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Google to plug Play Music in UK's first live music TV ad
Google's run plenty of ads on UK TV over the years, but its next campaign is set to break new ground for the company and for British TV. AdAge reports that the search giant has teamed up with the UK's Channel 4 for the first live music performance across a full ad break on UK television. On Friday night around 22:45 local time, singer Sam Smith will belt out his current single Stay With Me live from London's iconic Roundhouse venue. Beyond Smith getting some priceless promotion for his album, Google's using the spot to plug its Play Music download and streaming services. It's on this very store that Google will host the live performance and exclusive tracks shortly after the ad airs. And, if you're not a Smith fan, well at least it's three-and-a-half minutes you didn't have to watch tacky ads for things you don't need.
Mario Kart 8 commercials make "flippin' fun" a reality
There's something very 1990s - albeit spruced-up - about the new real-life commercials for Mario Kart 8. I'd say it works, too. 90s game ads were big, bold, ridiculous and above all fun, and hopefully that's what the Nintendo racer proves to be when it hits Wii U on May 30. Also, look at that spiny little nightmare shattering into tiny little pieces, thanks to the super horn. How good is that? While you're basking in the glory of blue shell death, head past the break for a few more ads including a couple of Mario Kart classics from down the years. [Image: Nintendo]
This is how Samsung thinks normal people use smartwatches
Samsung's track record on smartwatch marketing has been, shall we say, mixed. Its nostalgic sci-fi TV spot for the Galaxy Gear was a hit, but its awkward (and slightly creepy) romantic skier ad? Not so much. Give credit to the company for learning quickly, though, as its newly released TV commercial for the Gear Fit (shown below) mostly hits the right notes. The 30-second clip sticks to showing real-world use cases, such as tracking fitness data while running and turning down phone calls. It's still a bit silly -- really, who wears a smartwatch over a fancy bracelet? -- but it does make a good case for intelligent wristwear.
Party with Japan's new TV spot for next week's PS4 launch
Of all the world's many TV spots for the new consoles, we want to be in Japan's latest for the PS4. It barely shows off the games, and it's oddly preoccupied with the DualShock 4, but it just looks like fun - and everyone seems really happy to see us! While the PS4 has been out in North America and Europe for nearly three months, Japan has to wait just a bit longer to get its launch party started on February 22. Admission is priced at 39,980 yen, which converts to $392. [Image: Sony]
Dell portrays itself as a feisty startup in its first ad after going private (video)
Now that Dell is once again a private company, it's trying to shake off its reputation as a member of the status quo. Appropriately, the PC builder just unveiled a new TV ad that suggests it has all the energy and vision of a technology startup. The minute-long spot connects Dell's mindset to that of companies like Dropbox, Gilt and Skype, which started out in modest places but went on to accomplish great things. We're hopeful that the ad reflects fresh thinking in Round Rock's offices, but actions will speak louder than words -- it's hard to believe that a tech giant can be as nimble and innovative as a tiny outfit with something to prove.
Sony's first PlayStation 4 ad for Japan teases the Japanese with everyone's joy
Japan, you'll get the PlayStation 4 soon. Promise. For now, look at everyone else enjoying it. Don't they look happy? That could be you on February 22nd!
Xbox One 'His and Hers' ad is disruptive, cute
Microsoft's Xbox One hardware teaser wasn't the only video for the new console that it unveiled this morning. It also published a brief "His and Hers" ad in which a lady named Jennifer uses Kinect voice commands to begin playing Dead Rising 3 while her boyfriend is watching a soccer match.
Titans, footballers and Vulcans invite you to an Xbox One commercial
We've got weeks now, rather than months, until the next-gen systems. The marketing campaigns are definitely kicking into gear. Not to be outdone by the PS4's Perfect Day, Microsoft put out a new Xbox One commercial that boasts the real not-Nimoy Spock, Premier League and England footballer Steven Gerrard, a Titan that doesn't know how to use doors, and all manner of CGI wizardry. And some game footage too! Looking at it, we're dangerously close to the realm of days rather than weeks. Microsoft's next-gen console launches in 13 worldwide markets four weeks from today - November 22 to be specific - priced $500 in North America, €500 in Europe, and £430 in the UK.
PlayStation 4 commercial chronicles a perfect day
Remember those early, ever-so-artistic PlayStation 3 ads? You know, the crazy cackling baby, this is living, all that stuff? Well, this PlayStation 4 commercial isn't quite as subtle, but it works a treat all the same In case you missed it, the disclaimer during the Driveclub-esque portion says, "Professional drivers on closed course. Do not attempt. Enhanced with visual effects." We'll take that to mean slicing axes into torsos and shooting everything to smithereens is totally fine, so we're off to do a bit of that. Or maybe we'll wait for the PS4 to arrive on November 15 in North America, and November 29 in Europe, priced $399/£349/€399
Take a break and watch penguins dance with the new Vita
If you can't spare 15 seconds to watch some technicolored penguins dance around with the new Vita-2000, you need to seriously think about the direction your life has gone in. Look at their little beaky faces.
Commercial Break comes to Android, now monitors simultaneous live events
Judging from the reader comments when we initially reported on Commercial Break's beta launch, a lot of people wanted to see an Android version and more functionality for sports. Well, the devs appear to be listening. With the app's new "Live Events" feature, you can follow multiple upcoming live broadcasts (ballgames or otherwise) and get push notifications before they start and when they return from an ad-break. The app is now available at Google Play, and both it and the iOS version support a majority of (not blacked-out) nationally televised pro and college football games, as well as the upcoming MLB playoffs. Could the app use any more improvements? Speak up and speak often -- it won't be in vain.
Samsung to show off 98-inch Ultra HD video wall, 31.5-inch 4K monitor at IFA 2013
As surely as there will be another round of tradeshows this fall and winter, companies like Samsung will be there with bigger and better tech to show off, which consists of new 4K displays this time around. At IFA 2013, Samsung plans to show off this 98-inch commercial Ultra HD "video wall", as well as a 31.5-inch Ultra HD monitor. Samsung unveiled its 85-inch UHDTV at CES earlier this year it promised sizes would grow so we're not surprised it's combining slim-bezeled versions to create this massive screen headed to storefronts near you. There's no picture yet for the 31.5-inch monitor and few details, but Samsung is ready to battle with competition from the likes of ASUS and Sharp with detailed color calibration adjustments and support for 99 percent of Adobe's RGB space.
Commercial Break: an app that tells you exactly when the ads are over
When we're raiding the fridge during a Vikings game, what'd be nice is a push notification just before Adrian Peterson runs into the end zone. Seeing as that's probably not feasible given current tech, we'll settle for an iOS app that alerts us when a timeout or commercial is over. Commercial Break was designed to do just that: you tell it what channel you're watching and it uses DSP and some algorithms to analyze audio and video cues, delivering a push notification to your mobile device once what you were watching comes back. As of right now, it's in public beta with 10 compatible channels in New York City: ABC, CBS, CNN, ESPN, ESPN2, FOX, NBC, TNT, TBS and USA. Outside of the Big Apple, CNN, ESPN and ESPN2 are compatible nationwide, with a few of these channels also available to others along the East Coast. The developers said that once the test run is over, they plan to expand to other markets and port the app to Android. We just wish it worked with AMC too -- missing any of Heisenberg's return because of a fried chicken craving would be tragic.
Treasure trove of vintage 80s Apple ads surface on YouTube
Well before we became acquainted with dancing silhouettes and laughed along with the iconic "Get a Mac" ads, Apple's commercials were quintessentially 80s. Thankfully, the YouTube channel EveryAppleAds lives up to its name and over the past week has released a slew of previously forgotten Apple commercials from the 1980s that you've either forgotten about or, most likely, never even knew existed. It's funny looking back at these commercials not just because they're extremely funny and cheezy, but because they also take us back to a time when people actually had to be convinced that they needed a computer in the first place. Here's a sampling: This 1987 commercial called "Power Lunch" is laughably bad to the extent that the commercial itself has a lot of background noise. So it goes in the world of power lunching. I'm no Don Draper, which is to say I'm not an ad man, but muffling the name of the product at the end of the commercial doesn't seem like the wisest of choices. Here's an old Apple IIc ad dubbed "Frog." Yes, it's exactly what it purports to be. And lookee here, some classic misdirection and an old jab at IBM. Here's an Apple II ad starring Kimmy Gibbler from Full House. It's an 80's bonanza. And keeping the celebrity motif going, here's an Apple IIc ad featuring Alan Greenspan. There are a lot more 80s commercials on the EveryAppleAds YouTube channel, so if you're inclined to indulge in some nostalgia this weekend, it's worth hopping over and checking a few of them out.
HTC One launch vid disappears, but not before claiming it's 'everything your phone isn't' (video)
We've commented before on how HTC always seems to come in second to Samsung -- not because it has inferior hardware, but because its marketing budget is comparable to what's fallen between the cushions of Sammy's sofa. We might have seen the start of a new strategy from HTC, however, as the company appears to have collaborated with Funny or Die on a comedic promo for the HTC One. It surfaced at the end of last week, but seems to have since been removed from the site. (It's possible HTC deliberately pulled it for some reason, and we've reached out for comment.) In the meantime, copies have found their way onto YouTube, and AdAge reports it'll start showing up on some websites today, and in a bunch of movie theaters from April 26th. A spoof of The Bachelorette, hosted by James Van Der Beek Dawson Leery, the clip depicts the leading lady deciding on her next handset, with the One winning out against feature-lacking peers -- or rather, people dressed in phone costumes. HTC even go as far as coining a bold tagline for the flagship: it's "everything your phone isn't." Whether it's actually funny is up to you, so check out the full skit below.
Samsung kicks off Galaxy S4 ad campaign with new TV spots, focus on features
We may still not have exact launch dates for the Galaxy S4 on all carriers, but the launch is approaching -- and with it, Samsung's latest big ad campaign. From the looks of the first few TV spots, the company is staying away from any shots at its rivals or celebrity appearances (at least for now), focusing instead on some of the new features of the smartphone; Sound Shot, Group Play and S Translator all get their own 30 second ads, while another minute-long commercial (appearing in at least in the UK) offers a more general and suitably dramatic overview of the phone. There's no word yet on exactly how big a push Samsung will be making with the new ad campaign, but it's pretty safe to bet you'll be seeing lots of these in the months ahead. Update: Samsung's also put up an infographics about the highlights of the S4. Good timing!
Clever commercial weighs the benefits of the iPad versus paper
Here's a clever commercial created by Colombian company SiceVENDE. Titled "iPad vs paper," the short clip shows us how a tablet device can help us in almost every way but one. Check out the video below for that one scenario during which an iPad is useless. You'll chuckle when you see it. (For the record, the video is titled "iPad," but I don't think it's an iPad used in the video. Hard to tell, but I don't see the Apple logo anywhere.) [Via Ross Rubin]
Apple debuts two new iPhone TV ads
Apple continues its app-centric advertisements with two new commercials that feature the iPhone 5. Earlier ads in this campaign were focused on the iPad, so this is a nice change that lets us see some intriguing iPhone apps. You can check out the commercials, "Discover" and "Brilliant," embedded below and then chime in the comments with your opinions on the ads. Are any of your favorite apps in the commercials? Are there any apps that you don't recognize?
New iPad ad debuts at Oscars
The iPad and iPad mini donned their latest and most fashionable apps and made an Oscar appearance in the form on an ad on Sunday night. It's not the first time Apple has made an appearance at the Oscars. Apple's showings at the awards show stretch all the way back 2007, when the first Apple iPhone commercial made its debut. Other notable Apple Oscar appearances include the iPad's first commercial in 2010, and Steve Jobs has walked the red carpet. You can check out the ad below. [via AllThingsD]
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon commercial sends mixed signals
We can't tell if this commercial is implying that Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is more fun than taking care of the ghosts in your own obviously haunted mansion, or if Dark Moon will in fact cause your house to become a haunted mansion itself. Either way, where the hell are this kid's parents?
