Back in January, when Anheuser-Busch announced the Super Bowl-timed launch of Bud.TV – which their publicist would love for you to continue referencing as a 24/7 content network of "Webisodes, celebrity interviews, comedy, short films and consumer-generated content, even sports events" – our first and only point on the matter was that the site's web verification system was too complex for most legal aged semi-computer savvy types to figure out. A-B enlisted the help of a database company to cross reference first and last names, birth dates, and zip codes to make sure visitors were actually of age.
Now the attorneys general of 21 states are lashing out at Bud.TV, calling the process too easy for minors to figure out. Reports AdAge:
The letter [from the attorneys general] said A-B can do more to keep out youth, noting that its vendor has ways the brewer isn't using of confirming whether Bud.tv registrants are who they say they are. Those include follow-up phone calls or direct mailings and software that checks to make sure the information on a single ID can't be used for multiple users' registrations.The attorneys general found further fault with Bud.tv functions that allow users to download programs to their iPods and sent via e-mail to their friends. "If the programming on your site can be downloaded and shared freely ... what's the purpose of engaging any age verification at all?"
Hell, while they're at it, they should just send Dateline's Chris Hansen to every home trying to log on and verify that they aren't, in fact, mere 16-year-olds bored with CollegeHumor's offerings.
Today, the Wall Street Journal talks about the reinvigorated controversy surrounding Viagra/Levitra's marketing tactics, and the effect the pro boner commercials could be having on America's youth:
In December alone, an ad for impotence drug Viagra aired at around 9 p.m. during "Prancer," a G-rated movie about a young girl who nurses one of Santa's reindeers back to health; another spot for rival medicine Levitra appeared during an afternoon showing of the comedy "Pee-wee's Big Adventure.The American Academy of Pediatrics has called for the erectile-dysfunction commercials to be restricted to after 10 p.m. so that children wouldn't view sex as "a recreational sport."
You know what else might help prevent children from viewing sex as a recreational sport? Celebrities who don't accidentally forget to wear pants, news anchors who don't sleep around with married Citi execs and no more around-the-clock coverage of the litany of men claiming to be the father of a deceased reality star's five-month old girl.
• The National Journal thinks media is too obsessed with rich people. "Not true!" shrieks unemployed hotel heiress, Paris Hilton.
• Good news for advertisers: DVR users don't fast-forward all the commercials—just the ones on the programs they've remembered to DVR.
• Times' style editor proves he's "already over" Gawker by dissing Thursgay styles and comparing the blog to "your grandfather."
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No matter that Stuart Elliot's column is weeks old to the table, but today the New York Times' columnist showcases Camel cigarette's new female-friendly marketing ploy, designed to target a wider, curvier range of emphysema sufferers:
Wall Street analysts praise the introduction of Camel No. 9, in regular and menthol flavors, as a further step by the R. J. Reynolds, a unit of Reynolds American, toward a new marketing strategy.But critics decry the new Camel as yet another effort to single out women for smoking pitches, a tactic they trace back to the 1920s when American Tobacco urged, “Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet” to promote Lucky Strike cigarettes.
Silly tobacco companies. There's no need to resort to these brazen marketing tactics. Ultimately, female smokers are basically looking for the same things as their male counterparts, namely, a cigarette that will enable them to inhale as much tar, nicotine and lung cancer as humanly possible—in every single, intoxicating puff.
First Isaiah Washington gets labeled a hate-monger for calling some dude a "fag" and then lying about it, so to appease his public, Washington checks himself into a rehab center to treat his "anti-gayness" gene.
Then last week, Paris Hilton offends everyone (and surprises/disappoints approximately no one) when it turns out that she hates black people and "little jappy jews" almost as much as we all hate her.
And now, Snickers is in trouble for that hate-mongering commercial that aired during the Super Bowl.
You know, that one where two mechanics share a Snickers bar ("Lady and the Tramp" style), and are so horrified by the ensuing almost-kiss that they start pulling out fistfuls of chest hair in a deluded attempt to prove their manliness?
Yeah, that one.
Anyways, suddenly, GLADD is chastising Snickers, Mars and the NFL for endorsing prejudice, the Colts and Bears spokesmen (who were contacted why, exactly?) are mumbling incoherent outdated phrases like "we are aware of the brouhaha" and "no comment," and the NFL is implausibly claiming they were "too focused on the Big Game" to pre-screen any of the offensive ad campaigns.
Meanwhile the Super Bowl ad controversy doesn't end there, as viewers (apparently unfamiliar with television and the whole "suspended reality" concept) are still reeling from a GM spot in which a depressed robot (i.e. you, the viewer!) momentarily daydreams about jumping off a bridge.
Could it be that the New York Times was right all along when they argued that the cartoonish violence of the Super Bowl commercials was likely a reflection of the toll of the United States' war in Iraq?
We think not. So we've decided to weigh in and say, once and for all, what we think is—and isn't—offensive.
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• If Isaiah Washington had to go to rehab for being a bigot, shouldn't Paris Hilton have to go to rehab for being a twat?
• Drew Barrymore offers some words of wisdom about her drug-addled past and Dakota Fanning's drug-addled future.
• Leelee Sobieski's low-cut dress isn't a slutty excuse to show off her tata's...it's a metaphor for all the "boobs" working in Hollywood nowadays.
• The makers of Budweiser's unfunny face-bumping commercial to be sued by the creators of tthe unfunny face-bumping genre.
• Barbra Streisand's political strategy: throw money at all the Democratic candidates and pray to God that one of them actually wins.
• Sienna Miller manages to keep her pants on during a drunken, public makeout sesh with musician-slash-starfucker Jamie Burke.
• Tara Reid gets even more irrefutable evidence that she is not, in fact, a V.I.P.
• Mainstream media join together in denouncing President Lame Duck; European countries continue to experience "schadenfreude" at United States' misfortune.
• Jeff Zucker to become next chief exec of NBC Universal. Zucker to celebrate his new appointment by destroying all evidence that Suddenly Susan ever existed.
• Rupert Murdoch to bequeath $100 million in stocks to each of his six children. Related: if you listen closely, you can actually hear Tori Spelling weeping.
• Anheuser-Busch to launch Bud.Tv; feminists to initiate emergency phone chain.
• "In Search of Serendipity: Can Online Papers Recreate Joy of Print?" (or, "The WSJ Online On The Benefits Of The WSJ Online.")
• NYT to LAT: We weren't actively trying to insult you—we were just saying nice things about our newspaper that happened to expose the shortcomings of yours.
• American Idol epitomizes the unpleasant side-effects that accompany living in a democracy.
• Magazines in heated competition to see who can throw the best post-Super Bowl cokefest.
• Folio Magazine reports a 400% increase in magazines targeting people "much, much richer" than you.
• Summary of this year's Mag Lifetime Achievement Awards: Liz Smith tried, failed, to bang Lewis Lapham; Rachael Ray "loves" spaghetti, still hates black people.
• Billionaire accuses Sahara author of "duping him" on film rights; rest of world accuses Sahara author of writing a book that makes no fucking sense.
Since you all seemed to enjoy Kevin Federline's debut Super Bowl ad, (in which K-Fed portrays a McDrone with delusions of grandeur), we've decided to post his dramatic follow-up, in which he—or at least his identical twin—plays a dirty, dirty pimp.
And while we'd like to go on record and say that we find Fed-Ex morally reprehensible, somewhat rodent-like in appearance and a transparent money/publicity whore, we have to concede the new Federline-inspired commercial is actually...kinda funny.
You know, in that, "OMG, what if my daughter/sister/best friend was actually DATING THAT FREAK??" sorta way.
(via BWE)
The Super Bowl commercials are coming! The Super Bowl commercials are coming! Oh, and, um, a bunch of guys will be intermittently tossing around a football and beating the living crap out of one another.
But natch, the ads are our all-time favorite part. From the annoying Budweiser frogs to the little boy trapped in a Pepsi bottle, Super Bowl adds are (as Malcolm Gladwell might say) "stickier" than that piece of warm chewing gum we just sat in.
So here's the fateful FedEx ad designed to show both amateurs—and professionals—how it's done.
Breaking:
Fergie lands the prestigious Candie's ad campaign, following in the groundbreaking footsteps of an over-the-hill Pat Benatar and a before-she-was-airbrushed Mariah Carey.
And, according to the press release, her iconic sense of style had a whole lot to do with it:
Fergie is known to most as the fashion forward female singer in the multi-platinum, Grammy award winning group, The Black Eye Peas. Fergie is noted for her powerful vocals as much as her sense of style.
Indeed, we've noticed that among all the members of The Black Eye Peas, Fergie is the only one who can pull off skintight minis and crotchless chaps! (One time, fellow band-mate Will.i.am tried to emulate Fergie's trademark super low-rise short shorts and non-existent top, but received only a "lukewarm" reception).
Besides, better that the Fergs be known for her "personal style" than for her lackluster singing ability, her much hotter "secret" fiance or the mind-numbingly painful lyrics to "London Bridge."
Do you like the smell of money in the morning? How about that scent reminiscent of your grandfather's cigars, or perhaps the slight musk that clings to your body after an intensive workout?
Well then, have we got good news for you! Thanks to an amazing scientific innovation in the world of rub-and-sniff technology, it you may soon be seeing a proliferation of ads that appeal to all five of your senses, (except, um, taste, touch and hear).
Because those enterprising folks over at the Wall Street Journal have already embraced the new technology, and are promising to start filling their publication with ads that will really make a lasting impression. There's no official word yet as to which products they'll be featuring, but there's already been some speculation that they'll be geared towards high-end spenders:
The Journal hasn't started discussing the possibilities with advertisers yet, but MediaWorks can imagine a few. How about that new car smell? Leather? Whiskey? Cigars? An ocean breeze for Caribbean island ads? In any case, it appears there's more than one way for a newspaper to get interactive.
Naturally, we're intrigued by this exciting new development, but we've come up with a list of products/companies we hope will never gravitate towards scented advertisements:
• Soloflex
• Marlboro Lights
• Pampers
• New Jersey**
• Pepto Bismol
• Viagra
• Gefilte fish
• Monistat 7
Please feel free to add to the list if there are any companies we've forgotten. Also, please join us in crossing our fingers in the hopes that rub-and-sniff hits it big with the Lexis market...and completely strikes out with Depends.
**Haha, we're just kidding! New Jersey isn't a product—it's the armpit state!
After spending millions on Super Bowl advertising, Budweiser wants to make sure it generates some ROI on its clever spots. Enter Bud.TV, a "DVD-quality" streaming video site that TV viewers will be directed to for "24/7" content, like "Webisodes, celebrity interviews, comedy, short films and consumer-generated content, even sports events."
But in order not to offend advocacy groups like MADD – and we're sure PETA will pick a fight, just 'cause – Budweiser owner Anheuser-Busch is implementing a nifty new age-verification system to make sure its visitors are of the 21-and-over variety.
A-B has reached a deal with Aristotle Inc., a Washington company that provides age-verification services in areas such as tobacco marketing and film ratings. Bud.TV visitors will need to provide their first and last name, date of birth and ZIP code---fairly standard procedure for access to Web sites.But Aristotle will then conduct a real-time verification check, via a search of public databases, to ensure that the users are of legal drinking age. Users who are "cleared" can then create a password for easy entry going forward.
Or, when that system fails and visitors can't access the site, they'll resort to a simplified verification system, like asking you to type in your birthdate into an entry field. You know, like they currently do.
With all the recent celebrity divorces and splits these days, we almost feel as though we're the product of a broken home. Fortunately, however, we're happy to report that at least one marriage is still blissfully intact.
Thankfully, Seventeen Magazine will continue to shamelessly plug itself on the next season cycle of America's Next Top Model despite shifting the reins to a new EIC after the Toos' big departure:
Though new editor in chief Ann Shoket did not become America's next top teen magazine editor in time for shooting, a spokeswoman for Seventeen said Carissa Rosenberg, Seventeen's entertainment director, would appear in her place for the coming cycle of the popular show.
Thank goodness! Because when we watch the girls plaster giant, fake smiles all over their faces week after week, and feign surprise whenever the exact same prizes—that, invariably, never lead to the winner's becoming America's next "top" model—are announced, we'd really hate for Seventeen not to be a big, fat** part of it.
**no offense, Tyra
Last month, we told you that various airlines are starting to permit cell phone usage on their trans-Atlantic flights. And now, they've found yet another way to infiltrate your out-of-office enjoyment.
Prepare yourself for an advertising blitz, to confront you as you attempt to breeze through the airport security line. Vendors plan to start buying up ad-space in the trays that pass through the X-ray machines, looking to hock things like cell phones, laptops and other typical carry-on items you routinely toss aside while taking off your shoes and scurrying through the metal detector..
Of coures, while some people consider this to be invasive, others could truly care less:
"To me, that's the dumbest place to put an advertisement," said Tricia Dufour, who was on her way to Sweden with her family."People are rushed and upset and just trying to get through security. Who's paying attention?" she said.
After all, when you're running around in your socks, trying to jam your keys, cell phone, briefcase, and oversized down jacket into that tiny plastic tray while simultaneously being informed that your luggage (and yes, your vibrator) is about to be strewn across the table—in full view of everyone else—we're guessing you're not exactly daydreaming about your next shopping excursion.
That obnoxious little gecko won't be bothering you on the George Washington Bridge, after all. Despite a $3.2 million cheque Geico was prepared to write the Port Authority to be the exclusive sponsor of the GWB and plaster it with 64-foot billboards, public outcry (like that of Fort Lee's mayor) has caused officials to renege on the sponsorship plans and keep the bridge ad-free, for now.
Commuters everwhere can rejoice: They've managed to avoid Geico reminding them that 15 minutes could save them 15 percent as they cross the GWB and only have to deal with their advertisements while watching the evening news, browsing CNN.com, updating their MySpace profiles, listening to Jack FM, or turning the corner to pull into their garage.
Just when you thought everyone was super excited about Geico giving the Port Authority $3 million to be the exclusive advertiser on the George Washington Bridge, some of those folks who insist on living west of the Hudson had to chime in with complaints. Like the mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Geico is plastering huge billboards on the GWB, unveiling the first one on Wedesnday — a 64-by-6-feet doozy that will sit above the Fort Lee tollbooths, with the Geico logo and the words "Drive safely." One might accurately suggest that the residents of the luxury condo buildings nearby might have a problem with it. Says Fort Lee mayor Jack Alter: "You are going to see quite a backlash about this."
Yes, you can see the backlash coming all the way from Edgewater: Luxury condo residents will only be happy with a more posh insurance company, like Leland West. Anything but that low rate gecko.
