1. AdWeek Advertising and branding
  2. View items

Articles from AdWeek Advertising and branding

Primary tabs

'One Hour Agency' Promises Quality Advertising Ideas in 60 Minutes

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/11/2014 - 16:23

Sweden's One Hour Agency is the brainchild of interactive art directors Ben Langeveld and Ingmar Larsen, who, along with a half-dozen other creatives from the Hyper Island program, want just 60 minutes of your time. "You give us one hour. We generate quality ideas," they say. At typical client-agency meetings, awkward pauses and efforts to reboot PowerPoint can last longer than an hour, but this startup remains undeterred.

Infographic: How Brands Became Selfie Obsessed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/11/2014 - 15:11

If you still needed proof that selfies have taken over the Internet, here's a telling infographic about how brands went into pic-snapping overload in the past year. To help promote the upcoming deadline for entries (Feb. 18) in The Shorty Awards' Best Facebook Campaign category, contest sponsor Unmetric decided to analyze how major businesses embraced the selfie in all its ego-stroking glory over the course of 2013.

Epic Acura Ad Presents the World's Most Brutal Mechanical-Horse Race

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/11/2014 - 14:51

You probably didn't know your Acura isn't really a car. It's actually a real live dark horse. In a world full of creepy and brutish mechanical horses. It will catapult from the back of the pack to win, and wrench an existential scream from the depths of your soul. Because in this tortured journey down the racetrack of life, feelings can be so real—especially when you are driving an Acura horse. Also, because you are a three-piece-wearing fop, says a new commercial from ad agency Mullen and director Adam Berg.

Getty Images, Sheryl Sandberg Team Up to Make Stock Photos of Women More Empowering

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/11/2014 - 14:33

I just did a search for "working woman" on a popular stock photography site, and got photos of women in pantsuits wielding brick-sized cell phones, photos of women pouting sexily while adjusting their glasses, and not much else. Stock photography is easily accessible and way cheaper than hiring a photographer to produce images for a brochure or an ad or a website, but it is rife with stereotypes. Getty Images and Sheryl Sandberg's LeanIn.org have partnered to produce a collection of images that represent women and families in more empowering ways.

Omnicom Q4 Net Declines 2.1%

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/11/2014 - 14:09

Omnicom Group said fourth-quarter net income declined 2.1 percent to $300.5 million from $307.1 million in the 2012 period. Global revenue in the quarter rose 2.9 percent to $4.1 billion. Expenses related to Omnicom’s proposed merger with Publicis Groupe hit the bottom line, with the U.S. holding company taking $13.3 million in fourth-quarter, pre-tax charges related to the transaction.   Organic growth in the quarter rose 4.2 percent.

BBDO Is Pitching Like Crazy in the Next 4 Weeks

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/11/2014 - 03:10

In the finals of four big reviews, BBDO has a shot at adding about $25 million to its revenue line if it runs the table—or getting burned out trying. The Omnicom Group agency is making four final presentations in five weeks. The first—for the Wells Fargo creative account, with estimated revenue of $12 million to $13 million—took place last week at the bank’s San Francisco headquarters. This week comes the Legacy anti-tobacco foundation pitch, followed next week by Papa John’s and, finally, CVS the week of March 10.

Many Florists Barely Break Even on Valentine’s Day

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/11/2014 - 03:09

As you read this, Americans are in the process of dropping $1.9 billion on Valentine’s Day flowers—much of it going to buy the 224 million roses grown just for the amorous holiday. Surprising facts? Here’s another: While most people assume that the local flower shop is making a killing at this time of year, a good many florists are merely breaking even—or even losing money. “People don’t understand the economics of what happens to the money they spend on flowers,” said Bonnie Bank, who runs Superior Florist in midtown New York.