The best (and very worst) of AdFreak, 2008
Most Geographically Inaccurate Ad: Absolut.
This local ad out of Mexico City that redrew the border between the U.S. and Mexico (handing a huge swath of the former back to the latter) didn't go over too well stateside. But Absolut did have history on its side. As one reader noted: "Since when did it become insulting to depict historically correct maps?"
Most Sacrilegious Ad: Björn Borg.
London and Washington, D.C., had their pro-atheism bus-advertising campaigns. But Swedish clothier Björn Borg takes the honors in this category with this ad showing a female priest marrying two male priests, who then kiss—breaking an untold number of Commandments.
Ads to Which the PTC Overreacted the Most: Gossip Girl.
The Parents Television Council complained about a lot in 2008, but Gossip Girl's OMFG campaign pushed it over the edge. It railed against the show's "deliberate use of profanity and sexual imagery to exploit and corrupt young viewers." But the WB had the last laugh, using the PTC's description of the show as "mind-blowingly inappropriate" in a later Gossip Girl ad.
- IPG Shareholders Reject 2 Proposals, Including Gender and Race Reporting
- Twitter's TV Ad Targeting Uses 'Video Fingerprinting'
- Group of Web Video Companies Band Together to Ensure Ads Are Viewable
- Are You Young and Male? Discovery Says This TestTube's for You
- Arrested Development Outbuzzing House of Cards
- Top Digital Publishers Praise Yahoo's Tumblr Deal
- How J.Lo Is Becoming A Wireless Brand
- Arnold Wins Avocados From Mexico
- Having Shipped Its Pants, Kmart Now Offers You 'Big Gas Savings'
- And the 2013 Grand Effie Goes to ...
- Ad of the Day: VisitEngland
- Cadillac Nears Decision in Creative Review
- Twitter's TV Ad Targeting Uses 'Video Fingerprinting'
- Jell-O Hijacks Twitter's Profane #FML Hashtag, Changes It to Mean 'Fun My Life'
- Group of Web Video Companies Band Together to Ensure Ads Are Viewable
- Lego Builds Awesome Life-Size Star Wars X-Wing Fighter, Its Largest Model Ever
AdFreak is your daily blog of the best and worst of creativity in advertising, media, marketing and design. Follow us as we celebrate (and skewer) the latest, greatest, quirkiest and freakiest commercials, promos, trailers, posters, billboards, logos and package designs around. Edited by Adweek's Tim Nudd. Updated every weekday, with a weekly recap on Saturdays.


Email
Print







