New pub creates memorable visuals to capture attention

Beer Point hired an advertising agency based in the Ukraine to raise awareness of their opening with a set of ads similar to the one above. The ads feature an almost cartoon-looking individual with a full size beer shoved into their mouth, accompanied by a look of surprise. Each ad showcases a different beer, likely in attempts to convey the pub's wide range of beer selection. These ads have been featured on adsoftheworld.com, recognized for their usage of memorable imagery which has been greeted with both praise and distaste.

I feel this ad is blog-worthy because it certainly stands out in a world where visual communication is constantly in our faces. I am undecided as to whether the print would inspire me to visit the actual pub, because I agree with some online commentary that they are a little frightening in an off-putting way. However, if their objective was solely to foster awareness of the pub I can guarantee that these ads achieved said goal -- the striking visual practically commands attention.

MGD 64 offers most for calorie counters

The above image is a print ad that appeared during Miller's campaign for their brew, MGD 64. Now referred to as simply Miller 64, with a redesigned logo, the brew was once the lowest-calorie beer on the market until Budweiser released their Select 55 brew. The ad uses interesting visual effects to showcase the unique benefit of their product; with other alcoholic beverages, you would have to drink much less to equate to the low calorie count of their MGD 64 brew.

I stumbled upon this ad while doing research for our group projects for my advertising course, and I think it is effectively communicating to their target. On a basic design level, the interesting visual draws attention particularly due to the positioning and shapes of the liquid in the other drinks. The MGD 64 bottle stands out with its rich coloring and fullness. The idea for the ad also effectively reaches their market, as the target is primarily those who want to enjoy a drink but also want to live healthy and remain cognizant of calories. I personally don't like Miller 64 all that much, but the ad would certainly attract my attention to the product.

Classic horror flick gets remade

The above video is the teaser trailer for "Carrie", a remake of the classic horror story from Stephen King about a misunderstood high school student named Carrie who is pushed over the edge at her senior prom. The original version of the film, released in 1976, is still recognized as one of the most effective horror films of all time. The remake slated Kimberly Pierce, known primarily for her Oscar-winning film Boys Don't Cry, to direct in efforts to give the classic horror story a fresh look for the new generation.

The teaser trailer, released only several days ago, is shorter than a normal trailer allowing for less depth in terms of plot, character and action reveals. Still, the teaser conjures a sense of fear with its combination of off-screen voices discussing the horrible tragedy at Carrie's hand simultaneously as the camera pans down a chaotic, fiery street. The camera halts as we finally catch a glimpse of our bloody, crazed character at the center of the film. I am not a huge fan of remakes of old classic films but I love the Steven King story at the heart of this film

Applegate Farms strikes at health conscious consumers with "What's in your hot dog?" campaign

Applegate Farms, a popular all-natural and organic meat brand, is thrusting a relatively ignored public health issue into the spotlight with their new "What's in your hot dog?" campaign. The brand launched three ads that utilized humor to raise awareness of the toxic hormones and chemicals often found in hot dogs. The target seems to be health-conscious consumers, particularly moms, due to the growing trend of introducing healthier and more organic options into our pantries.

I was aware of this ad campaign during the summer when it was launched because I interned with a PR firm that has Applegate as a client. While many people have heard vague rumors about some of the preservatives that make their way into hot dogs, few actually understand what they are consuming when choosing this popular American dish. The commercial does a great job of highlighting this issue and benefits from its use of humor to connect with audiences. I had never heard of Applegate Farms prior to interning with FoodMinds this summer, but after seeing this commercial I would definitely purchase their hot dogs.

Milwaukee's Serve thrusts co-sleeping problem into public eye

The above picture is a print ad as part of Serve Marketing's campaign tackling the surge of co-sleeping deaths in Milwaukee in 2009. Milwaukee's non-profit advertising agency teamed up with the Milwaukee Health Department to combat this problem by thrusting the issue into the public eye with a series of controversial ads including the one pictured above. As usual with many of Serve's campaigns, several of the ads were subject to a great deal of backlash, claiming that they were over-the-top and graphic. Still, Serve aims to get people talking about issues regardless of how positive or negative the conversation is; based upon that criteria, this campaign was successful.

Similar to many of their previous efforts, I think the above ad is effective because of how over-the-top and disturbing it is. Giving the headboard a stony look to mimic a gravestone, it illustrates how morbid the problem is. In addition, the ad's lack of excessive copy benefits the impact; Serve often relies on the striking imagery to convey their message, and this ad is no different because the image and short text at the top spark immediate attention. While I am not the target of this campaign as I don't have any children, I was certainly drawn to the ad and became cognizant of what needs to change about the public issue. In that respect, the ad is extremely effective.

Adidas mimics Nike's past success with "D Rose 3"

Adidas is aiming for success similar to Nike's Air Jordan with a new product launch called the D Rose 3, designed especially for Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls. The NBA player became a popular household name, particularly among basketball fans, due to his incredible skill on the court. Believed to be responsible for the Bulls' success this past year, his shining moment was cut short by a late-season injury that crippled him for the rest of the season. Adidas has launched the product in conjunction his return, likely to garner attention for the shoe by drawing support from his popularity and success.

This product seems to be an attempt by Adidas to keep up with Nike's scorching success by utilizing an extremely popular athlete as an endorsement for their product. In Nike's case, Michael Jordan served as the celebrity endorsement for the Air Jordan shoe. It has been an incredibly successful launch, and Adidas took note of this by using Derrick Rose as their product endorser. While he doesn't carry quite the same cache as Michael Jordan, he is undoubtedly one of the most popular and successful players in the NBA right now. If Nike's history has proved any point, it seems that Adidas is making a smart move with the D Rose 3. Regardless of the shoe's actual quality, athlete endorsements can be very effective when chosen well.

ABC Sunday lineup stirs up magic, vengeance and seduction

As the TV season heats up new shows premiering and old favorites returning, the major broadcast networks fight to win the attention of target audiences often with promotional videos and sneak peeks. The video above is a 1-minute promo for ABC's new Sunday night lineup, slating returning favorites Once Upon A Time and Revenge back-to-back alongside the soapy new thriller 666 Park Avenue. Competition among the networks is particularly heated on Sunday, one of the strongest nights for broadcast television. ABC seems to be positioning its lineup as an "indulgence" by urging viewers to "taste the magic, taste the vengeance, taste the seduction."

I think this promo is blog-worthy because it is extremely effective on multiple levels; first, its high production values and vivid imagery compel any viewer regardless of their knowledge or awareness of these TV series. Second, the promo does an excellent job of conveying a sense of continuity among the shows; while they are all distinct thematically, a wider audience is targeted by fusing them all into one "indulgence" for viewers of all three shows. Overall, the promo expertly reaches fans of any of the shows by positioning the lineup accordingly to draw all viewers to all three shows to the entire evening. The compelling visuals, steady music and clever slogan "taste the magic, taste the vengeance, taste the seduction" signify what should be a spellbinding night of television.

United Colors of Benetton views love without color

The above image is part of an ad campaign from the United Colors of Benetton, a global brand recognized for their strategic utilization of shock advertising. The company consistently launches shocking and controversial advertisements for the sake of acceptance and unification. Regardless of how they are received by the general population, the brand spreads awareness of these issues by thrusting them into the public spotlight. While this ad was first released in the spring of 1996, it still reflects our current society's limitations from prejudice.

The campaign uses three identical-looking hearts with "White", "Black" and "Yellow" as captions to illustrate how we are all similar on the inside regardless of skin color. The general idea is that the heart is the consistent message of love, regardless of race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. The image resonates with me particularly because the hearts vaguely resemble rose-bud shapes, amplifying the ad's emotional impact. Across the board, I am always impressed with the United Colors of Benetton ads because of their boldness and simplicity; the ad benefits from a lack of excessive copy. I think the message comes across effectively as is because it provides just enough to clue the audience to their initiative but also allows for interpretation.

"Dayglow" brand evolves

"Dayglow", one of the most popular electronic music concert tours in the world, recently announced a new tour in conjunction with the recent name change for the brand. Now called "Life in Color", the event organizers felt the new name more accurately captures the high-octane excitement and spirit. With bigger DJs and more paint slated in the upcoming performances, the company also felt "Life in Color" packed a stronger punch as the festival expands into the international market.

The above video is the first trailer launched to promote the brand's name-change from "Dayglow" to "Life in Color". As a consumer who has attended one of the show's before, the video effectively  conveys the festival's overall high-energy atmosphere. However the beginning of the trailer, which follows streams of neon paint as they flow down a bustling street, drags too long; comprising about 1 minute of the video's 2:35 runtime, I think the time could have been used more valuably with more shots of the paint's usage during the show. After all, the music and on-stage entertainment are secondary to the unique splashes of paint out into the crowd. Highlighting what makes the brand unique will further catapult the event it into broader international markets.

"I am human", new PSA from NOH8

This video is a public service announcement from the NOH8 campaign, a non-profit initiative advocating for equal rights and elimination of hate crimes against the LGBTQ community. The campaign garners awareness for the cause by traveling around the world and photographing those who come to support love and equality in our society. The PSA linked above puts a unique spin on the same-sex marriage movement by bringing together people from around the world who have posed for the campaign. Nine different languages are represented in the video's 90 second runtime, exemplifying the idea that the fight for equal love and equal rights is on an enormous global scale. Diversity is the selling point here, as each speaker tells a quick story of who they are and why they fight for equality. This particular quote below resonated with me -- "Our language may be different, but our message is the same. Love is for everyone."

I think this campaign does a wonderful of highlighting a fundamental aspect of the same-sex marriage movement: regardless of who you are or where you are from, love is something we all share. Telling someone who they can or cannot love does not negate who they are and what they are as a person, and this PSA hints at this idea with the title "I am human". We are all human, and we all deserve equal rights. The PSA effectively conveys this idea by showcasing different people from around the world and uniting them with the universal message of love and equality. This wonderful sense of community is something the world is lacking, and I appreciate any communications efforts such as this that work to bring people together in some way or another.