Vice Media launches Viceland TV.

Vice Media has launched its cable TV channel 'Viceland' but it's also more 'multi device'. So it's viewable across multi platforms rather than just through Cable TV.

It will carry about 9 minutes of Ads in an hour and already has advertiser support from Clients like Toyota, Diageo, Unilever, Bank of America who are more into targeting that younger demographic.

Their main focus though is 'native ads' so yet again, we see the demise of the traditional 30 second commercial in favour of online video. Good. 

Traditional TV Ads are working less online than properly generated interesting content.

But Vice are hoping to move away from an output that features a barrage of Ads and makes the advertiser branding more engaging - more part of the programming. Bank of America for example, are looking at content that revolves around 'financial literacy' so useful stuff rather than 'Ads'.

Valued at over 4.5 Billion usd, it's a big foray for Vice Media. Success though, favours the brave.

Audrey Hepburn. She died in 1993 but she's back. Making one of the best commercials you'll ever see. Ever. Have a look here.

She may have died in 1993 but she's still making stunning commercials, beautiful Ads. Audrey Hepburn.

Chocolate Bar Galaxy (Mars), have taken footage from her film 'Roman Holiday' (1953 for which she won an Oscar) and starred with Gregory Peck. 

It wasn't her first film, but the role that made her and she got it after Elizabeth Taylor turned it down. In fact Peck got the role after Cary Grant turned it down too!

But they've created a new storyline for the commercial, on Italy's Amalfi Coast. Famous for a fairly breathtaking and a pretty hairy drive, the 'Amalfi Drive'.

Her family have agreed for her image to be used and just how stunning it is. Iconic. Watch and enjoy.

They've also picked a gem of a track - 'Moon River' - and in digitally restoring the footage, have added new life to it, new HD tones and it's truly magnificent to watch. 

Moon River was written for her and performed by her, in 'Breakfast at Tiffanys' (1961). Written by Henry Mancini, it was made famous by Andy Williams.

Of course it's not the first time footage has been restored for commercials,not by a long shot. That's not to take away from this imaginative, creative, stunning work.

The Griff Rhys Jones Holsten commercial (A Holsten for my Holster) stands out in my mind and the Steve Martin/Carl Reiner movie, 'Dead men don't wear plaid' is based around this very idea. You'll see 3 clips at the end and if you've time, have a look too, they're worth it.

But this one for Galaxy, is done well, really well. 

AMV BBDO London are the Agency and deserve the plaudits here.

So too, does it make the case for Video. Just look what you can do.

Only criticism is the endline about having silk not cotton which is just a pity. A real chance here to say something lovely, missed. 

But don't let that get in the way one bit. In fact I'm sorry I said it, because if you want to see that rare example of classic advertising in today's dross, this is it. BBH in their heyday would have loved to have done this.

It's just a classic in every sense and Audrey Hepburn looks so stunning, adorable. It will sell chocolate, of that, have no doubt.

(And while you're here...have a look....)

Is real advertising coming back?

Samsung new TV and Online Video targets one thing. Blackberry.

Samsung are already known for TV Commercials and online video that goes after The Apple user. Now their new campaign targets Blackberry, already struggling.....so this won't help.

Although they don't mention Blackberry, they make it clear whom they're talking about, showing clueless employees who persist with out-of-date phones using keyboards. So it's aimed at the business users firstly.

It's supposed to be a start-up office launching a game called 'Unicorn Apocalypse' pretentiously enough.

Perhaps not the best commercial ever at all but it's hard-hitting enough for Blackberry users to understand. And it's a symbol of Samsung's ongoing attempts to take on all-comers. They recently were the stars of the show at The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Samsung are not prepared to stand still. With world domination clearly in their minds, the brand is going from strength to strength and producing unbelievable profits. They are afraid of no one and even prepared to kick a brand like Blackberry, when it's down.

Unlike Apple, they pay a little less attention to branding commercials and tend to go aggressively for the jugular.

Watch out for Samsung.

Samsung's new commercial takes on Apple. Very cool.

I have to say, I don't like Samsung and particularly following their recent court case. But hats off when you see a great marketing response to the Apple Iphone 5.

Under the headline, "the next big thing is already here", this Samsung commercial has a go at Apple fanatics - but in an uber cool way. During the commercial it points out all the product problems with the Iphone - marketing language being one, location of the new headphone jack, the new dock connector, the lack of NFC but most importantly, showing the Iphone as a phone that your parents will probably want.

And how uncool is that.

It's a classic strategy of pointing out the clear product differences and at the same time, bringing the Samsung Galaxy into coolness. A commercial that almost has the same "look and feel" as Apple and with the same brand values.

It's probably targeting long term Iphone users who maybe, are looking for a change. And there is probably a market for that. But I think more importantly, it's putting Samsung on the techy map.

The Ad Agency was '72+sunny' whom I've never heard of, but so what. It was directed by Michael Downing who simply has to have Irish roots with a name like that and whose work I do know from the terrific Shreddies "Diamond" spoofs.

If you haven't seen them have a look. A great dig at research. Rory Sutherland presents them at a TED talk and it's just magnificent. Rory is with Ogilvy. Worth your while to view the whole talk too on youtube. Clearly Michael knows how to direct when the commercial is focused on people. 

So well done to Michael and them all at Samsung.
I don't like the brand, but you've made me think again.