ART & COPY Trailer from ART & COPY on Vimeo.

ART & COPY is a powerful new film about advertising and inspiration. Directed by Doug Pray, it reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time — people who’ve profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry. Exploding forth from advertising’s “creative revolution” of the 1960s, these artists and writers all brought a surprisingly rebellious spirit to their work in a business more often associated with mediocrity or manipulation: George Lois, Mary Wells, Dan Wieden, Lee Clow, Hal Riney and others featured in ART & COPY were responsible for “Just Do It,” “I Love NY,” “Where’s the Beef?,” “Got Milk,” “Think Different,” and brilliant campaigns for everything from cars to presidents. They managed to grab the attention of millions and truly move them. Visually interwoven with their stories, TV satellites are launched, billboards are erected, and the social and cultural impact of their ads are brought to light in this dynamic exploration of art, commerce, and human emotion.

Designer’s Couch has a great post of some very thought/emotion provoking social ad campaigns. Many of these take a traditional form of advertising, such as a bus stop poster, and turn it on its head (while turning heads) by adding an element of interactivity. This ranges from interactive video to even live-action actors. For such powerful subject matter, it only makes sense that the manner in which it is presented is equally as commanding.

On my usual route to the office, through the always congested streets of Hollywood, I’m literally surrounded by a plethora of ads in all shapes and sizes. Many consider this plastered landscape offensive, tacky and even an assault on the senses. Though many times I lean towards this opinion, I can’t help but be entertained, intrigued and sometimes inspired by what I see. After all, I am part of that world…I guess you could call it research.

Anyway, in my frustration of being caught behind a Metro bus, I was amused by this 1-800-Dentist ad. It’s so wonderfully simple and playful, contributing to its overall effectiveness, especially for something  as mundane as looking for a dentist.

I think its time for the ‘Accidentes’ dude to follow suit!

What’s a penny good for these days? Well, Pumped for Change, a non-profit org out of South Florida, is betting that pennies can make positive change in the lives of homeless citizens in their community. Through The Million Penny Project™, P4C is raising funds and awareness around homelessness; with a goal to raise one million pennies ($10,000) for each participating partner charity.

Here’s a peek at the new PSA spot they just released.

And I’m not talking about Kool-Aid. This website for the glassware line from Luigi Bormioli is easy to navigate and features large, gorgeuos product shots. In fact, I was led to believe I’d never be able to afford a set of such luxurious vessels, but in doing a quick Google search I was surprised to learn that I could pick them up from my local Target. Ah, the power of great photography and clean layout! One downside: the flash functionality may make your head spin a bit.

First there was the Subservient Chicken, then Whopper Freakout. And now Burger King is at it again, serving up its latest viral campaign - Whopper Virgins.

This time, the King’s ad men are documenting villagers from far away lands as they try fast food for the very first time.

A lesson in foreign relations, BK burgers seem to bridge all culture and language barriers; bringing smiles and higher blood pressure to all who sink their teeth into the seasame seed bun.

And it seems American consumers are eating it up too… Comscore reports the microsite welcomed 242,000 unique visitors in December alone.

Origami In the Pursuit of Perfection from MABONA ORIGAMI on Vimeo.

In this age of super slick 3D animated films of every talking animal imaginable (you know who i’m talking about), the traditional way of animating by hand seems all but forgotten. While the intricate nature of digitally rendered fur/feathers/water still dazzles at times, it is refreshing and inspiring to find work that utilizes a combination of the old with the new.  MABONA ORIGAMI  designed the origami models and consulted stop motion and computer animation for this beautiful, award-winning promo that tells the story of the Japanese sports brand ASICS.

Today is the last day of 2008. To welcome the new year tonight, everyone is celebrating in their own way - some will line the streets of New York’s Times Square under the cold wind and snow, others will pay a fortune to crowd inside a trendy nightclub in LA or Miami. And others will simply enjoy the crowds from the comfort of their living room with Ryan Seacrest providing them the play-by-play.

But no matter where you’ll be when the clock strikes midnight, you can bet everyone will be asking themselves the same question, “What will be my new year’s resolution?”.

Needless to say, in America today, most resolutions involve loosing weight, joining a gym or boycotting jelly donuts or McGreasy burgers. Unfortunately, our nation not only boasts the highest rates of obesity, but we are also the leader in eating disorders, self-conciousness and overall low self-esteem.

The Dove brand has made it its mission to promote a more healthy body image among woman of all ages and widen the stereotypical view of beauty historically defined by the warped lens of film, fashion and mass media advertising. Since its launch in 2004, Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty” has made headlines across the globe. Most recently, through the Dove Self-Esteem Fund, a series of online-based short films were launched to promote the self-esteem concept.

And so before we join the masses in finding an unrealistic resolution to bind to this new year, I invite you to view Onslaught, one of the more poignant spots of the Dove series. Surely, we can all be skinnier, taller and more attractive, but if we want 2009 to be a great year, we should focus on being happier, healthier and more beautiful on the inside first and foremost.

Happy New Year!

You gotta check out this great viral video from the most unlikely of advertisers — JC Penny. This high-concept, well executed video proves that buying jewelry (from JC Penny) can save you from some uncomfortably living quarters. Two paws up!

I haven’t had a beef hamburger in oh, about eight years or so, and pretty much avoid McDonald’s at all costs when it comes to fast food joints. But I can’t help but appreciate their latest marketing stunt in Japan to promote one of their signature sandwiches, the Quarter Pounder.

According to Business Week, until recently, you could only get the burger in one location, Kumamoto prefecture, because all other restaurants weren’t properly equipped with grills to produce them for the masses. From November 19th to the 27th though, two Quarter Pounder pop up shops located in Omotesando and Shibuya East will be selling the hambrger, fries, and drinks…only. The sleek environment of the shops is a far cry from the typical McDonald’s restaurant, with its ”dark walls and dim lighting [making] the place seem more like a disco than a burger joint.”

The promo is almost over, but you can check out the branding campaign at www.quarter-pounder.net.