work of The Martin Agency in Richmond. It’s...

New Pontiac Ad Is An Improvement for a Brand That Needs a Roadmap for Where It's Going.

Posted by: David Kiley on March 17

It’s hard to find a more confused brand in General Motors’s outsized portfolio than Pontiac. The brand is nominally supposed to stand for “performance.” But the lineup hasn’t delivered a...

Memo to Coke: Great Coke TV Spot in Finland. Air In The U.S.

Posted by: David Kiley on March 13

Thanks to www.adverganza.com for bringing it to our attention....

Goodby Silverstein, Tribal DDB win Agency of the Year Honors

Posted by: Burth Helm on January 22

AdAge announced its A-list awards this week. Goodby Silverstein & Partners took U.S. Agency of the Year, and Tribal DDB took Global Agency Network of the year. Both creative shops...

Scorsese Wine Film a Sparkling Ad

Posted by: David Kiley on December 04

The short Net film, which is being shown in movie theatres, produced by director Martin Scorsese on behalf of Spanish winemaker Freixenet is an example of what more ad agencies...

Canadian Club Digs Deeper For Meaning

Posted by: David Kiley on October 24

Canadian Club is not afraid of my father. And they think I shouldn’t be either. They are right, of course. Two decades after Oldsmobile flopped with “This Is Not...

Godiva Campaign Not Exactly Mmm Mmm good.

Posted by: David Kiley on October 04

Godiva Chocaltier is launching a new image campaign to move the brand beyond occasion gift giving. The print and outdoor campaign breaking this month tries to position the brand as...

Walmart Is Out To Change Its Story With New Ads

Posted by: David Kiley on September 13

Walmart, in its first work from The Martin Agency of Richmond, Va., is changing its slogan from “Always Low Prices,” to “Save Money. Live Better.” Walmart executives are saying that...

Hyundai Ads Can Take Us To Water But Can They Make Us Think?

Posted by: David Kiley on September 11

I’ve been in the room when an ad agency says to a car company client, “Let’s not show the car.” The sales oriented executives in the room react as...

If only Allstate insured Altamont

Posted by: Burth Helm on August 13

Allstate has a new campaign out today for its motorcycle insurance policies. We know that fear is the emotion that drives insurance sales. But is this one on-brand? In other...

Viral Video Wins Top Honor at Cannes

Posted by: Burth Helm on June 23

Here's a sign of the times: The winner of the coveted film Grand Prix award, just announced, is Dove's "Evolution." It’s a viral video put together by Ogilvy & Mather...

iPhone ads Turbo-Charge An Already Sure-Fire Hit For Apple

Posted by: David Kiley on June 06

If Apple has proven one thing, it is that it can compel consumers to trade into its brand through the power of design, buzz and overall brand magnetism. The electronics...

Outdoor ads that belong in the Digital Budget

Posted by: Burth Helm on June 06

Here’s a picture, taken from a helicopter last week, from McDonald’s and its ad agency Leo Burnett. The photo is of a one-day, 12,062 square-foot advertisement placed in a suburban...

Star of Army Recruitment Ad Killed in Iraq. The Army should face up to it.

Posted by: Burth Helm on May 23

NPR broadcast a story this morning about a young soldier named Astor Sunsuin-Pineda. He was the focus of an Army recruitment commercial on Spanish language TV, who was killed earlier...

Shell Scores With Online Video

Posted by: David Kiley on May 02

If I have a hobbyhorse these days in my conversations with marketing executives it is that too few advertisers understand that they have a “brand story” to tell. If it’s...

DVR Enhanced Ratings Are In.

Posted by: David Kiley on April 25

The Nielsen Company released the first look at the most “timeshifted” television programs in the U.S., with FOX’s House and ABC’s Lost showing the most lift in audience due to...

FordBoldMoves Site Suddenly A Poor Reflection of "Boldness."

Posted by: David Kiley on March 08

Last Fall I wrote a feature article on how Ford Motor Co.'s www.Fordboldmoves.com website was a breath of fresh air, even if some of its content was controversial inside Ford....

MINI Lost Its Touch With New Webisodes.

Posted by: David Kiley on February 22

MINI has launched a webisode serial that stars a talking MINI reminiscent of the 1982-86 TV show Knight Rider. Indeed, the whole serial, titled Hammer & Coop, is meant...

GM Agrees To Edit Super Bowl To Appease Offended Groups

Posted by: David Kiley on February 09

In the end, it will be the right thing strategically for GM, if not creatively. General Motors today is editing the Super Bowl spot it aired last Sunday to change...

Only Weak Advertisers Fold To Special Interest Ad Baiters.

Posted by: David Kiley on February 08

Special interest groups are making themselves heard about Super Bowl ads that offend them. Save me. Taking a page from Bill O'Reilly's war against Christmas playbook, The American Foundation...

Why I Think Coke Won The Super Bowl Ad Contest. Not Bud.

Posted by: David Kiley on February 05

So, Marketing editor Burt Helm and I reviewed the Super Bowl ads. And while Burt misguidedly chose the lesser of two Chevy ads as his favorite, I selected the...

Coke and Chevy had the best of the Bowl

Posted by: Burth Helm on February 05

I think my colleague Mr. Kiley said it best over the weekend: "This year's game had maybe one home run and a lot of singles and doubles." I agree -...

Crispin and Redenbacher Forgot the Story

Posted by: David Kiley on January 29

Much ink has been spilled in the last week about Crispin Porter + Bogusky's ad for Orville Redenbacher's popcorn in which a digitally remastered version of the old boy, who...

Hi! Aren't I Buzzworthy?

Posted by: Burth Helm on January 29

Are we at a point where buzz and word-of-mouth marketing trumps absolutely everything? Last summer I wrote a quick story about Mini’s new ad campaign, which targets existing owners in...

Miller Lite's Man Law Campaign Out Before Super Bowl

Posted by: David Kiley on January 23

Miller Brewing shelved the Man-Laws campaign from Crispin Porter + Bogusky under pressure of slipping beer sales. The campaign featured pop culture icon Burt Reynolds at a table with other...

Smith Barney's To-Do List: Learn grammar, class

Posted by: Burth Helm on November 14

I picked up my Wall Street Journal this morning to find Citgroup unit Smith Barney’s new brand campaign emblazoned on the plastic. To the marketers' credit, the advertisement caught my...

On Bouncy Balls and Exploding Paint

Posted by: Burth Helm on October 16

I got a couple of emails teasing me after my last post, where I express amazement at the success of Sony's Bravia campaign. “Helm Discovers Marketing,” one friend joked. I'm...

These Times Demand That You Appreciate the Times

Posted by: Burth Helm on October 03

I love this New York Times TV spot (you have to click the link on the bottom left of the page after this link), perhaps in part because I’m a...

Chevy Silverado Ad is "So...ATA"

Posted by: David Kiley on October 02

When I heard that Chevrolet turned away from Bob Seger and its 'Like A Rock" anthem in favor of John Cougar Mellencamp to launch the new Silverado pickup, I was...

Cadillac Reaching For Icon Status in New Positioning

Posted by: David Kiley on July 27

Cadillac has become a cool brand in the last four years thanks mostly to the embrace of the Escalade SUV by the fashion and hip-hop crowd, and the good...

Jeep Compass Bobble-Head Ad Gets Attention

Posted by: David Kiley on July 25

Once in a while, I have to go out on a limb and just say that I think an ad is going to work to achieve its desired effect....

VW's Helga Wins Cannes Lion

Posted by: David Kiley on June 21

Miami ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky won the top cyber marketing award at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival for its online campaign for the Volkswagen GTI featuring...

Folgers Manhole Ads Clever, But...Oooooh ooooh, that smell.

Posted by: David Kiley on May 02

There's a great line from "Barbarians At The Gate," the story of the takeover of RJR Nabisco. CEO Ross Johnson is presented with RJR's latest creation, the smokeless cigarette....

Damn. I Hate Annoying, Irritating Ads.

Posted by: David Kiley on March 23

There are billboards for the Honda Element in 16 major markets around the country. They ask questions such as, "What does a Honda Element and a platypus have in...

What We Already Knew: TV Ads Are Less Effective. But Then Again, It Depends On Who's Making Them

Posted by: David Kiley on March 22

A new survey done by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and Forrester Research, Inc. found that 78% of marketers feel that traditional TV advertising has become less effective...

Yo! Big Head! The Simple Image of Bubblicious

Posted by: David Kiley on February 21

Thanks to adrants.com for bringing this campaign to my attention. I love it when simplicity rules. My compliments to Brussels agency Guillaume....

Is GM Ready to Stay Jiggy With Ads?

Posted by: David Kiley on February 17

I was perhaps in the minority in thinking General Motors' Hummer ad in the Super Bowl was among the best. But I heard a corker from Liz Vanzura yesterday...

Fabio Is Super Bowl King?

Posted by: David Kiley on February 14

Could I have been wrong? Moi? The night of the Super Bowl I judged the Ameriquest ads and the Hummer ad to be the best of a weak bunch....

Ameriquest, Hummer and ABC Top The Super Bowl Ad Slugfest For Me

Posted by: David Kiley on February 06

Okay, my ranking is not as scientific as perhaps USA Today's or The Wall Street Journal. We didn't employ a panel or dfo a survey of Super Bowl viewers....

Mercedes Benz Could Use An Advertising Jolt

Posted by: David Kiley on January 30

The Mercedes-Benz brand still stands for excellence. Make no mistake. But just as the venerable German luxury brand kicks off a barrage of TV and print ads designed to...

Absolutely Cool

Posted by: David Kiley on January 19

One of the new Absolut ads. Here's a free idea for Absolut. Make greeting cards out of these ads....

Absolut Ads a Good Progression For an Iconic Campaign

Posted by: David Kiley on January 18

There just aren't that many great great great ad campaigns. I'm talking about the ad campaigns that transcend commerce and become art. But the Absolut Vodka campaign hits that...

Buckley's Cough Syrup Tells It Like It Is. Are you listening striking transit workers?

Posted by: David Kiley on December 21

For weeks, I have been hearing these ads that stick in my head for Buckley's cough syrup. "It Tastes Awful, And It Works," go the radio ads, which go...

Sex Still Sells Baby!! X-Rated Liqueur and Svedka Show The Way

Posted by: David Kiley on November 29

Just a year after launch, Daucourt Martin's X-rated liqueur has surpassed 100,000 cases, according to Impact. Women 25-35, the target for the pink vodka infused booze, have responded according...

Jaguar Tries "Gorgeous" as New Positioning

Posted by: David Kiley on November 23

Without much fanfare and press hoopla, Jaguar Cars has launched an entirely new brand positioning with a new ad agency in the hopes of putting this somewhat troubled classic...

US Army Going For Team Approach?

Posted by: David Kiley on November 09

Ad Age reports that The U.S. Army has decided to ditch its "Army of One" theme. The Army is in the midst of a review for a new ad...

Lugz Moves To A Cease-and-Desist Against Apple Over Ad Campaign

Posted by: David Kiley on November 04

In an effort to protect their intellectual property and rights under the Copyright Act, JSSI, the makers of Lugz footwear has issued a ‘cease and desist’ letter to Apple and...

VW Film Shorts Less Than Sweet

Posted by: David Kiley on November 03

Volkswagen’s latest push into Net film advertising is short, or shall I shay “shorts,” but not always so sweet. The German automaker, which is struggling amidst a sales and...

Lugz Responds To Apple Over CopyCat Ad and Makes The Most of Its Day In The Sun

Posted by: David Kiley on October 25

A few days ago I blogged about the mounting controversy over Apple's new TV ads by TBWA/Chiat Day featuring Eminem that bear a striking similarity to TV ads for Lugz...

New Got Milk? Ads Doubly Delicious

Posted by: David Kiley on October 25

Despite protestations by Major League Baseball, a new series of "Got Milk?" ads by San Francisco ad agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners are a pleasure to watch. No DVR...

Apple, The King of Orginal Design, Looks...Um...Like a Copycat In Its New Ad.

Posted by: David Kiley on October 19

The very week that Apple chief Steve Jobs is plastered on the cover of Time Magazine with a "What's Next" sign, a melee has been stirred up in ad...

BBDO's Recent Wins Quench Thirst Left by Diet Pepsi Loss

Posted by: David Kiley on September 13

Less than a year ago, one had to wonder what was going on at BBDO, the muscle agency at Omnicom. After all, CEO Andrerw Robertson had appeared to lose his...

VW Fires Its Ad Agency. Drives Into Hot Shop Crispin Porter.

Posted by: David Kiley on September 06

For all the talk from advertisers about measuring return on investment and holding ad agencies accountable, sometimes the success of a client-agency relationship just boils down to the relationship between...

Wanamaker Project Will Put More Pressure on Madison Ave. To Cut Costs of Ad Making.

Posted by: David Kiley on August 25

Advertisers are only just now able to measure what many consumers could have told them a long time ago. Many ads on TV are simply run to often or for...

Does Toilet Paper Have The Right To be Fun?

Posted by: David Kiley on July 20

Toilet paper is one of those products... I'm not sure we should be seeing truly creative advertising in this segment. I confess that I sort of liked the animated bear-in-the-woods...

Coke's Hilltop Remake Ad Falls Short

Posted by: David Kiley on July 12

I like it when an advertiser tries an update of an old idea provided the idea and execution is good. Consider what BMW has done for MINI. I even like...

Converse Net Ads Worth The Watch

Posted by: David Kiley on June 01

I encourage anyone with a little time on their hands to check out www.conversegallery.com. These are Net ads produced by agency Butler Schine and Stern. These spots are a very...

Feedback from Carl's Jr Paris Hilton Ad as Spicey as The Ad

Posted by: David Kiley on May 30

Last week, I blogged on the Carl's Jr TV ad featuring pop icon, heiress Paris Hilton, who shimmies and shakes all over a Bentley with a burger in her hand....

Carl's Jr Paris Hilton Ad Spicey and Smart

Posted by: David Kiley on May 25

As the father of a corruptible three year old, I should abhor the racy TV ad by Carl's Jr. featuring a scantily clad Paris Hilton sudsing up a Bentley to...

New Chase Ad Embodies Everything Wrong With Traditional Adverts.

Posted by: David Kiley on May 23

I was watching an episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" last night. Actually, my wife was watching while I was reading the New York Times Magazine. An ad for Chase...

Levi's 501 Films Make Ads Worth Watching

Posted by: David Kiley on May 04

Internet films aren't new as branded content. But new Levi's ads, 90-second commercials really--themed, "Uncomplicate," shows that broadband could well be the savior of advertising as a truly creative medium....

Carl's Jr. Fetus Ads Creepier Than a Jr. High School Health Film

Posted by: David Kiley on April 11

I've never been quite sure when creepy works as a creative device in ads. But one thing I feel confident of...it doesn't work when the advertiser is selling me food....

Hip Hop Two-Step Over Product Placement

Posted by: David Kiley on April 06

Russell Simmons, co-founder of Def Jam, is the unofficial Dean of hip-hop. But in a chat I had with him the other day, his attitude about product placement makes me...

Award Winning Honda Ad From UK Shows Ads Can Be Great and Compelling

Posted by: David Kiley on March 30

Most advertising I see on TV is total crap, the stuff for which TiiVo was invented. It is for this reason that I point out a Honda ad from the...