This will be the only time I approve of the use of “Flash Mobs.” Bringing joy to people, capturing it, and making the consumer feel like a part of something special: That’s the kind of advertising I want to be behind.

Well done, Budweiser Canada.

“Vocation is the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s great hunger.”

Following some discussion on this, Eric brought something up that I’ve thought of a lot as I progress through my career, which is: What if doing something that makes you happy, that you’re good at, is something that some would consider a ‘not good thing’?

Case in point: Advertising.

I’ve had so many people say to me in different ways, “Well, you know. You’re not like out saving the world or children from hunger. How can you justify this job to yourself?” (OK. Maybe not a lot of people have said that. Maybe that’s largely been an internal dialogue with myself. Some have said it to me, definitely. But I do wrestle with the question a lot internally more so than the world poses the question to me.)

To me, I love advertising. There’s no other industry I would want to be in. I think I’m well-suited for the work, and the feedback suggests that the work is well-suited for me. But I’m not necessarily doing good in the world, right?

The way I’ve been currently justifying it, is that advertising will happen whether I’m involved or not. It is not something that will go away should I turn my back on it. So if it’s going to happen, what can I do as one person to make it better? Because I strongly feel that I will make it better.

Advertising to me is a service. It helps consumers make better informed decisions. It helps raise awareness for solutions to a need that consumers wanted (or didn’t know they wanted until that very moment). It helps drive this economy. And sometimes, when done right, it can help touch you, emotionally… In a way that you are rarely touched. In a way that spurs you into action. That makes you want to do something to right this world.

This ad, which I saw last week in the Cannes Lion Award reel, is one such ad. I can’t watch it without wanting to 1. cry, 2. do something about it.

To me, this is why I’m in advertising. I want to be a part of inflicting emotional beauty on the world.

The reason I love this takeover so much is that it plays on existing mechanisms found in a YouTube video page, yet incorporates them into the story in a fresh and different way to take on new meaning. The takeover also gives you the option to use Facebook connect to incorporate your friends into the story if you want, and then at the end, share this experience with your friends on Facebook.

You can play with the actual takeover here.

For all those advertisers reading out there, what did you want to be when you grew up?

It’s a great strategy to target youths and youth-wannabes. At the core of it is this whole idea of either being in this exclusive social group or not. Kind of like how Facebook aka The Social Network made its distinction, right?

Better to be a Member | Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile ads all proclaim it’s better to be a member. They are drawing the line in the sand: Either you’re with us or you’re against us. There is no grey area.

The new Virgin Airline ads does the exact same thing:

Tagline: Your airline’s either got it or it hasn’t.

Again, they are drawing the line in the sand. A very sexy, other-worldy line in the sand this time.

It diminished anyone who doesn’t buy into Virgin: You are not cool enough, not sexy enough, not young enough, not original enough to be a part of us. You are nothing. You are worthless. And we clamour to show we aren’t. That we are cool enough, sexy enough! We want to believe that in ourselves, we want desperately to be a part of the exclusive club, so we buy Virgin.

It’s solid. I love it.

A recent Wired article, titled, “Screw Viral Videos. You Heard Me. Pass It On.” seems to back this up. As Jim Louderbac writes, “By its nature, viral videos are designed to surprise, titillate and entertain. They are, by nature, unique; the 27th keyboard cat, or the 12th dancing baby is just plain boring.”

And this is so very, very true. “Socially shared” videos (my new term for viral videos – it may not be good but I can’t stand the term viral anymore and anything is better) posses some of the three fundamental pieces that help them succeed:

• 1. They are unnaturally funny.
• 2. They are shocking.
• 3. They are completely different than anything seen before.

A good video will posses one of these three things. A great video: two. I’m can’t think off the top of my head of one that contains all three – but if you can, please leave a comment.

The latest public service announcement for City of Toronto fills one of the above. No, not that it is unnaturally funny – it is quite funny but not astoundingly so – but for a PSA from the City of Toronto, this is something completely different than any citizen has seen before.

And therein lies its success. So far this video has generated over 17,000 views and is one of the most popular videos on their uploads list, where most of their video views range from 8 – 1,000 views. It has been featured on CBC National, National Post, many local news stations, and now, CNN. A huge accomplishment, for sure – especially when a tiny PSA for Toronto is being played alongside a video made by Proctor and Gamble in the US, that is a mini-movie unto itself (at 4 minutes) and made specifically for online.

So, congratulations, City of Toronto, for doing well and getting noticed in the mess of “viral” videos.

Full disclosure: My agency, Publicis, created and produced this PSA for the City of Toronto. I’ve been helping them with the digital strategy on this.

Check out the video below. I promise you it gets quite interesting around the 3 minute mark.

Via of Digital Buzz Blog.

The Pepsi commercial is good:

The FIFA 10 commercial is better:

The Nike commercial is unbelievable:

Gosh, do I love great ads.

“The result: More happy men at bars. Less broken up couples.”

Ahhhhhhhhhhhrgh!

Because, I, as one part of couple, absolutely want to be in a relationship with a person who lies to me about where he is. THAT, according to Cerveza Andes, is a good relationship. Thank god for Cerveza Andes! Because of them, I too can be in a relationship with a liar! Phew, dodged that bullet.

Listen, I know the state of the nation. Beer commercials are all aimed at men. Women are always cast as either sex objects with skimpy clothes, or as the “ol’ ball and chain” girlfriend. And it’s getting really old.

I am female. My drink of choice? Beer. I have beer several times a week. And I will allow for some stereotypical commercials with the guys and the party and the hot tub with the girls in them in the mountains. What I can’t stand? The portrayal of females as being crazy, clingy or a drag. To the point where their boyfriends HAVE TO LIE TO THEM ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE. RAGE!!

Screw you Cerveza Andes, you have truly insulted me. I’ll stick to my brand of Keith’s, whose spots are at least original and interesting. And you know, DOESN’T INSULT HALF OF ITS BUYERS.

Great creative from Puma.