Complex Blog » Ads

Guinness Orgy Ad Proves Sharing Is Fun

Joe — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:07:21 +0000

Out here in little ol' New York City, this particular Friday is shaping up as one of the best days of the summer. With temps in the mid-80s and cloudless blue skies, some of us were already plotting to roll out of work a little early and find some place sunny to sip a few brews. Then we found this clip and decided it might be just as fun to drink indoors after all.

Enterprising amateur filmmakers have been throwing together fake ads since the dawn of YouTube, but this one for Guinness is easily the best so far. The concept is simple: three dudes split one bottle of the famed Irish stout'while triple-teaming some poor girl, using the small of her back as a table (EF a coaster!). We don't normally advocate sharing a single bottle of beer amongst three guys, but in this case, we'll make an exception. Check the full semi-NSFW clip that everyone will be talking about below.

[AdverBox via Animal]

Converse Connects Dead Icons With Living Ones for 100th

complex — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:34:34 +0000

To celebrate 100 years in the footwear game and to highlight their global “Connectivity” campaign, Converse is pairing up legendary dead icons across the worlds of music, art, sports and fashion, with emerging, breathing ones in this new ad. Hyping the rebellious nature of the Chuck Taylor, the sneaker company is featuring “cultural heroes” like James Dean, Hunter S. Thompson, and Sid Viscious “connecting” like paper dolls via infused feet with today’s influentials like Joan Jett, M.I.A, Billie Joe Armstrong, Common, Dwyane Wade, and lead singer Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's. See a smaller unbroken lineup after the jump.

‘The New Irish’ Are Lesbians

complex — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:00:50 +0000

Here’s a new ad from Clontarf Irish Whiskey that doesn't leave a bad taste in our mouths. It’s part of a “smart” and “edgy” marketing campaign that puts a new spin on traditional phrases, like “Kiss Me, I'm Irish,” but juxtaposes them with very untraditional imagery'especially for a culture chock full of Catholics. It all has to do with celebrating “The New Irish,” their tagline that’s aimed at promoting new ideas/expectations and is apparently best articulated by lip-locking Gaelic chicks, a custom we’ll gladly be the first to toast to'assuming they’re bi of course.

A Sign Of the Times

complex — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:06:54 +0000

With all the Super Tuesday hype going on, this digital billboard hits home a few pertinent points that some might construe as slightly not so politically correct. Two of our faves:

“America needs a stimulus package like an alcoholic needs a drink.”
“Monica Lewinsky’s ex-boyfriend’s wife for president?”

Ah, election season can be so entertaining, even in the form of a billboard!

The Only Super Bowl Ad Really Worth Watching

complex — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:08:38 +0000

Sure, Audi’s Godfather parody was entertaining, the Bridgestone Tires ad with the screaming animals was funny, and despite its family friendly posturing, the parade-floats battling for Coke was pretty good, but all in all, this year’s Super Bowl ads weren’t all that. With them costing as much as $2.7 million per 30-second spot, we were expecting more, but then we saw this Victoria’s Secret ad starring Adriana Lima and suddenly we stopped caring about the rest, and the game for that matter.

Blogs Aren’t On Target’s Radar

complex — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:29:13 +0000

A few weeks ago we quipped about the seemingly suggestive placement of a spread eagle woman and her crotch on a Target billboard ad spotted in Times Square. Created as part of their winter ad campaign, the board spawned quite a bit of buzz online and the wrath of at least one pissed off blogger. When parental unit Amy Jussel contacted Target to complain about the ad they dismissed her on the grounds that Target's core “guests,” a euphemism for people who rack up credit card debt for sensibly priced Isaac Mizrahi flip-flops in their stores, don't read “non-traditional” media, meaning blogs.

Whether the ad really is sexist or objectifying is irrelevant at this point. It's America dammit, plus the chick is hot. But, the idea that the so-called hip retailer has a not so hip attitude about blogs bore further investigation. So we reached out to Target HQ with our “traditional” credentials and promptly got a reply from a PR rep, one Amy Von Walter. She told us how this story has been blown way out of proportion and that general feedback has indicated that most of the target demo don’t find it offensive'less than a dozen of their “guests” complained. As far as the company line on blogs, Von Walter got a little prickly while explaining that Target doesn’t work with “trade media” and, simply does not have the resources to deal with the requests of the “two million” or so blogs that are out there. Instead of picking and choosing they just shut them all out. As far as the ad goes, she stated there was “no intent behind the ad,” and that it’s just a woman “making a snow angel.” She refused to reveal any other aspect of the creative process or the model's number.

Target’s Sweet Spot

complex — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:33:26 +0000

Objectifying women in advertisements worked wonders for American Apparel, and now we wonder if Target is subtly trying their own hand at misogyny marketing. After all, someone at the “upscale Wal-Mart” must have noticed how this snow bunny’s crotch just happens to be situated smack-dab in the middle of their logo. Regardless of their intentions, this ad should actually do well in garnering the attention of both men and lipstick lesbians alike.

[Source]

Weekly Recap: In Short

complex — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 23:00:11 +0000

God loved us, blessed us with beer and a model. [Link]

Osiris stepped up to the ‘Bronx.’ [Link]

Nike Paris went ‘Crazy’ in ‘07 with ad campaign. [Link]

Clae introduced us to the ‘Whitmans.’ [Link]

The Decapitator Goes From Head To Head

complex — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 20:30:11 +0000

In New York City we had the Splasher, the manifesto writing, paint splattering vandal who thoroughly enjoyed targeting “street art” and defacing it for his own perverse pleasures. But in London they’ve got ‘The Decapitator,’ a mischief-maker who doesn’t destroy art, choosing to wreak havoc on advertisements instead. The head hunter leaves nothing more than a painted bloody stump for a neck and completely removes the head like a guillotine, transforming the ad into a ghost of its former self. Check out The Decapitator’s very own Flickr gallery detailing the creatively gory beheading spree.

[Source]

Best Nike Ad In 07′ Was ‘Crazy’

complex — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:30:31 +0000

It ain’t easy being the number #1 footwear brand on the planet, but shit like this certainly helps. It was part of an outdoor campaign by Nike France to promote their store on the Champs Elysees in Paris. It’s actually called “Crazy Horse Dunk” and had all the trappings of a good ad so study up. See it big here.

[Source]

Self Cleaning Toilet Is Coke Head’s Worse Nightmare

complex — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:38:09 +0000

First off, we don’t know anyone who does coke in a bathroom and uses the toilet as a surface'the anxiety alone of having your yay this close to water would be enough to ruin your high, plus that’s what keys and fists are for'but this German commercial for self cleaning toilets is still funny. It’s also a great jab at the historically ‘Just Say No’ clichÃ© tagline that was the hallmark of a failed drug policy during, ironically, cocaine’s heyday.

[Source]

DQM’s $67 Commercial: You Get What You Pay For

complex — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:31:18 +0000

The only props we’re giving Dave on this Christmas commercial is his ability to ride those bicycle rollers without falling on his ass, not everyone is that graceful. Otherwise it’s all downhill from here.

Bathroom Drunks Used To Discourage Drunk Driving

complex — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:45:13 +0000

At first glance this might look like a typical, drunken, Last Night’s Party-styled bathroom photo shoot but it’s not. This is actually part of an “I’m fine to drive” ad campaign that features various young-ins passed out, throwing up (with thong showing), and keeled over with t-shirt slogans like:

“I just need to get it out of my system.”
“I’ll sober up when I’m behind the wheel.”
“I’ve driven home like this hundreds of times.”

Whether or not these will actually thwart drunk driving is anybody’s guess, but it’s guaranteed to give those same life taking drunks a damn good laugh before they, god forbid, drive home drunk.

[Source]

Winding Down: A Shadow of Her Former Self

complex — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:30:00 +0000

There should be a rule that whenever a magazine plans on running a cover of a naked pregnant women, they should be heavily Photoshopped. With that said, guess who this is. [Egotastic]

It’s nice to see that there’s bigger 8-bit nerds out there than us as evidenced by this super over sized Atari controller. [Newlaunches]

Check out these ads from a very un-politically correct age. [Presurfer]

Here’s a cheap and easy way to customize your gadgets without breaking the bank. [Geeksugar]

Calvin Klein’s Pretend Splasher Ads

complex — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:46:52 +0000

If you’ve been walking around downtown NYC’s mini Times Square (Houston Street between Broadway and Lafayette) you may have come across what appears to be a hugely vandalized Calvin Klein billboard. But the splashing of pink paint over the almost copulating models over the past few days represents a collaboration between Calvin, the New Museum, and Droga 5, not the work of the notorious Splasher, who did “splash” that NECKFACE Vans billboard just around the corner months back. Although we don’t see how this represents a “mesmerizing mash up of graffiti, fashion, and art” at least they’re trying something that’s Time tested.

[Source]

AT&T’s Sneaker Commercial

complex — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 20:40:24 +0000

When blue-chip brands usurp aspects of cool culture the results are usually disastrous. But we have to hand it to AT&T for not screwing up this commercial aptly entitled “Kicks,” that follows a Midwest-based sneakerhead to all his favorite sneaker spots: Alife NYC, UNDFTD in LA, Motive807 in Austin, and Solebox in Berlin. To achieve this effect, exact replicas of each store were painstakingly recreated.

[Source]

Nice Girl Turned Naughty

complex — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 20:30:31 +0000

Axe continues it’s ingenious misogyny-based ad campaign that keeps us thoroughly entertained. In this new spot, a hot defendant is standing next to her lawyer in court while the judge reads off a long, kinky, and sorted list of charges, in part due to the naughtiness caused by a whiff of the manly antiperspirant. And look at her face, she’s guilty of every count.

Nokia Takes A Bite Out of Apple

complex — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 16:36:54 +0000

Nokia couldn’t have planned this ad campaign at a better time. With recent word that Apple released a new firmware for it’s godly iPhone that not only rendered the now infamous “unlock” useless'so users could opt for other networks besides AT&T'but also zapped the other 3rd party applications and “unauthorized software” that people were downloading and experimenting with. There goes all those cool ringtones, video games, and other add ons that gave iPhone users some sense of mild amusement. The posters were spotted in NYC over the weekend. As Engadget notes, this ain’t the first time Nokia pounced on the iPhone, and probably won’t be the last.

[Source]

Winding Down: Pirated Material

complex — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:30:31 +0000

Natalia Bush gives us no reason to be scared of a little skull and crossbones. [Horny Oyster]

This dude is mad lucky. He not only lives after a chair leg penetrated his eye socket and throat in a brawl, but also didn’t even lose his eye. [boingboing]

Those Burning Man hippies can be sooo controversial sometimes. Check out these pretty amazing pictures of a ‘Barbie Death Camp.’ [Presurfer]

Nissan is wowing the internets with their imaginative ‘LA as a giant wooden labyrinth’ video. [Techeblog]

Yoga Makes You Tie Your Sneakers Weird

complex — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:30:54 +0000

Although it’s doubtful that we’ll find ourselves in Singapore anytime soon, if by some odd chance we do, we’re going to relax and stretch out at AbsoluteYoga. Where else can one execute the “restringshoelacesasana” position? We’ll readily admit to being sneaker obsessed so once they throw in a pair of kicks, a new technique for tying laces (Ian’s got nothing on this), and then add a chick that can flex like a Tantric sex goddess, we’re pretty much sold on anything. Even if the spa is like 9500 miles away.

[Source]