Interesting Ads?

March 15, 2006 8:22 AM

Know of any interesting advertisements?

For one of my classes, I must analyze a current print, radio, television, or internet advertisement. Since I'm going to be spending a good deal of time with whatever ad I choose to analyze, I'd like to make sure that it's at least interesting.

Although not ideal, an ad campaign may be acceptable. Something that stands alone is, however, preferable.

Bonus points if it's available online, more bonus points if you link me to what you suggest.

So, what are the most innovative, eye catching, different, or just plain interesting ads you've come across recently?

posted by awesomebrad to media & arts (22 comments total)

Check out this post I did. Some good links there.
posted by BigBrownBear at 8:25 AM on March 15, 2006

PsyOP is an ad agency that does some interesting work. Sometimes it looks like they're ripping off other artists (Frank Miller/Nascar, Darren Waterston/Bombay Sapphire, etc), but, ironically, they were the creators of that Lugz ad that Apple was accused of copying.
posted by sixacross at 8:29 AM on March 15, 2006

Oh, and this Xbox 360 Ad was banned, but it (and the rest of the campaign) were pretty cool.
posted by sixacross at 8:31 AM on March 15, 2006

Gaptap's "Mexican Pac Man Puppet Show."
posted by Otis at 8:31 AM on March 15, 2006

D'oh. That should be "Gametap."
posted by Otis at 8:32 AM on March 15, 2006

I thought these outdoor ads for a Paris strip club were a terrific use of the environment (street lamp poles). Not sure if it's interesting, per se...
posted by junesix at 8:37 AM on March 15, 2006

As far as print goes, the Gucci logo in pubes was interesting. As was the sneaker on the weener ad by Nike. As was this infamous (and fake) Puma ad.

Not sure how current is current, but the Honda ads from 2 years ago that were everywhere (the Rube Goldbergesque assembly line) were fantastic.
posted by iconomy at 8:51 AM on March 15, 2006

I really don't want to self-link, so, awesomebrad, shoot me an email (link in profile). I've been working on some relatively creative advertising for the smallish independent movie theater I work at.
posted by nitsuj at 8:55 AM on March 15, 2006

American Express - My Life My Card
posted by superfem at 9:00 AM on March 15, 2006

I second the Gametap (one of my favorite spots of the year), but also the Virgin Digital print and video are pretty damn neat. Those are a great example of getting people to spend a ton of time looking at your ad. Highly engaging.
Or if you wanted to take the route of laziness in advertising there's a site out there that has scads of ads that rip each other off. I wish I could find it, but the name escapes me now. I think it's French.
posted by DonnieSticks at 9:05 AM on March 15, 2006

I just saw this last night I have no idea what they are selling.
posted by hortense at 9:16 AM on March 15, 2006

I don't know about anyone else, but I am loving the heck out of the new VW ads.
posted by willmize at 9:33 AM on March 15, 2006

european ads are the best-- need glasses?
posted by petsounds at 9:51 AM on March 15, 2006

A phenomenal ad that didn't get seen much (in the US) was for a European (Spanish, I believe?) news magazine. The purpose of it was to point out that there are two (or more) conflicting sides to every story. There were three images, each ran as (I assume) a full page (they were roughly those proportions). It was a yellow background, with the face of Bush, bin Laden, or Saddam Hussein. Each face was made up solely of words. For example, Bush's face was made of the words "truth" and "lies" or "liar" or something.

I'm doing these ads a horrific injustice by trying to describe them here. If anybody knows what I'm talking about and can link them, I'd really appreciate it. I was going to make them an FPP back when I saw them, but I only had the one link, and people complain about one-link FPPs so much, I figured I wouldn't post it. I regret that now. I think.

The concept and execution behind this ad series was fantastic. I hope someone can help us out and link them.
posted by Alt F4 at 10:33 AM on March 15, 2006

The recent Australian Tourist Board commercials featuring the slogan "...so where the bloody hell are you?" might be interesting.

They're "controversial" because of the swear-word, and they were supposedly "banned" in the UK then the ban was overturned in a "victory for common sense" -- those quotes tell you all you need to know about my cynicism. But, beat-up or not, there was the campaign and the free-publicity meta-campaign.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 11:48 AM on March 15, 2006

I'd recommend the Sony Bravia ad (the one with the bouncy balls). Depends how current you need to be.
posted by O9scar at 1:16 PM on March 15, 2006

Take a look at the Advertising Copycats page for great ideas (good enough for other companies to copy)
posted by Sharcho at 1:35 PM on March 15, 2006

MY all time favorite ad campaign.

Commercials for Outpost.com

They were set up to be very dark and very funny...if possible, offensive
(The ad says send your complaints to outpost.com)
posted by filmgeek at 3:50 PM on March 15, 2006

Alt F4's ad concept is also utilized in BBC World promos - there's a shot of a scene, with a sentence describing it, and then it zooms out to reveal a bigger picture that changes the meaning.

For instance, one scene was a group of elders talking to some African kids and the line was something along the lines of "providing educational opportunities?" and then it zooms out to reveal tanks and battleguns and people in military outfits, and the line changes to "or recruiting for child soldiers?" (something like that)

Commercial Closet complies ads with GLBT themes. Some of the ads are really interesting and clever.

I've always liked the old Absolut Vodka ads. They were like pieces of art.
posted by divabat at 4:58 PM on March 15, 2006

Here are a couple of sites devoted to good advertising worldwide. As a (Yank) newcomer to parts Down Under, I've enjoyed the cheeky, different take exhibited by Kiwi and Aussie agencies, exemplified by AmbroseChapel's Oz Tourist Board campaign and the much-remarked-on "budgie smuggler" TV spot for Trumpet ice cream.

On the more touching side, one that I particularly enjoy is the clever and well-made "Life" for AMP insurance.
posted by rob511 at 5:29 PM on March 15, 2006

This is my favourite MasterCard commercial... the return of MacGyver! I think it's pretty interesting, anyway - if only because it's an original twist on two memorable pieces of televisual culture.
posted by Incharitable Dog at 1:13 AM on March 16, 2006

I just remembered another ad I really liked - it was for Singapore's anti-piracy campaign a year or two ago. They had these kids dressed up like music stereotypes (the gangsta rapper, the hippie, the DJ, etc) and talking about their music.

For example, the hippie kid was all "I don't want to be commercialized! I want to be myself!" while the rapper kid was all "I make my raps to express what's going on, it's not all about shooting up." They sounded so serious, and it fitted their stereotype PERFECTLY, but the fact that these are kids made it even funnier.

If anyone has a clip of that ad, I'll love you forever.

LiveJournal has made some interesting ads too.
posted by divabat at 9:00 PM on March 18, 2006