4 in a series. A truly great series about Advertising in the digital age. Alka Seltzer. These are just great adland.

Here's the original commercial which actually, although legendary, mafia boss of New York Joe Columbo tried to get it banned - because it insulted Italians.

But here's the digital lessons told by Adman.
Great stories that really make sense of digital advertising.

And that Advertising people need to see. 

Here you go....(but go back to the previous Coke, Volvo and Avis posts too). Alka Seltzer. The story.

2 in a series of Advertising lessons in the digital age. Volvo. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

The best thing I have ever seen online.

Here's the original 1962 commercial....

Yesterday's post was Coke, today Volvo re-imagined for a digital age.
Watch the lead video on top and then if you're smitten go to the ones below.

It's really showing Admen the digital way. Beautiful. 

Advertising + Ad Agencies have a future. Google is proving it + this wins at Cannes.

Got a huge response to my post of the weekend about BBH and British Airways. I'm sure just because people wanted to view the commercial but I think also, Ad people like to admire good work. 


Interesting too, that BBH got 2nd place in Cannes as 'Ad Agency of the year' behind Wieden Kennedy. No shame there.


Just two other points about Cannes first : Jack Dorsey (I always thought if I ever wrote a detective novel, he'd be called, 'Jack Dorsey'. Just made for it), the 34 year old founder of the 6 year old Twitter, got 'Media person of the year'.


And mobile ad of the year? It's the one that's all over this blog as you read on.


What's interesting too about the BA commercial was that it premiered on Facebook and not TV - a blending of Social Media.


Now I know what you're going to say about this post because I'm asking you to view a video that's an hour long. Crazy. Who has that time? But perhaps if you want to remain inspired, you will. And it will be worth it. Maybe we all need to take an hour out every now and again to refresh our thinking.


But you know what, so many Agencies don't understand the space. This will show them how it can be used and integrated into traditional advertising. It's magic.


This is Google's "Project brief" which is about taking classic, iconic Ad campaigns of the past, with Agency people of the past, and seeing can they bring them into today. 


I've been following it and the individual/shorter clips are all here. Avis, Alka Seltzer, Volvo and the best of the all, Harvey Gabor for Coke ("I'd like to buy the world a Coke" 1971). Or I think so.


The long version on this blog brings them all together, telling each story and to the unveiling at SXSW. It is the best thing I've seen in advertising in 20 years and Google, are to be applauded (I never really liked them but this propels them in my head).


So here are the 4 individual blogs for each brand. If you're going to watch only one and not the longer video, click Coke (the first one here). But try and watch it. You'll learn from it that if we embrace the technology, we can do amazing work. To embrace the technology, we have to understand it first.


http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012/03/ad-agencies-have-future-thanks-to.html
http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012/04/avis-we-try-harder-agencies-have-future.html
http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012/04/ad-agencies-have-future-thanks-to.html alka seltzer

http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012/03/google-classic-ad-campaigns-volvo.html



Hats off Google. You've done a great job here and I hope the Ad Agencies get on board.


Mind you, The Pitch is one of the great TV programmes on-air at the moment. Terrific stuff. Does a great job in showing Ad Agencies to be intelligent thinkers rather than flaky, over paid, traditionalists.


And it's being pulled.


Oh why?
Ad Agencies won't take part in the first place + aren't watching (Nielsen ratings just above zero).


You know what? Stop giving out. We do it to ourselves.