Flashmobs - New Media, Millenial Youth Events

Flashmobs are a new social phenomenon that is hot and growing.  They are gatherings of dancer participants at large public places.  The one shown below looks like it's on the verge of utter chaos.  Participants bring their MP3 players, dance and video/photograph the event and push it back to their friends on the SM (social media) channels.  No doubt other advertisers like T-Mobile trying to figure out how to coopt the events.  T-Mobile got it all started.  See this link - T-Mobile Station Dance.

Western Union Yes Campaign: Happy Floating Cheese Doodles

Western Union's new Yes global campaign has been on a heavy airing schedule this past week.  The spot has a global feel, with a playful world sound, a bouncy, dancable music track, and plump, yellow, cheese doodle-like letters floating through the air in a series of surreal scenes.  It's a fun, whimsical piece with an other wordly feel that should raise Western Union's visibility and brand name recognition.  It's a commercial that's fun both to listen to and watch.

Don't Divorce Us

Let's look at an emotional issue and a very powerful video that's getting some attention in California. The video is meant to influence the California Supreme Court to invalidate Proposition 8 which would invalidate the 18,000 'non-traditional' marriages which happened prior to passage of Prop 8.

Great song by Regina Spektor, and a host of powerful pictures and a little video.  It's a simple piece, cut largely to the beat with some moves on the pics - emotional and sweet.

Don't Divorce Us Campaign Video .

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign

Conde Nast New Media Promotion & Ponzi News

In a recent search for this week's story in the New Yorker, The Ponzi State, written by George Packer, I ran across a video promotion for the story done to promote the reporter and his work. Ponzi State Video Clip Looks as though Mr. Packer shot it himself. Although the interview and the video is amateurish, it points up the fact that even mediocre video can work on the web as a cross promtion. Now whether or not the New Yorker is promoting it sufficiently to yield any clicks is a whole different question. You can read a short abstract... but to see the whole story you need to either subscribe to the magazine or buy a purchase this issue of the magazine - presumably a digital version of the magazine.

In other Ponzi news, the testimony of Harry Markopolos in front of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises was the hot ticket in DC yesterday.  Mr. Markopolos's testimony about the ineptitude of government watchodogs who failed to take action on his multiple warning about the Madoff scandal, and it made for great tv sound bytes that premired on all network news shows yesterday and this morning. 

Super Bowl: Denny's Thugs Commercial & The Doritos Winning Commercial that's a Loser in my Book

OK, I forgot a bunch ladies and gents, but this was another strong one: Denny's Thugs. Nice tough guy casting and the whipped cream noise offers comical counterpoint to their talk of rubbing Benny out because they think he might have talked. And look at the silly face she makes on the mobster's plate... custom made delight for a five year-old.

And the Doritos Crystal Ball Crotch Shot ad wins the USA Today most popular Super Bowl commercial, and its amateur film maker creators win a million dollars$$$$$ Not bad for a cheap old gimmick. Still don't like it.