Viaspire - Define.Innovate.Maximize.

FLF 09.05.2008 - $300M & All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

So, there is either brilliance in this ad campaign or the final tipping point of ridiculous creative. Are the boundaries of viral marketing now being pushed so far that "relevance" is no longer relevant? That "context" is no longer meaningful? That clarity no longer needs to be a part of a persuasive message to be, well, persuasive.

If you were presented with two options: 1) an Apple laptop running apple software or 2) a personal computer running Microsoft products - would this advertisement help you in your decision-making process?

Have a churro and mull it over as you watch this:

This is the first Microsoft ad of a $300M Microsoft Windows campaign. Tapping Jerry Seinfeld as the $10M Pitchman with creative by Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP&B) this campaign is anticipated to be the big strike back at Apple Inc's 'Mac vs. PC' ads.

Learn More:

• Microsoft Enlists Jerry Seinfeld In Its Ad Battle Against Apple
• Microsoft Hires Too-Cool Ad Agency In Brilliant/ Dumb (?) Move

FLF 07.25.2008 - A Day in the Life of...

We had a lot of great feedback on Fun Links Friday today and received this added bonus video to add on. (Thanks Mark!) AgencyLifer posted this and for anyone with agency experience, you'll soon laugh, cry and laugh again at "The Process." AgencyLifer our hats off to you, "essentially."

"I love where you've taken this... I think you've got this spot on, but...we've got some minor tweaks...'"

Priceless!

The Process

FLF 07.25.2008 - Hello MUTO

This is a new short film by Blu, which is...extraordinary! Check out MUTO, a wall painted animation by BLU! What a trip! Amazing!

FLF 07.25.08 Font Conference with Some Familiar Typefaces

Happy Friday!
Have a little fun with some familiar typefaces at the "Font Conference."

FLF 07.24.2008 - Help the Honey Bees Dance Off

Haagen-Dazs ice cream launched an amazing viral campaign this year to Help the Honey Bees. In all seriousness, we rely on honey bees for one-third of our food supply in the U.S. and right now, honey bees are in crisis. To bring awareness to this very serious cause, Haagen-Dazs has created this "sweet" rich media website, YouTube channel and ad campaign. Help the Honey Bees also launched this viral video, which I absolutely love! It's better than the Bee movie. (Just kidding, Jerry!)

DJ Honey - Drop This!

FLF - Write this..or that..or maybe

For those producing any type of creative, especially copy, you'll find David Mitchell and Robert Webb sketch, hilarious and probably oh-too-familiar. Wink. Wink.

Special thanks to Mary-Frances who forwarded this to us today. It's fantastic - a classic and a perfect addition to Fun Links Friday!

FLF - Ultimate Geek Compliment - Kindle Cake

Amazon's Jeff Bezos posts a personal update on the status of the much awaited, sold out, Kindle. He also shares, what he calls the ultimate geek compliment. Thanks to Geek Sugar, they show how to create "Edible Geek" with the Kindle Cake. Fun & Fabulous, Geek Sugar! This is "sweet!" ;p

Pepsi Super Bowl Ad: Performance with a Purpose

With two weeks left to Super Bowl XLII, the buzz is starting to build on what ads are running on Super Bowl Sunday. I understand one of the spots by Pepsi will be sure to get viewers attention, particularly when the spot runs without sound.

Pepsi, who is sponsoring the closed captioning for the game created this spot and features PepsiCo employees who are members of EnAble, an employee network whose mission is to promote a more inclusive environment for people with disabilities. Slated to air on the pre-game show on FOX, the commercial features Pepsi-Cola and Lay's Potato Chips, but its real mission is to bring awareness of the American deaf community to a wider audience. PepsiCo also will sponsor the closed captioning of FOX's entire Super Bowl broadcast.

Currently, the ad can be seen on You Tube and also included is their "Behind the Scenes of a Super Bowl Ad," which tells the back-story on this innovative spot.

Bob's House

Bob's House -- Behind the Scenes of a Super Bowl Ad

Happy Holidays from Viaspire

Facebook up for Word of the Year for 2007

If you haven't checked out Merriam-Webster's Open Dictionary, you've got to check it out. Many of the most recent entries are classic and must be worked into your vocabulary as soon as possible. ;)

Now, Merriam-Webster has posted their Word of the Year for 2007 - a list of twenty words culled from frequent hits to Merriam-Webster OnLine and some popular submissions to Merriam-Webster's Open Dictionary. Last year's award went to Stephen Colbert's term "truthiness."

This year, Facebook is included with the likes of pugnacious, quixotic, sardoodledom and vanity sizing.  Personally, I was glad to see "w00t" on the list as well. The definitions submitted for Facebook are much like Xerox (of the day) and now Google. (i.e., "I just googled them to get their contact information.")

For the term Facebook, definitions posted date back to 2005:

Facebook

• (verb) : to look up someone's profile on the popular Internet social network Facebook.
  I facebooked Sarah the other day and posted a comment on her wall, but she has yet to reply to my comment.
  Submitted by: Anonymous on Dec. 14, 2006 17:09
• (verb) : 1.to search for another person through the online directory know as facebook 2. to send a message through the online directory know as facebook
  I facebooked Lauren yesterday to see where she goes to college.
  Submitted by: Anonymous on Dec. 11, 2005 23:24
• (verb) : To add someone to your list of friends on the "facebook.com" website.
  Hey, I saw you facebooked me. (also a noun, as in "Look him up on facebook.")
  Submitted by: Selena from North Carolina on Dec. 11, 2005 12:03

Another good definition related to Facebook, but not yet up for nomination is:

Faceaholic

• (noun) : one who is addicted to Facebook
  Submitted by: Charlie Ireton from Canada on May. 29, 2007 21:00

Know any? We do! :)

Vote for your favorite word for 2007 today! wOOt!