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Morning Update: Jeff Gordon and PepsiMAX set out to prove ‘test drive’ was real; Journalists protest over Al-Jazeera staff held in Egypt

This is our Morning Update, rounding up international media and marketing news from while you were sleeping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRIgmKGDqFM

AdWeek: Ad of the Day: Jeff Gordon, PepsiMAX Get Revenge on Writer Who Said ‘Test Drive’ Was Fake

“PepsiMAX had an enormous viral hit last year with its “Test Drive” video, in which Jeff Gordon, in disguise, took a car salesman for the most terrifying ride of his life. With more than 40 million views, the spot was an unquestioned success. The only problem? A vocal minority complained that the stunt had been faked.”

The Guardian: Rebekah Brooks ‘authorised half a dozen payments to public officials’

“Rebekah Brooks signed off payments to public officials half a dozen times during her editorship of the Sun and News of the World, she told the Old Bailey on Thursday.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgb7W9VLkI4

AdWeek: Hotels.com Recruits Captain Obvious, but Is One Gag Enough for a Campaign?

“In its first work for Hotels.com since adding the business last October, Crispin Porter + Bogusky goes the self-consciously wacky route by introducing Captain Obvious. As his name suggests, the new spokesman says lots of self-evident stuff to make the point that Hotels.com is the obvious choice for booking rooms.

A 60-second spot finds the Captain sauntering through a swanky resort, noting, among other things, that, “‘All you can eat’ is a hotel policy that allows you to eat all that you can,” “the hotel pool is usually filled with water” and “gym is short for gymnasium.” Ultimately and inevitably, he notes: “The best dot-com for booking hotels is Hotels.com. It’s on the Internet.””

The Guardian: Journalists hold global day of protest over Al-Jazeera staff held in Egypt

“Media organisations around the world have taken part in a day of protest against the detention of Al-Jazeera staff in Egypt.

The international day of action was sparked by the imprisonment of three al-Jazeera journalists in Egypt: Peter Greste, Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed. Two other al-Jazeera reporters, Abdullah Al-Shami and Mohammed Badr, have also been detained in Egypt since last year. Greste, Fahmy and Mohamed will now stand trial accused of conspiring to tarnish Egypt’s international reputation.”

Mashable: Hair-Raising Subway Ad Blows Away the Competition

“A clever outdoor ad from Sweden uses a bit of technology to transcend the limits of the medium.

Apotek, a pharmacy brand, outfitted subway platform ads in Stockholm with ultra-sonic sensors that discerned when a train was coming. The ad featured a model with a lush mane, and when the train came, her hair flapped in the wind and she struggled to keep it in place.”

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