MonKeyArtAwards

The Truth In Advertising Is Out There

Following the Federal Trade Commission’s announcement that Skechers will pay $40 million to settle charges that their Shape-up shoes advertising was deceptive, CBS is revising their fall launch campaign by putting quotation marks around the word “comedy."

Hi! We’re USA And We Aren’t Anymore Interested In Content Than You Are!

One Of These Is Not Like The Others

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Der Weiner’s Schnitzel

If you’re like us, you were under the impression that The Refinery came up with the winning concept for the Mad Men Season 5 bake-off. However, according to an article in the New York Times:

Matthew Weiner, series creator, said the image is “a nonverbal representation of where my head is at and where the show will be.”

As usual, Mr. Weiner said, he discussed his idea for the image with Linda Schupack, executive vice president for marketing at AMC, part of AMC Networks, who brought it to life in creating the campaign.

The image suggests “Don Draper’s ongoing struggle to define who he is to himself and to those around him,” Ms. Schupack added.

Larger version at IMPAwards

As Seen On TV

If you’re like us, seeing ads like the one below makes you wish Annie Leibovitz had never done that Sopranos shoot …but at least NBC got Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin to do another photo shoot. Maybe Len Fogge could get the guys who do the fake posters on 30 Rock to do the real key art for the show.Click on image to enlarge.

NBCULater!

From Deadline Hollywood:

NBC’s new marketing president Len Fogge, who joined the network from Showtime last summer, is reorganizing the network’s marketing department, with just under 10 of the department’s 150 employees getting laid off today. The highest ranking among them is 26-year NBC veteran Jim Vescera, most recently EVP and creative director of NBC Entertainment Marketing, who sent out an internal good-bye note last night. Insiders described the process as “fine-tuning” as Fogge looks to tweak creative direction and eliminate redundancies created by several of regime changes at the network over the past decade. It includes the cutting of some positions and reconfiguration of others. Fogge’s former Showtime colleague Richard Licata, now head of NBC’s publicity department, is expected to do implement similar reorganization next week, with also under 10 department staffers expected to be laid off. The moves come on the heels of the new NBC administration’s biggest marketing and promotional campaign to date for midseason musical drama Smash.

Spoiler Alert: Don Didn’t Jump, Peggy Pushed Him

TMI In The Great Outdoors

Dear Edwina,

I’ve passed this billboard every day for the past week or so and I still can’t tell what it’s about. Why are the men’s neckties all drifting up but the woman’s hair isn’t? Doesn’t it seem like overkill to have a $ in “House” and then have another $ in “Lies”?! And what is going on in the background? Please hurry and reply… I’m parked in a red zone.

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Dear Red Zone,

Having consulted IMPAwards, it’s obvious the problem is that the billboard art cropped out the desk with the legal pad on it as well as the all-important floating ball point pen. No doubt these items would have cleared things up for you. Or maybe those two dollars signs would have been less annoying if the E’s were euro signs and the L was a British pound symbol (HOU$€ OF £I€$). Or maybe if the copy had said something like, “OMFG! Sharks!!!”

Celebrating Achievement In The Entertainment Advertising Arts And Sciences

Breaking The Fourth Wall

Dear Edwina -
I noticed there is a new perspective from the UK. I thought your readers might find it interesting. Who knew Dylan McDermott was such a big fellow and women in the UK were so petite?

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A Reader Submits: The Greater Fool Theory

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Revenge Is A Dish Best Served After Donning A Frock Made From A Briar Patch

One of the many high-strung creative types we count among our readers sent us this ad for ABC’s sure-to-be captivating new show. We hasten to add that metaphorical gowns should never be worn before Labor Day.

Smells Like Teen Spirit

CBS unveils Dry Idea/Victoria Secret crossover promotion:

Because Nothing Brings In Those 18 To 34 Year Old Viewers Like A Tagline

“You're Invited.”

That’s the first tagline in the Oscars' 80something year history.

According to Ad Age, the copy was cluster-conceived by Omelet L.A.; the Academy's marketing chief, Janet Weiss; Academy President Tom Sherak; executives at ABC; and show producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer.

Apparently Cohen and Mischer are targeting a younger audience for the show not only with that epic tagline, but with youthful hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco and an iPhone app. Golly! We feel less mature already!

You can see more posters and taglines at oscars.org

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"A Triumph Of The Embalmer's Art"

That's what Gore Vidal once said of Ronald Reagan. You can view Mr. Maher's youthful visage in context here.

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Oprah's Pile Of Poo

Dear Edwina, 

I ask you -  THIS is an ad?  How about a shot of the big O picking up her dogs special leave-behinds (or whomever does it for her)

Dear Reader,

Judging by the shamed expression on the dog's face, we assume he designed the OWN logo.