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How The Land of Nod Found Its Latest Catalog Cover Through Instagram

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 18:03

Last fall, Jessica Shyba's photos of her son and new puppy napping together went viral. Shyba's blog about life with three kids in NYC, Momma's Gone City, was already fairly popular, and she had a respectable 5,000 Instagram followers. But her #theoandbeau images made her an overnight sensation. Soon she had 450,000 Instagram followers. The Land of Nod, the retail brand geared to parents of young children, saw the potential in capitalizing on the success of Theo and Beau.

Ubisoft Enlists Smosh and Rob Dyrdek for Watch Dogs Hack Ad

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 17:52

Hacking used to be associated with geek culture, but Ubisoft wants to turn the activity mainstream with its newest game Watch Dogs. In its latest ad campaign, the video game publisher taps into Smosh's over-the-top antics and Rob Dyrdek's chill skateboarder persona to humorously inform viewers about the principles behind the Chicago-based gameplay.

Shocking PSA Might Make You Think Differently About Domestic Violence

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 16:39

Hidden cameras have been used in various PSA campaigns lately to shed light on how people react in public to distressing situations. Notably, there was the Norwegian stunt where a boy sat freezing without a coat at a bus stop in winter. Now, from Dare London, we get an interesting look at two scenarios of domestic violence—with hidden cameras recording the stark differences in how people nearby respond to the physical violence happening right in front of them.

Arby's Is About to Run a 13-Hour TV Ad Showing a Brisket Cooked in Real Time

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 16:33

Up for grabbing some Arby's? No? Would a 13-hour TV commercial change your mind? The fast-food chain is cooking up a record-breaking TV buy promoting its Smokehouse Brisket Sandwich, which viewers will be able to watch prepared in real time as the brisket cooks low and slow in a Texas smoker for more than a dozen hours. The spot will only air on one station in Duluth, Minnesota.

Johnson & Johnson Shifts Media Buying Business to OMD

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 16:27

In a significant shift, Johnson & Johnson’s U.S. media buying business is leaving a unit that Interpublic Group created for J&J seven years ago. Omnicom Group’s OMD is inheriting the assignment from J3, a unit of Interpublic’s UM. That said, J3 continues to handle media planning, according to sources. J&J spent $1 billion on media in 2013, up from 2012's $836 million, according to Kantar Media.

Ad of the Day: Agency Builds Computer Model of a Girl to Catch Pedophiles Online

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 16:00

The winners of the 52nd D&AD Professional Awards were announced in the U.K. last night. And among the big winners was this fascinating campaign from the Netherlands, in which ad agency Lemz built a computer model of a girl to catch pedophiles engaging in webcam child sex tourism. The work, for Terre des Hommes, won a Black Pencil (reserved for category changing work) in advertising and marketing. The video below explains Lemz's campaign, centered on "pro-active policing" of the problem.

Memorial Day Indecision? Try Travelocity's 'Choose Your Own Adventure' Tweets

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 14:52

Stumped for a last-minute Memorial Day getaway destination? Travelocity created a fun Twitter game that might be able to help. Starting at this tweet, you can interact with the @RoamingGnome by clicking your answer to a series of choose-your-own adventure questions that ultimately generate a recommendation for one of 10 destinations.

Adweek's Top 5 Commercials of the Week: May 16-23

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 14:51

Looking out at the holiday weekend, it's no wonder we're dreaming here at Adweek—as are some of the brands who served up our best commercials of the week.  PETA got help from Morrissey in telling the nightmarish tale of an adorable but doomed chick dreaming of a world in which he isn't caged and killed. Coca-Cola made some teens' dreams come true as their videos were used in a national ad. Turkish Airlines' beautiful new spot featured kids with particularly high-flying dreams. Ubisoft played genie in a prankvertising stunt.

Banana Boat Wants to Help Men Spend More Manly Time in the Sun

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 13:47

Banana Boat for Men is putting sunscreen in terms guys can understand, with words like "bacon" and "nap." You, lazy pig that you are, will turn into crispy pork parts if you fall asleep in the sun—but only if you don't use the brand's product, says one spot in a new series of four. Each spot from JWT New York is tightly written and neatly shot. One, for example, packs in a charming little cut of a tortoise, while urging you to be bold. Small freedoms are the common thread.