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Organic Growth Flattens Out for Publicis Groupe

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/13/2014 - 15:31

Publicis Groupe, in the process of a merger with Omnicom Group, said organic growth was flat in the fourth quarter of last year, in contrast to a 3 percent rise in the first nine months. The French holding company attributed the flattening to continuing Eurozone economic problems, the slowdown in emerging economies—particularly in China—and the postponement or cancellation of ad campaigns.

Lovestruck Artist Blankets NYC With Posters Looking for Man in Top Hat

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/13/2014 - 15:23

Performance artist Maria Luisa Portuondo Vila has been putting "Missing Love" posters in subway stations all over NYC, trying to find some guy in a top hat. Apparently it was love at first sight when she saw him on the subway back in November, and rather than go to Craigslist Missed Connections like every other broken human being, she created 300 posters that vaguely describe their fleeting moment. Since pretty much every public occurrence of note in NYC is a marketing stunt, people figured these were fake.

Is Cadillac's New Ad Totally Inspiring or Completely Repulsive?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/13/2014 - 14:39

In Cadillac's latest commercial from ad agency Rogue, airing during the Olympics, we take a tour of the souped-up American dream while our host (played by Neal McDonough) waxes poetic about the virtues of working hard and owning stuff—and manages to throw a few digs at other countries for living more leisurely lifestyles and being less industrious. "Other countries, they work. They stroll home. They stop by the cafe. They take August off. Off. Why aren't you like that? Why aren't we like that?

'Dumb Ways to Die' Returns With Adorably Gruesome Ad for Valentine's Day

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/13/2014 - 13:04

Fifteen months and 71 million YouTube views after its storied premiere, McCann Melbourne's "Dumb Ways to Die" train-safety campaign is back with this cute, grotesque little spot for Valentine's Day. Turns out the greedy little blue blob who sold both his kidneys on the Internet now has easy access to other vital organs through the stitched-up wounds. Despite his best intentions, death, naturally, ensues. "Be safe around Valentine's Day. And trains," says the on-screen copy.

What Are Amway’s Ads Really Promoting?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/13/2014 - 03:50

In 1959, the Barbie doll hit store shelves, Cadillac rolled out its biggest fins, and Richard DeVos and Jay Van Andel, two high school friends from Ada, Mich., began selling soap door to door. Does that last one seem out of place? It’s not. The company the pair founded is Amway, which last year grossed $11.8 billion. Not unlike Halliburton or TIAA-CREF, Amway is a company many have heard of but few are good at explaining. Amway sells hundreds of consumer products—everything from lipstick to pots and pans.

This Production Firm Stays True to Its Storytelling Roots

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/13/2014 - 03:44

Specs Who Founding partners (from left) Jen Lucero, managing director, and executive creative directors Brien Holman and Jayson Whitmore What Design and production studio Where Los Angeles office With one small client, an angel investor and well-worn credit cards, Royale’s founders opened their studio nearly seven years ago. The upstart was given three weeks to create a 90-second video about fashion brand Diesel, off of which Royale’s reputation was launched.

The Year's Most Provocative Valentine's Day Ad Is Also One of Its Most Touching

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/12/2014 - 21:48

There's a lot going on in this 60-second Valentine's Day commercial, but it would probably spoil things to reveal either the product or the plot. Suffice it to say there are several surprises here, though it all adds up to quite a heartwarming commercial. "We felt this view of life was a story that was not being told with the authenticity and compassion it deserved," the company's CEO said in a statement. The spot will air on Bravo and E! in seven major U.S. markets. There was no ad agency involved.

Virtual Goods All Grown Up

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/12/2014 - 17:43

Stickers may seem like child’s play but in the mobile messaging world they’re big business. They’re also are a way for brands to get in the texting conversation. Third-party messaging app Line made about $25 million in the fourth quarter from virtual goods—accounting for 20 percent of its revenue from its almost 350 million users.

Be Mine: Parallels Between Digital Advertising and Online Dating

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/12/2014 - 17:35

Dating and advertising. Both are booming in the online realm—flipping the traditional relationship and ad stories upside-down. With that, our insights, actions and results are also evolving. Understanding the numerical and emotional elements of human behavior is imperative in both the online dating world and digital advertising, as machines alone are not enough to bring out the power of big data. The human element is necessary across both phenomena.

Diddy, Snoop Dogg Pop Up in Even More Ads You Never Thought They'd Do

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/12/2014 - 17:20

It's flashback week for fans of 1990s hip-hop, with Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs and Snoop Dogg making advertising cameos that would have seemed inconceivable 15 years ago. Combs, known these days as Diddy, headlines a new 60-second spot from Fiat and ad agency Doner. In the ad, we see two men wandering the desert in a delirious haze, unsure if they're really being saved by a celebrity or just imagining a mirage. Meanwhile, Snoop, who has gone by Snoop Lion lately, has popped up in, of all places, a British auto insurance ad.