U by Kotex's "Apology"

Ladies - you know when you're watching TV and a commercial comes on for tampons and the women are in cute little dresses spinning in circles, dancing, or wearing all white... or that slogan "Have a Happy Period" is stated... and all the while you're thinking, "Yeah right." How about the blue liquid - what's that about?

Well this ad by JWT is a reality check. A woman (sarcastically) talks about her period and how she just loves to do all of those ridiculous things while having it. This ad is very funny, and I'd like to give a special little shout out to my dad, who saw it last night on TV, rewound our TiVo, and made me watch it.

And gentlemen - don't worry, you'll find it funny too. As one user wrote on Youtube, "I'm a guy, and I totally approve these commercials" (he also had 41 thumbs up).

Check it out:

Warburton's Bread "Burnt Toast"

The UK's RKCR/Y&R (try saying that 10 times fast) came out with this new ad for Warburton's bread that is absolutely adorable, albeit a liiittle over dramatic. The ad features the employees of Warburton's as they mourn a burnt loaf of bread. The slow motion over-the-top acting, death-scene-of-a-movie-type music, and tragic hug are what really make this ad so great. Check it out:

Stride Gum's "Closet"

When I first saw this, I thought it was a trailer for a movie - that's how good the quality of JWT New York's latest Stride gum commercial is. This ad doesn't go along with Stride's usual "Spit out your Stride gum or we'll find you" line, but it does still focus on how long the gum lasts.

In this spot, a father is sitting on his daughter's bed asking her what is wrong. "Monster," she says, "He's going to eat me." The father, however, reassures his daughter that she won't be eaten, and asks "Want me to show you again?" He then goes to open the closet to an extremely creepy monster chewing on Stride gum. The monster certainly won't eat the little girl... he'll be chewing on that gum for a long time.

Ritual Magazine's "Dark Kids"

I tend to always blog about videos, let's get a few print ads into the mix.

Ritual Magazine is "the first Italian magazine of dark, gothic, electro, industrial music and culture." And, boy, their ads sure fit the description. These four prints by Ogilvy Italy feature "dark kids," and they're creepy in a Tim Burton kind of way (as in still lovable). I'm absolutely crazy about them.

One features a little boy (a mini Dracula) who "waketh up at midnight" (this one is by far my favorite, the kid is PERFECT for it). The second is the adorable Morgana who "had no friends" so she plays with rats. Finally the third (and perhaps the creepiest) is Melissa holding hands with ghost Mircalla as the two "never had the chance of being sisters."

(Click for full size)

Pictures via Ads Of the World

Vat19's Gummy Shot Glasses (Rap Video Commercial)

This online ad was created for novelty item website, Vat19.com. In a parody rap video, somewhat reminiscent of The Lonely Island's I'm on a Boat, two guys sit around trying to figure out how to get girls despite the fact that they drink "nasty" alcohol. But behold - guy-on-the-right has a brilliant idea - girls would drink their crappy stuff if it tasted like gummy bears. All of a sudden they're rapping in a room made of gummy bears. The lyrics start out:
Girl it starts real fresh
And takes you on a journey
These shots so ill
You'll be leavin' on a gurney
So bottoms up
Momma didn't raise a dummy
Me and Jeff gettin' crunk
Doin' shots of gummy
And it goes on, but you get the point. It's very funny. And Vat19 actually sells gummy shot glasses (I may want them).

Also, stick around till the end of the video, as there's an explanation of the making of it. It only took 900 lbs (!) of gummy bears, and the world's largest gummy bear (beheaded for the belt buckle). Worth a watch:

Peco's Old Appliances

Tierney of Philadelphia came up with this campaign for PECO, an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation, in case you'd never heard of them (I know I hadn't). There are four spots featuring "energy guzzling" household items and appliances - a faulty window, an old fridge, a dishwasher, and a lightbulb. Each of these 30 second spots have people in their houses trying to do something (fix a bike, read, enjoy their morning coffee, pick out something from the closet, you know - regular stuff), but each person finds some sort of distraction. Each appliance in these ads has been personified to look like some sort of monster... an adorable monster, but a monster no less. These noisy, energy sucking items are their owner's distractions, and can each be replaced (or removed in the fridge situation) Peco suggests. Really cute spots, however, I could never get rid of that dishwasher - he's much too cute.

Lovable Power Lift's ‘Magnify without lying’

Unless you're Giselle Bündchen, you've probably dealt with body issues. That's exactly what this ad by AUGE is about. It starts with some freaky music ("If I were man and you were dog, I'd throw a stick for you"?) and an attractive couple enters the room. They're all over each other as they clear space on the dresser, unzip each others' clothes... I think you get it - they're about to get it on.

The woman covers her new lover's eyes with his tie and throws him onto the bed. She then turns around and the mood switches. She starts removing the many things she's stuffed in her bra - tissues, a bunny, you name it. By the time she finishes, he's snoring.

The point? Don't stuff your bra.. buy the Power Lift and "Magnify without lying."

Yellow Pages "Luke"

When I was about 7, I went on a trip to Disneyland with my parents. When meeting Mickey Mouse (which was very exciting to me back then), another family went to take their picture with him. Mickey assumed I was part of this family and pulled me into the photo. I've always wondered if they still look back and that picture and wonder who that random little girl is.

Well, meet Luke. The third installment of Taxi's new Yellow Pages ads. He's my soulmate. Luke prides himself in his ability to be that random guy in pictures. No matter where he is (tourist attractions, retirement parties, banquet hall parties, hospitals, you name it), he will creep your picture. Hilarious.

Yellow Pages "Margo"

So as I mentioned earlier, Taxi came out with 2 more spots for Yellow Pages (to go along with the previously posted oiled up muscleman Randy). Here's another - Margo.

Are you a man? Woman? Just trying to enjoy your soup? Or perhaps just clearing a table? Doesn't matter to Margo.. she falls in love much too quickly. Thank god she's got Yellow Pages on her phone too, since she's then able to search for a cosmetics counter, salon, or wedding planner. Very cute. And I love the scene of the guy running off, the spoon falling into the bowl is very cartoonesque.