Living in a material world

Barnardo ads get complaints. This is a powerful campaign. And that's why it's causing such complaints. No one wants to really see what the problems are. They'd rather turn a blind eye, or just hear about it, not see the nitty gritty details of what is *really* going on. Last week a South African ad aiming to promote the importance of education was pulled off the air by the ASA. That situation is similar to this. If the ad is making people cringe that it's going on, then the ad is working. Just because people don't want to see it, well that's sort of the whole point of the ads. To get the fact that these things are happening out there to those who live in their own little worlds, and to show that there is a way to stop these things from happening. If the ads aren't going to be seen by kids who would be scared or scarred by them, then I don't see a problem with them at all. You can't close your eyes to the horrors going on and wish them away. Life isn't a Disney movie. (I'll get off my high horse now.)

Apple G5 ads pulled. Eight...yes eight complaints got Apple's G5 ads pulled. The claim that it is "the world's fastest, most powerful personal computer" is what did it.

The commercial that Norway is using to try to sell more of their fish to Japan. "Cheesy japanese dubbed food shots! fun!" (Via Dab.)

A new Greenpeace spot from HHCL/red cell has aliens pondering an invasion of Earth. Aliens include Eddie Izzard, Joe McFadden, and Jim Broadbent. I love the reaction to the line "Who is their top man, surely he can pull them together." ;-)

VW Touareg can't do what the ads say it can do. Someone's going to get into some hot water for this one.

Boone/Oakley auctions superbowl ad on eBay was up to $350,000 USD as of Monday. But because they included the agency's phone number (apparently an ebay no-no) they had to start over again. Sucks for the winning bidder.