Pop Goes The Leader

Weiss, Whitten, Stagliano's new ad campaign for The Economist captures the cheeky sensibility of the global weekly.
TV, outdoor and print ads mix news photos with pithy copy and an established tagline: "Subscribe to a global point of view."
One TV spot (shown here) begins with a red screen, matching The Economist's logo. It peels away, revealing a black-and-white photo of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He assumes a stately pose as a voiceover describes the magazine's offerings.
A muted version of "Pop Goes the Weasel" plays in the background as the remaining red disappears, revealing a school boy making a funny face.
An outdoor version of the same ad breaks up the photo with a red block and the headline: "International relations summed up quite eloquently."
"The creative falls right out of the magazine itself," said agency account director James Verrier. "They've always had a wink and a nod--even when it comes to the most serious issues."
The magazine spends about $3 million on ads each year.
--Andrew McMains