I’ve always thought Matthew Broderick was a little more discerning when it came to movies and product endorsements… then I remembered Inspector Gadget.

Yes, this commercial is lame. No, I could not see Matthew driving a CR-V in real-life. Yes, John Hughes is probably rolling in his grave. But look at it this way, at least it’s not another Star Wars-themed commercial.

Ferris, you're a sell out.

I went into my archives to find today’s movie. It’s a fun animation about a Russian Cosmonaut spending New Years Eve in space. Directed and animated by Anton Korolyuk and Artem Bizyaev.

This is the Audi 2012 Game Day Commercial entitled “Vampire Party” and it is a steaming pile of no good. Clearly the target audience wasn’t well-defined in this creative brief. Either that, or the decision-maker at Audi has Team Edward bed sheets.

The spots came from Venables Bell & Partners, self-described as an independent San Francisco advertising agency whose intentions are good. I’m sure they were, but you missed the vein on this one.

Created by Voskhod, Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Not just applicable to artists.

UPDATE: Thanks to Travale over on Luc Latulippe’s blog who identified where this little gem originated. Check out the Artist’s Survival Kit.

They recently launched the second commercial in a series, showcasing some not-so-real-life scenarios which illustrated why learning English is important. The first involved Bruce Willis and a parachute. It set the stage for the second spot, which I’m sure will drive a huge influx of male students for CCAA’s introductory English courses.

I don’t know which agency was behind this creative. If you know, leave a comment.

The collodion process is an early photographic process that was introduced around 1850. Described as “a very inconvenient form” of photography, it starts out with the photographer cutting glass into plates to be used inside the camera. Then bromide, iodide, or chloride is dissolved in “collodion” (a solution of pyroxylin in alcohol and ether).  This mixture is poured on the VERY clean glass plate, and allowed to sit until the coating bonds. Any fluffs, dust or streaks on the glass, and the picture is ruined.

The plate is then placed in a silver nitrate solution, which creates another reaction (this is all very scientific and requires time, a respirator and a dark room). Once the reaction is complete, the plate is removed from the silver nitrate solution and placed into the camera while still wet. The photographer has to move fast and get the photo, because the plate loses sensitivity as it dries. It must also be developed while still wet. And that process requires even more chemicals.

Needless to say, this is a long, difficult process. But the results are fantastic.

Fred had booked someone for a portrait last night, but plans changed and they couldn’t make it. So he asked if I wanted to come by and have it done. How could I say no?

Understand that this is no digital photography. You get one chance. So the photo gets planned out in advance. How you be sitting. What props you will have in the photo. How long you can sit still. Because depending on how far you are sitting from the camera and what kind of lighting there is, you will have to hold the pose for 15 to 30 seconds to get the right exposure. And if you move during that time? The picture ends up blurry. (Blinking is allowed.)

We did two shots. It took about two hours, but that included wardrobe, make-up, cookies, gabbing, all that good stuff. Here is the result:

This whole process made me realize that photography has become so disposable. People don’t put the effort into it like they used to. I mean, how many baby books are now just Facebook albums?

This process was fantastic. And these pictures are keepers – if I do say so myself. The finished product, printed on glass, is a real keepsake. Fred has this method of sandwiching the glass so it protects the other piece of glass with the image on it. This is perfect for family or individual portraits and it really is a true artform. Thanks Fred! And thanks Liz for the cookies and my amazing feathered turban.

If you want to book Fred for a session, contact him through his website.

This animated short is the senior thesis of Justin Farris, created at Ringling College of Art & Design.

It’s an interesting approach, as most anti-drug ads talk to the kids using scare tactics and are usually centred around the negative effects of the drug. This is clearly a message for the parents.

“While parenting styles can differ wildly, Energy BBDO successfully tapped into a core consumer insight which will no doubt capture the attention of viewers,” said Rebecca Shaw, VP, Director of Creative Development at The Partnership at Drugfree.org. “Many parents question how best to confront their teen’s drug use, even when it’s right in front of them. These ads don’t shy away from highlighting the important role parents play in stopping (or permitting) use by their kid. Based on the incredibly positive feedback we’ve already received, we know this campaign is a great example of the power of honest, insight-driven advertising.”

I watched this ad, created by Forsman & Bodenfors, three times.

All I can say is that it does not make me want to buy a couch. But I do want a pony, a bigger house and a nice, tweed coat.

HA! Suck it, bitches! I got a pony!

For those of you who have never attended the Cannes Reel, it is a screening of the world’s best film commercials from the 2011 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. You can mingle with fellow creative types at the pre-screening reception. There is a cash bar, pizza, popcorn, 50/50 draw and door prizes.

All the proceeds go to the National Advertising Benevolent Society (NABS). NABS is a non-profit organization that assists people in the advertising industry and related businesses who need help due to illness, injury, unemployment, substance abuse or financial difficulties.

Date: January 26, 2012

Location: ScotiaBank Theatre, 900 Burrard St, Vancouver

Time:
Reception, 5:30p.m.
Screening 6:30 p.m.

Hosted by NABS WEST

Buy tickets here.

The unofficial after party for NABS volunteers and friends of volunteers will be happening at The Morrissey Irish Bar on Granville. It starts about 9pm and includes a complimentary cocktail!

Click on the poster for more details.

You've been training for this all your life. Now let's see how many commercials you can sit through.

Wieden + Kennedy London hired Rutger Hauer to do the voice-over for this visual cornucopia for their clients, Lurpack. Hauer, as you may or may not know, has been in such movies as Blade Runner, Sin City, and one of my personal favorites, Hobo With A Shotgun.

But back to the commercial. This spot is action-packed, colourful and inspiring. It encourages you to experiment with healthy foods and create in the kitchen. And kind of makes me want to watch Hobo With A Shotgun again.

The call was answered by director Olivier Agostini. He created the following psychedelic commercial in a similar style to the bizarro, over-the-top Skittles ads that we have been seeing for years. Even though I like the weirdness, I could see some consumer confusion between the candy brands based on this creative.

(I don’t approve of the idea of crowdsourcing for creative, for the record.)

POPTENT keeps removing the video claiming copyright. Sorry kids.

The second video, although subtitled, is far superior in animation style and storyline. It’s a little on the longer side, coming in at eight minutes and forty-two seconds, but it’s a highly entertaining little piece about what some men will go through to get the girl. Directed by Hugo Jackons, Pascal Chandelier, Valentin Michel, Bastien Morteleque and Elliot Maren.

It’s an interesting (see: totally confusing) brand association for the popular, animated sit-com. I could see this potentially working for brand recall in the supermarket by the younger target audience, but it’s not necessarily doing anything to sell the product itself. And reusing a joke that first aired in 2006 (written by someone else), and should be long-since retired?

I love Family Guy, but this… this I could do without.

Via

That is why I relate to these new ads for the British Chamber of Commerce 12th Annual Business Awards. Sure, the idea has been done a thousand times before. But these ads are funny, not to mention perfectly on target and will no doubt catch the attention of the business community.

More great creative from the folks at Ogilvy, Singapore.

The campaign is called “Feed the Pig” and was created by Turbine in Southport, Connecticut. They’ve set up a website which provides tips, tricks and insights for the target audience on how to achieve financial enlightenment. They also have a series of commercials showcasing the creeptastic mascot.

Via Photoshop Disasters.