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Movie Preview: Art and Copy

BuzzSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:30:23 -0700

While I have a few friends who work in advertising, I love getting a closer (though obviously dramatized) peek into the old days of the industry every week when I watch Mad Men. We're inundated by advertisements every day, and it's fascinating to see what goes on behind the scenes before an ad makes its way to our TVs, billboards, and favorite websites. To those uninvolved in the industry, it's an intriguing profession.

So I'm very curious to check out Art & Copy, a documentary that aims to reveal "the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time - people who've profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry." It's an oft-maligned industry but still one that requires - and has featured - some outstandingly creative minds.

Art & Copy is currently having a limited run in theaters. To check out the trailer, read more.

Buzz In: What TV Ads Do You Loathe - or Love - Right Now?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:30:17 -0800

The Associated Press recently investigated the phenomenon of widespread hatred for Toyota's "Saved by Zero" ad campaign. The ad - which appears to play almost constantly during NFL games, among other things - has drawn the ire of viewers (currently, there are 10 Facebook groups opposing it, the largest of which has 2,500 members). I'm definitely among those who have gotten annoyed with the (admittedly catchy) jingle.

On the other hand, I honestly cannot get enough of the Brooke Shields ads for the Volkswagen Routan that feature Shields warning people about the "Routan baby boom." I've actually stopped forwarding through an ad break just to watch one, and I just devoted four minutes of my own time to watch this extended mockumentary.

Tell me: What ads are you loving and hating right now?

Source

Things That make Me Cringe: Meatloaf, Tiffany Sing for GoPhone

BuzzSugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:30:59 -0700

Oh, Meatloaf. Oh, Tiffany. What happened? One minute you're engaging in some outlandish onstage dramatics or coyly crooning "I Think We're Alone Now," and the next minute you're playing. . . middle-aged suburban parents (with magic powers?) in an AT&T commercial. Sigh. It's not just that this whole ad, a family performance of Meatloaf's "Paradise By the Dashboard Light" with new lyrics about getting this teenage kid his GoPhone, is silly or way too long - though it is both those things. It's mostly just really awkward to watch.

To see what I mean (warning: cringing and blushing will probably occur), read more.

Sci Fi Is Going All Out to Promote Battlestar's Final Season

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:30:00 -0700

If you go to a popular sci fi website on Friday and find it blacked out, don't worry. It hasn't been shut down. It's just the site's little reminder that you should be watching Battlestar Galactica right then instead of killing time online.

The sci fi site blackout is just one of many - and I mean many - efforts by the Sci Fi channel to give Battlestar, which is about to begin its fourth and last season, a big-time launch for its final bow. The cast has presented the Top 10 List on Late Show with David Letterman, and Sci Fi has gotten avowed geeks like Joss Whedon and Joel McHale to sing the show's praises on camera.

There's more: TiVo is running a sweepstakes that offers prizes to viewers who watch the premiere live or nearly live, and select pizza parlors in New York or LA will offer free pies to callers who demand to "order a frakkin' pizza" and can correctly answer some Battlestar trivia. And of course we've already seen the eight-minute summary video that aims to get newbies up to speed by the time the new season premieres.

It's a pretty big push for a pretty niche show (it averaged fewer than 2 million viewers per episode during its third season), so I'm wondering: Have any of these promotions gotten you psyched to watch Battlestar? You can watch a promo for the new season if you read more.

Photo courtesy of Sci Fi

30 Rock's Product Placement: Brilliant or Annoying?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:43:17 -0800

One of my favorite things about 30 Rock is the sly way the show savages corporate culture - from Jack Donaghy's title (Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming) to the hilarious Greenzo episode that poked fun at NBC's Green is Universal initiative. But I'm conflicted about the show's increasingly blatant product placement. I initially thought the gags were hilarious - remember the scene in the "Jack-Tor" episode where the writers complained about having to do product placement, all the while plugging Snapple? - but recently, they've been grating on me.

Unsurprisingly, NBC is getting paid for those placements, even when 30 Rock makes them into over-the-top jokes. The show has had 142 product placements this season - which, interestingly, isn't nearly as many as The Office, which has had 381 product placements so far. But I don't notice the advertising as much on The Office, probably because the show doesn't intentionally draw attention to the products it's plugging as much as 30 Rock does (the episode where Dwight quits to work at Staples notwithstanding).

With more and more people skipping commercials these days, product placement is probably here to stay. But would you rather have it done in a subtle way or in a direct and over-the-top style like 30 Rock's? As annoying as it can be, I do respect the way 30 Rock makes it obvious that we're being advertised to, and it fits the tone of the show - up to a point, anyway. Where would you draw the line? To watch a clip of the most obvious recent placement, just read more

Photo courtesy of NBC

"Cane" Promotes Itself with an Ad You Can Eat

BuzzSugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:19:49 -0700

Sure, the whole scratch-and-sniff ad thing was revolutionary ... yesterday. We're way beyond that now. Today's hot new thing is ads you can eat.

The issue of Rolling Stone hitting newsstands on Thursday will include an ad for the new Jimmy Smits series, "Cane," that features a dissolving strip that tastes like a lime mojito. The idea is to promote the show and Duque Rum, the fictional brand that made Smits' character's family so wealthy. According to a CBS press release:

The insert includes a thin, tamper evident pouch with a non alcoholic lime mojito-flavored dissolving taste strip which will enable them to enjoy the full-flavor taste experience of a rum mojito, without any of the sugar, calories or alcohol.

OK, so I open up my magazine, find this ad, put a piece of paper on my tongue, and let it dissolve so I can taste the flavor of a drink without any of the things that make said drink taste good. This is supposed to make me want to watch TV? At least the "Reaper" drink promotion is actually, you know, a drink.

Mostly, this reminds me of those old spy movie scenes where the agents would eat the pieces of paper with their secret instructions written down ... or those dissolving breath strips, which have always made me feel a little squicky. What's next? A pair of special contacts that give you bionic vision? A geeky guy who just shows up at my door to tell me all about "The Big Bang Theory"?

Photo courtesy of CBS

Mr. Magorium's Sweet-Smelling Ads

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:35:39 -0700

The Los Angeles Times will feature the first ever advertisement using scented ink in promotion of this November's kids' movie Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. The whimsical film stars Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Magorium, the kooky owner of a magical toy shop. ComingSoon continues:

The Times becomes the first major newspaper in the country to successfully present and implement the pioneering application which adds a rich, new dimension to the medium. Fox Walden seized the opportunity to create new levels of involvement and connection with Southern California's readers and moviegoers and chose the universally beloved frosted cake scent to remind consumers of all ages to be young and have fun.

Times readers will be able to scratch designated areas of the Mr. Magorium ad, which will emit the frosted cake scent made from soy-based ink. "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is about a magical toy store that comes to life," said Jeffrey Godsick, president of marketing at Fox Walden. "So when the Los Angeles Times came to us with the idea to create a magical scratch and sniff ad we felt it was the perfect fit since it brings the ad to life."

How cool is a scratch-and-sniff movie ad? It's gimmicky and, in my prediction, probably unnecessary since I think this movie will do well anyway, but I must say I appreciate the fun idea. Check out the super-cute trailer for Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium before it opens November 16.

Source

We Now Interrupt This Ad with ... a TV Show

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 08:34:43 -0700

Fox has a plan to stop DVR junkies like me from fast-forwarding through ads, and his name is Oleg. The animated taxi driver will show up in eight-second spots during commercial breaks, starting with Fox's primetime programming tonight. According to the Wall Street Journal, Oleg will spew random bits of wisdom and even chat with spoof versions of celebrities like Donald Trump. It's just one of many strategies the networks are planning to keep us glued to the couch during breaks.

It's an interesting idea, kind of the television equivalent of those cartoons that break up New Yorker stories, and it might liven things up for people who watch TV without DVRs (or VCRs). But even if there is something compelling enough to keep me tuned into ads, I don't think Oleg's it. The Wall Street Journal story came with two short clips of Oleg, and they just didn't seem terribly memorable or funny. I imagine I'll find myself fast-forwarding right past them, too. To see them for yourself, read more

Mad Men: This Week's 5 Maddest Moments

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:15:03 -0700

So how did this year's Emmy winner for Outstanding Drama Series follow up its win? With a shocking turn of events that made me stop and wonder if I was on the right channel.

Even the pun-y title, "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency," was sort of un-Mad Men-like. But with an episode loaded with the visit from Sterling Cooper's British owners, Joan's last day, and Sally's aversion to her baby brother, there was a lot going on.

To see what I thought of this week's episode (spoilers ahead!), just read more.

The bloody British invasion: Eeeeeeeeeew! In the grossest Mad Men scene ever, secretary Lois runs over visiting Guy's foot, splattering blood all over employees and the walls. (Did it really need to spray like that?! It was like an episode of Dexter.) I wanted to make like Peggy and pass out, though Sterling does get points for his "foot in the door" joke.
The Mad Men laugh factory: The second funniest joke of the episode is Joan's "One minute you're on top of the world, the next minute some secretary's running you over with a lawn mower." Don laughed! A full-on chortle! And early on, John dryly punks Kinsey by telling him he should shave his beard. "That was a joke," he tells an irate Kinsey. I needed the assurance myself - and for the whole episode. I was thrown off; this is usually a giggle-free hour of TV.
More Joan, please: I was happy to see so much screen time for Joan. Even though I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop with her husband, I like that he's humanized when he doesn't receive his residency. Likewise, that prompts more of Joan without her standard her steely office manager facade as she offers sympathy and comfort to her devastated husband. It's an obvious contrast to Don and Betty's relationship, where communication is not a strong point. Later, she tears up when Sterling Cooper celebrates her contribution, and then once again shows how much the office needs her when the accident strikes.
Don and Roger's barbershop date: Sure, Don tells Roger he looks like a fool earlier in the season, but unlike Burt Cooper I didn't really sense that they need to patch things up. I still love that Burt sends Don and Roger on a date in an effort to get them to be buds again.
What's in a name? Sally's inability to gain closure over Grandpa Gene's death is all wrapped up in her new brother. I gotta say, I was a little weirded out myself that Betty chose to name the baby after her father. There's a clear winner in parenting this week - Betty tries to solve Sally's problem with a Barbie doll "from" baby Gene, while Don tenderly shows Sally that the baby's life is a new start. I couldn't help but swoon.

What moments stood out to you in this week's episode? Were you as beside yourself as I was over the foot/lawnmower scene? And what did you make of Conrad Hilton's summoning Don to a meeting?

Photo courtesy of AMC

The Invention of Lying: Sweet, but Unsteady

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:45:37 -0700

In his Hollywood directorial debut, Ricky Gervais takes us to an alternate universe where honesty makes the world go round. It's not just that lie-telling is an impossibility; everyone can't help but speak their minds at all times, no matter how personal, embarrassing, or brutal their innermost thoughts may be. The premise of The Invention of Lying is rife for comedy, but the film is also a commentary on religion and has its sad moments as well.

The film tells the story of Mark Bellison, an average joe who just can't seem to get ahead in a world where his mediocrity is ridiculed day after day. His co-workers can't stand him and women reject him based on his looks alone. When he loses his job as a screenwriter, Mark is ready to give up - until he mysteriously becomes the world's first liar.

To see what else I thought of the film, just read more.

Ricky Gervais stars as Mark, living in a world that's mostly free of flair, frills, and aesthetics. Mark's house and office are plain and boring, complementing his every-day appearance. Those who stand out are the people who are naturally attractive, like the object of Mark's affections, Anna (Jennifer Garner) and his snarky co-worker Brad (Rob Lowe). Anna can't help but show her shallow side on her first date with Mark. She immediately rejects him on the basis that she doesn't want to have "fat, snub-nosed" children someday and must find a "better genetic match." Once Mark starts to stretch his newfound talent though, he decides he can have whatever he wants - and begins a quest to win Anna's affections.

Gervais surprised me with his performance because he finally takes a break from his typical British dry humor. As affable, down-on-his-luck Mark, Gervais proves that he doesn't need his signature sarcasm to be witty. The most important scene of the movie requires a lot of raw emotion from Gervais, and he absolutely nails it, showcasing a sweet side that we rarely see from the actor.

There are two major aspects of the movie that wore me down: the cameos and the product placement. I love a good celebrity appearance, but after Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ed Norton, and Jason Bateman pop in, it starts to feel like Gervais is trying to use his comical buddies to keep the storyline afloat when it starts to lose focus. Seeing a familiar face is always fun, but this isn't a Judd Apatow movie.

The product placement is funny and fitting at first; there's not much room for advertising in a world of stark truth. With only a reputation to rely on, Coke and Pepsi are left with the slogans "It's very famous" and "When they don't have Coke," respectively. The film goes way overboard from there though, and suddenly Mark is surrounded by Budweiser bottles at all times and at the film's climax he's standing in front of a group clutching a pair of cardboard Pizza Hut boxes.

The movie's biggest problem is that it tries to appeal to too many genres. It's packaged as a comedy, but Mark becomes a god-like character once the world gets wind of his lies. His peers literally take everything he says as gospel, and Mark becomes a blatant modern-day Moses (complete with long hair and beard). Just as the audience begins to wonder where it's all going, the movie quickly ditches the religious aspect and finishes up as a love story. The ending is satisfactory, but what's the point of satirizing religion when it doesn't hold much water for the overall message of the movie?

Like I said, the premise is rife for comedy and starts us down a path that's packed with laughs - I just wish Invention of Lying didn't wander off before finding its way back home.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.