LivingSocial has unveiled its pair of commercials running during tonight's Oscars telecast, both touting the group deal site's savings on fun experiences with a "We'll set the stage, you play the part" tagline. Above, a couple's cultural red carpet with tango big finish; and below, a couple acts out skydiving, massage and more.Continue reading...

They construct a lot of weird bets in Vegas. So three years ago, what would have been the odds of Hyundai standing near the pinnacle of the US automotive world and Jeff Bridges bidding to repeat as Best Actor at the Oscars?

But unlikely as it might have seemed then, that is the case today. And the upstart Korean automotive brand and the craggy veteran actor have forged a partnership that is benefiting from the success each has achieved. At points during Sunday’s telecast, the success of one will have to give way to the success of the other.

Bridges has been the voice of Hyundai in TV commercials that have helped fuel the brand’s rise in America. But he's a Best Actor nominee (again), which means he can't be used in the Hyundai ads that will be aired around that segment of the awards — again.Continue reading...

Sunday’s Academy Awards marks jcpenney’s tenth year as exclusive retail sponsor of the Academy Awards. This year, in tandem with many of the attendees, it will be putting forth a fresher face — only this one will make it obvious that it's had work done. 

In tandem with the retailer's rebranded logo, look and identity, its advertising during the Oscars telecast on ABC will introduce a new tagline: “We make it affordable, you make it yours.” 

The brand is squarely positioning itself as an expert in great style at compelling prices. Seven 30-second spots produced in partnership with Saatchi & Saatchi will highlight key brands including Liz Claiborne, MNG by Mango, People StyleWatch and Cindy Crawford Style.Continue reading...

If you’re the brand managers at Hyundai, now is no time to let up on the accelerator. The company is trying to build on its recent U.S. market-share gains and ramp up some crucial new products.

Demonstrating its grasp of timing, Hyundai will be the exclusive automotive sponsor of the 83rd Academy Awards telecast on Sunday on ABC. Other auto brands including BMW and Chrysler will be nibbling around the edges with ads pre- and post-awards, and on local TV spots — but Hyundai will dominate the airwaves unlike any other brand, automotive or non-automotive, with seven spots scheduled to air during the telecast itself and three more during red-carpet activities.Continue reading...

In keeping with James Franco and Anne Hathaway's winking debut on Sunday night as the younger, hipper hosts of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, brands that will be advertising during Sunday night's Super Bowl of cinema will also reach out to younger, digitally savvy audiences.

The biggest tactic, of course: incorporating social media into their campaigns. It makes sense: in terms of ratings, reach, buzz and impact, including watercooler chatter the morning after, the Oscars is still one of the biggest TV and cultural events of the year. And many of those viewers will be plugged-in while watching — even more so than during the Super Bowl.Continue reading...

With the Academy Awards looming, AT&T today released its first app for tracking film award nominees. The app is now available in the iTunes store and as an interactive channel to its Uverse TV subscribers.

Advertising slots during this year's Academy Awards telecast on ABC have sold out. But just as last year, advertising rules apply, meaning "marketers still have to make sure certain ads featuring celebrities or celebrity voice-overs don't run near segments of the program that could feature those very same stars."

Last year, the prominent example of this rule in action was best actor nominee Jeff Bridges and his voiceover work for Oscar advertiser Hyundai (above).

This year, Bridges is the most prominent nominee to lend his talent to the, ahem, commercial sector. But he's far from the only one.

The nominees for Best Work in a Commercial Campaign (TV or Print) are:Continue reading...