Great news for interactive marketers and fans of third-party cookies. My internetnews.com colleague, Roy Mark, in D.C. has the story: House Cuts Cookies From SPY ACT. (We linked to Roy’s coverage from ClickZ News.)
Advertising
Lincoln Fry: The Aftermath
Oh, goodness. Golden Palace Casino (which is already having its logo emblazoned on a pregnant woman’s belly) is currently the top bidder ($21,600.00) for the prop “Lincoln Fry” McDonalds used in its Super Bowl spot.
Other “Lincoln Fry” online elements include:
UPDATE: Unsurprisingly, Golden Palace won the “Lincoln Fry” auction. CNN covers this important news.
Preggie Bellies as Next Big Ad Medium?
The pregnant-belly auction apparently gave Soothies an idea. The company — which makes breastfeeding pads — wants not just one pregnant woman, but 10. Unfortunately the company’s only paying each $250 bucks — and potential ad vehicles have to send in pictures of their bellies along with an explanation of why they want to participate. Crazy world.
Budweiser’s Online Boost
This might be kind of old, but I’m just taking time to look into Super Bowl phenomena. I saw the coverage of how Budweiser decided not to run its “wardrobe malfunction” lampoon ad on the big game, but I didn’t realize that the company had (completely understandably) decided to make the ad (note: WMV for high-speed connections) available on its Web site. Even if AB never intended the ad to appear on TV, it got great mileage from the publicity it got from “pulling” the ad, and it still got to distribute it. The Budweiser.com home page touts the ad with these words: “Exclusive. Get the ad you won’t see on the big game.” Would love to see the viewership stats when all is said and done.
Incidentally, the “send to a friend” feature says: “RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS – Please do not forward or show this commercial to friends who are under the legal drinking age.” So I’m counting on all of my young readers to forego the commercial watching experience. Hide your eyes when beer ads come on
TV.
UPDATE: There’s even an online ad campaign to draw people to the online spot. Saw it on The Onion. (screenshot here)
Viral Scottish Sheep
(click on picture for video)
This one is for my husband, who always enjoys hearing Scottish accents on American television (did you ever see the one for Extra gum where the animated gum package spoke in a Scottish burr?). Anyway, “Sheep Escape” — which at least is a Braveheart reference — is apparently having something of a viral impact as I found it via Justin Kirby’s Viralmeister. 
UPDATE:
UPDATE2:
Wrigley’s apparently likes the Scottish Extra character, as he is now making an appearance in a new spot in which he chases after a triathlete who hurriedly leaves her gum behind at the race’s start. “Long lasting” Extra makes it all the way to the finish, though he pronounces himself “in a wee spot of trouble” when a plastic cup lands on him in the end.