Cup of Java

Uncreative Title for Today

ASCII movie of fight scenes from the Matrix...it's very cool. (via boingboing.net)

Agencies (not the advertising kind) fear beer ads look like too much fun - "Sex seems to be on everyone's mind in the beer business these days," says George Hacker, director of the Alcohol Policies Project at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "It's the particular portrayal of essentially drunken, riotous behavior by young people that is so problematic." Hacker, who also serves on the Coalition for the Prevention of Alcohol Problems, in late May sent a letter to Adolph Coors on behalf of that organization. The letter takes issue with a number of ads Coors has aired in recent months, including one that asked: "Why do we party?" The response: "Because we can-can-can!" Coors says it agreed not to run the ad any longer after a consumer brought it to the attention of the Better Business Bureau as part of an internal program that Coors has in place.

Adage asks the question "is consolidation hurting creativity?" Here's an exceprt: "Since public companies are responsible first and foremost to their shareholders, so the argument goes, clients come second and consumers a distant third. Smart chief executives realize that if they serve consumers and clients, shareholders will win. But that's a long-term view and public companies care mostly about short-term results.
That sentiment, the belief that being big has hurt agencies' ability to be good, was something of an unofficial theme of the International Advertising Festival in Cannes. Typically, the business of advertising doesn't make an appearance at this weeklong spectacle. For better or worse, the awards show remains the one place where the product of advertising -- "the work" -- is the obsessive focus. But it has become clear that the two are inseparable, that creative does not exist in a vacuum and that the ability of creatives to do good work has been affected by the risk-averse cultures of their publicly held parents."

O&M scraps their probono ad in order to keep peace with tabacco client.
A charity campaign warning of the dangers of passive smoking has been scrapped by an advertising agency to prevent an embarrassing run-in with one of its most valued clients - British American Tobacco. Ogilvy & Mather had offered to devise a free advertising campaign entitled "passive smoking kills" for a leading anti-smoking charity. It featured a hard-hitting and disturbing poster, showing a cigarette, designed like a barrel of a gun, firing a bullet. View the poster here at the meadia.guardian.co.uk.

P&G is just one among other clients who already have their SuperBowl air time purchased. This year a :30 is going for $2.4 million.

Kraft gets "responsible"- Kraft is cutting portion sizes, changing it's marketing because of obesity concerns.

P&G is making changes in order to return to Cannes next year as a winner. This means more testing. Yay. *cough* But perhaps it might allow for something slightly more creative to hit the airways, since the shinny happy people and authoratative approaches are overused and so blaaaaaaand!

Corbis vs. Amazon.com- New court case where Corbis is suing Amazon for copywright infringement. Hooboy.

Here's some This or That since it's Tuesday....
1. Lemonade or Ice Cold Beer? Lemonade is definitely more refreshing. Although a nice cold beer is good sometimes too.
2. Swimming pool or beach? Beach.
3. Long weekends here & there, or a 2-week vacation? Here and there...unless going away somewhere.
4. Destination: Acapulco or Hawaii? Hawaii. Loved it there.
5. Destination: Mountains or Beach? Beach.
6. Hotel/motel/B&B or camping? Both are good...depending on what I feel up to doing.
7. Carefully planned vacation, or play it by ear? Little bit of both.
8. Sneakers or sandals? Sandals.
9. Air-conditioning or fans? Air conditioning.
10. Concerts in the park or baseball games? Depends who's playing at the concerts/what type of music it is. Baseball games are fun to go to though.