The Australian Navy is using MSN Messenger in it’s recruitment efforts, through the Instant Games feature.

This move is in pace with the changing habits of young males, that are replacing traditional media such as TV or radio, with gaming and internet. If they’ve seen this panel from Guy Kawasaky, then they might be doing also some mobile efforts.

Link: http://www.navy.gov.au/

Update:

There’s a interesting new article on iMediaConnection regarding this subject: “4 Quick Tips: Marketing to Teens Online”

Hehe. The Atlanta Addys launched a website to promote the event, a treat for someone working in advertising and a good sense of humour. In short, it goes like this:

• What if you didn’t had the fortune(?!?!) of working in advertising?
• Would you be any good at some other job?

The answer is a series of short videos that make fun of the usual advertising stereotypes.

The video narrative is well done, but it could even be more viral if they had a “Send a friend” or “Post to blog” feature.
You have to be a semi-geek to get the video as standalone, so guys, make our life easier - after all, we work in advertising.

Link: http://www.atlantaaddys.com/

For those of you who regularly use a web cam (i personally dislike it), here’s a funny approach from Logitech.

[youtube]qNJOT5o6qnA[/youtube]

Video url: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNJOT5o6qnA

Although the gag seems to work, i doubt if the ad is effective persuading the consumer in buying the product with this kind of approach.

Source: Culture Buzz

Last Wednesday i was checking the workshops for the Numero festival, and a friend pointed out the Quartz composer workshop, by Laetitia Morais. While it seemed a nice technology, i presented him to Processing.org and we was astonished with all the creative possibilities of the language, particularly with the works by Philip Worthington.

Processing was created to teach fundamentals of computer programming within a visual context and to serve as a software sketchbook and professional production tool, being one of the most honorable efforts bridging the gap between art and technology. The works of Ben Fry and Casey Reas set the ground for creative collaboration such as the pieces by Golan Levin or Zach Lieberman, awarded in ArsElectronica.

While interested in the creative possibilities of the language i never really thought about the business side of it. Based mainly on the work presented in the exhibitions section, here are my inspirations for Processing:

(more…)

I’m a huge fan of Arcade Fire. So it hurts me to see some commercials and promos using the tracks, especially when they’re in the form of a lame arrangement to avoid paying copyright - if you’re from Portugal, you’d probably notice something familiar in the new TMN Casa commercial.

Update:

The commercial, besides being empty in content and value proposition, is using a lousy composition of the track “Wake Up“.
[youtube]C_VUT-ErCQQ[/youtube]
Anyway, if you can’t wait for their new album, you can go to Hype Nonstandart and find some underground tracks, such as:

• Burning Bridges, Breaking Lives, live new track, and one of my favorites
• Intervention, another new track
• The tracks with David Bowie, for Forest Fire
• A cover version of Maps, by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• A cover version of Born on A Train, by The Magnetics Fields
• Age of Consent, a New Order cover
• State Trooper, a Springsteen cover

The main award in Portugal for online advertising, organized by the largest portuguese portal and ISP provider, has just published the finalists for the 2006 edition.
You can browse the entries (and vote) at: http://premiospub.sapo.pt/

Update:  Winners available at http://premiospub.sapo.pt/vencedores.aspx

Below,a short selection:

• 24 DVD promo for Visão Magazine
• Website for Cascais Sailing World Championship
• Marylin Manson Promotion for SuperBock beer
• Rock in Rio for Nokia
• Optical Illusion for non-profit “Ajuda de Berço”
• Next Victim for a Health care company
• BES 100% for BES
• Simple as 2+2 for Cofidis credit
• HeinzPromo for Heinz Ketchup
• Fanta website
• Website for Pedras Salgadas, mineral water
• Kitchen Planner for IKEA
• Lemon for Pepsi
• Christmas campaign for SAPO
• Rokr Phone for Optimus
• Valentines Day for Nokia
• Experience for Optimus
• Broadband for TMN

Personally, i don’t find these entries a true representation of portuguese online advertising since many agencies and studios don’t even bother to submit their work. As in the years before, the new media agencies that are close to the sponsors/organizers will probably get the majority of awards. Ceteris paribus.

Hmm, maybe next year i’ll submit my own entries.

When online videos have an outrageous factor, some sex or something to schock, they usually turn viral. That’s what happened to these commercials from Koolanoo.com - a jewish !! social network.

1) Bikini Girl

[googlevideo]-5540975203135878088[/googlevideo]
2) James Bond

[googlevideo]4268837757071002482[/googlevideo]

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Connect the dots: computers - internet - porn - hand …
and you’ve got a banner blooper by HP.

Let’s hope the dont’ “come” too often with more of these.

credits: BlackInTheCity

From acclaimed director, David LaChappelle, a sexy Christmas commercial for Boots.

[youtube]m41P-f-LPE8[/youtube]

I’d change the Gotan Project track (from La Revancha Del Tango) though. Fischerspooner would be so much cooler and more “Chapelliesque”, or, for something totally outrageous and ironic CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy).

via gawker/Youtube.