milk *an advertising agency

Inspiration or Imitation? – The Credit Debate

American Express is running a new commercial to promote its purchase protection service. The spot uses a series of images featuring everyday objects or scenes that resemble a sad face or happy face (see the screen grab above.) It’s a nice spot. Simple and well executed. But here’s the rub and the reason for this post. When we viewed it on YouTube we saw a comment from someone accusing AmEx of ripping off the concept of a site called Faces in Places and failing to credit the site and its contributors. As you might imagine, FacesInPlaces.com is a site that features images of faces in everyday places. It's a lot of fun. Maybe AmEx’s agency knew of this site. Maybe they didn’t. But let’s assume they did and it inspired them or they simply “lifted” the concept. Do they owe the site credit? Is the act of recognizing the image of a face in a pumpkin suddenly the intellectual property of FacesInPlaces.com? No. AmEx is not going to use a second of its sixty to say, “Thanks FacesInPlaces.com!” Nor should it. Just as every movie with a Cinderella story doesn’t credit every Cinderella story that came before it. We understand that person’s beef, and it’s a debatable issue, but man would never have flown without seeing the birds first. What’s your take?

Brew Ha-Ha - Dunkin' T's Starbucks

Back in June we posted about the storm brewing in the coffee category when McDonald's went all-in with McCafé. Well the pot is boiling over. Have you seen this t-shirt from Dunkin' Donuts? It reads, "Friends don't let friends drink Starbucks." Not sure who would pay $14 for it, but DD has spunk for doing the kind of direct competitive messaging we've seen recently in this lagging economy. Dominoes taking on Subway's toasted subs comes to mind. In fact, so does a poster ABC ran about ten years ago to promote its prime time shows. It read, "Friends don't let friends watch Friends." We love a good fight.

Pix Czar - John Lasseter

Want to succeed in business? Then fail. Make mistakes. But do it quickly and move on. Sound scary? Not when it comes from John Lasseter, former Pixar chief and now top dog at Walt Disney Animation. In this article from Variety, Lasseter preaches learning from failure and, coming from the guy behind blockbusters like "Toy Story" and "Up," the message carries a lot of weight. Check it out.

Maximum Exposure - Pepsi Max and CBS Video Ad

To promote CBS' new fall lineup and Pepsi's diet drink Pepsi Max, the two brands teamed up to take advantage of a new technology from Los Angeles-based Americhip, features a paper-thin interactive video player. It is being unveiled in an insert packaged with a co-branded ad that will appear in Entertainment Weekly's annual fall TV preview issue dated Sept. 18. Cool idea. Let's hope the quality lives up to the hype.

The Maddest Men of All - Art & Copy

Many years ago, American Express ran a print ad featuring Lee Clow, an ad man who looks a lot like the late Jim Henson. It would be fair to say 99.9% of the people who saw the ad probably said, "I thought Jim Henson was dead." But to the .1% of us who know Clow and what he has meant to our industry and brands like AMEX, the man is a legend. That's why we at The Boathouse can't wait to see Art & Copy. The film "reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time -- people who've profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry. Exploding forth from advertising's "creative revolution" of the 1960s, these artists and writers all brought a surprisingly rebellious spirit to their work in a business more often associated with mediocrity or manipulation." You'll definitely want to check this out.

BIc Deal - The Penmanship of Casas

Take a good look at the artwork. It's not a photograph, though it's based on one. And it's not a painting, though the artist that created it began as a traditional painter. It's a drawing. Drawn with a blue Bic pen. Actually many blue Bic pens are used to create these incredible pieces that measure up to ten feet in height. They were created by 31-year old Juan Francisco Casas and have been displayed at sell-out exhibitions. Extraordinary. Check it out.

Born to Be Child – These Horses Rock

Want to get your little tike a rocking horse? Get the kind Brando rode. Unfortunately, the one pictured isn’t available for sale, though we wish it were because it is awesome. German artist Felix Gotze built it for a 3-year old named Otto who lives across from a bike shop. However, eRockingHorses has some cool Harleys for a lot less than you’d think. Check it out.

The Art of Business Cards by Moo

We have to tip our hat to Moo for the great name and URL. (We are Milk after all.) But what really excites us about Moo is its passion for making business cards cool, as well as mini cards, stickers, postcards and more. You can customize your cards with your own images or choose from their excellent designs. Now business cards can do more than pick stuff out of your teeth. They can show a lot of creativity too. Check it out.

Lego My Guggenheim!

Here’s the perfect kid’s toy for they highly educated designer in your life. Lego is producing an Architecture Series, starting with six Frank Lloyd Wright buildings such as the Guggenheim Museum, which will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary. The site is still being constructed, but like all great structures, it will be well worth the wait. Check it out.

55th Annual Connecticut Ad Club Awards

We took home several awards at this year's event that showcased the best the Connecticut ad industry had to offer in 2008. Congratulations to our entire team, but mostly to our clients for green-lighting ideas that were honest, engaging and different.