10 Insane Hot Sauce Labels

J. Barker — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 09:36:00 -0800

The hot sauce market is saturated with new product--and doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon. So how do you make your sauce stand out among all of the competition? You devise unique brand names and insane logos, that's how.

They Tried to Trick Us! Commercials for Lame Toys

J. Barker — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:07:00 -0800

It is the job of marketing execs to make toys look fun. But the real question is: Is it possible to make the milking of a tiny fake cow into an exciting play experience?

Smokeless Ashtrays: Do They Work And Which Is Best - Product Review

J. Barker — Wed, 19 May 2010 06:46:00 -0700

The concept of the smokeless ashtray has been around for at least 30 years. Have the past three decades shown any design improvements? And more importantly--do they work?

Tatooine Exports Coffee Blend - At Least According to the T-Shirt

J. Barker — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:52:00 -0700

Star Wars fans would love to taste a brew from Tatooine - even if it's manufactured by those greedy little Jawas. The problem is that there is no coffee... But some people may find this even better...

"Anything for you..." The Sun in Advertising

J. Barker — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:17:00 -0700

Marketing firms gaze up at the Sun and get ideas. Some are cute. Some are scary. Either way, that giant ball of flame has become a unique image in advertising. Come on in for a look. But don't forget your sunscreen.

I Have Seen the End of the World. It's Little and Blue

J. Barker — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:02:00 -0700

Couldn't get enough of those blue guys in Avatar? Well, unfortunately a sequel to that film is a few years off. Until then, we're gonna have to make do with the other blue guys. And I'm scared.

Disney Ads Put Humor Into Star Wars Weekends

J. Barker — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 08:19:00 -0700

Without a doubt The Walt Disney Company is a master in the marketing arena. And for Star Wars Weekends, it proves to be a Jedi Master.

Get it? Yeah, I know... that was lame. But the ad campaign makes up for it!

Advertisers Don't Want You to Forget Mom on Mother's Day!

J. Barker — Sat, 08 May 2010 08:53:00 -0700

Is it any surprise that marketing firms generate unique ad campaigns for Mother's Day? Nope. But you have to praise the creativity.

These Coffee Ads are Sure to Wake You Up!

J. Barker — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 05:11:00 -0700

Need a cup of magical caffiene to get you going in the morning? The marketing guys know you do. And they're out to earn your dollar by promoting coffee with some pretty creative ad campaigns.

Bangalore Safe Driving Campaign May Get Your Clothes Bloody

J. Barker — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 11:01:00 -0700

An ad agency in India wants to make damned sure that people don't talk on their cell phones while driving... Strap in. It's a bit messy.

A New Packaging Idea for Sneakers

J. Barker — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:00:00 -0700

Will shoe boxes soon be a thing of the past? If so, where will I keep my action figures???

The Business Card Revolution Continues - 10 Totally Unique Business Cards

J. Barker — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:47:00 -0800

Business cards just aren't static little rectangles anymore. Some now hold data. Some you have to light on fire just to get the business's contact info. Others are just... strange. One thing is for sure: the business card is changing with the times.

What's This I Hear About a Third Tron Film?

J. Barker — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 09:05:00 -0700

Is Disney so secure in the success of Tron: Legacy that they are moving forward with a sequel almost a year before the film's release? Or is this another step in their brilliant viral marketing campaign?

As Seen On TV: The Belly Burner. Same Ad, Different Consumer.

J. Barker — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:10:00 -0700

How many times in my life will this thing show up on my TV screen? It's like the whole Matrix Revolutions thing. It's happened before and it'll happen again... Over and over and over... Yet the product remains the same. But today's consumers are more savvy. Right?

Tron Legacy Marketing: Disney Changes Monorails Into Lightcycles.

J. Barker — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:27:00 -0700

The viral marketing of Tron: Legacy continues - this time on the sides of Disney's very own monorails.

Tron Legacy Uses Viral Marketing to Build Fan Awareness

J. Barker — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:35:00 -0800

Marketing a sequel to a cult classic can be quite a challenge. How do you take a 28-year-old movie loved by geeks and attempt to plant it's sequel into global consciousness? You go viral.

All-Time Absolutely Cutest Ad Ever?

J. Barker — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:59:00 -0800

Babies are cute, right? So if you took a group of babies and put them on roller-blades, that would make for some cute advertising... right?

Slurping It Up - Awesome Soft Drink Commercials From Around the World

J. Barker — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 05:25:00 -0800

The presentation of soft drinks as a product has changed drastically since the 1950s. These fizzy, sweet beverages have have sported some of the highly creative ad campaigns. Let's take a look at some of the more bizarre, funny, and just plain inspired commercials for carbonated goodness ever produced.

The Fall (and Rise) of Clowns in Advertising: Part 1

J. Barker — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:34:00 -0800

Just say the word "clown" to me and I shudder. So why, dear readers, would I write a two-part article about them? Because I think they've gotten a bad rap in advertising campaigns, that's why. But they're still scary....

The Fall (and Rise) of Clowns in Advertising: Part 2

J. Barker — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:23:00 -0800

How does the concept of the clown fit into modern advertising schemes? While I'm not sure I have the answer, I do have several examples of how the idea of the clown has shifted over the decades... and where this image may be heading in the advertising realm... and beyond. But they're still scary to me.

10 Totally Unique Business Cards Sure To Capture Your Attention

J. Barker — Tue, 26 May 2009 10:35:02 -0700

Today the marketing of the individual is as important (if not more important) than the marketing of a company. The business card is usually quite effective - until you end out receiving a gazillion cards that are all the same shape and size. People have started getting very creative in the way they market themselves. Some of these are quite brilliant. Others make you ask, "How am I gonna fit that in my pocket?"

10 Ads That Will Make You Want To Clean

J. Barker — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:29:00 -0700

With an insane number of cleaning products on the market (all of which perform generally the same activity: clean), how do advertisers call attention to a specific product? Ingenuity, innovation, and just plain craziness combine to create unique marketing campaigns for cleaning items that we use every day.

10 Creepy Commercials to Tickle Your Funny Bone

J. Barker — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:19:00 -0700

Sometimes advertising agencies unintentionally (and intentionally) produce some very creepy commercials. Join me in a glance at some of the most bizarre examples of product pitching ever committed to film.

Ten Great Examples Of The Business Card Revolution

J. Barker — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:29:00 -0700

Begone oh bland business card with your lily white tone and your bland fonts! We're in a new age, an age where a business card doesn't have to be square, doesn't have to be made of paper, doesn't have to well... even look like a card...

Are You Being Manipulated By Subliminal Ads?

J. Barker — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:00:00 -0700

Ever get a strange little urge to purchase something that you don't need? That could be the result of being hit with a subliminal advertisement. Read on to learn more about this dubious practice. Knowledge is power...

Smoking Ads - Then & Now

J. Barker — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 06:15:00 -0700

It's no secret that the perception of cigarettes has changed over the past few decades. Gone are the days of gusto smoking cowboys and gimicky slogans. Now advertisers actually attempt to influence the public to avoid, yet still actively purchase, cigarettes. Let's take a look at how a few of these ad campaigns have changed...

Trick or Treat? Ghoulish Halloween Advertisements

J. Barker — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:07:00 -0700

I think the world would be more interesting if companies utilized their Halloween ad campaigns throughout the entire year...

Advertising In Video Games

J. Barker — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:42:00 -0800

Dear Marketing Firms:

Please insert real-life products into my video gaming environments so I don't forget they exist.

Your biggest fan,

J. Barker

Robots In Advertising

J. Barker — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:17:00 -0800

Robots have permeated modern culture thanks to the likes of R2-D2 and the Transformers, not to mention a wide-range of real inventions that help daily existence. Is it any wonder that advertising firms utilize these metal constructs to influence product purchasing?

Rent Out Your Body As a Living Advertisment

J. Barker — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:50:00 -0700

Want to make a little money while doing basically nothing? If so - and you have no problem tattooing a logo on your noggin - you should read this article.