We recently looked at a lamentable viral ad campaign, and its accompanying PR push, launched in the burger chain wars. Of the "black ops" viral we wondered, "It smells like an attempt to create a spark for a viral campaign — almost a poorly thought out, anti-brand viral campaign, like some kind of horrible double-agent marketing espionage. If so, whichever brand is responsible is playing with fire. Is the gain from this, which so far has been feeble, really worth the risk?"

Instead, might we suggest the above video, currently getting heavy play around the web, as a better viral ad campaign.Continue reading...

Air rage usually involves passengers losing their cool. But yesterday at New York’s JFK airport, a JetBlue flight attendant lost his temper, highlighting (in the wake of H-P's dramatic CEO exit last week) how employee actions unintentionally impact a brand, even rogue actions. And, of course, how frustrating air travel is these days for all involved.

The incident is now the stuff of legends (and t-shirts). A female passenger stood up to get her baggage before the plane had taxied to a stop, ignoring (and cursing) JetBlue employee Steven Slater, who epicly overreacted after her bag hit his head. 

He grabbed the plane’s intercom, cursed his own (Jet)blue streak at the 100 or passengers, grabbed some beer, activated the emergency chute, scooted down the inflatable slide and escaped the scene. Talk about cabin pressure! We're waiting for the inevitable Jack Black movie.Continue reading...

McDonald's happy meals are making news. No, not because Ronald McDonald is evil. No, not for the massive recall the Golden Arches ordered for its tainted Shrek glasses (a taint that has opened a debate on just how bad the glasses actually are). Instead, the fast food brand is being threatened with a lawsuit accusing its children's meals of contributing to childhood obesity.

The logical leap? The toys given away with the meals are evil lures, drawing parents to bring their screaming children with no choice but to gorge themselves with terrible, evil fast food which, of course, leads to obesity.

Or as the LA Times reports: "Citing toys aimed at promoting the latest Shrek movie, the Center for Science in the Public Interest said that the plastic promotions lure children into McDonald's restaurants where they are then likely to order food that is too high in calories, fat and salt."

CSPI's litigation director draws an analogy that McDonald's toys are little more than pedopholic bait: "McDonald's is the stranger in the playground handing out candy to children."

Never mind parental free choice, let alone McDonald's efforts to make its Happy Meals more nutritious or its right to market.Continue reading...

Everyone from The Village Voice ("douchebags") to Vanity Fair ("terrible people") is so excited to make jokes about the new Ed Hardy-branded condom that they completely missed one rather salient fact.

People, it's not an Ed Hardy-branded condom. It's an Ed Hardy-branded lubricant. The condoms are being produced by the designer's Audigier label and branded “Monsieur Bond." Oh yes, and there's a Sexline branded line of erotic toys.

All of this highlights a larger point: that the once branding master and designer Christian Audigier may be going off the brand extension rails.Continue reading...

Keyboard cat. Star Wars Kid. And now, meet Annoying Orange.

The feckless fruit with a mean streak is a tremendously popular YouTube series about, well, an annoying orange. The series was created by an impossibly young kid from North Dakota and has, to date, reaped more than 100 million views.

The bizarre fruit drama has even attracted the attention of The Wall Street Journal, which, in profiling the show and its creator, observes, "the orange sits on his countertop lamenting how bored he is, rolling his tongue around and making gurgling noises."

More interestingly, while the show is certifiably a viral hit, does an orange oaf with a mean streak have a potential future as a pitchman? Don't discount its (ahem!) appeal.Continue reading...

A branding battle over the letter "G" has turned into a theater of the absurd. About a year ago, luxury brand Gucci sued wannabe high fashion brand Guess, accusing the latter of trademark infringement.

Gucci claimed Guess' use of an interlocking "G" pattern was "part of a sophisticated and elaborate scheme to target Gucci, to create products that are similar in appearance to the most popular and best-known Gucci products."

Gee, that's a heavy accusation. The lawsuit was not without a sense of humor though, with the French-owned Italian brand accusing Guess of an attempt to "Gucci-ize" itself.

To save its brand the indignity of being declared a purveyor of knock-offs, Guess of course fought the charges. Now, almost 12 months later, the lawsuit has turned into a soap opera, with Gucci firing its lead lawyer... for not being a lawyer.Continue reading...

Holiday Inn hotels have been tasked by the brand's parent corporation to contemporize or get out of the business. These upgrades include "minimum quality specifications" such as better exterior lighting, redecorated lobbies, new bedding, and new signs with the updated Holiday Inn logo. However, three Holiday Inns are going beyond any minimum whatsoever with a new service to deliver warm bodies directly to customers' beds. No, the three locations are not in Amsterdam.

"The new Holiday Inn bed warmers service is a bit like having a giant hot water bottle in your bed."Continue reading...

Come on, it’s time to do the limbo on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship that recently docked in Haiti.

Not even a horrific earthquake that killed over 200,000 Haitians, will stop the party on the other side of Haiti, or stop a Royal Caribbean cruise ship from docking. On the other side of Haiti, about 80 miles from Port au Prince, at the Labadie Beach Resort, the sunscreen was on and the fish were flying.

From the view on the top deck there was nothing to fear at all. In comfortable beach chairs while digesting a recently enjoyed buffet meal and cocktail, passengers sat in awe over the beautiful Haitian landscape; the rolling hills, the aqua crystal blue sea and the creamy white sand. Some were even preparing to go Jet Skiing.Continue reading...