Morning Update: Revenge of the Nerds in anti-bullying spot; Disney considered buying BuzzFeed; Lego spot featuring Darth Vader
This is our Morning Update, rounding up international media and marketing news from while you were sleeping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqVfoZdYaDQ
Mashable: VH1’s New PSA Tries to Bring Humor to Anti-Bullying Awareness
“Sometimes, humor can be an effective way to address serious issues. It can especially be welcome among a sea of somber PSAs — as long as the message doesn’t miss the mark.
VH1’s latest anti-bullying PSA offers a light-hearted rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” mashed up with kids who look like they’ve been pulled straight out of a 1980s teen movie. Unsurprisingly called “Revenge of the Nerds,” the ad highlights the things kids tell themselves to cope with being bullied — namely, that they will have revenge one day.”
The Guardian: Andy Coulson admits No 10 job doubts over David Blunkett voicemails
“Andy Coulson has admitted David Cameron would probably not have hired him as his spin doctor had the prime minister been told he had listened to David Blunkett’s voicemails.
The former News of the World editor told his trial at the Old Bailey that “it may be right, if I explained [to the prime minister] what I explained to the jury now, the job wouldn’t have been offered to me”.”
The New York Times: Disney Considered Buying BuzzFeed, but Balked at $1 Billion Price
“At least for the Walt Disney Company, BuzzFeed quickly became a buzzkill.
As part of a routine effort to identify acquisition targets, Disney last year zeroed in on BuzzFeed, the fast-growing digital media company, but Disney’s interest quickly dissipated when BuzzFeed valued itself at nearly $1 billion, according to a person with direct knowledge of the talks.
This person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because Disney’s interest was meant to remain private, said the entertainment giant saw in BuzzFeed a potential “content-dissemination service.””
AdWeek: Lego Ad’s Little Darth Vader Is Less Charming and Cute and More Completely Evil
“I never thought Lego would officially recognize how sharp its products are, but this ad for the Star Wars playset series does exactly that—with help from the dark side of the Force.
Little Vaders, of course, have a history of advertising success, though here the Sith Lord is somewhat less charming as he ruins a father’s clandestine midnight snack run.”
AdAge: Miller Time is Over for Saatchi & Saatchi
“The Publicis Groupe-owned shop had been the lead agency on Miller Lite and the newly launched Miller Fortune. But the Miller Lite account has been at risk for a while, especially since the brewer earlier this year moved a big portion of the account to a collection of agencies within WPP.
“We appreciate the efforts and professionalism from Brent Smart and his team behind our brands,” Pete Marino, MillerCoors VP-communications, said in a statement to Ad Age, referring to Saatchi & Saatchi, New York’s CEO. “Any immediate needs for Miller Lite and Miller Fortune will be handled by other roster agencies, though we have a lot of current work to draw from that we recently debuted at our sales and marketing conference. We have no timetable for the longer term, and will take our time making decisions that strategically make sense for both brands.””
The Guardian: Al-Jazeera demands $150m compensation from Egypt government
“Al-Jazeera Media Network has served Egypt with a $150m (£89m) compensation claim on the grounds that its investments in the country have been damaged since July 2013.
On Monday, the network lodged a formal “notification of dispute” with the country’s interim government.”
The Huffington Post: A Sad Day for Misogynists as Nuts Mag Plans its Final Centrefold
“‘April fool?’ asked one friend on Facebook. ‘You should write an article entitled “I told you so”,’ declared another by text. The frenzy surrounding the announcement that Nuts magazine is to cease publication has been largely jubilant among the feminist community. But whilst the collapse of this ten-year-old bastion of misogyny represents a victory for equality of sorts, it by no means marks the end of female objectification or pornification of our society.”
Mashable: If You Watch 100 Porn Videos, Pornhub Will Plant a Tree
“Arbor Day 2014 has come and gone, but Pornhub is still offering users a way to make greener use of their, um, private moments.
In the week following Arbor Day, which fell on April 25, the porn site will plant one tree for every 100 videos watched in their “Big Dick” category. The campaign is cheekily titled “Pornhub Gives America Wood”.”
AdWeek: The Lazy Half of the Internet Is Now Obsessed With Nissan’s ‘Self-Cleaning Car’
“Nissan has created the world’s first self-cleaning car prototype and introduced it with an eye-popping NeverWet-like viral spot.
The car’s coating isn’t actually the well known hydrophobic spray owned by Rust-Oleum, though the effect is similar. Created by UltraTech International, Nissan’s coating creates a texture of geometric shapes whose peaks repel water and some oils.
The spot is one delightful minute of watching the Nissan Note crash through puddles and repel filth on the side treated with the hydrophobic and oleophobic coating. Nissan states that splashing around in mud will still dirty the underbelly, tires and windshield of the vehicle, but it’s still an exciting development for the lazy among us who hate visiting the car wash.”
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