That reminds me, does anyone have Cheryl Coles Natascha McElhone’s (Karen from Californication) number?

[Via AdFreak]

Cereal from the 80s

Ahh cereal boxes, I fondly remember the days of my childhood when my mum would take me shopping and I’d hassle her the entire time for some Sugar Puffs only because they contained a pair of 3d glasses to use with the game on the back of the box.

If I thought I was annoying back then I would hate to see what kids would do for the cereal boxes in the video below:

What I really like about this is the virtual character not just being contained within the cereal box and jumping out to run along the edges, this really brings it to life.

Great idea to integrate this with cereal boxes too. Damn kids have got it good these days!

This augmented reality concept  is by Dassault Systems.

[Via Oligvy]
[Image via JasonLieBig]

You know the drill, it’s the end of the month and you’re racing to do your expenses so that accounts can process them in time for payday and you seem to be missing enough receipts to a) make up for the actual amount you spent that month or b) buy yourself Fifa 2010 for the Playstation 3.

Well no longer do you need to ask every cab driver in town for an extra couple of blank receipts thanks to this expense report generator.

Ok so that’s not entirely the point of this great online tool from the upscale steakhouse restaurant Maloney & Porcelli. It’s actually to attract more corporate client lunchers who have been extremely cautious about putting $50 steaks on expenses in the current financial climate.  And seeing as the restaurant is right next to Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and Blackstone, you can imagine that this sort of clientele makes up a large amount of their customers.

The thinking behind the expense generator is that it makes it easy to turn your frivolous steak(s) with your client into something more responsible like a taxi fare or office supplies. Simply input the amount of your Maloney & Porcelli bill and the generator will produce a number of realistic looking receipts for other things to fool your accounts department. Forget trying to sign blank receipts with different handwriting and types of pen, this is the future.

What happens if you can’t finish your giant pork shank and want to take it back to the office in a doggybag? Won’t the accounts team see your Maloney & Porcelli bag and suss you out? Well M&P have got your back with a range of unique camouflaged ‘stealth’ bags … ones that bear the logos of ‘cheaper’ restaurants such as Chipotle, Sbarro and Olive Garden. Genius.

Messages outside the restaurant also played on the recession theme.

They also inserted steak knife-shaped leaflets in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times which had the message ‘Stealing business from your competitors requires killer instincts‘ with the inside reading ‘also, steaks. giant steaks.‘ Nice.

The agency behind this is Walrus – the agency website is b.a.d.a.s.s, you can never go wrong with a talking walrus.

Check this out, Tokyo-based creative agency SET has developed this sexy looking QR code using artwork from Takashi Murakami to promote the work that the two have done together. The code sends you to this site.

I would say this is exactly the type of work that agencies need to be showcasing to brands to get them on board with QR codes. There is a big need for slaping logos and artwork over these things. It often just requires a bit of creative thought. For example check out the rest of the designs from SET for other brands:

Very cool.

[Via Digital Desert]

Who needs QR codes and alternate reality applications when you can just throw an actual video into a magazine?

CBS in partnership with PepsiCo have come together to insert a paper-thin interactive video player into copies of Septembers Entertainment Weekly.

Pepsi is sponsoring Monday night comedy on CBS as well as running print ads in the magazine. There is no mention to whether the video will also run Pepsi ads or logos, which would really be a big step from a advertising perspective.

When the reader opens the magazine to the page containing the promotion, the small screen will start to flicker and then load the video. Segments featuring actors from CBS programs will briefly explain how to use the player which features several buttons on the page to change video.

We are always hearing about paper-thin LCD technology from the likes of Sony and Samsung. It never dawned on me that it could make it’s way into print so quickly, I just assumed we would see slimer phones and TVs for now.

I don’t want to start saying this could save the print industry because it’s early days and must be extremely expensive (Pepsi said it is a one off). But over time costs will come down and it could become far more more lucrative revenue stream than print ads.

I just love the endless possiblities for creative and innovative print ads this suddenly provides.

Check out more info on this here.

What’s your favourite?

Nike Airport

One of the best,  I remember the buzz going around when this came out in 1998 and all the lads humming the tune on the football pitch every time they did a bit of skill.

Nike Ninjas

Apart from the nice bit of skill Davids does, I like how him and Bierhoff leave the rest of their football friends to blow up in the building.

Nike Beach

Just about made it into the list for the bit of skill Ronaldo does in the first couple of seconds.

Nike Secret Tournament

Nike actually ran these 3v3 tournaments across the UK after the ad campaign with the winning team playing in Brazil against Ronaldinho. Loads of good skills, top trump style teams and Cantona being mental.

Check out the rematch! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80_ToSIg6SQ

Nike Good Vs Evil

If there is one ad most people remember it’s this one. Could have possibly started off the trend for the big budget football ads as everything seemed to get bigger and better after this. I love the bit with Wrighty getting booked and moaning.

Nike Brazil Vs Portugal

Absolutely love this one, the Ronaldinho skill is disgusting. Cue loads of boys in the park trying to replicate it.

Nike Park Life

Immensely popular grassroots ad from Nike. Filmed at Hackney Marshes in London featuring Cantona, Fowler and Ian Wright.  Somehow they have made the pitches look playable which is only true 2 weeks of the year. I love these sorts of ads as they engage you on a much more personal level.

Adidas Jose +10

My favourite Adidas ad, reminds me of playing ‘World Cup’ down the five-a-side pitches as a kid and choosing your favourite player to be in a knock-out game.

Nike Take It To The Next Level

A modern classic, I don’t care if people say the director Guy Richie store the idea from The Prodigy video its brilliant. I love the way it mixes the feeling of armature level football with the pro stuff, part of the reason I also like the Park Life ad. Definitely captured the imagination of every football fan.

Adidas – Road To Lisbon

Starts off with some weird cuts to black and white but overall a star studded ad that’s pleasant but still short of the stuff Nike produce

Adidas Predator Clone Match

Yep that’s Paul Gascoigne grabbing er Paul Gascoignes privates.

Adidas Predator – How To Play Like A Brazilian

Very old Adidas Predator ad way before super star footballers were in every ad. Great ad though.

Puma – Cameroon Eto Advert

Puma rarely put out good football TV ads but I really liked the connection of the light and fast football boot speedily moving the kid through his career.

Nike Joga Bonito

Great series of ads on TV and online with the focus on skill. Arguably the most popular was this video with Ronaldinho hitting the bar over and over again. I actually had to spend considerable amounts of time arguing with people who thought this was for real. Great Viral. Check out the response to the vid from Ronaldo who says at the end “You’re meant to get the ball in the net mate”.

Other great Joga Bonito ads include Ronaldo Vs Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho as a kid and Brazil trio (amazing) and Brazil changing room.

Adidas F50+

Quite an epic ad, nice touch with Cisse on the stretcher (had a broken leg around that time) the slow mo ending at the end is my favourite bit.

Adidas Viral Adverts – Gerrard Clay Pigeon and Beckham Basketball

These supposedly could feature on TV according to Brand Republic so i’ve included them anyway. Seems like Adidas are copying Nike a bit with the computer trickery stuff, still nicely done.

Update! Got to add this one