Between the Cracks – Week of Xmas

What you missed while trying to cram in all your work before the xmas holiday:

1. Copyranter makes my week with this vintage ad (above) for After Six polyester. I feel a little bit better about those old Polaroids with relatives sporting the same get up. Great headline, by the way.

2. Speaking of great photography, Vince Aletti at the New Yorker chooses his Ten Great Photographs of 2009. Love that the Levi’s campaign is included (another great headline).

3. Simplicity is a theme here on this blog and Time Magazine has a thorough read on how Americans are trading in excess for simplicity.

4. Elsewhere in societal commentary, AdAged highlights a David Brooks article and adds some worthwhile views concerning the standardization of America.

5. Keeping with the America theme, how much is our brand worth? Increasing post-G.W.B.? Interesting approach and research from Simon Anholt.

6. Those last few links were pretty heavy stuff. Lighten up and determine if there’s a difference between Usher’s talent and a goat’s. Really.

7. Slate’s timely exploration of Santa in Advertising:

8. I really dig JetBlue’s new “Flyers Collection” promotion on their Facebook page. Essentially a catalog for items you’ll need when flying with JetBlue competitors, the digital piece is executed as though it’s running in mainstream media. Interesting that this much work is going into a Facebook feature. Love the copy in this as well, “Do note that consuming 100% of the Marshpillow defeats 50% of its purpose.” Kudos to JWT New York.

Favorite Post of the Week:

Dave Trott brings the noise again with a phenomenal post that ties in a WWII misstep and modern marketing. I just did his post a great disservice by summarizing it so poorly, so just go read it.

Favorite Video of the Week:

Agency Xmas cards fill the spectrum from poor to excellent, but I think everyone can agree MotherLondon takes the fruitcake in 2009 for this effort: (that guy on the right looks like an Al Borland intern)

Merry Xmas to those who celebrate. To those who don’t, good for you.

____________________________________________________

Between The Cracks is a weekly roundup of noteworthy links that you may have missed. It is most definitely not a weekly commentary on defecation. Get your mind right.