Willys Jeep on Ad Agency Web Site

Willys Jeep on Ad Agency Web Site, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.

Found this creative on www.designlicks.com - new site and agency called SheepinJeep Creative Lab in Argentina. Clever way to use a Jeep 4x4 as the vehicle that carries their creative. Check it out at www.sheeponjeep.co/amigolandia.html

General Eisenhower in a Jeep 4x4

General Eisenhower in a Jeep 4x4, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.

Dwight Eisenhower smiling in his Willys MB Jeep 4x4.General Bradley is in the back seat chuckling about something.

Image courtesy of PhotosNormandie and National Archives and Administration Records (NARA).

Photo taken on July 4, 1944 in an apple orchard located in Haunville, France.

Barrel Monster Creator Seeks Freedom

Q. What is orange and white and makes you grin from ear to ear? A. The clownishly clever Barrel Monster creations of Joseph Carnevale. Carnavale, a 21-year old North Carolina State University student, is facing destruction of property and larceny charges related to his 10-foot street art creation. The construction company, Hamlin Associates, didn't want to press charges - and even relished the attention it drew to the company. Unfortunately the prosecuting attorney is not keen on dropping charges. Three sites have recently popped up on Facebook, as well as an AP story on YouTube. Groups are already commissioning work by Carnavale for added publicity. My favorite traffic cone creation by Carnavale is the barrel alligator. Fresh and clever to say the least.

If you don’t want to see anyone go to jail over the now infamous Barrel Monster, please call or send a letter to Wake County Prosecutor C. Colon Willoughby, Jr.

Tenth Prosecutorial District
State of North Carolina
8th Floor, Wake County Courthouse
Post Office Box 31
Raleigh, N.C. 27602-0031
telephone (919) 792-5000

Enjoy The Ride

Hugh Barton of Glue Audio sent this short animation to Dante Nagy, our art buyer at Organic. Glue worked with Santa Monica based King and Country to create a vibrant other-world, where a tired old Fiat 500 is rejuvenated and given new life.
Great execution - especially enjoyed the sound. According to Hugh it's been "ripping-up film festivals and was featured on Motionographer. I enjoyed looking at the boards almost as much as the finished product. Click here and enjoy a HQ version of "The Ride."

Hybrid Power by Gates

Bill H. Gates III, builder of Microsoft, is hoping to play his hand at automotive engines. A patent filed in October 2007 for an “Electromagnetic Engine” proposes using electrical and chemical reactions for power. The patent, number 20090091138, states that sophisticated software can continuously alter the way it operates. The patent states the engine "... may be configured to convert mechanical energy of the first piston to electrical energy during a power stroke, and to drive the first piston" in the non-power strokes. Read: Selective gas and/or electric hybrid powered engine.

There is mention of liquid reactant (plasma) injectors that would kick start a chemical combustion reaction using "reactant" fuel to get the combustion process going with the ability to convert the mechanical force into electrical or electromagnetic energy to drive the pistons. This clever merging of the electric and combustion process, with the ability to switch between systems, is elaborated on in the patent: "... the engine may select between the first and second modes," either gas or electric-powered, "in response to actual or predicted operating conditions." That's where the sophisticated software comes in.

The electromagnetic piston is interesting to say the least. But many free piston type engines have been proposed in the past and never seen the light of day. The patent states that each cylinder is non-circular and non-linear (read odd shape), and drive a helical gear box and work in tandem with a set of powerful electromagnets and juiced up by a rechargeable battery.

The patent was filed for a company named “Searete LLC.” According to techdirt.com Searete is one of many shell front companies for Nathan Myhrvold's Intellectual Ventures, a patent powerhouse for a myriad of innovations. According to an IAM (Intellectual Asset Management) article (large PDF file), Intellectual Ventures has a roster of senior inventors that either contribute to the patent pool or draw in innovation from their extensive networking. They move Intellectual Property (IP). According to Myhrvold the U.S. strength has changed, "IP is the thing we're good at," he stated. Since most manufacturing has moved overseas Myhrvold believes IP will only grow. "In 10 years patents will be even more important than they are now."

It might as well be the gold rush of the 21st century. With lots of cash to drop on speculative ventures, the rich are just trying to get richer in an ever changing world economy where information is king.

Sign of the times.

You’ve got to love Plaxo – they reminded me that a friend was getting older. Plaxo is hooked up with ecards – I linked out to see what I could send for free. One of the first free cards was of a hand sign. Innocuous enough, but it looked vaguely familiar. Then I remembered a training packet my wife brought home while teaching alternative education students some years ago.

The police had a training course put together with Michigan State University on gang symbols, colors and graffiti. Ever since then I’ve been wary of any talent using hand signs in our Jeep® advertising. When working at BBDO-Detroit I recommended steering away from a questionable hand gesture that was proposed for a print campaign. My feeling was it was better to be safe than sorry.

This ecards is the sign language symbol for love - it’s also used as a gang sign by the Almighty Latin King Nation – now known as “Latin Kings” or “Latin Kingz.” It’s been said that the Latin Kings have over 5,000 hand gestures in their “handabulary” (my own term). Who could have anticipated that obscure gang signs would have the far-reaching capacity to shut down expensive advertising campaigns?

The Virginia Department of Tourism ended up pulling a $400,000 “Live Passionately” campaign because of a seemingly innocuous image of a woman making a heart symbol with her hands. It turns out the sign is used by members of the Chicago-based Gangster Disciples gang. They were known for selling crack-cocaine and were featured in a book called “Freakonomics” – where a sociology grad student tagged along to learn the gang’s structure and business operations.

Is it time that corporate legal representation has to be familiar with gang signs to ensure that a campaign does not go awry? Let's hope reason will win out.