Shaquille O’Neill and Nick Cannon - Cartoon Network Hall of Game Awards

Forget the Golden Globes and the Oscar’s – this year’s awards season is all about who’s got Game. Nola Pictures’ Bruce Hurwit recently teamed up with longtime partner, Cartoon Network, to create “Training,” a clever spot starring Shaquille O’Neill and Nick Cannon for the Cartoon Network Hall of Game Awards. The fast-paced and off-the-cuff ad jumps from a delightfully left-field introduction to a slapstick training montage, allowing the two co-hosts show off their comedic chops with a madcap workout.

“I’m very lucky to have been involved with Cartoon Network since their beginning,” noted director Bruce Hurwit. Indeed, “Training” is just one of the spots produced by Nola for the Hall of Game Awards, following an earlier piece that introduced Nick Cannon as a surprise co-host. The Hall of Game Awards is a first-of-its-kind, sports award and entertainment event for kids where celebrities are honored with the coveted GAME trophy and this year’s campaign gleefully adopts that same self-referential and boffo tone.

Taking a direction more rooted in classic buddy comedy humor than the surreal and absurdist work of the 2012 campaign – which also featured Shaq – Hurwit worked closely with the actors to give “Training” an informal and easy feel. “We stuck pretty close to the script for the most part, but Shaq always brings new ideas to the table. He’s very aware of what goes into directing, which also makes him thoughtful of how things will cut together. There really isn’t much more you can ask for,” recalled Hurwit.

“The chemistry between Nick and Shaq is amazing,” continued Hurwit, “they’re longtime friends, so it added so much to the piece. They’re both so fun to work with that it barely feels like working, making for an enjoyable shoot.”

Credits:
Client: Cartoon Network
Spot Titles: “Hall of Game Awards”
Air Date: February 11, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. (ET, PT) on Cartoon Network
Agency: Cartoon Network/The Creative Group
SVP, The Creative Group: Michael Ouweleen
VP, Design, The Creative Group: Jacob Escobedo
Creative Directive: Craig “Sven” Gordon
Writer Producer: Matt Peccini
Director of Broadcast Production, The Creative Group: Heather Reilly
Broadcast Designer, The Creative Group: Brian J. Smith
Director, Marketing: Rachel Parent
Brand Manager, Marketing: Lindsey Shuman
Sr. Publicist PR (NY): Shana Ungerson
VP, Talent Development (Burbank): Sharon Lieblein
Sr. Director, Brand Development (Burbank): Lee Blevins
VP Show Production, Cartoon Network (Burbank): Mark Costa
Hall of Game Executive Producer: Michael Dempsey (Dempsey Productions)
Hall of Game Executive Producer: Steve Mayer (IMG)
Production Co.: Nola Pictures
Director: Bruce Hurwit
EP: Charlie Curran
Head of Production: Cheryl Ward
Producer: Coni Lancaster
Editorial: Cartoon Network
Shoot Location: Orlando, Florida

Food Sings 12 Days of Leftovers for the Outback Steakhouse

The Outback Steakhouse and creative ad agency Deutsch, NY create "The 12 Days of Leftovers" just in time for Christmas with singing food from our refrigerators. The online campaign comes complete with a series of talking and singing food web ads to get you to forget the leftovers and head on over to Outback instead.

Below are the "Mystery Mashed Potatoes" and "Slab of Slimy Ham" which is an outtakes reel of talking food bloopers. spots for your viewing pleasure, or you could run to Outback!

Holidays come and go, and then you're stuck with leftovers. Crusty, Fuzzy, Icky, Slimy Leftovers--and those are the ones you can recognize.

Take a break from holiday leftovers this season, and head into Outback Steakhouse for a delicious topped steak instead.



"The outtakes reel -- some say there is no higher form of cinema. Just like some say there is no lower form of food than the holiday leftover. As a charter member of the past-their-prime portion club myself, I disagree.

But if you just can't spend another night with your old friend Slab of Slimy Ham, then go ahead into Outback Steakhouse for a real meal. I'll be fine. Really. No, I'm not crying..." -- Slab of Slimy Ham.



Credits:
Ad Agency: Deutsch, NY.
Client: Outback Steakhouse
Directors: Ben & Julia
Art Direction & Puppets: Ben&Julia Studio
Assistant: David Huckert
Production: Hornetinc
Executive Producer: Jan Stebbins
Producer: Zack Kortright
Line Producer: Joel Kretschman
Editor: R.J. Glass & Anita Chao
Director of Photography: Ivan Abel
Gaffer: Michael Yetter
1st AC: Nathan Spengler
Best Boy: Casey Wooden
Key Grip: Mike Farino
2nd Grip: Leo Schott
Fabricators: Tim McDonald, Nathan Asquith, Connie Chan
VTR: Jon Osterman
Puppeteer: James Godwin
Compositors: Ali Kocar, Peter Fink
PA: Tim Kuhl, Dean Ford

Little Caesars Pizza goes "Fishing" in new TV Ads

Little Caesars Pizza is out with a great new ad campaign that should surely go viral, Woo! Dachshund and Woo! Fish....how could they not. The first two TV commercials entitled "Fishing" (above) and "Babe" (below) are the work of the New York based ad agency BFG9000.




Agency: BFG9000 New York
CCO: Gerry Graf
Client: Little Caesars
ECD: Eric Kallman
CW/AD: David Suarez
CW/AD: Danny Gonzalez
Producer: Amanda Revere
Production Company: Station Film
Director: Harold Einstein
EP: Eric Liney
Edit: MacKenzie Cutler
Editor: Gavin Cutler
Asst. Editor: Ryan Steele
EP: Sasha Hirschfeld
Audio: Heard City
Audio Engineer: Philip Loeb
Music: Egg Music
Color: CO3
Colorist: Tim Masick

Vytautas Mineral Water "It's Earth's Juice" Epic Ad

Here's a brilliant new ad for the Lithuanian Vytautas Mineral Water entitled Earth's Juice. Not your typical ad but one that will keep you interested for the full two and half minutes.

Credits:
Created by katashnis85 kanalas
Via

Don't Watch Big Brother this Feb. 19th on TV11

I'm not sure what's going on here in this ad for TV11 from Sweden, but it would seem that they don't want us to watch Big Brother on TV11.

Credits:
Title: Reaction Big Brother
Client (Brand)/Artist: TV11 (TV4 Group)
Agency / Record Company: Fireplace AB
City & Country: Stockholm, Sweden
Creative Director: Fredrik Östergren
Copywriter: Ulf Svedlund
Art Director: Victoria Lamppa
Director: Fredrik Thelander – Notre Dame Film AB
Production Co & City: Fireplace AB - Stockholm
Producer: John Hichens
Director of Photography: David Grehn
Post Production & City: The Chimney Pot/Fireplace AB - Stockholm
Editor & Company: Fredrik Thelander - Notre Dame Film AB
Music & Music Publisher: Free at last - Epedemic Sound
Motion designer: Björn Svensson
Project manager Fireplace AB: Helena Tonelli
Project manager TV4 AB: Jessica Abril
Production manager Fireplace AB: Carina Cederholm

M&M "Sexy and I Know It" Super Bowl Commercial 2012

Credits:
Agency: BBDO New York

New Jack in the Box Commercial "Love Bacon Marry It"

This guy loves his Jack in the Box Burger so much he married it, "Love Bacon? Marry It."

Credits:
Advertising Agency: Secret Weapon Marketing

Dick Sittig, Founder & Creative Director
Fiona Forsyth, Executive Producer
Leah Dieterich, Associate Creative Director
Reece Hoverkamp, Associate Creative Director
Brian Hallisey, Copywriter
Neil Desai, Art Director
Scott Myers, Copywriter
Janete Chun, Art Director
Joanne O'Brien, Group Account Director
Alexis Varian, Account Supervisor

Digital Agency: StruckAxiom, USA
Creative Director: Matt Anderson
Developers: Matt Austin, Eric Atwell
Interactive Designer: Josh Balleza
Interactive Producer: Hannah Carmody
IT Specialist: Jon Deal
Lead Developer: Max Folley
Junior Developer: David Gilvar
Senior Interactive Producer: Pati Goodell
U/X Designer: Nate Goss
Senior Account Manager: Stephen Grieco
Strategist/Account Director: John Gross
Quality Assurance Engineer: Brian Jolley
Associate Technical Director: Ryan Kee
Interactive Art Director: Mark Kellar
Developer: Amos Lanka
Interactive Art Director: Abe Levin
Interactive Designer: Adam Meyer
Developer: Thomas Mulloy

Gary Busey A Mattress and one Funny Ad for the Ellen Shop

Gary Busey lends his talents to a new ad campaign for The Ellen Shop. "The ellen shop does not sell mattresses" ironically is the best line in the commercial considering Busey is on one throughout the entire ad.

William Shatner in the Priceline Negotiator's Last Deal Commercial

William Shatner is the star of the newest Priceline commercial, but this ad is going over to well with the American Bus Association. They are asking the ad be pulled from being aired, apparently seeing Shatner in a bus as it goes over a bridge that ends in a rather dramatic explosion isn't good for the bus biz.


NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The American Bus Association is asking that Priceline pull an ad that shows its longtime spokesman William Shatner dying in a fiery bus explosion, saying that it believes the ad is in bad taste.

The ad, which started airing Monday, is an effort by the online travel service to drum up attention for its published-price offering, which is much less well known than its name-your-own-price service.

A company spokesman stressed that while they are killing off Shatner's "Priceline Negotiator" character, they still have the former "Star Trek" star under contact as a celebrity spokesman.

But while Priceline is happy with the spot and the buzz surrounding it, the trade group, which represents inter-city bus lines as well as charter bus services, is upset, saying it "damages the reputation of our industry."

Group spokesman Dan Ronan concedes that he doubts any potential customers will be afraid to take the bus after seeing the spot, but said "it portrays the industry in a bad light. We're protecting our brand and our reputation."

Neither Priceline nor Shatner had any immediate response to the group's objection.

The trade group also invited the 80-year old Shatner to ride a motorcoach and see how safe and comfortable they are. It pointed out that Shatner will be appearing next month in an autobiographical one-man show on Broadway, where a large proportion of customers travel by bus.

"In fact, it is estimated that nearly one third of theater tickets are purchased by group tour and motorcoach customers," said the group's statement

Priceless Toddler - Who's Your Favourite?

Priceless.
A proud father interrogates his daughter to determine who her favorite parent is, mum or dad. It's a no-holds-barred contest of cunning and smarts... and one of them is clearly outmatched.

Totally unrelated to advertising, but just too cute not share with the world. Ah, just wait...Dad (Mike Tippet) is from Pow! Sound in Newcastle, Australia.

LG Kompressor Plus Ad and the Super Model Photo Shoot Trick

This new spot for LG's line of vacuum cleaners, specifically the LG Kompressor Plus, shows us a interesting photo shoot trick using a supermodel in a lil red bikini.

I'm sure this one wont go over to well with everyone. Just imagine the possibilities if a vacuum really could this.