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https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=Ds01BhsDSu8

Crispin Porter + Bogusky Miami’s ‘Commercializer’ for Letgo lets you build your own Hollywood-style commercial – and it’s been used over a million times. Via Adweek:

“Finally, a way to create that Hollywood-style commercial your secondhand listing deserves without the inconvenience of actually going to Hollywood,” the site says.

Since rolling out the feature in April, CP+B reported that fans of the site are making over 10,000 custom videos each day and about 1.16 million total videos to date. That’s a pretty big feat for a mobile app that wants people to take that old (possibly very embarrassing) junk in their garages and make public listings for it. The fact that people are willing to share their listings on social media has been a happy surprise for the CP+B Miami team.

“That’s great, purely as a numbers thing, but if you go onto Facebook and you search the hashtag #LetgoCommercializer, the very tiny number of people who have their Facebook profile comments set to public—if you just read through those, the kind of feedback we’re seeing is almost unheard of,” said Jay Gelardi, CP+B Miami executive creative director.

“Oh man. LetGo turned my ad for my coffee table into a commercial. This is amazing lol. It’s pretty rad,” one Facebook user posted when sharing her commercial.

JCPenney has a defiant new campaign for Boutique+, #HereIAm, about how measurements shouldn’t be a measure of your worth. From Adweek:

JCPenney takes the stand that your measurements aren’t a measure of your worth with its defiant new campaign from mcgarrybowen, themed #HereIAm. The nearly three-minute fist-pump for JCPenney’s plus size Boutique+ puts the focus on five fabulous fat girls who are defying society’s limited perceptions of what you’re allowed to do beyond a certain size.

Popular fashion blogger GabiFresh, Project Runway-winning designer Ashley Nell Tipton, best-selling author Jes Baker, singer Mary Lambert and yoga lover Valerie Sagun give poignant and personal perspectives on their personal journey toward self-love.

It’s a journey the rest of society will have trouble with, if the comments are any indication. There’s a ridiculous idea that JCPenney is encouraging obesity just because the video suggests you shouldn’t be an asshole to fat people by telling them what they can or can’t do as a result of their weight.

A lot of the hateful commentary is disguised as a sincere concern for the health of the women in the video—that is, the comments that aren’t straight-up hate. But whether it’s rocking some yoga or rocking onstage, “fat girls can [and should] do whatever they want.” Shaming people for their shape is frankly, shameful. Health shouldn’t even enter into the discussion of whether or not it’s OK to be a jerk to other people.

Panera Bread cleans up their act with a latest series of ads highlighting how their menu will soon become clear of artificial flavors, preservatives, sweeteners or colors from artificial sources. Via the Atlantic:

More consumers are eschewing fast food, “choosing to eat better, even if it costs more, based on the promise that they’ll feel better and be happy.” If you try to get to a local farmer’s market, or prefer a burrito bowl––hold the dairy––to a burger and fries, maybe Panera can get you eating in their stores or carrying out their food for family dinner.

The ad immediately reminded me of “Thrive,” an ad campaign that Kaiser Permanente, the health insurance company, launched in 2004. Their market research that suggested “people want to be as happy and healthy as they can be at every stage of life.” So they decided that while their competitors “stood for health care,” they would try for a different brand association: “Kaiser would stand for health.”

[…]

What does Panera stand for? Its ad seems like it doesn’t want to be pinned down. It throws out a bunch of words and images, only to tell us, “We’re not saying these are the rules we should all live by.” And no wonder: some rules seem contradictory. “Forks on the left, knives on the right” suggests adherence to traditional manners. But “manners” should “never” be minded suggests the opposite ethic.

Numberphile and comic book artist Jason Shiga have created a cool video about a paper calculator and how it works. Check it out! Via Gizmodo:

Human beings have always created tools for calculating numbers, from the ancient abacus to today’s electronic calculators. But here’s an ingenious calculator drawn on paper—the creation of comic book artist Jason Shiga. And he and the folks at Numberphile have created an explanatory video of how it works.

It’s basically a simple binary system using 0s and 1s. Shiga has created a maze like series of tubes to perform the basic calculations. At various points, the user must make a choice—0 or 1—by turning over (or not turning over) a flap. Those flaps will either connect or block certain pathways later on in the maze. Adding 1 + 1, for instance, ultimately gets you the answer 1-0, or the binary code for 2.

Apparently this is part of a larger project Shiga is working on involving a mathematical approach to comic books. More videos have been promised, and we eagerly await their debut.

You can also check out Jason’s website here. He’s the artist for graphic novels like Demon, Bookhunter, Fleep and Empire State.

Bob Beamon has an Olympics challenge for this year – if anyone can beat his 1968 long jump record, he’ll buy them a beer. Created by Crispin Porter + Bogusky Brazil, the ad was for AB InBev’s unbranded #WeAllLoveBeer campaign. Via AdWeek:

Beamon seems hopeful that someone else will finally take his top spot in the Olympic record books. He’s enjoyed the record for nearly 50 years, which is more than most athletes could ever dream of. While you won’t see Budweiser logos or any other AB InBev branding in the spot, #WeLoveBeer is described as “a movement to share stories and curiosities about beer. In association with AB InBev, the initiative’s goal is to show people that beer can be a part of a balanced lifestyle.”

The Beamon clip follows up a much different video for #WeLoveBeer, which in 2015 recorded the frequency with which women’s beer orders are put in front of the men they’re with. That video generated more than 6 million views.

Credits

Agency: CP+B Brazil
Campaign Name: The Golden Challenge
CCO: André Kassu e Marcos Medeiros
Creative Director: Marcelo Rizério
Creative Team: Luiz Paccillo, Nicholas Bergantin and Pedro Galdi
Producer: Renata Sayão, Fafa Oliveira e Fabíola Camilo
Planner: Caio Del Manto e Julia Prais
Account: Renata Wirthmann, Danielle Cabral e Malu Godoi
Media: Tiago Santos, Edson Melo, Rafael Takeshita, Fabiana Melo e Gabriela Pompiani
Project Manager: Denise Kotsubo
Website: Bull
Production Company: PBA Cinema
Director: Santi Dulce
Cinematography: Felipe Hermini
Editing: Fezão Barbieri
Sound Production: Satélite
Voice Over: Eric Holloway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh9jAD1ofm4

Michael Phelps’ Under Armour ad is the 2nd most shared Olympics ad this year. The most decorated Olympian of all time, having won 27 medals, Michael Phelps is an American swimmer and most likely part man, part fish, in our opinion. The ad was created by Droga5. Via Newser:

When the Olympic athletes are all competing in their respective sports during the games, it’s easy for fans (me) to get caught up in the moment and all of the excitement and fail to acknowledge the years (and years and years) of rigorous training that every single person competing has had to achieve to get to where they are today. Even in the case of Michael Phelps — the most decorated Olympian of all-time — the guy makes swimming look so effortless that not everyone stops to wonder just how intensely Phelps has trained to be competing (and most likely dominating) his fifth Olympic Games. And that’s where Under Armour’s new Michael Phelps ad comes in, here to remind us all that training for the Olympics is no joke.

One of the most interesting parts of the spot is the clip of Phelps getting a cupping treatment on his back, which isn’t really so much training as much as it is a literal suction cupping of his back.

2016 did feel a little like the year when world news outlets realised cupping existed, at some points. Congratulations again to Michael Phelps on this year’s haul!

Stop motion artist PES has done it again for Honda, creating a beautiful stop motion ad for its 2017 Ridgeline pickup vehicle. Via AdAge:

Pes, whose full name is Adam Pesapane, last worked with Honda for a spot called “Paper” that debuted in September and weaved together roughly 3,000 hand-drawn illustrations using stop-motion filming that took viewers through a paper-flipping, historical journey of Honda products. The ad was added to the permanent collection at The Museum of Modern Art via the Association of Independent Commercial Producers awards. Pes earlier gained notoriety with playful object-based, stop-motion film shorts including “Western Spaghetti,” and “Fresh Guacamole.”

The new Honda spot is called “The Power of Ridgeline.” The creative agency on the spot is RPA and the production agency is Reset, with Mr. Pesapane serving as the director.

“We really wanted something that stood apart from traditional truck advertising that you see on television because it’s Honda and we like to do things a little bit differently,” said Susie Rossick, assistant VP-marketing at American Honda Motor Co. So “we decided to take this turn and show all the different things that you can do with a Ridgeline — not just the typical throwing lumber in the back and then going off to a construction site.”

Happy Friday! If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, how about catching a film at MIFF – the Melbourne International Film Festival? We caught High Rise a couple of weeks back, and this week we’ll be watching Chris Pine’s new western, Hell and High Water. Should be awesome. Check out the website if you haven’t for their program.

About MIFF

Established in 1952, the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is one of the oldest film festivals in the world and the most significant screen event in Australia. An iconic Melbourne event, the festival takes place annually in the heart of the city, presenting an acclaimed screening program alongside industry and celebratory events.

MIFF showcases the best in current cinema from around the world as well as retrospectives, tributes and discussion programs. Since its inception, MIFF has also been committed to local film: it is Australia’s largest showcase of new Australian cinema and is the country’s most vocal champion of emerging and established local filmmaking talent. The festival also hosts many celebratory world premieres of local films. View the festival archive here.

Complementing the screening program is MIFF’s renowned industry program that includes an investment fund (the Premiere Fund) and the director’s development program (Accelerator). MIFF’s finance market (37°South) brings the national and international screen industry to Melbourne during the festival and celebrates Melbourne as a centre for screen business.

In 2015 MIFF delivered almost $9.8 million into the local economy*.

If you’re a first timer to the film festival, remember, queue up early! Depending on how popular the film is, queues might start an hour before the show starts. Yes, the films are shown American-style: free seating. For High Rise, we went off to get a drink, and when we came back half an hour before the film started, the queue was already around the block. And if the tickets have already sold out for your favourite show: ah well, it’ll probably be on Netflix or mainstream release in a few months. The most popular films sell out very quickly, often before the festival even gets under way.

Christoph Waltz is everyone in this hilarious Samsung ad for the 2016 Rio Olympics by Wieden + Kennedy. Including Abraham Lincoln. Via Adweek:

During the Olympics’ opening ceremony, the company will debut a new 90-second spot from Wieden + Kennedy in Portland featuring Oscar-winning actor Christoph Waltz.
The effort spans decades, making a point to show how American ambition has influenced history.

The fact that the company is using an actor of Austrian-German decent for an ad conveying American patriotism isn’t lost on Jesse Coulter, Samsung’s chief creative officer.

That’s part of the point. “What we liked about Christoph is that he’s able to convey the perspective outside the U.S.,” said Coulter. “He’s such a great actor that he’s able to take on these relatable characters throughout the ad.”

Coulter also noted that, since the company is releasing the new phone around the Olympics it made sense to “have a conversation around American ambition.”

Credits

Client: Samsung
Agency: W+K Portland
Group Creative Director: Craig Allen
Creative Directors: Brandon Mugar / Tim Roan
Copywriter: Jonathan Marshall
Art Director: Helen Rhodes
Integrated Executive Producer: Erika Madison
Senior Producer: Erin Goodsell
Account Team: Phil Williams / Drew Widell
Executive Creative Directors: Mark Fitzloff/Susan Hoffman

Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Noam Murro
Managing Director: Shawn Lacy
Executive Producer: Rick Jarjoura
Producer: Kathy Rhodes
Heads of Production: Mercedes Allen Sarria / Rachel Glaub
Director of Photography: Simon Duggan
Production Designer: Bruce McCloskey

Against all odds, Team Refugees will be competing this summer at the Rio Olympics. Some inspirational stories from the team via the Guardian:

James Nyang Chiengjiek
Country of origin South Sudan

Host NOC Kenya

Fleeing South Sudan to avoid being captured by rebels intent on recruiting child soldiers, Chiengjiek was relocated to neighbouring Kenya and attended school in a highland town renowned for its runners. “That’s when I realised I could make it as a runner – and if God gives you a talent, you have to use it,” he says. “We all of us got a lot of injuries because of the wrong shoes we had. Then we were sharing. If maybe you have two pairs of shoes, then you help the one that has none.”

Yusra Mardini
Country of origin Syria

Host NOC Germany

Mardini swam for more than three hours in the sea to get to Greece after the small boat she was on started to capsize. In doing so she and her sister also helped more than a dozen non-swimmers on the boat survive the journey and, now based in Germany, she will compete in the 100m freestyle. “I want everyone to think refugees are normal people who had their homelands and lost them not because they wanted to run away and be refugees,” the 18-year-old says. “But because they have dreams in their lives and they had to go. A lot of people in Syria forgot their dreams and I hope everyone will follow their dreams to achieve something good in the future.”

Swimming 100m freestyle