I’m motivated to write today by something near and dear to my heart (yes, other than potential employment) – the Chicago Cubs. I noticed today that the Cubs have unveiled a new ad campaign for 2010, so we’ll do a little IDEAWOLF Compare-and-Contrast between this year’s campaign, from DraftFCB Chicago, and last year’s award-winning effort from Chicago boutique Jones.

Before I get to that, though, I just want to say for the record that I’m really glad that over the last several years the Cubs have actually commissioned some quality advertising. They’ve never really needed to, since they’re the hottest ticket in town. Not even decades of losing could prevent the Cubs from selling out season after season. (The White Sox, on the other hand, have been calling on local agencies for print, TV, and radio work for over a decade.) But I’m sick of the poorly produced Dean Richards-narrated PSAs about taking public transportation to Wrigley and practically needed a change of pants when I first saw the slick screen-print style posters and marquee banners from Jones in 2008.

The player-themed posters from Jones breathed a little attitude into a brand often associated with the phrase “loveable losers.” Meanwhile, the majority of the traditional print work featured messages written into an altered version of the famous Wrigley Field marquee – instantly recognizable to any Chicagoan. In an interesting twist, these ads seemed to be directed at business professional, likely in an effort to sell box seats for the purposes of client entertainment.

The outdoor boards for 2009, which were recognized for several honors, including a feature in the Comm Arts Advertising Annual, are brilliantly art directed. Like previous Jones work, they center around the Wrigley Field marquee. But this time the target is the general public. And while I’m not a fan of ads selling the ballpark itself (since they cater to the  martini-drinking yuppies and bluetooth-wielding bros that go to Wrigley ‘for the experience,’ sit oblivious in the bleachers and give all Cubs fans a bad name), Jones founder and creative director Scott Maney effectively captured the essence of Cubdom with enough wit to make each ad interesting. Lines like “Home of coming back from meetings with a sunburn” and “Home of the reason you put up with winter”  (not pictured here, but you can find them on CA) ring true with any Cubs fan.

Contrast that with this season’s campaign from Draft.

“Will you be here when?” Right off the bat, I really like that headline. Honestly, it should be the tagline of the entire campaign since, unlike the previous campaigns, it doesn’t avoid the fact that the Cubs haven’t won a championship in over 100 years. It faces it head on and takes the same positive spin that every true Cubs fan rationalizes in their own heart – especially the old ones. “I want to be there when it happens.” I’ve heard my grandpa, and even my dad, say this time after time. Shoot, I say and think it all the time. Along those same lines, I’ve also seen a billboard for this campaign that says this year is “year one.” I like the sentiment, but the execution is off.

Not a big fan of the tagline, though. “It’s a way of life.” At one time or another, every sports franchise in the country has used this tagline. (And I believe several Zombie baseball teams have also used the similar “It’s a way of death” line to promote their team.) Of course, the Jones ads don’t feature a tagline. But that’s beside the point.

This campaign also borrows an iconic Cubs image – this time it’s the white ‘W’ flag flown above the scoreboard after every win. It’s a good concept, but Draft doesn’t quite use the flag as well as Jones uses the marquee. And that’s without even considering the superior retouching and manipulation in the Jones ads.

And despite my affinity for the first Draft headline, I think overall Jones ventures farther from the expected and the stereotypical, which I will grant is not easy to do in a sports world already dominated by stereotypes.

Everyone in sports loves an underdog. And in this crosstown advertising battle, the smaller Jones (with under 50 employees) scores a decisive victory over the larger DraftFCB (close to 300 employees).

Go Cubs go!

I attended part of the PR and Social Media Summit at Marquette University this week and was asked to write a post for the event blog. Admittedly, I pulled no punches. If you have any interest in reading my review of Comet Branding’s presentation, you can find it here and here.

(And yes, I did lovingly rip off that linking joke from Chicago ad giant Kevin Lynch. Props to those who noticed.)

Inevitably, the myriad of penises populating this site was going to be replaced by something sooner or later. And – big surprise – that may just be advertising.

Cat food maker Fancy Feast has unveiled its own webcam personality for the site, as reported by the good folks at AgencySpy.

Fancy Feast did their homework, and they acted on perhaps the most bankable statistic knowable though internet metrics:

People love watching videos of kittens online.

If you haven’t watched the video, it’s starts as augmented reality of a cat sitting on a chair with a crown floating over its head. Then the camera pulls back to reveal more AR (this time a castle appears in the background) and the Fancy Feast logo.

Not sure if it’s an agency production or an in-house bit, but it’s a bold move regardless. Most brands will probably be skeptical of Chatroulette for a while, given its “new-and-scary”-ness and its early reputation as a pervert hangout. But like I said earlier, you’d figure that there would be advertising on Chatroulette sooner or later. Right now, being one of the first to advertise there really just gets you attention right now, which is probably the only thing they were looking for.

In all honesty, it’s not all that risky of a move. The video clearly cost nothing to produce. And the sheer strangeness of it – coupled with America’s strange obsession with cute kitten videos – probably draws a lot more extended views and recall than traditional online banner ads.

As long as the cat doesn’t whip out his little cat schlong in the next installment, I think Fancy Feast has a good thing here.

Wait a minute… What am I doing?

Italian advertising sucks.

Never mind…….

One of my all-time favorites, as a great example of both a flawlessly executed commercial film and a great outside-the-box idea that convey the product benefit in a memorable way.

Modernista! chose not to defend the Cadillac account in the most recent review. And the more I think about why a great agency like that would voluntarily part ways with such a whale of an account (to borrow a phrase from Sam Marquez of “Las Vegas”), the luckier I think those three marketing execs really are.

Or, as I like to call them, the Archive agency.

They frequently dominate the pages of the popular international ad magazine – probably because few agencies are better at paying off interesting visual concepts in such a simple manner.

Their stuff is intelligent, insightful, and innovative.

Like this ad for a TV channel called 13th Street that focuses on the horror genre.

A concept so simple and effective that you’re shocked you haven’t seen it before.

Jung von Matt is also adept at utilizing nontraditional media. Who hasn’t seen this classic example of the bus stander’s hand-hold made to look like a wrist watch?

Here, too, is an example of JVM using ambient media in a new and totally unexpected way. (Apparently dockworkers everywhere love pasta.)

They were even the masterminds behind the much-blogged-about fly advertising. Possibly annoying? Yes. But at the same time, completely original and unexpected.

The beauty of Jung von Matt creative is that it’s either one of two things. Either it’s self explanatory, or it requires some thought to get the message but the visual is interesting enough to make people want to figure out what’s going on.

This ambient installation for Mini is self-explanatory.

On the other hand, this ad for prostate cancer screenings requires some thought. But you’re drawn to it anyway because at first glance you get the feeling there’s something out of the ordinary going on in the image.

What’s part of the body is that? What the heck is inside that armband? The fact that it takes a little thought for your brain to connect that there is a crotch inside the arm, and that it makes sense because your crotch is where your prostate is and your arm is where blood is drawn for screening, actually helps you remember the message of the ad. And as the viewer you feel smarter for having figured it out. It’s kind of like the difference between someone showing you how to use a computer program and fiddling around with the program on your own. Which way has you remembering more?

But to fully grasp the philosophy of Jung von Matt, take a look at how they executed this ad for German mail carrier Deutsche Post.

They could’ve shown mushy stock shots of people lovingly holding letters to their chest. That’s what about 99 percent of the rest of the world would have done. But instead, they took the same concept and create a visual that is both arresting and unexpected.

It’s almost guaranteed that you skim over those ads with the mushy people every single time. You expect them, and your brain trains itself to ignore them. But when you see a chest with a mail-sized slit cut out of it, you stop and take a second look, if for no other reason than curiosity. (and you’re a lot more likely to remember it.)

I’ll admit, some of their stuff is a little unnecessary (advertising on flies?) but even the best can’t hit it right every time. Even then, their willingness to take risks and push boundaries more than makes up for it.

Bottom line: even if you can’t remember how to spell Jung von Matt, their work stays with you.

But “Be Stupid,” a mostly-online campaign for Italian outfitter Diesel produced by the London office of Anomaly, caught my eye. And at the risk of being called “smart,” I will attempt to critique it here.

Run off a side-path from their home website, the campaign introduces itself with a 2-minute intro video explaining the platform of the campaign.

Then it calls on viewers to send in photos and videos depicting them or someone they know doing something “stupid.” Those videos deemed best and entered before a certain deadline will be featured in Diesel’s new online catalog. But stragglers can still upload videos to be featured on the “Be Stupid” website.

Ok, lets start by stating the obvious. It’s been done.

The “follow your heart, not your head” argument has been played over, but it’s a message that’s – at least for me – is nonetheless good to hear every so often. And Diesel does it better here than about any other fashion advertiser that’s done something similar. (With respect to Wieden + Kennedy, this is better than Levi’s “Go Forth.”)

Plenty of fashion ads tell you to be different and edgy (typically this is what they try to tell you if they even say anything besides their name printed in transparency over a half-naked person) but this campaign actually does so with substance.

The video reminds me of a book by an old adman named Paul Arden – called Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite – that I read every so often to be inspired. It’s gist is pretty much the same – no one ever changed the world doing the same thing as everyone else, so take risks and eventually they’ll pay off.

The best part of this campaign, though, is the way they extended it through social media, as the microsite is backed by a strong Facebook and Twitter presence (as well as a bevy of traditional print/poster ads).

Diesel’s Facebook page has close to 400,000 fans, and each campaign-related post by Diesel draws scores of comments and “likes.” These posts are all very well written with a voice and theme that echoes the video and print ads. For example, one post reads:

“Stupid ain’t dumb. Those fluid-filled novelty pens with gondolas inside, or penis-shaped pasta, or those little stuffed animals hanging from key chains. These things aren’t stupid. These things are dumb. They are without value or redemption. Stupid is something deliciously greater. Stupid is that uncertain thing that might go wrong still. Only the stupid can be truly brilliant.”

They also use the Facebook page to announce contest giveaways – mostly for Be Stupid t-shirts.

The Twitter buzz is even more user-controlled in nature, as the hashtag #bestupid is still drawing numerous daily mentions, even several months after the campaign debut.

Diesel isn’t using Twitter in the original sense as a conversation starter, and the campaign handle – diesel_bestupid – hasn’t registered a single tweet since it’s been active. I think that’s a lost opportunity to continue the brand voice, but the some of the campaign material seems to have still gotten on Twitter through other sources. (And it would really be a coup if those posts were grassroots as well.).

But the fact that the campaign has drawn so much interaction, and the fact that it is so well synced across multiple platforms of traditional and social media, shows that Diesel and Anomaly know what they’re doing here. They went in with a plan, and it seems to be paying off.

Overall, it’s nothing groundbreaking or earth shattering, but “Be Stupid” makes the right emotional connection, it’s at least somewhat insightful, and it’s well written with enough original stuff to stay fresh and engaging for an extended rollout.

Few brands would provide a better case study for them than Nike.

Nike inspires.

And with the 2010 Winter Olympics upon us, Nike has rolled out another great TV spot reminding us to overcome obstacles and “Just do it.”

Apart from Lance Armstrong, there may not be a more inspirational athlete today than Oscar Pistorius, the footless South African sprinter dubbed “Blade Runner.” Both men appear in this spot. Even the lyrics of the back track inspires – “Everybody gets knocked down. How quick are you going to get up?”

Overcoming obstacles is a part of life. And the values learned competing in sports help us succeed in life as a whole. Nike has kept that human truth central to its message since it unveiled “Just do it” in 1982.

Yes, it’s all meant to sell sneakers. But once in a great while there are times when advertising transcends mere selling and does something more.

The best Nike ads do this. Most specifically a 1995 spot called “If you let me play” that drove home the benefits of playing sports for young girls.

Apart from creating one of the most iconic brands in the world, Nike and longtime agency Weiden + Kennedy have managed to do something that everyone in advertising – myself included – can aspire to.

They’ve created advertising that makes society better – and not worse – for its presence.

This week’s entry is on ColensoBBDO of Auckland, New Zealand.

Maybe it’s because they live on islands in the middle of nowhere, or maybe it’s because they are all distant descendents of convicted criminals, but -whatever the reason - the Kiwis’ take on advertising is different and more resourceful than most.

Yet Colenzo consistently shines above the field. They have to be considered the top creative agency in NZ (they proudly declare it on their site), and one of the top-10 creative agencies in the world.

Their work bears all the hallmarks of a top shop – Simple platform ideas, a fresh approach to concepts and executions, and innovative use of media. And, like most highly creative agencies, Colenso’s best work is for its nonprofit clients.

For proof, look no further than their work for the New Zealand Book Council.

You know advertising is good if it can actually make reading seem cool. And with this video, Colenso succeeded where so many tried and failed – visually capturing the excitement of reading a good book.

The execution is just brilliant. The concept of making the book come alive is not new, but making the book’s setting out of the pages is a great non-traditional take on it. Who knows how long it took to film that entire sequence of stop-motion animation with cutouts, but it was worth every second.

But Colenso’s Book Council installment from the year before might just be even more innovative.

The agency created ReadAtWork.com – a website that, once opened, fills your screen with a fake Windows XP desktop. The lone folders on this desktop are for books, which open as powerpoint files visually formatted to look like business presentations. And the books are there in their entirety – no Cliff-Notes versions. The idea was that people at work could read instead of working while still making it look like they’re working.

With this site, they tried something a new, yet novel (no pun intended) ideea – make reading seem bad. Lo and behold, the only time people are sure to read is when it is frowned upon. Sadly, the site no longer exists. It would be a little outdated now anyway, since XP is mostly a thing of the past.

Colenso’s biggest project, however, was something done on a much grander scale.

To prove that Yellow Pages really could help you accomplish anything, they helped a young entrepreneur build a five-star restaurant in a tree.

The elegant finished product sits over 30 feet above ground in New Zealand’s towering redwood forest and has been booked for two years in advance practically since it opened. And every company whose services were called upon to take part in the project was found using the Yellow Pages.

Colenso’s also created a billboard that “bleeds” every time it rains to encourage Kiwis to drive more cautiously in bad weather. A sight that striking will definitely make you slow down, if for no other reason than to take notice.

In addition, their work for New Zealand’s Channel 3 includes these innovative posters/outdoor boards promoting America’s Next Top Model…

and Law & Order.

It’s very rare to find an agency that can turn every product they touch into gold, but ColensoBBDO is one of those Midases.

Yes, in today’s social media driven world, you can create a tremendous amount of buzz just by doing something cool. And if you’re lucky, you can even create new vocabulary in the process.

To promote Parissa brand waxing strips, Rethink found a very hairy man, wrote “Parissa Wax Strips” on his back by adding and removing hair (presumably with the wax strips), and unleashed him on Vancouver’s Kitsilano Beach on a crowded Saturday afternoon.

People saw the stunt, took pictures and video of Backvertising Man, and posted them on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and all other forms of social media. Rethink also published its own video package of the stunt online.

Before the video went viral, no one had ever used the term “backvertising.” Now, searching the term in Google produces over 10,000 hits.

Lots of advertisers may say they want a viral hit like this (or at least they all did three years ago when Dove’s “Evolution” came out), but few understand what makes effective viral/social advertising work.

Actually, only a few monks hidden in the Tibetan Himalayas really know how to make viral work. But from what I’ve gathered from passing Sherpas, it has something to do with tapping into people’s desire to share interesting stuff.

Come up with something cool or interesting or controversial enough and the rest will take care of itself. (Though a strategic PR effort won’t hurt either, and I’m sure Rethink passed their video along to a few key news outlets and bloggers to get the water churning.)

Besides the fact that it has to be cool without trying too hard to sell, the biggest key to viral success may be to do something truly unique. If no one’s seen it before, then they’re damn well going to have a reaction to it, and they’re probably going to be talking about it.

Based on those Google stats, Rethink found something truly original here. And a big part of how they got to it was just good advertising strategy built on asking the right questions: Why do people use wax strips? To get rid of unsightly hair. Why do they want to get rid of unsightly hair? So they can look good at the beach…. Something like that, anyway.

They came up with an unexpected answer to the problem of how to promote their client’s wax strips, and the result was a textbook example of how to do effective viral.

Nothing like a little unattractive innovation to help get you inspired. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to hit the gym.