There is an interesting read over on Transbuddha about the book The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell. Not only is the post about the book, but it also includes his cutthroat opinions on the marketing and advertising world. The book refers to the theory of few cool kids liking the idea, or whatever, and the rest of society follows the crowd.

Everything in advertising these days is looked at in the sense, can it go viral? But, can you judge solely on the viral-ness of the trend. AlphaMonkey says, “…most of us realized long ago, that trends are essentially random phenomenon which succeed or fail largely due to timing, quality, and how receptive the public is to an idea at any given time.”

When you think about those fads that make it, and the pathetic ones that do not, look at the time they were thrown out into the world. If society is not ready for the certain trend, then theoretically you can reintroduce it at the more appropriate time and it should take off.

Yes, the Wii became the fastest selling console ever not because it was a revolutionary gaming device aimed at families instead of hardcore gamers, not because it launched with a groundbreaking entry in one of the most popular game titles ever (Zelda), and certainly not because it cost nearly $350 cheaper than its rival (which launched with fuck all for must-have titles), but because a handful of cool people liked it.

One word: Bullshit.

And we wonder why gaming advertising is so bloody awful. Or why commercials (like say, that horrid H&R Bloch spot with the vicious woman berating her obviously de-balled husband for buying tax software*) are so uniformly terrible? Or why 99% of ‘viral’ attempts made by most companies aren’t fit to lick the pastrami scented sweat from a Dom DeLouis’ Cannonball Run gag reel? You just don’t get it, Madison Avenue. And at this rate, you never will. Most importantly, you just don’t get us.

What matters? Content. Quality content will always rise, while crap (while often getting undue attention) typically settles to the middle. Timing. It’s 2008. You do ’subservient’ ANYTHING, and you deserve a boot to the crotch. But there are any number of bands, directors, writers, artists, etc who can tell you that there’s more than a fair share of luck in tapping into the right reaction/sentiment at the right time. I know this is scary for you, but this is important: You can’t change that, and you certainly can’t bottle it sell it like just another media buy (my apologies to Scaramouch from YesButNoButYes for appropriately that last phrase).

I just read this article over on Engadget about the Interlocking Pac-Man Lights.  Apparently Remake Design’s is the creator of the light blocks featuring Pac-Man, the infamous ghosts, and little blue dots to gobble up.  Personally, this product is a little silly, for the price you pay for the solid color lights, the Pac-Man edition looks expensive.

How much do you think this product would run for?  Well for $300 you can purchase four of the solid-colored light blocks, so it is pretty likely that this rather large set would cost a butt-load.  Though they haven’t priced them yet, so crossing my fingers for those of you who want this retro lighting system in their house without wanting to spend their nest egg.

Justin Timberlake is featured in this Pepsi advertisement, it definitely is laugh worthy.

Every sip gets you closer, closer to Justin Timberlake MP3s.

Loved the guy wearing the silky blonde wig, that was funny. The soccer girls and adoring fans of JT, who stole his shoe. The sipping of the Pepsi, causing him to run into the mail box a few extra times. Then the ‘Hey’ and ‘Hey to you.’

Once the TV hit him in the head I busted out laughing. An unconscious JT in the backyard with three teenage girls? Only a lawsuit, restraining order and publicity could come of that. But my question lies in, what is with the creepy guy holding the LCD after JT falls to the ground?

Wow, this news clip had me laughing. I am not sure if it was the fact that Sanjaya was offered a television show, or the little girl crying as he sings on American Idol.

Sanjaya and his sister Shyamali have been offered to do a television show. It just goes to show that even if you don’t win American Idol, some how some where you will land a job in the entertainment industry apparently.

Sorry about all the videos here, just thought they were worth seeing if you haven’t already.

This particular one is David Lynch giving some iNsight on the Apple iPhone. He obviously is a writer, director, producer and many other things in the film industry, so you can see why he is not in favor of watching films on your “fucking telephone.”

I loved this video, it’s short and sweet. Plus his rude way of telling it how it is, just cracked me up.

I have seen many MacBook Air parodies since the release of it, not really paying attention to them but this one caught my eye.  Thin as hell.  Even the response on BoingBoing cracked me up, “The corners just slay me.”  Decent video though.

I don’t know how many of you out there witnessed the mighty speech of Alexis Cohen of American Idol 7’s Philly auditions, but lucky for everyone this video includes her wonderful speech.

She was one of the contestants with the balls to stand up to the interview camera, oh wait.. everyone with an attitude and lack of talent does.

Either way these guys made her grotesque speech into a beautiful motivational song.

Link

L.A. California introduces the new ordinary looking PVM’s or Prescription Vending Machines.  I saw an article on this the other day, it’s an interesting concept.

Person walks up to machine, punches button and drugs fall out.  Now I say drugs, I don’t mean it has crack or those kinds of drugs, it does contain medical marijuana though.

Have no fear, the machine is guarded by security, you have to have the special key card to start the transaction and a camera photographs you as you are purchasing your scripts.

The drugs range from anywhere from painkillers to Viagra… So line up, script drug buying just got easier.

Don’t ya just love the map feature on Google?  It allows you to find businesses with ease.  But how many times have you tinkered around on trying to see your house?  The satellite feature is, the one where you can see your car in your drive way, is something close to stalking.  Hopefully you don’t go there to stalk people.  Just watch the video, it’s pretty good.

This is one of the best commercials I have seen in a while. The huge legs of the guy walking along, the deep underground elevator is just showing that the monster legs of the character have a global job.

The rotation of the Earth.

I can’t help but think of the film The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (I think that’s the movie) with the guy that had huge legs and could run at unbelievable speeds.

Great commercial for Monster.com, pleasantly unexpected ad.