The 2012 Olympic games are quickly approaching and a number of companies are rolling out their new ads for the London Olympics. Proctor & Gamble released a commercial that’s been received a fair amount of buzz online. The ad showcases the moms behind Olympic athletes. They share, “Being a mom is the hardest job in the world. But it’s also the best.”

The spot is well done and it’s a creative piece that honors and celebrates women. P&G encourages you to say “Thank you, Mom” by sending your mom a message at,  http://www.facebook.com/thankyoumom.

lead image via Youtube.

Germany company Du darfst is causing quite a stir with their new marketing campaign. The company is encouraging consumers to indulge in their products without the guilt of a diet. Say what? Their tagline is “F*ck the diet”. Well that certainly subtle, isn’t it?

Adage.com recently did a story on this new campaign and a spokeswoman for the company had this to say:

A spokeswoman for Unilever in Germany said in a statement Tuesday night: “Although the current Du Darfst campaign has become a bit of a talking point in Germany — as effective marketing should — it is targeted specifically at German consumers and uses language that we do not believe most German consumers find offensive. This is because the term in the campaign is frequently heard on German TV and radio, and is used in newspapers and magazines, and in the context of ‘let it be’ it is not censored or seen as inappropriate by most German consumers.”

The company feels that dieting has too many frustrating rules and their “F*ck The Diet” is the solution.  According to Adage, “Ms. Kayadelen, a TV personality, fitness coach and author, appears on Germany’s version of ‘The Biggest Loser’.” An interesting statistic mentioned in the article was that research has shown 80% f women see diets and complicated to implement and maintain.

Check out the TV spot below. Read the entire article on Adage.com.

Lead image via  Du darfst’s Facebook page.

Nike has produced some of the most creatives ads in history and they continue down the creative path once again. This spot shows a couple in love and how running can reunite the long distance lovebirds. Love will make you do crazy things and this one shows the woman as the strong, powerful one. It’s refreshing to see women portrayed as the strong one.

Check out the commercial as it uses a creative way to unite the long distance couple. “I would run to you.” is well done and props to Nike.

http://youtu.be/iozZTJB2XOw:
I Would Run To You Lyrics:
You’re so far away.
You’re so far away.
Ain’t got too much pride.
Want you back by my side.
Well baby I want that too.
And baby I would run, run to you.

I would run to you.
I would run to you.

The first time you talked to me.
I knew we were meant to be.
And when we finally embraced.
Baby, I can’t keep this pace.
I love you. There I said it.
I think I’m gonna need a medic.
You filled the hall with flower petals.
Why does my mouth taste like metal?
Baby I might die without you.
Baby, I might die.

I would run to you.
I’m not as strong as you.
I would run to you.
I (unintelligible heavy breathing) to you.

Love is a speeding comet.
I’m in a pool of my own vomit.
Love is a perfect vision.
This was such a bad decision.
Love makes everything serene.
Give me all of your morphine.

(Spoken)
Baby, I know we said we’d run across the country to be together, but I thought we were being symbolic. Why can’t we fly, and meet somewhere in the middle? Like Kansas City? It’s the Paris of the Plains…

Baby I love you so much that I would run to you.
You would run to me? You would run to me!
Baby I love you so much that I would run to you.

(Together)
I (you) would run to you (me).

Gatorade is kicking off the new year with a new tv spot that focuses on what you put inside your body. When you have everything you need on the outside, what will help you win will come from within. A clever play on words that’s typically used to describe an athlete’s will from within themselves. Their hope is that it’s Gatorade’s growing list of sports nutrition products will help you win. The spots aired tonight during the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl.

Last month we shared a story on Gatorade’s push towards a bigger share of the sports nutrition market. This spot takes a step in that direction and features a number of athletes training and kicking ass in their respective sports. The message “Win From Within” will likely resonant with hardbody minded individuals. While the concept isn’t new it is one that speaks to health conscious people and more specifically athletes.

“Isn’t Enough” – Commercial Script (Voice Over)
Your moisture wicking fabric isn’t enough.
Your zero weight shoes aren’t enough.
Your carbon fiber racket isn’t enough.
The apps that track, analyze and motivate you aren’t enough.

Nothing you put on… is.

It’s up to you.

You and what’s inside you.

What’s your put into it is what you get out of it.

Simple as that.

Your explode to the record books.

You show no mercy.

You come back stronger.

You win from within.

We like the use of #winfromwithin at the end. It’s obvious to most that it’s a hashtag to be used on twitter and it’s likely one that that will be picking up buzz in the coming days. Use it when you’re talking about this commercial and how you “win from within”. Tweet your thoughts to twitter.com/gatorade and tag us on it @hardbodynews.

The question is will it be enough to make people think of Gatorade as more than just a sports-drink that’s been around for decades?

ABCNEWS.com ran a story today that brought light to an ad campaign currently running in Georgia. The ads have been around for a few months however with the new year upon us, weight and losing weight is a hot topic. The ads draw attention to childhood obesity by hitting the topic head on, however some feel it’s not the right approach.

The web site strong4life.com says, “Ignoring this problem is what got us here. It’s time to wake up.” Many people feel parents aren’t being proactive with their children when it comes to diet and exercise. The campaign wants to draw attention to the fact that Georgia has the second highest rate of childhood obesity in the country. Their main point is that kids are suffering from diseases that were once only plaguing adults.

This young girl says she doesn’t like going to school because other kids pick on her and it hurts her feelings. It’s followed by text that says, “Being fat takes the fun our of being a kid.”

The ABCNEWS.com article shared:

“Blaming the victim rarely helps,” said Dr. Miriam Labbok, director of the Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “These children know they are fat and that they are ostracized already.”

Some public health experts fear Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Strong4Life campaign is too blunt to cultivate action. Still, the group is standing by its decision to feature the ads to raise awareness about childhood obesity.

Another ad shows a mother claiming ignorance and that she “thought she was thick like her momma” when referring to her daughter’s weight.

Perhaps the most powerful spot is when a mother is faced with the question of “Mom, why am I fat?” As a parent what do you say to that, especially when you the parent is overweight as well?

What do you think about these ads? Some may love them and others may hate them but at the end of the day if it gets people talking about the topic, isn’t that a step in the right direction?

Visit the Strong 4 Life Facebook page and voice your opinions.

Nike consistently produces some of the best sports marketing in the world. They’re doing it once again with “Pressure Makes Us” and in this spot they feature the USA Women’s Soccer Team. LOVE the message they send to women in this spot.

Imagine there were no legends, no fans, no expectations.
What if for the first time there were no pressure?
Then we wouldn’t stand a chance.
Pressure Makes Us

http://nikesoccer.com/PressureMakesUs

The California Milk Processor Board has a new ad campaign that targets PMS. Women are well aware of what PMS is and stands for and no it’s no Puny Man Sydrome, although it could. The ads might appeal to men but  I doubt it will make them buy more milk. Will targeting Pre-Menstrual Syndrome alienate women?

It’s certainly a controversial approach to marketing with such headlines as “I’m sorry I listened to what you said and not what you meant.”

I’m not sure sure many women will be a fan of the ad “I apologize for letting you misinterpret what I was saying”. Ballsy headline on that one. You’re “letting” a woman do something? How kind of you, dork face.

The ads send you to the web site EveryThingIDOisWrong.org. Their pitch is that milk can help reduce the symptoms of PMS. Call me crazy but I think they may have enraged a few women with these ads and last time I checked, women do most of the grocery shopping.

Guys, I don’t think it would be a wise idea to hand a lady a glass of milk if she’s busting your chops. Just say’n.

Ladies, what do you think?

Props Adweek.com for the ads.

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has a new global ad campaign with the tagline “Strong is Beautiful”. This concept isn’t exactly new but it is appropriate and inspiring none-the-less. Well at least that’s how the WTA sees it but others seem to disagree. The WTA photographed 38 of their current stars and plan to use the tagline in TV, print, digital and social media. The imagery is strong and the the execution is well done but will it attract more people to follow women’s tennis? Time will tell. The organization plans to run the campaign for the next two years.

Time.com recently published an article on topic of female sports advertising and apparently some people took issue with the new campaign. The article shared, “But according to a number of sports-media researchers, the campaign — like so many others in female sports—undermines its players’ achievements by sexualizing them, inadvertently or otherwise.”

I’m not sure I agree with that statement but the argument is is that it undermines the athlete’s accomplishments. The piece by William Lee Adams goes on to share,  “Yes, these women are beautiful, but we see lots of cleavage and legs, and it’s set to music that is reminiscent of soft-core porn,” says Nicole LaVoi, associate director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sports at the University of Minnesota. “That might be interesting and titillating, but it isn’t going to make me turn on Wimbledon.”

The commercial that Nicole is referring to with “soft-core porn” remnants is shown below.

I’d be curious to know how Nicole thinks women’s tennis should be portrayed in order to make people tune into women’s tennis.

There are a number of beautifully shot images shown on wtatennis.com, check them out here. The thinking behind the campaign as shared by the WTA…

“We want to develop a closer relationship with our fans and attract a new generation of fans to women’s tennis, and the Strong is Beautiful campaign is one way to get it done. This campaign will serve as a creative marketing platform for our players, tournaments, year-end WTA Championships and the entire sport,” said Stacey Allaster, Chairman & CEO of the WTA. “The personal stories are inspirational. The unique combination of athleticism, strength and determination on the court and success, interests and inner beauty off the court is what makes women’s tennis so attractive to millions around the world.”

What do you think?

photo via: www.wtatennis.com

Um, ya. This ad is creepy on so many levels. The print ad for Sanitol Hand Sanitizer was created by McCann Worldwide Group in New Delhi, India. It makes me uncomfortable and feel the need to shower but not so sure on the hand sanitizer.

First, what’s up with the composition of this ad? Hey dude look at me lift this monster 2 pound weight while I touch your hairy arm pit. Second, why is she touching his pit? It looks like she’s petting it like a kitty while she gets her bicep curl on. Strange.

Touch him. And you touch everything he’s touched.

Advertising Agency: McCann Worldgroup, New Delhi, India
Published: December 2010

Props: adsoftheworld.com for the ad.

Check out this commercial for ZippearZ earbuds. This made me laugh and while I don’t know that it would make me run out and buy the headphones it’s good for a laugh.

Why don’t I ever see anything like this when I’m at the park? lol

found via adweek.com

Two New Zealand hardbody women have accomplished what many companies spend millions trying to achieve. Jessie Gurunathan and Reanin Johannink, of Auckland, created a video that has gone viral. Meaning, millions of people are sharing the link and talking about the video. What’s the big idea? It’s so simple, it’s brilliant. A hidden camera in the seat of a pair of jeans. So far over 7 million people have viewed the video and it have over 5 million in the first 6 days.

The video starts with Reanin asking, “Hey guys, have you ever wondered what goes on behind your back?”  They have the answer. A camera hidden in the jeans to bust people checking out the booty.

I reached out to one of the ladies to find out more. When I asked Jessie what made them do the video. She said, “Reanin is one of my best friends. It was a fun way for us to do something together in LA where she was based at the time.”

Here’s a look at the “Behind-The-Scenes” video of how it was made.

I’ll give them props they pulled the video off with flying colors. But wait…

If something appears too good to be true, it often is, right? It seems this video was actually orchestrated by ad agency, Colenso BBDO Auckland. The video is actually part of a Levi’s Curve ID Skinny Jeans campaign. Levi’s did what most companies would never dream of doing. They left their logo off and there was no mention of Levi’s anywhere in the spot.

“Anyway, Levi’s tells us it’s the fastest, most successful viral campaign Levi’s has ever done, and it’s only just started, so we’re pretty chuffed.” That’s what Colenso BBDO, Auckland executive creative director Nick Worthington shared with campaignbrief.com earlier this week.

Does knowing that the video was actually created by an ad campaign change anything? It may have been a little clue that there was more to it, given that both women are gorgeous and have sexy accents. Props to everyone involved with the video. Regardless of if it’s a marketing piece for Levi’s or not, I dig it.

You can follow the ladies on twitter to see what they are up to next…

http://twitter.com/reanintigerlily
http://twitter.com/JessGurunathan

The one time of the year that people purposely tune in for television commercials is the Super Bowl. This year was no different as millions watched the most expensive ad buys of the year. Most of the commercials were lackluster but they weren’t as bad as the sound of the Black Eyed Peas’ half-time performance or Christina Aguileria’s botched National Anthem. Although, Skechers comes close with their Shape-Ups “Bye-Bye Trainer” Super Bowl spot.

Skechers brought on reality TV star Kim Kardashian to promote their shoes. It could be seen as a smart move as she has a large mainstream following. Anumber of women have dole me that they like Shape-Ups are they’re good workout shoes. Although, I question Skechers commitment to fitness with the message they use in this spot. Sure, dudes might like it but women are the one buying the shoes and they completely alienate women in the spot. Guys, buy your woman Shape-Ups and you can stop worrying about her leaving you for her trainer.

Kim was a spokesmodel for Reebok’s version of toning shoe – Easy Tone a couple years ago. Why would Skechers enlist the very woman who was promoting a competitor’s shoe? Had they talked about why she dropped Easy Tone for Skechers perhaps it would make sense. As it is now – not so much. It looks like they are trying cash in on the latest craze of “toning shoes” but totally miss the boat with their Super Bowl spot.

The spot begins with Kim being mounted by a hardbody lad, her moaning, sweating and grasping her breasts. Sex. Yes, it’s often used in commercials because it sells. It’s an easy route to take in advertising, which is why it’s done so often. It requires little creativity or originality.

Kim is the only one who talks and it goes…

I don’t really know how to say this, other than to just say it.

You’re amazing.

The best I’ve ever had but things just aren’t working out.

Well, that’s not completely true.

I am working out.

(pan to her rear assets and hold)

It’s not someone else.

It’s something else.

(show sketchers shoe)

Bye-bye, Trainer. Hello, Shape-Ups

End with an awkward ending of a less handsome fella and Kim saying, “nice shoes” as he ties his own pair of Skechers.

I’d like to see Skechers use their shoes to promote fitness and training instead of claiming their shoes should replace a trainer. As most of you reading this know, it takes far more than a pair of shoes to become a hardbody. Kim is beautiful, the shoes look pretty slick but the message sucks.

For that, Shape-Ups gets our “C’Mon Man!” Award for the Super Bowl.

What did you think of the spot?

New York City is setting out to scare people with their latest commercial and it does a pretty good job at the end. The commercial takes aim at sugary beverages and hits home their point with sugar stats.

You probably don’t want to watch this commercial if you’re eating, it’s pretty gnarly at the end.

How much sugar do you drink in a day?