Triple Chocolate Love

It's been awhile, I know. I've been out in the wilderness, foraging. Ok, perhaps that's not true since I live in Brooklyn, but I saw a commercial tonight that couldn't be ignored.

The product itself looks delicious as hell: Triple Chocolate M&Ms, a combination of dark, milk, and white chocolate. If these photos are to be believed, then woaaaah, I might have to revert back to my bad habit of ice cream and M&Ms for dinner.

Despite the wondrous idea of a layered chocolate confection, I have a slight beef with the commercials. Sexualized talking chocolate is just weird. Yeah, they're poking fun at the genre, but I'm a tad freaked out nonetheless. Maybe I'm just prude.



Or maybe these really should turn us on... if you've had 'em, report back!

Nike "Mask"

Well, this ad is unlike almost all of the other Nike ads I've seen before.



It doesn't show grueling athleticism, it doesn't have sweat, blood, tears, or thrilling victory. Nor does it celebrate the underdog in a typical, glorifying, against-all-odds fashion. Yet, it does features an underdog of sorts, but only after a healthy load of sarcasm and one big depressing reveal.

This seems to be a pretty big change in tone for Nike. It's still celebrating the women's soccer team, but also seems to be shaming the viewer for their lack of knowledge or interest. I agree that no talented sports team should worry more about marketing than their sport, as the ad suggests, but is this sort of advertising more effective than what's been used in the past? And who is the ad appealing to, if the typical apparel consumer doesn't have intimate knowledge of the US Women's Soccer Team? My guess is that we're supposed to care and feel chided since everything else Nike touches has an amount of esteem and importance. They're cashing in on their brand.

Does it work? It caught my eye, for sure. It stands out more in my mind than other recent commercials from Nike or Adidas. Whether it will influence me to buy more, I don't know, but I don't think that's the point. It helps further establish Nike as a leading brand that takes all athletes seriously regardless of their fame or current spotlight. Sure, there's the Nike that has a new NBA shoe out for whatever athlete of the week we're currently worshiping, but this Nike, this semi-jaded and incredulous Nike, is beyond that. It's about pure athleticism.

Here it Comes: More from Dove.

Holy crap, I don't think I blinked at all during this one.



Great follow-up to Evolution from Dove. We know we're bombarded with "health and beauty" imagery every day, but I don't think we ever get a true sense of how pervasive it is until seeing a project like this. Just watching "Onslaught" makes me feel tired. Dove's campaign continues to be one of the few I've seen that can successfully combine social responsibility and brand building.

As AdAge points out though, there's something darker here at work when you pull back the curtains of the Unilever family: Dove belongs to the same corporation that brings us the low-end wet dreams of high school boys everywhere: Axe/Lynx. While Dove itself might be a "responsible " brand, what of Axe? How much responsible advertising do you have to create to undo the crap that Axe elevates and celebrates? Is there a quantifiable amount?

Personally, I think it would mean more if Axe found a different approach to its campaign. I'm sure you notice that within "Onslaught," there wasn't any Axe footage being mocked. Hmm. Perhaps that's not a parallel they'd like us to focus on?

Blockbuster's "Christmas Dinner"

Blockbuster does a good job w/ this holiday spot, focusing on family rather than consumerism (except for the message to rent movies at the end).



Find more videos like this on AdGabber

Why am I posting it? Feminist ads don't have to be about in-your-face girl power. You can have a successful ad that captures someone's attention without defaulting to gender stereotypes or sexism.

via Adrants

Time trip! (Or "A few good women")

I stumbled across TV Party, a site featuring vintage TV as well as 1970's commercials aimed at women... I felt like I was in some sort of virtual museum/tourist trap. All of the spots are dated (well, yeah), and some are decidedly hokey.

My favorite? The US Marine Corp- they had a spot that was aimed exclusively at women. Keep in mind that the armed forces had just switched to an all volunteer force and they had to think of new ways to keep enlistment up. I love how simple this spot is- not condescending, not pandering, just a spokesman talking straight to the camera.

You rarely see this type of direct appeal nowadays in ads- especially not in Army/Marines commercials. Flashy graphics, fast cutting, and overwhelming sound effects or a booming voice over are more the norm. And heck, you don't see many women in the newer Army/Marine commercials (if you do, they're wearing make-up, tending to children, ostentatiously as medics. How progressive!). You certainly don't see any spots that reach out solely to them. I wonder why. With the mess in Iraq, you'd think they'd be trying to appeal to as many different able-bodied people as possible.

Be a woman. Be a fan.

I like this new(?) Reebok commercial for women's NFL apparel. As it states, you can be a woman and be a fan- no conflicts. It's great that women are meeting up to watch the game together on their own, no boyfriends, no men-- just as a social girls' activity. Rock on.

My only complaint? The cat fight yowl at the end. C'mon, sorta funny, but ultimately plays to the stereotypes the ad previously was doing a great job to dispel.

Playtex Sport

I first saw this ad on TV the other day and thought it was for a deodorant or sports drink at first, or maybe a sneaker. Imagine my surprise when it was for the first ever "sport-grade" tampon. I'm not the only one either: Seth Stevenson at Slate jotted down his opinions here, and largely, I agree with him. It's nice to see a new take on tampons: I'll admit that commercials featuring embarrassing mishaps with highschoolers give me the willies. This is much more empowering and positive. (And at the same time, not condescending like Always' "Have a Happy Period" bullshit.)

At the same time though, the website is still pretty embarrassing. Try opening it at work and you'll see what I mean.

Both the Playtex site and Slate's site has the commercial (too awkward to refer to it as a spot!). I'd go for Slate's site simply because it's not as bright pink and attention-attracting. I mean, isn't the whole point of a good tampon discretion?

Say it cheaply, with Kay Jewelers.

Kay Jewelers has been running their holiday campaign since November now, and I don’t know about you, but it makes my eyes bleed every time I have to see one of their god-awful commercials. The spots may be aimed at the guys out there, but ultimately, it's the women in the world who this stuff is for.

Here are the main messages I get from watching these spots:

1. Our jewelry is special, and will help you create memories to for years to come.
2. Doesn’t the woman in your life deserve it?

Yet message number three is in direct conflict with the above:

3. It’s cheap.

What on earth does that say about your brand, and about the intelligence of your customers?

I don’t have a problem with the initial premise of these spots where some dopey guy thinks he’s scored big by getting his girlfriend/wife some diamonds.

I do have a problem with how the voice-over then goes on to tote how cheap these particular items are. Create memories that will last a lifetime, with Kay Jewelers. Sure- she’ll remember the Christmas when you got her some shitty diamond earrings for $99. But do you really want that particular memory embedded in her head?

Sexy sexy birds...

When we think of energy drinks, O'Keefe imagery doesn't usually come to mind. We think of sweating athletes, grunting men- all things manly and bold.

Motley Bird, a new energy drink in Europe, breaks the mold, and proudly wears its femininity. Incredibly surreal, the spot explores the world of two hummingbirds and a very special flower. With both phallic and vulvan imagery galore, it certainly breaks through the clutter. On a nice note- it appears both the bird and the flower finish together. Don't you love it when that happens?



Produced by PSYOP.
Agency: Third Skin.

Bravia: A TV for Men and Women?

Could there be such a thing as a television for both men and women? What have I been watching for the past twenty years? The male-oriented model? Sony Bravia's new commercials claim to have designed something for both sexes: The other day I saw some ads for the new highly hyped set(no, not the awesome paint ad) in which both a man and a woman meet, and then, in TiVO fashion, the commercial stops, and you can either watch the ending for men or the ending for women. Each version plays out a different way, and multiple endings are available. Playful commercials, though they definitely lean heavily on gender stereotypes (one of the women’s ending is a romantic musical about shoes, the guy’s in one case is a sports drama).

The commercials (all variations of them) point towards a site further championing the wonders of this TV. What if a television had been built for both women and men in mind? Would it perform better? Would it have separate remotes? Would it have user-preferences? Would the interface be different? For these answers and more, I clicked to the site: continuing the gimmick, the screen is half blue, half pink. Viewers can click through different reasons it’s perfect for both sexes.

Only all of the reasons are exactly the same, albeit with different wording:

Why will women like this TV?

--Slim Design:
It’s called the Living Room, not the TV Room. And the designers of the BRAVIA LCD TV haven’t forgotten that. With its slim design and stylish look, the Bravia LCD TV only steals your eye when its on. If only the same could be said for his football lamp.

Why guys like it:
--Slim Design:
Translation: This is one killer-looking television. Enough said.

Ultimately, by using the different gender stereotypes, the Bravia proves that the same features are just as good for any viewer. They’re claiming their product transcends gender to provide the best viewing experience. It’s a unique approach—by creating a false problem to “solve,” the Bravia is able to stand out from the rest of the HDTV clutter.

In another take on the ads (besides the clutter issue), Eric Sory of Seen and Not Seen asks, “Why would Sony create a false schism and then claim to bridge that nonexistent schism?”

I'll tell you what I think-- this is all an elaborate kabuki. Sony knows that in a household with a man and a woman, the man's urge to buy an expensive, expansive TV will be met with resistance from his partner. So they've basically created this campaign as a way to help the man convince the woman to relent. "See, honey? This TV is special! It's for women too! There's a whole web site full of excu-- uh, reasons! Should we get the 46-inch?"

Whether or not this tactic will actually work remains to be seen- women now make 80% of purchasing decisions, and it's also been found that commercials and advertising don't affect them the same way cold hard facts will (Business Week).

Dove: Evolution.

Another great film/commercial from Dove. Scary, huh?

Ogilvy & Mather for Dove Unilever.

HP, don't women use your computers?

HP's new line of ads, reviewed here by Seth Stevenson of Slate, are pretty spiffy. Great graphics, neat concept-- but, as Seth points out at the end of his review, and I was already there midway through; there are no women spokespeople for the brand. Plenty of interesting and varied male celebrities are shown discussing their HP notebooks. Not a gal among them.

If women make up 57% of current college students (and that figure is rising), and if college students are one of the most prolific computing groups, it'd make a hell of a lot of sense to market to them.

María Sharapova feels pretty.

As anyone in NYC knows, the U.S. Open starts this weekend. I know this because of all of the ads, the subway specials, etc. I also know this because of the sudden influx of tennis commercials. Late August is to tennis what June was to football/soccer.

I saw this spot on TV the other night, and was immediately swept up in the song... it's hard not to be. It's fun, it's peppy, and ultimately, it shows girls can be a hell of a lot more than just pretty.

"I'm excited about this ad because not only is Nike drawing attention to women's tennis, but there's also an empowering message for female athletes that it's okay to be fierce and competitive on the court and still have a feminine side off court," said Sharapova. (from CNN Money)

On the other side, however, as David from Thirdway points out, "Sharapova was hired as a spokesperson by Nike not just because she is one of the top female tennis players, but because she is very attractive. So while she works unique well for this campaign, there are still lots of other players who will never have this chance because of the societal values that Nike is taking aim at in this spot." Hmmmm.



Client: Nike
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.

Sure's Super Woman

New spot for Sure deodorant from agency Lowe London- check it out here. It's fun, it's perfectly timed to capitalize on Superman Returns, but it makes me wonder how much the average woman is supposed to do in a day. At least this mom has superpowers! (And, on a more bitchy note, why isn't the dad helping out more, if there's a dad around? And why does the Super Woman have blond hair? Don't brunettes ever save the world?)

Coke continues to impress! Women directors, awesome spots.

Yet another new Coke spot (c0-directed by a woman) is out! Coke "Happiness Factory" was released yesterday-- a new stunner from production company PSYOP and agency WK Amsterdam. Check it out here on 'boards! [DISCLOSURE: I might work at PSYOP. "Might" as in "yeah, I do."]

The :60 tells the story of what happens inside the vending machine, after you drop in your coin (or these days, dollar) and before the bottle drops out. Kylie Matulick and directing partner Todd Mueller envisioned a whole community of original characters, each contributing to the bottle's production and quality. The design work is amazing, showing incredible imagination and detail. Believe it or not, the bottles featured in the spot are CG, just showing exactly how talented the team of animators, effects artists, and designers is.

PSYOP continues to put out terrific work this year, with this new work from Matulick and Marie Hyon working on this year's earlier MTV HD "Crow" ID. It's gonna be a great year for them at awards... PSYOP definitely sets high standards, both with their stunning work, and their involvement of women in every aspect of production. Neil French can shove it.

Perfect Parenting PSA

There's a new PSA campaign out for AdoptUsKids, and it's funny, clever, and realistic. In a world where Mommy Wars exist, and women are held to ideals (often driven by the media) of what motherhood should be, these are great spots. Adoption is a long process, not for the weak, but as the spots point out, you don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent. It'd help though, if you knew when to hang up the phone...

Whopperettes!

Busby Berkeley would have been proud: Burger King splashed out recently with a huge ad campaign that aired on no other night than the Super Bowl, and has a tie-in website. Each ingredient is represented by a woman in costume, and man, those costumes look elaborate and heavy!

The website itself is a little creepy-- you're prompted to enter your name, which the site actually addresses you by with a creepy voice-over if you're idle too long. You can then customize which ingredients you want on your own Whopper, and then watch the Whopperettes assemble it. A little much, perhaps. Makes you wonder how many people will visit the site, will remember Whopper vs. Big Mac, etc. The customization features fits in nicely with BK's current slogan "Have it Your Way," even if it is a tad Big Brother-esque.

Burger King's campaign is fun, and while it takes objectifying women to new heights (they're not just women, they're ingredients!) it seems to be more in the spirit of play than of actually believing women are all that vapid. Kudos on the art direction.

Coke's "What Goes Around..."

Nagi Noda is about to be a big name. The director of this new spot for Coke, she perfectly executes the breif, adding flavor, fun, and depth to a simple story that plays on the "pay it forward" theory-- pass along a Coke, and ultimately, the favor will be returned.

The twist on this? Noda's use of visual repitition: almost like taking many freeze-frame photos, the spot uses duplicate actor stand-ins as we pan and weave through this fantasy world. Each actor strikes a pose, like keyframes in an animation that tell a story. It's a technique that's signature Noda-- she's used it before to great success (it got her a D&AD Award) with the music video Sentimental Journey for singer Yuki. And, believe it or not, there's no CG involved.

This spot definitely harkens back to "Classic" Coke-- Jack White's (White Stripes) nostalgic track floats along, perfectly matching the colorful visuals. Like older spots however, it could be seen to draw on older stereotypes-- the innocent girl in the beginning is almost like a Red Riding Hood; however, when she passes her Coke along, her innocence and generoisity isn't betrayed, and instead, she's rewarded in the end.

It'll be worth keeping an eye on Noda to see what she comes up with in the future. Whether she sticks with this visual style or not, her future work will probably continue to have her cheerful mood and tone.