Mark Wanczak

Last week it was MIT, this week it’s somewhere in Germany. Can’t get enough.

Experiencing Abstract Information from Stefan Kuzaj on Vimeo.

This Australian Match.com spot has beautiful animation, convincing copy and a catchy tune, but what really caught my eye was the tagline at the end:

“Where you found me”

Some thoughts:

It’s confident: I love the way it’s presented in the ad, as two separate thoughts, giving it meaning depth.

It’s risky: I can’t comment on the reach of this campaign, but the tagline is easy to misread as one single thought, which is largely forgettable and ineffective. Does it translate to print?

It’s simple: If you’ve stopped by here before, you know that I think simple is better.

There’s still something curious about the tagline that I can’t quite put my finger on.

What do you think?

“Better Together” for Match.com from FriendsWithYou on Vimeo.

“Epic” is a term thrown around the web too often these days, diminishing its status from “jaw-dropping” to “just another a link on Digg’s main page.” For this video, however, I’m citing the old, biblical connotation of the word.

Can’t find a way to embed it, seems to be protected by copyright vigilantes. Here’s a link to it on Facebook (big screen) and another on AdFreak’s site (small screen).

The game proved to be competitive, but the ads were not with the best ad award undoubtedly going to Google’s third-quarter spot. It’s difficult to say if Google’s ad was remarkably good or if the rest of the ads were so awfully bad, but the storytelling product demo surely stood out.

I see lots of folks on Twitter criticizing the ad for being too simple. The argument is that it seems unnecessary  to show people how to search on Google, it’s something that seems to be common knowledge, almost ubiquitous.

I disagree. Without the search-based narrative running through the ad, yes, I could understand that criticism. But the spot illustrated the nuanced power of Google, proved it to be more than just a one-trick search pony.

If you’d like to view any of last night’s Super Bowl ads again, AdWeek has an easy-to-navigate collection.

Update: AgencySpy has some info on the copywriter behind the ad, Tristan Smith, and notes that it’s his first campaign ever. He graduated in May of 2009. That son of a bitch. Well done, Tristan.

Nick Feltron has for the past few years:

Each day in 2009, I asked every person with whom I had a meaningful encounter to submit a record of this meeting through an online survey. These reports form the heart of the 2009 Annual Report. From parents to old friends, to people I met for the first time, to my dentist… any time I felt that someone had discerned enough of my personality and activities, they were given a card with a URL and unique number to record their experience.

Nick then collects the data, graphically represents these interactions and sells the results in a print version that you can buy on his site. So very cool, can’t wait for mine to arrive in the mail.

If you were drawn in to the emotional news stories from Haiti this week and forgot what was happening elsewhere, you’re not alone. Fortunately, I gathered most of these stories before the ‘quake struck. If you haven’t, donate now.

Here’s what you missed this week:

1. Everyone’s talking about Dominos. Reactions are mixed on the pizza company’s approach to launching a new pizza. I think they haven’t changed a thing and it’s one big hoax on us all. Instead of evidence to support this theory, I give you two opinions on the campaign, from Bob Garfield and Laura Reis.

2. Gatorade also faced some controversy this week when a “pop artist” swapped the sports drink’s inspirational labels for something less… inspirational:

3. One brand that could use some coverage this week? Google. Their new Nexus One phone is tanking quick, selling only 20,000 phones in the first week. Note to Google: Advertise!

4. Or maybe Google should take a hint from Kraft who is now sponsoring the implosion of Texas Stadium for $75k. Come on Kraft, hire me for 75k and I’ll come up with far better ideas.

5. Go big or go home seems to be a trend not just limited to Kraft. Check out this latest spot from LG:

6. If you saw one of those 50-foot bras hanging off a building, you might post a pic to Facebook. An anonymous Facebook insider reveals that your photo and every other one you’ve ever uploaded will be kept forever by the social networking giant. Very informative and impressive interview.

7. If you have Google Alerts set up for yourself, you’re probably noticing random tweets of yours showing up in Google. How does Google determine which tweets are good enough? Read this.

8. Simplicity is a reoccurring theme here, but former Pittsburgh (is there really such a thing?) Justin Kownacki reminds us that simplicity can be taken too far.

9. Quote of the week:

The most frustrating part of running an ad agency is that sometimes you are at the mercy of people you wouldn’t hire to sweep the lobby.

- The Ad Contrarian

10. The weather is finally starting to break here in Pittsburgh, a cause for celebration and happiness. So I leave you with Coke’s version of happiness. Have a great weekend.

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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.

I have to say that if the first week of 2010 is any indication, we are in for a good year. Found so many good tidbits of creativity this week, I couldn’t limit my list to just ten.

Here’s what fell between the cracks this week:

1. Artist Sean Woolsey is giving advertising a better image by transforming traditional bus stop billboards into messages of positive reinforcement. We all know there’s a few bus riders who need it.

2. I blogged about this last March, but it actually has a chance of happening. The House passed a bill to limit the volume of TV commercials. I absolutely hate when a show goes to break and the commercials are twice the volume of whatever I was watching. I bet my neighbors do too.

3. Speaking of commercials, I wouldn’t mind this one being loud. As Heavy.com suggests, it may be the best Mexican restaurant ad ever:

4. If you spend those commercial breaks browsing the web, but can’t finish an entire blog post or article before the show starts back up, Instapaper is for you. Add Instapaper’s handy ‘Read Later’ bookmark button to your browser and anything you can’t finish reading automatically aggregates into newspaper format with the click of a button. Syncs up with your iPhone, too. (thanks to BrandsforBreakfast)

5. One blog post I had no trouble reading until the end was Jeff Louis’ write up of the History Channel’s image problem over at Beyond Madison Avenue. Good stuff.

6. Take a quick jaunt back through history to your high school English class for this next video. Sci-Fi channel’s promotion of it’s new series loosely based on Alice in Wonderland is as wonderful as the book:

7. If you’re looking for something a bit less weird, but just as cool, Ray-Ban’s new implementation of augmented reality should do the trick. Unlike many AR examples, this is a smart application of technology that actually makes sense for the product it’s promoting:

8. Back in the real world, photographer Shane Rich is making 2010 his own year by lending his photography talent and website to a different client each day. January 1st will cost you $1, while December 31st will run $365. Smart idea, but it sounds like a lot of work. I’m interested to see how it goes. (Thanks to The Denver Egotist)

9. What does an orthodontist and a crosswalk have in common? Inventive advertising.

10. The Aflac duck took over USA Today this week. Enjoy the little guy while he lasts.

11. 2010’s best music video so far definitely goes to C-Mon & Kypski who got a little help from their fans:

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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.

Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity. Doesn’t get much simpler than “The World is Just Awesome.” The Discovery Channel’s feel-good ads shine among lesser advertising thanks to a catchy tune, easy-to-remember lyrics and stunning video. You know you’ve caught yourself singing it while sitting in traffic.

I can’t imagine anyone doing a better job promoting the Discovery Channel. With over 5 million views combined, I don’t think I’m alone. A big 2009 Kudos to 72andSunny.

Happy 2009 and thanks for reading. See you next year.

This is my last day of work for 2009. If you expect some kind of year in review or a list of my favorite campaigns or ads over the past year, you’re kidding yourself, that’s a lot of work.

Here’s what you’ve missed over the past two days:

1. I Believe in Advertising featured that nifty bus artwork above.

2. If you haven’t heard, Edward Boches (Creativity Unbound, CCO of Mullen) has started The Next Great Generation, “a new blog written entirely by Gen-Y 18-25 year olds willing to share their thoughts regarding life, work, brands, technology, environment, money, faith, sex, love.” It’s good to see my generation coming together to defend the stereotypical criticisms often tossed our way. Most recently, we answered the (stupid) question, “Do you still read books?”

3. Seth Stevenson over at Slate.com wraps up the most hated ads in 2009. I may just be including this because Seth calls out Zach Braff, who I unfairly despise. (Scrubs is childish. Had to be said)

4. If you’re not sick of augmented reality yet, grab your puke buckets. Adidas and BMW jump on the hard-to-use bandwagon. In all fairness, both new campaigns are better than most.

5. Grey out of Melbourne has this gruesome shocking awesome effective drunk driving PSA for the Australian Transport Accident Commission, featuring REM’s “Everybody Hurts:”

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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.