Some enterprising culture jammers have done a nice job altering a subway ad in Berlin’s Kaiserdamm metro station. The original poster was a record company ad for Britney Spears, Leona Lewis, and Christina Aguilera’s new albums. Now it’s a work of street art.

The jammers put some really quality made stickers on the ad in all the right places to make it look as though it’s being edited in Photoshop. This is the kind of ad altering I like. It’s not overly didactic; it’s not really trying too hard to make a point; it’s just clever, quality work. By putting up those stickers, the jammers are really stripping the gloss off of the ad and showing some of the architecture behind it, they’re bringing it down to earth. Well done. I have to give props to the people behind it: Mr. Tailon, Baveux Prod., Kone, & Epoxy, nice work. Read on to see more pictures of the altered ad:

I don’t know who added the Lego logo and the For Adults on the bottom right hand corner, but these are most definately not new Lego ads. Don’t get me wrong, I think they’d make really awesome Lego ads, except for the fact that they’re not made out of Legos, but still; you know what I mean. Either way, the truth about these interesting pics is that they’re taken for a French magazine called Amusement by a photographer named Jean-Yves Lemoigne, who’s work I’m actually quite fond of.

He’s done ads for several different companies before, but Lego is not among them, sad to say. Nevertheless, they’re cool pics, so read on to see the rest of them in full size:

Click the thumbnail for a full size image:

And here is the original image from the magazine:

Just when I thought I couldn’t hate PETA any more, they go and do something like this. The cult of PETA has decided that fish need better PR, so they’ve replaced the term “fish” with “Sea Kittens”. Yes, Sea Kittens. This is for real, check out their website, and a quote from it:

People don’t seem to like fish. They’re slithery and slimy, and they have eyes on either side of their pointy little heads — which is weird, to say the least. Plus, the small ones nibble at your feet when you’re swimming, and the big ones — well, the big ones will bite your face off if Jaws is anything to go by.

Of course, if you look at it another way, what all this really means is that fish need to fire their PR guy — stat.

Normally, when silly cults with illogical beliefs do bizarre things, it’s funny, and this is no exception, but there is more to PETA than just jackass publicity stunts. The thing about PETA is that they get a good deal of support from regular, generally solid-minded folks; at least, as solid-minded as regular folks can be. Unfortunately, not too many of those regular people really understand what the group is all about. PETA wants total animal liberation, they’ve said it many times. That means no pets, no guide dogs for the blind, no zoos, no fisheries, no beekeeping, no earthworm farms, no animals kept by humans, anywhere; and all those animals would be set free.

On top of that, PETA gives money to the Animal Liberation Front, which is a terrorist group who firebombs buildings and assaults people in the name of total animal liberation. And the money going to these groups is coming from the regular suburban folks who think they’re just helping baby seals. This Sea Kitten business is funny, but PETA’s other business isn’t. Read on to see some videos about how PETA really operates:

According to the Jones’ Big Ass Truck Rental & Storage Facility website, Toby Jones is an aspiring rapper turned “street pharmaceutical sales rep” turned warehouse owner. His current warehouse supposedly cost him 1 dollar, and he’ll store whatever needs storing. Anything from Firebirds to elephants. The thing is, it’s not for real.

I called the number a few times, and nobody ever answered. It has an away message saying it’s Jones’ Big Ass Truck Rental & Storage, but it’s a cell phone, and the mailbox was full. Plus the website directs viewers to this website, belonging to a sketch comedy group called Big Dog Eat Child. So it looks like Jones’ Bis Ass Truck Rental & Storage is a clever viral marketing campaign for a comedy troupe. Well done guys. Unfortunately for them, the Jones Storage commercial is the funniest video on the site. See for yourself:

Breakfast Ninjas

Toby Jones is funnier, amirite?

One more reason to get a TV tuner card for your computer:

In the eternal arms race between advertisers and viewers, the DVR is the viewers nuclear weapon. Finally we have a way to completely bypass commercials. It doesn’t matter how clever or interesting or infectious the ads are, we just hit fast forward and don’t have to deal with them; or at least that’s the way it was, until now. There is no equilibrium in any arms race, and advertisers, who were immediately looking for some way around the DVR loophole and back into the brains of viewers as soon as the digital recording technology came out, have been offered a clever new way to display ads by TiVo.

The new “Pause Menu” feature from TiVo will insert single-line, targeted ads whenever a user pauses or fast forwards a program. Advertisers will be able to pick specific genres or keywords of program descriptions so they can reach the right audience. The ad will be on single line of text, and another line will link the viewer to TiVo’s Universal Swivel Search. Swivel Search lets viewers find info about the program and the any related content via the programming guide. TiVo is selling the new Pause Menu as an “upgrade“. Check out the official press release:

TiVo Expands Ad Solutions Portfolio, Enables Advertisers to Reach Viewers When Programming Is Paused

- Mercedes-Benz and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment are First Advertisers to Begin Using New ‘Pause Menu’ Feature -

ALVISO, Calif., Dec. 9/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — TiVo Inc. (Nasdaq: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services and advertising solutions for digital video recorders (DVRs), today announced the launch of Pause Menu, the latest addition to its suite of interactive ad solutions designed to grab the attention of fast-forwarding viewers who consume TV differently and often do not watch ads the way they are traditionally delivered.

Using the TiVo Pause Menu, advertisers can, for the first time, reach audiences with targeted product messages displayed within the pause screen of a Live or Timeshifted program. The new feature can be particularly impactful for traditional TV and non-television advertisers that have product integration or a significant media investment in a specific TV show. Alternatively, they can opt to cast a wider net by targeting entire genres or keywords within a program description.

The feature provides an original solution for advertisers seeking to capture the fast-forwarding viewer. It’s another example of how TiVo offers unique and different solutions for advertisers looking to get viewers to watch advertisements who avoid traditional spots.

The new Pause Menu also provides broadband connected TiVo subscribers with a direct link to TiVo’s Swivel Search feature, allowing subscribers to easily find program information, related shows and downloads when they click on the “pause” button on the TiVo remote.

Esteemed brands already have plans to launch Pause Menu campaigns. Mercedes-Benz USA, one of the first to sign on, plans to use the feature to help promote its new GLK SUV early next year by targeting football viewers. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is taking advantage of Pause Menu for their Dr Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who DVD and Blu-ray release on December 9.

David Sandford, Vice President Marketing and Product Management for TiVo Inc. said, “With the number of DVR homes on the rise, TV advertisers are facing a very serious commercial avoidance issue that must be addressed now. The launch of Pause Menu moves us another step closer to achieving our goal of providing a comprehensive suite of interactive advertising solutions designed to help the TV industry reach viewers in a DVR world.”

Sandford continued, “It’s important to note that our interactive ad solutions have been so well received because they are non-intrusive and actually enhance the viewing experience. For example, our research tells us that linking the Pause Menu to our popular Swivel Search feature gets very positive viewer reaction. This creates value for viewers and effectiveness for advertisers — a win, win situation.”

Promotions on the Pause Menu will be displayed as a single line of text and another line will link the viewer directly to TiVo’s Universal Swivel Search, allowing TiVo users to explore content without missing a second of their favorite show and creating a seamless, integrated experience.

The new feature is available today to all TiVo(R) Series2 subscribers.

It’s a very common crime in my part of the city: a thief puts on a orange reflective vest and maybe a hard hat and steals some a)electrical equipment, b)large bits of metal, c)whatever. Thief then sells his booty for scrap, collecting a tiny fraction of what the goods are actually worth to their original owner. Here in Philadelphia, thieves have been known to actually steal manhole covers and sell them as scrap metal. Indeed.

A similar thief in New Zealand may get what’s coming to him though. He stole 15 transformers worth almost $5000 dollars, most likely because he wanted to sell the copper in them, which is worth about $150 dollars. But the equipment he stole belonged to an advertising company, and they’re doing what advertising companies do best… advertising it. They captured an image of him on a security camera, and put up a billboard with his face on it.

“It’s a crime that has a big impact on our company, and he’s netted some small change from it,” says Mark Venter, owner of the company. So they decided to do what advertising companies do best. “It was too good an opportunity to ignore,” says Mr Venter. “We felt obligated to say ‘right, can we match this guy’s face to a name?’”

Good stuff.

I think this just might be my favorite thing ever, this week. The Tiddy Bear (IT’S FUNNY BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE TITTY!) is a little bear-shaped pad that keeps the seatbelt from digging into your… shoulder. It’s basically a Beanie Baby that fits on your seatbelt. Man, Beanie Babies… what ever happened to those? 85% of all grandmothers out there have a large portion of their life savings investing in those ridiculous things. Fifty dollars for an elephant with a fireman’s hat? Come on!this

Really though, Tiddy Bear thing is genius. They already sell high-quality seatbelt pads at Target for under 10 dollars. The makers of the Tiddy Bear took that idea, and made it shaped like a bear so they could use their ultra-hilarious double entendre name, and charged an extra 5 bucks. Well played, makers of the Tiddy Bear Comfort Strap, well played.

(via Tiddy Bear)

A former customer of Classmates.com has filed a class-action lawsuit against the company, saying their claims are fraudulent and they tricked him into upgrading to a gold account. Sound like a simple false advertising case, but if the case progresses, it could force Classmates.com, and other websites like it, to change they way they advertise.

Anthony Michaels signed up for a free member of Classmates.com last year. However, with only a free membership, Michaels couldn’t interact with other members or do anything interesting at all. He said that he began receiving emails from Classmates.com claiming that old classmates of his had been looking at his profile and trying to get in touch with him through the site. The thing is, he had to sign up for a paid membership to gain access to any messages his old classmates were trying to send him.

It’s tempting, like a ringing phone – people are drawn to answer. So Michaels eventually paid up hoping to see all the messages and profiles of his old classmates. When he finally did, he saw that his inbox was empty and the only people that had viewed his profile were complete strangers.

That’s when he filed his lawsuit against the company on behalf of not only himself, but others who have subscribed because of these emails from Classmates.com. Michaels accuses the site of intentional misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, negligence, and fraudulent concealment. He also says that the site is in violation of the California Business and Professions Code.

The complaint reads:

“(Classmates.com) knew at all times that the individuals, members, and/or users who were making attempts to contact Plaintiff and the Class were not former classmates when they… made false representations regarding the attempted contacts… The Defendants… intended to deceive, and did deceive Plaintiff and the Class by concealing and failing to disclose the fact that the individuals, members, and/or users who were making attempts to contact Plaintiff and the Class were not former classmates.”

Michaels is hoping to be awarded general, special, and punitive damages; and also wants injunctive relief against Classmates.com, as well as restitution, attorney’s fees, and pre- and post-judgment interest. Sheesh.

It seems like an easy case on the face of it. The company said one thing to get him to pay, and it wasn’t true. But this case could set a precedent since so many sites, especially dating sites, use the same types of advertising tactics to get customers to sign up or bump up a tier. Michaels’ case could change everything, for the better, in my opinion.

This is a great talk by Philip Zimbardo about what evil is. Evil, he says, is not a individual condition, it’s the result of circumstances. He cites the Stanley Milgram’s experiment on human behavior, and the Stanford prison experiment and the problems at Abu Ghraib, all leading up to the conclusion that all humans are equally capable of evil.

What does this have to do with advertising? Advertising is social psychology. To understand how advertising affects people, you have to understand why people follow the group and how the brain works. This is a wonderful video on that subject. Check it out.

In two new ads, and in a recent speech, McCain is trying to link the current financial badness to Obama. In the first ad, called Advice, we hear that one of Obama’s economic advisors is Franklin Raines, former CEO of Fannie Mae. The rest of the ad is essentially irrelevant, since all it’s trying to do is show you that Obama is being advised by someone who is connected deeply with the current economic collapse.

The same thing happens in the second ad. We hear about another former Fannie Mae CEO being associated with Obama. Trouble trouble. Guilt by association. This kind of thing works, no matter how logically silly it many be.

Now, the speech I’m talking about was on the radio a few days ago. I’m not sure where it took place or what it was about, but I do know that at one point, McCain said that Obama’s advisors had told him that Obama would benefit politically from the current financial problems.

In latin this has a name: Cui Bono. It means basically, when something bad happens, see who benefits from it, and blame him. It makes some sense, but not in this situation. There is no way that Obama is responsible for the financial crisis. So why would McCain even say it? Because it works. No matter how blatantly illogical it is, people don’t like when someone benefits from a bad thing, even if they had nothing to do with it. It just “makes that person look bad”. It’s another example of the human brain screwing up our logic.