Diamond Shreddies

One of the most popular breakfast cereals in Canada is Shreddies. Nabisco introduced the cereal in 1939, which is squares made of wheat that resemble the American Chex cereal. But when your product has been around for 80 years, is a success, and the company refuses to mess with the recipe, how do you advertise it? In 2008, Ogilvy & Mather brainstormed ideas, and an intern came up with "Diamond Shreddies" as a joke. It was a good joke, though, and they ran with it. They ran with it much further and longer than any other joke campaign would have, because Canadians loved it. 

Yeah, they loved the new Diamond Shreddies, but Canadians also loved the humor behind the campaign. See, they were in on the joke from the beginning, and that was the genius of it. They bought Diamond Shreddies at the grocery, and later the Combo Pack. And why not? They didn't cost any more than the original Shreddies. Would it have worked in the US? Who knows... there might have been a class action lawsuit. (via Metafilter) 

Goals

(via Bad Newspaper)

Neckless

Can you wear a necklace if you don't have a neck? (via Bad Newspaper)

Needless

(via Bad Newspaper)

Bargain?

(via Bad Newspaper)

Oh, It's a Ad

From 1917. (via Undine)

Famous Movie Scenes Recreated with Marmots

These are identification sequences for France 3. That's a TV channel. (via Metafilter)

Real Estate Ad

(via Bad Newspaper)

New X-Files LEGO Set

Watching someone open a box has never been my cup of tea, but what's inside this one is pretty cool. Gillian Anderson comes out of retirement to portray FBI Special Agent Dana Scully confronting a mysterious delivery. Inside is the new 1,478-piece LEGO set depicting The X-Files TV series! It was submitted to LEGO Ideas by Brent Waller of Brisbane as part of the LEGO Ideas ’90s Nostalgia Challenge. It has Fox Mulder’s office on the bottom, topped by an eerie forest scene, over which a UFO is hovering. It includes eight minifigs, both human and alien. 

Kids won't be all that excited about this theme, since the show ran from 1993 to 2002. But adult fans will want to check out the set, and read more about its features here. (via Laughing Squid) 

Engagement Ring

(via Bad Newspaper)

Mint Condition

(via Bad Newspaper)

We've Only Just Begun

  
You know this song, "We've Only Just Begun" by The Carpenters. It was heard at every wedding you went to for about twenty years -and a lot of graduations, too. You might think it pretty clever for a bank to use it in an ad inviting young couples to establish their accounts. But couldn't they afford to use the hit version? 

But that's backwards. "We've Only Just Begun" was written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols specifically to advertise a bank in Mendocino, California. Richard Carpenter heard the ad, liked the song, and reached out to the ad agency for the music rights. The Carpenters recorded an expanded version that proved to be a hit and helped them win the Best New Artist Grammy in 1971. It's not the only advertising jingle that was so catchy it became a song, as you will learn in a list of nine such stories at Mental Floss. 

Happy Tooth and Old Mr. Tooth Decay

This 1952 TV ad for Colgate is about as cheaply produced as you could get. Pretty cheesy, too. (via Weird Universe) 

Perfect Tie-In

(via reddit)

Ad Placement

(via Give Me a Sign)

Peanuts

From 1946. (via Weird Universe) 

Little Hubert Takes A Bubble Bath

I remember this ad well. At the time, I thought, "Hey, it's Mr, Magoo as a woman!" Mr. Bubble might have left no bathtub ring, but it could be hell on a little girl's private parts. (via Memo of the Air) 

One of These Things...

...is not like the others. (via Bad Newspaper)

Medium Honor

(via Bad Newspaper)

Fulfilling His Dream

Will always wanted to be an air dancer, one of these "tube men" that dances by  blown air power to catch your attention. And he got his wish! Not only is he a tube man, but a professional tube man! The kicker is that this is a real ad, a local commercial for a car dealer. It matters little that you see any of the actual products for sale. If you live in the local area, you'll remember the ad, and the name of the dealer. (via Tastefully Offensive)