Advertising Age - Adages Blog

A Is for AOL: The Alphabet According to Google

What happens when you type one letter into Google's revamped search engine?

The Literary Pedigree of Product Placement
According to Booktryst, a blog at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, product placement has been found in British literature of the 19th century. Charles Dickens, George Eliot and Jane Austen are among the authors found guilty of being the literary ancestors of product-happy writers such as James Patterson and whatever devious publishing companies are thinking of product placement on e-readers.

U. of Kentucky Encourages Students to Check In via Facebook

Just weeks after Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook's location-based service at a press conference in Silicon Valley, a Places-based campaign has popped up the University of Kentucky.

An Exclusive Look at the Making of the Exclusive Look at 'Mad Men,' Season 10

Have you seen this yet? "AMC's 'Mad Men' Jumps the Shark." It's a two-minute video created for Babelgum Comedy by writer/director Trevor Williams. I tracked him down, called him up and asked him some questions.

Burger King Rumors Lead to Speculation, Jokes

Good thing Bill Clinton gave up chowing down on Big Macs. It appears 3G Capital Management--the firm where daughter Chelsea Clinton's new hubby Marc Mezvinsky works as an investment banker--is trying to scoop up McDonald's rival, Burger King, and take it private.

Movie Effort May Take Your Stunt-Promotion Virginity

Posters have gone up in the New York City subway system advertising a hot line for those desperate souls seeking to lose their virginity.

Hopefully Eliot Ness Won't Trash This Bus Kiosk

New York's MTA isn't the only beneficiary of HBO's media buying. The cable network has made it to Chicago and is using the CTA's bus kiosks, including one just outside our Windy City bureau, to promote its new gangland series "Boardwalk Empire."

PSP's Marcus Says IPhone Games Are for Chumps

I'm really digging the smart-mouthed character at the center of Sony PSP's most recent effort. He's not afraid to trash the competition -- and the gullible suckas who might use competing tech.

Bertolli, Absolut, Merck Among Nominees for GLAAD Awards

While mainstream TV made major strides in embracing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community this past year with inclusive portrayals on broadcast shows such as "Glee" and "Modern Family," the progress among the advertising industry is another story.

SoCo Invites You to 'Beat the Bartender'

The latest in Brown-Forman's pure digital plays is an addictive Facebook game designed to push Southern Comfort Lime.

Gucci Meets 'Sin City' in Frank Miller-Directed Short

What happens when luxury brand Gucci meets the pulp-fiction-y creator of "Sin City"? Apparently, a short, campy-looking film.

Midwesterners Not as Honest as You Might Think

New Yorkers might get a bad rap for being rude, brusque or arrogant, but they're honest. Well more honest than Los Angelenos, at least.

Democrats Flee Obama Like Steve Slater Fled JetBlue Flight

Here's an online ad from the Republican National Committee that makes a timely joke.

Trailer Released for 'The Twit Network'

What we're really loving at Ad Age HQ today are parody trailers for fake movies about the founding of Twitter and YouTube inspired by Sony Pictures' upcoming "The Social Network."

Cajuns Ragin' Over Victoria's Secret Saints Slight

Earlier this week, I was alerted to a very serious issue facing our nation. Apparently, Louisiana ladies looking to show their love for the New Orleans Saints by sporting pajamas, skivvies and form-fitting soft cotton tees from Victoria's Secret's new Pink NFL line are out of luck.

NAD to Charmin: No Bare Bear Bottoms

Procter & Gamble Co. must add little flecks of cartoon toilet paper to the backsides of its Charmin cartoon bears in future ads or risk the wrath of arbitrators. That follows a decision released yesterday by the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

Sofia Vergara's Product Plug Sabotaged by Gordon Ramsay

Australian Sex Party Too Sexy for Its Ads?

The Australian Sex Party has a very sexy name. In fact, it may be too sexy.

TMZ: Memo Shows JetBlue Doesn't See Slater Episode as Laughing Matter
TMZ has posted what it claims is a memo from JetBlue VP-Inflight Experience Vicky Stennes to employees in the wake of The Great Steven Slater Escapade of 2010.

Advertising Gets Dragged Into Ground Zero Mosque Debate

I didn't expect the debate over the construction of a mosque near Ground Zero in New York to go away any time soon, but I was hoping it would carry on over there, well outside the world of advertising. But, no.

Another Great Moment in Online Advertising

No doubt the Livestrong Foundation wants to reach cycling fans, but perhaps not in this context.

Big-Butt Debate of 2010 Inspired by Fake Nike Ads

The comments about Nike's latest print ad for NikeWomen.com are burning up cyberspace. No, not that ad, the one where the Swoosh takes a shot at market-leading toning shoes from Reebok and Skechers.

Did Any Brands Get a Boost From Clinton Wedding?

Other than Vera Wang and Burberry -- the brands the bride and groom chose to wear for their nuptials -- not many brands got a boost from the big day. But not for lack of trying.

Sell the Sizzle, not the Scary Orange Lady

In a completely non-shocking turn of events, "Real Housewives of New Jersey" performer Teresa Giudice is starring in ad for something called Sizzle Tan.

Case Study: The Effects of a Three Martini Lunch on the Creative Process

Since Don Draper starts off season four of "Mad Men" working for a small(er) agency, we only thought it would be appropriate to conduct an experiment inspired by the show. The results were ... interesting.

Did David Kenny's Twitter Feed Give Away His Akamai Move?

On July 21 and July 22, David Kenny may have inadvertently announced his intentions to move to Akamai by checking in at the company. Moral of the story? Whether Foursquare is important for marketers or isn't, it's pretty damn useful for reporters. And stalkers.

Will the 2010 Election Be Negative? Does a Bear Have Fur?
Saying this campaign cycle is going to be more negative than last campaign cycle is akin to saying this year comes after last year. They're always more negative. Or they seem that way at least, what with the annual rite of bellyaching over the sorry state of our society. But this year will be more negative, Evan Tracey tells The Washington Post. (And Evan's one of the few political analysts I know who is usually right.)

Cheeseburger Smoothie: Jamba Juice's Answer to McDonald's

Check out this ad for Jamba Juice's Cheeseburger Chill Smoothie. It's totally awesome.

Alvin Greene Campaign Spot Full of Surprises

Alvin Greene, the man who somehow won the Democratic nomination in the South Carolina senate race -- much to the consternation of the Democratic part -- has rolled out a campaign video. This much is clear about Greene: He's a fan of the sort of rap that Hollywood used in movies in the late 80s. And he's "don't show porno to college chicks." Which, really, is all I ask for in a candidate.

Carell, Rudd Imagine the LeBron 'Decision' That Could Have Been

During the ESPY telecast, Steve Carell and Paul Rudd, co-stars in the upcoming comedy "Dinner for Schmucks," spoofed LeBron James' "Decision" -- and they nailed it with a hysterical three-minute conversation.