Top 5 British Ad Blogs

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BritishflagFirst, I must apologize. My posting around here has been too few and too far between. Just like my commenting, and behind the scenes conversations. Trust me, I miss you guys, and I'm still keeping up as much as I can. But, as it happens when the times are good, work is kicking my ass. In a good way, of course. We'll have some good stuff to chat about, I promise.

But, since I don't have time for a more verbose post, I thought I'd point out the amount of brilliance coming from our British friends. Seriously fun, interesting reads all the time. So, with all the top this's and that's based on technical stuff, I thought I'd just give you my top 5 british ad folks I like reading. More art than science, surely, but that's the way it goes...

1. Adiliterate
2. Talent Imitates, Genious Steals
3. Northern Planner
4. Scamp
5. Russell Davies - and you get five because you've backed away so much. Come back, man.

Tune In Saturdays: Port O'Brien

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PortobrienSimple, but not simplistic. You guys have heard that enough from me, but that's the sweet spot. Good, classic songwriting without the need to show off. And that's the spot where Port O'Brien resides, making these lovable folksy tunes, and really, the kind of stuff you might expect from a guy that spends so much time on the water. The music is written by a Van Pierszalowski, who still spends his summers in Alaska fishing salmon on his dad's boat, and that sort of solitude has certainly done him well. I'm guessing you'll hear more from them, as they seem to be getting all the right kind of attention, including opening for some indie stalwarts like Bright Eyes and Rogue Wave.

From Pitchfork:

"In the process, The Wind and the Swell builds and fades, suggesting a landlocked anomie that only the ocean can assuage: "And I just wanna be floating on the sea," Pierszalowski sings on "Anchor", "with my anchor tied to land." The product of days and days at sea, The Wind and the Swell retains the songs' original documentary impact, even as it shows that Pierszalowski's music is less about seafaring summers than simple remoteness, both geographical and emotional."

Home.MySpace.Blog.

Port O'Brien - I Woke Up Today (mp3)
Port O'Brien - My Eyes Won't Shut (mp3)
Port O'Brien - Five and Dime (mp3)
Port O'Brien - A Bird Flies By (video)

Your Next CNN Story

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Again, YouTube brings you a friggin' fabulous piece of citizen journalism, and Digg beats the big boys to the punch. Watch this amazing video of a guy getting tasered by police at a John Kerry speech. You'd think it'd be some sort of Hannity disciple, but it's actually someone I can really relate, too. He's pissed at the democrats for being a bunch of whiny babies rather than standing up for the people who elected them.

Alrighty, sorry for that swerve off the tracks. But here it is. Citizen journalism in your face. Or wait for the CNN story most likely coming in a couple hours...

And, not to be outdone, the MSM showed up quick with a new angle in what seems to be the very first YouTube video ever posted by the Gainesville Sun, at least according to their YT page. Really incredible stuff (and I think definitely real TT). I counted 4 other CJ's filming in this video, so expect to see more angles soon. You can read the article here. And please note that the Gainseville Sun also has comments on the story, so it's getting better and better as the night progresses. Kudos.

Chantix Advertises at the Emmys

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I guess the Emmys is as good of a time as any to launch a new ad campaign for Pfizer drug "Chantix." If you're a regular reader, you know about the death in Dallas rumored to be caused by the anti-smoking drug. So, with only preliminary testing done and obvious quirks (likChantixmicrositee horrifying murderous dreams and suicidal tendencies) left to be worked out, why not plow full-steam ahead with the McCann Humancare created $75 million campaign.

Looks as though McCann at least did us a favor by sending out its B-team on this one. The ad basically encouraged viewers to go to followthefable.com where there would be some announcement on September 24. I really hate that pompous bullshit. Oh my god! Drop everything! It's coming September 24! I can feel the excitement! So fucking stupid. And no, nowhere on the site does it actually say Chantix, only that it's a pfizer anti-smoking drug.

This conclusion to the post is coming....

Wait for it...

It's coming!!!

Okay, first rule, don't build up excitement for things people don't give a shit about. It's a fucked up brain that thinks drugs should be treated the same as entertainment, as if it's okay to market this in the same league as X-Men or a fucking IPod.

Second rule, grow a bag of pride in yourself and don't shill for these people. There are skeletons in the closet of just about any ad agency, but I don't really see the difference between working on Chantix at McCann, or working on Marlboro at Burnett. Sometimes you should probably cry yourself to sleep at night knowing that the better you do in your job, the more people die. I'd continue that rant, but I feel a bit of restless leg syndrome coming on.

Third, don't make your website look like shit. And don't advertise on the Emmys if you obviously don't have the bandwith to handle that kind of traffic (yeah, the 60 second wait to get on was awesome).

Anyway, that's all. 

Tune In Saturdays: Los Campesinos!

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LoscampesinosBritish kids make good, bring back more 80's go go fun to indie pop. Don't forget your bubble gum, pop rocks and pink tennis shoes, cause Los Campesinos! are friggin' awesome (in an annoyingly happy sort of way. Say hello to your next MySpace-made superstars...

From pitchfork:
"Silly names aside, Los Campesinos! play superbly crafted indie pop that bounces off walls like Love Is All, grins with the childlike exuberance of Bis, and throws the toy chest into its arrangements like Architecture in Helsinki. Glockenspiels and pizzicato violin veer into reckless guitar riffs and full-bodied handclaps-- or fizz over, like Mentos and Coke, into happy-stupid crescendos. Gareth shares lead vocal duties with the similarly pseudonymous Aleksandra Campesino!, and their boy-girl exchanges give the music an extra, sweet frisson. Newfeld's treatment turns "You! Me! Dancing!" from a lo-fi rallying cry into an unstoppable force for converting spindly legs into dancefloor blurs."

Home.MySpace.Blog.

Los Campesinos! - We throw parties, you throw knives (mp3)
Los campesinos! - You! Me! Dancing! (video)

Jeff Garlin Killed by a Mountain Goat

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Curb Your Enthusiasm's Jeff Garlin during his appearance tonight on the Daily Show pulled a Colbert-ish move and started in on how he and his friends always fuck around with his wikipedia page. Genius, badass John Stewart made the comment "I want them to report that you were killed by a mountain goat."

Literally less than 10 seconds later I pulled up his wikipedia page to find this. And 30 seconds after that it was gone. Like mother fuckin' Keyser Söze. Love me some 2.0.

And a couple minutes after that this is posted. And then everyone giggles and links to it. And round and round we go.

Tune In Saturdays: Emily Jane White

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EmilyjanewhiteSan Francisco musician Emily Jane White sounds like a less bluesy, but more rootsy Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power) type. Mostly slow, melodic guitars and pianos alongside minimalist drum beats dominate this gem of an album. While it's mostly simplistic, it is so in a good way. Not simplistic and boring, but more understated and soulful.

And I couldn't really find a proper review, although I found her through gorilla vs. bear, so you get a short one today. That voice sure is a bute, either way. From her website:

"Emily's voice, sultry without being cloying or affected, brings to mind Chan Marshall (Cat Power), Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star), and Billie Holiday, in it's ability to make even the most saturated of audiences stop and take notice."

You can download a bunch of stuff here, or hear some songs for the new album over here.

Emily Jane White - Magdalena (mp3)
Emily Jane White - Wild Tigers I have Known (mp3)
Emily Jane White - Wild Tigers I have Known (video)

http://s119.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid119.photobucket.com/albums/o149/mag77gie/wtihkvideo.flv

The Ultimate Chantix Fan

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ChantixWell, there's someone arguing for Pfizer after the Carter Albrecht death, anyway. Too bad he's on the Chantix payroll, at least indirectly. You can see his comments about how we should close our eyes and ears and thank our lucky stars that we have big pharma there taking care of the public, eradicating restless leg sydrome for forever (here and here).

But, check out the screenshot from his blog. Yup, an ad for Chantix. Well, an e-pharmacy selling Chantix. And selling them with no prior prescription and no doctor's visit. Can that possibly be considered right?