ADVERTISEMENTS

Ad of the Day: Hertz Van Rental — Cleaned Out
In this new ad for Hertz Van Rental, a middle-aged couple are saying a tearful goodbye to their son, who is moving out—with help from a Hertz rental van. But it soon becomes clear that the tears will come for another reason! (via Adweek)

COMMENT
This is a great ad for use in the classroom. Teachers could just use it as a discussion starter about the first time their students left home (which would also make a good essay topic). You could also do the quiz below.

QUIZ
What things are missing from the house? You may have to watch the ad a couple of times to spot everything. See here for the answer.

VOCABULARY
The title of ad uses the phrasal verb 'to clean out', which means to empty a place of objects or goods, especially by stealing or buying them in large quantities.• The supermarkets were cleaned out by panicking shoppers.

TRANSCRIPT
MOTHER: Promise you’ll eat something healthy every now and then.
SON: Yes, mum.
FATHER: Drive carefully.
SON: I will.
FATHER: Yeah. Off you go.
FATHER: I’ll get you a cuppa.
MOTHER: Oh thanks, darling.
FATHER: Have you seen the kettle?
MOTHER: What? And my microwave.
FATHER: He’s got the TV.
MOTHER: Ohh.
FATHER: Ohh, the dish!
MOTHER: Millie. Ooo-oo. Millie.
FATHER: He’s got me growbags. What does he want my growbags for?
________________________________________________

Renault Espace Ad with Kevin Spacey

In this excellent new ad for the Renault Espace, Oscar-winning American actor Kevin Spacey references three of his most famous roles. Can you identify them? (see below for answers). I've also added a textivate activity below based on the transcript. Click here for more activities.

COMMENTS
1. Spacey is following in the footsteps of George Clooney, who is famous in Europe for his appearance in a long-running series of ads for Nespresso coffee. These ads are not shown in the USA so the American public doesn't know they're selling out! (You may remember the movie Lost in Translation, where Bill Murray plays an American actor who goes to Japan to film an ad for Japanese whisky).
2. I think the fact that 'Espace' and 'Spacey' are just one letter different is just a happy coincidence, but I may be wrong.
3. You can find five short films in which Kevin Spacey talks about his acting career on the Renault Espace site.

ALSO SEE
• Kevin Spacey Does a Round Up of His Greatest Roles in New Renault Espace Ad (autoevolution)
Intercative activity here

AsanactorIspendalotoftimebeingsomeoneelseIvebeenasuburbanfathergoingthroughamidlifecrisisdreamingofarainofrosepetalsOraharmlesscriminalonalineupwhowasntsoharmlessafterallAndwhoknowssomedayImightevenbepresidentoftheUnitedStatesButrightnowthistimeismineandthatswhyIjustdrive

ANSWERS TO QUIZ
1. Lester Burnham (American Beauty)
2. Roger "Verbal" Kint (The Usual Suspects)
3. Frank Underwood (House of Cards)

____________________________________

Ad of the Day — Dishes

This great new ad for the dishwasher detergent Finish runs through the various types of human activities that might make a mess of plates, bowls and glasses—and it turns out pretty much all of them do. There's a second ad focusing on a single glass, which is very good too. (via AdWeek).



VOCABULARY
Dishes are the plates, pans etc. that have to be washed after preparing and serving a meal. • I hate washing the dishes. • Who’s going to do the dishes? If you're lucky, you may have a dishwasher.





______________________________________________

805 million names _ with Zlatan Ibrahimovic
United Nations World Food Programme

"805 Million Names"
Forsman & Bodenfors, Stockholm, Sweden

On Feb. 14, Paris Saint-Germain captain Zlatan Ibrahimović scored against Caen, then took off his shirt to reveal a host of surprising temporary tattoos. Bearing the names of 50 of the 805 million people who suffer from hunger worldwide, the Swedish star had become a brilliant walking PSA.

_____________________________________________

The IKEA bookbook
"Experience the Power of a Bookbook"
BBH Asia Paci­fic, Singapore

Eternal battery life? Flexible touch interface? Pages that load instantly, with zero lag? Sounds like a technological marvel. And it is—it's the Ikea print catalog! This amusing promo from BBH hyped the high-tech age's most useful low-fi gadget ever.


_________________________________________________

"Like a girl"
Always/Procter & Gamble

"#LikeAGirl"
Leo Burnett, Toronto, Chicago and London

A favorite of award-show judges all spring, this work thrillingly challenged viewers to redefine the phrase "like a girl," traditionally an insult, as an expression of strength. A runaway viral hit long before its halftime cameo on the Super Bowl, it should clean up in Cannes.