Tax Dollars Heading to Italy
A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Mannequin American
Your Tax Dollars Heading to Italy
Chrysler's new president, Olivier Francois, selected an Italian ad agency to promote the Chrysler brand. The agency already does work for his Italian-made Lancia cars.
I frequently ride in the trunk of Dale's Chrysler 300, with minimal complaint. But hiring an Italian agency shouldn't sit well with American taxpayers who bailed out Chrysler earlier this year with billions of dollars. This is especially true since it will put several hundred employees of Chrysler Group's longtime ad agency BBDO, in Detroit, out of work at the end of January.
And by the way, the Italian's first commercial for Chrysler isn't selling cars and is off the mark. Here it is.
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Laughter is Good Medicine
It's been said time after time that laughter is the best medicine. A Canadian therapist is taking this concept to a whole new level.
In Vancouver, David Granirer, a stand-up himself, has founded the Stand Up for Mental Health project; a year-long intensive course that trains patients suffering from depression and other emotional problems to craft their pain into hilarious comedic routines. Program participants complete their therapy by performing their acts for audiences at psych wards, college campuses, and mental health conferences.
"We use comedy to give consumers a powerful voice and help reduce the stigma and discrimination around mental illness" Granirer says. "The idea is that laughing at our setbacks raises us above them. It makes people go from despair to hope; and hope is crucial to anyone struggling with adversity. Studies prove that hopeful people are more resilient and also tend to live longer, healthier lives."
Now I know why I've been doing stand-up for over 25 years ... it's therapy.
Don't Take a Dustbuster to Bed
If you're trying in vain to find the ideal gift to spice up the bedroom this holiday season, Philips might have the answer for you. Here's a 60-second commercial where a couple gives it a go with various toys including a buffer, a GPS system ("You have reached your destination"), a Dustbuster and more. They finally find the cure-all in the form of a Philips sensual massager. It's kinda funny.
Vanilla is Erotic
Speaking of "laughter," Science World claims "vanilla is the most erotic scent to older men." So they created this refreshingly hilarious commercial with old people portraying themselves as hot, horny twenty-somethings with nothing better to do than seductively lick ice cream cones in slow motion.
Sky HD TV Eases Life's Challenges
From Adrants: I have no idea how this commercial sells Sky HD TV? Life got you down? Shark bit your hands off? Caught your wife cheating? It's not a big deal. Just sit down, turn the TV on and all your troubles will disappear. It's sick, it's sadistic and it's funny ... in a sick, sadistic way.
Brown & Martin White Papers Available
The Brown & Martin Web site was recently updated and now offers the following whitepapers for your reference, with no login required. Just go to http://www.bmpr.com/ and click on Whitepapers.
- Which Social Media Platforms Should You Use?
- Don't Let High Tech Replace High Touch
- The Use of Character Icons as Marketing Tools
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Promotional Budget Through Annual Marketing Tactic Meetings
- Create a Search-Friendly Web Site
- What Marketers Don't Tell You About E-Newsletters
- Employers Need Strategies for Electronic Newsletters
- Tips for Being Honest with Employees About the Recession
- Marketing is Everyone's Responsibility
