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…They do…and they will. The web’s newest guilty pleasure, TextsFromLastNight.com, is making its sweeping rounds across the nation, and for once, we can all feel a little better about the crude, rude, or simply incomprehensible texts we sent last night.  The site, created by partners Ben Bator and Lauren Leto, is a user-generated forum for anonymous posters to advertise their unapologetically blush-worthy and decidedly hilarious text messages that they either sent (after the tequila shot that sealed their doom) or received. The appeal of harmlessly voyeuristic TFLN? It’s become a pseudo-support group for all the victims of SMS-faux pas. The majority of TFLN’s subject matter is…well…sex and drinking. Not often a good combination, but the crafty messages it spawns are the site’s recipe for survival, and even what makes it thrive.One would think the site’s content would prove way too risky for potential advertisers (unless your name is Jack Daniels, José Cuervo or Trojan Horse), but the site boasted fresh American Apparel banners starting at the beginning of this week. Of course, the clothing store isn’t exactly known for its conformist marketing, but it will be interesting to see the stampede as TFLN grows more popular by the day. It begs the question: Are advertisers ready to steer away from their stoic relationship with content, especially during this economic catastrophe? TFLN will provide an insightful platform for comparison. If you have a cellular device, chances are you probably sent a text you wish you could hide from (at least once in your life), whether or not it was the result of a night of alcohol-induced debauchery. We can all relate. So forget your humiliation: Search your outbox, find a gem, and share it with the world. It’s likely someone else did (or said) something similar - or just a lot more mortifying.  

CBS Outdoor, one of many CBS channels (which include CBS News, CBS Sports, CBS College Sports) has launched a new ad campaign this past Tuesday in which keywords would be shown on billboards for consumers to text and receive special offers and promotions from the advertiser. VP Marketing for CBS Outdoor, Jodi Sense, explained:

 “Out-of-home media have been choice marketing outlets for local businesses, and we are ramping up the effectiveness of our signage by giving our clients ways to further engage consumers with direct response messaging and compelling offers,” 

The full story can be found on MediaWeek. 

The recent Nike campaign starring Kobe Bryant and LeBron James as puppets who are roommates is a good example of how these two players have taken over the NBA and sports marketing in the U.S. Vitamin Water has also chosen to hype these two sports magnates in their new ad campaign pitting “the Black Mamba” (Kobe) vs. “the Chosen One” (LeBron). ESPN’s Sportscenter has even gone as far as to highlight these two players individual performances in one daily segment, making direct statistical comparisons in order to allow viewers to deduce who is really the best player in the NBA. There is no doubt that the success of these marketing campaigns directly influences the popularity of the NBA. Ever since Michael Jordan became the symbol of Nike beginning in the 80’s, the company as well as the NBA have benefitted tremendously. All that is needed now to benefit both the NBA as well as Vitamin Water and Nike, is for the two to square off in the upcoming Championship Finals. But with both the Lakers and the Cavaliers behind in their current Conference Championship Series, will either one even make an appearance? If not, will this correlate directly to poor television ratings of the NBA Finals?_____________________________________________________________________    

Thomas the Tank Engine partnered with Autism Spectrum Australia to create interactive games that will help develop the emotional quotient of children with autism. Full Story

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After the era of ‘carb-conscious’ comes another era of economic despair, where comfort foods are necessary. For this reason, Dunkin Donuts has found that people are buying their doughnuts again. Furthermore, they launched a campaign in which consumers could design their own treats on dunkindonuts.com  and enter a drawing to win $12,000. According to Dunkin Donuts VP, Cynthia Ashworth, site traffic increased dramatically and people were spending an average of 12 minutes designing their dream doughnuts.   Visit: DunkinDonuts.com/Donut to participate.   ___________________________________________________________________ 

Jorge Colombo drew this week’s cover of The New Yorker using Brushes, an iPhone application.

These guys had the right idea… create a blog, fill it with hundreds of crazy ideas, offer the ideas up for grabs, and hope that some large brand steals an idea and gives you credit. Steal Our Ideas does just that, and in doing so has received notable publicity in the advertising world simply for the concept they created as a whole… the idea that there is such an infinite number of other ideas that we may as well share with each other as long as we’re getting credit in the process. Simultaneously, the blog manages to be witty and entertaining. One fan on Creativity Online even stated, 

Very clever. Wish I could’ve stolen the entire website idea from them.    

Here are a few sample ideas:  

Watch out for this hilarious Nike spot by Wieden featuring the muppetized MVP, Lebron James.

The newest edition of Denison Magazine, entitled “Crossing Boundaries, has just been released, and, as usual, has some interesting articles about past Denisonians.

“An ongoing study — a dialogue, even — of the human condition, and humankind’s relationship with everything non-human, through a lens that is academically influenced, culturally savvy, civic minded, and socially conscious,” you can check the Spring 2009 edition online or, if you’re one of the lucky student or alumni, read it yourself.

The website itself is slick, and the ability to download individual stories as PDF files makes the online browsing experience much nicer. There’s a blog too, check it here.

 Though most know not to go all-in with 2-7 off-suit, these new Bellwood Health Services print advertisements remind us that sometimes you just can’t help it. Ad by <Doner>

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