mycar- People First
From Australia: this commercial for mycar Tyre & Auto lovingly, and humorously, contrasts cars and people.
Posts
OkCupid- Voting Campaign
After a recent survey, based on which, it somehow concluded that “voters make better lovers”, dating website OkCupid has launched an election-linked campaign in the U.S. that includes merchandise with a message.
Balthazar (Seasons 1-2)
This is a French police procedural in which the title character is a “forensic examiner” with the ability to make brilliant deductions that frequently solve crimes. He also has a knack for involving himself in more aspects of police work than his profession might rightfully allow for, and has the physical skills and an ample amount of time to be able to do so. However, none of that stands up to his most notable quality: his endless supply of mischievous wit, because of which, there is almost never a dull moment, when he’s around.
Overall, I found Season 1 to be very entertaining. The plotting in Season 2 was way over-the-top for my comfort. Since each episode is an independent story, it makes it easier to watch as long as your interest remains.
A couple of things worth bearing in mind. Firstly, the trailer and promotional blurbs make a lot of Balthazar’s ability to “make the dead speak”. It’s a personality quirk that he has these imaginary conversations with the dead which include hearing them offer advice on his personal life. Secondly, there is an unresolved aspect of Balthazar’s back story that is dangled throughout as a hook for watching more of the series. Even at the end of Season 2, the resolution of that remains unclear.
Here’s a link to the trailer.
Ryan Reynolds Narrates Hugh Jackman Commercial
If this tweet by Jackman is to be taken at face value, the commercial is “an honest glimpse” into a day in his life. Regardless, the narration is creative genius.
Financial Times- Lost for Words
The new commercial from FT features a chucklesome compilation of business and world leaders, at a loss to express themselves.
The Hour (Seasons 1-2)
The Hour tells the story of a fictional BBC news show, set in the 1950s. It is a newsroom drama with an ambitious narrative. On one hand, it is propelled by world events like the Suez crisis and the Hungarian revolution, jostling for airtime with local stories of crime and espionage. The more interesting and dominating storyline, though, involves the people bringing the news- their ambitions, compulsions, determination, and frailties.
It is a fascinating mix that is made even more so by the rich detailing of the characters and the top-notch performances. Even though some of the plotlines suffer from credibility issues, this is a very compelling dramatic thriller.
The Hour first aired in 2011 as a 6 hour miniseries. It was renewed a year later, for another six hours.
Here’s a link to the original trailer.
Here’s a clip from the first episode.
Protect Yourself From 2020
That’s the basic hook being dangled by Canadian insurer, Mosaic Life, in its pitch to millennials.
Liquid Death- Killer Baby Namer
Continuing its uniquely extreme marketing approach, the brand has now come up with a “killer baby” name generator.
HBF- Holding Out For a Zero
From Australia: HBF Health Insurance has come out with an inspired reimagination of an 80s classic to highlight the fact that unlike other insurers, its premiums won’t be going up this year.
Burger King- Love Conquers All
Burger King’s latest campaign, to coincide with Helsinki Pride Week.
A part of me wonders if a rejoinder might be in order: “I’m lovin’ it”.
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Social Distancing Teapot
As Britons return to offices, this witty new commercial from Yorkshire Tea reimagines the workplace ritual of “making a brew” for your colleagues.
The Good Bits
From the description on the website:
Impassioned words for passionate sex.
The Good Bits is run by women, for women… and anyone else who cares to join.
We are diverse, sex-positive, and anti-shame. We curate female-friendly erotic stories and sex positive writings, as well as supporting you to inspire your desire through courses and professional advice. And our new erotic podcast brings sexy to your ears. Because we believe in inspiration beyond porn—and we know your imagination is key to sensual, passionate sex.
And we believe that good sex stories make a better sex life.
Jack Taylor (Seasons 1-3)
If witty crime drama is your sort of thing, then this Irish series is worth checking out. It centres around a hard drinking, wisecracking, middle-aged policeman-turned-private investigator, brilliantly essayed by Iain Glen. He has an unfailing knack of being in conflict with the law, and attracting trouble and beautiful women.
A note of caution: don’t keep your overall expectations too high. Glen’s presence and performance is easily the best thing across the series. The supporting cast and characters, especially in the first few episodes, are very good: they greatly add to the entertainment value. However, as the series progresses, their impact diminishes. While the plotting, in general, is not worth writing about, some episodes have a rather convoluted narrative.
I’d recommend watching the first episode (which I thought was pretty entertaining), and then deciding if you’d like to watch more. Each of the 9 episodes (so far) features a self-contained 90 minute story.
Here’s a link to an extended trailer.
upGrad- Kick Ass, Don’t Lick Ass
From India: this ad for an online upskilling platform is one of the most crass and bizarre commercials that I have seen in recent memory. It makes me seriously question the sensibilities of the person(s) who conceived this ad. It makes me want to stay away from hiring any person who decided to do a course from this platform based on this ad.
The Polite Type
This is a unique initiative to keep online hate speech and cyberbullying in check. It’s a font that automatically replaces offensive/ hurtful words with more polite alternatives. If it can’t find one, it simply blurs out the word. There’s no better way to see it in action than to try it out yourself.
The Big Apple- COVID-19 Wit
The Big Apple is probably one of the best websites to check the origins of phrases, quotes, sayings, and a lot more. It now also features a massive compilation of COVID-19 puns and wisecracks. Here’s a short selection:
All countries got Coronavirus eventually, but China got it right off the bat.
And in the end mankind used so much toilet paper, they wiped themselves out.
Have you been traumatized by the toilet paper shortage? You may be entitled to constipation.
I never thought in my entire life that my hands would consume more alcohol than my mouth.
I ran out of toilet paper, so have begun using old newspapers… The Times are rough.
I’m deeply disturbed by how many people seem to see washing their hands as a new thing.
I’m excited that the phrase ‘get the f*** away from me’ is no longer rude but a PSA.
I’m just a girl, standing 6 feet away from a boy. Asking him to maybe move back another foot.
It takes a village to raise a child…and a distillery to home school one.
Maybe they should call it the Squirrel Flu because everyone is nuts and hoarding everything.
The buttons on my jeans have started social distancing from each other.
In Defence of Tony Abbott
Amid reports that the controversial former Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, may be potentially a trade ambassador for the U.K., the U.K. government has found itself on the defensive. This clip from Sky News features a cringeworthy rebuttal by the U.K. Health Secretary, the low point of which was probably this:
Anchor: He’s a homophobe and he’s a misogynist.
Health Secretary: Well, he’s also an expert in trade.
Telefoot- The Foot
This dedicated French soccer channel announced its launch with this unusual tribute video.
Lay’s Bestseller
In the words of the company, this is “a totally inconspicuous hollow book designed to hide your bag of Lay’s from the snack thieves in your life.”