Marketing - GM Ad Competition Backfires

On March 13th Chevrolet launched a competition inviting participants to produce their own commercial from a selection of video clips and music, adding their own text. With predictable results. The company was hoping that these ads would then be circulated round the web (known as viral marketing) and interest in the 2007 Chevy Tahoe would grow.

The NY Times reports that many ads created in the US criticised Chevrolet for its contribution to global warming.

In the UK posters on Popbitch had fun creating their own versions of the ads such as these that criticize American obesity, or have celebrity endorsements.

Although it appears that the campaign has failed as the famous saying goes it is better to be talked about than not talked about at all. And if the campaign was meant to increase brand awareness then there is no denying this has not happened.

Seen any great versions of these ads? Post them in the comments box.

Google - Print Books Launched

Google has put online the first books in its print library. Included are many 19th century works of American literature and history which are uncopyrighted and therefore unaffected by the legal action that is being brought against Google by the Authors Guild. Find Google Print here.

Technology - Sky To Launch Mobile TV

Sky has partnered with Vodafone to launch a mobile TV service. Sky Mobile TV will allow Vodafone's 3G subscribers access 19 channels including sport, news, entertainment and documentaries. Initially free, it will cost £5 to subscribe from January.

My mobile phone service provider is currently Vodafone and my phone allows me to do all number of clever things such as connect to the internet, use bluetooth and GPRS, play games and (no doubt) much, much more. But, and you may call me a technophobe here, I only ever use my phone for two things; phone calls - it rings and I answer, and occasionally text messages. Which are written in proper sentences with proper grammar and not any of that txt spk. So I really cannot imagine why one would want to watch television on their phones. Maybe I'm missing out on something here - if so, please enlighten me.

Microsoft - Gates Testimony For Sale

11 DVDs are being sold on eBay of Bill Gates' 1998 deposition in front of the US Department of Justice during Microsoft's antitrust trial. The seller, Dave Mitchell from Arkansas, says that the 17 hours of video will reveal "a deep view into the mind of Bill Gates".

Advertising - iPod Nano Ad A Copycat?

Adrants asks you to decide whether the creative for the iPod Nano Spot adverts was copied from video artwork by Dane Picard. Adrants readers were well on the side of Apple, citing jealousy and that there are never new ideas in advertising.

Internet - Firefox Reaches 100 Million

Mozilla’s open source browser, Firefox, has been downloaded 100 million times less than a year after its launch.

Firefox is seen as a securer alternative to Internet Explorer and its popularity has largely spread by word of mouth.

I’ve been using Firefox on my PC since the beginning of the year and would never go back to Explorer. (The only time I use it now is for testing purposes.) However, in my opinion, nothing beats Safari, the web browser developed by Mac. It has the tabbed-browsing interface just like Firefox, a great bookmark management tool, standard Google search box, spellchecker, automatic form filler … and of course is as beautifully designed as all Apple products!

Technology - PG Tips SMS Kettle

Whatever next?! The Register reports on a new invention from PG Tips - the SMS Kettle. Yes, that's right it's a kettle that turns itself on when you send the message "switch" to its phone number.


However, as The Register points out, although it means you don't have to get up to actually switch the kettle on, you will still have to go to the kitchen to get a teabag, mug, teaspoon, sugar etc which for me normally takes as long as the kettle takes to boil.

It seems a bit like one of those fictitious inventions made up in the Half-Bakery.