From Queens to Coney, IKEA has announced to New York City that they have landed. Once upon a time, New Yorkers would adventure to Long Island, Jersey and even Connecticut just to get lost in a warehouse known for its chic press board, primary colors, and Swedish meatballs. For some time now, New Yorkers have seen the ads, heard the rumors, and have flocked to Brooklyn with wallets and eyes wide open.

The ads are unsuspectingly successful as the hazmat yellow draws your attention to a bleak beige spot with astute black lettering. But because its an actual unfolded box thrown into an ad display it starts to like looks like some sort of mistake. By replacing the everyday expectation with something a little bit off; it’s then that IKEA’s got you. It’s also a reader, meaning that it’s worth it to stop and take your time to read it as if it were in your best interest. The copy isn’t unusual or really that clever, but the first person technique of humanizing a box to tell you all the information you need is a bit welcoming and acts on par with a human voice behind a 1-800 number.

Alternate IKEA ads show a city skyline crafted out of cardboard. The bright yellow shouts for attention and the beige looks so foreign on a bus it draws eyes wherever it goes to. And when absorbing the ad as an honest New Yorker, it’s probably the most endearing diorama you’ve ever seen. Gotta love those water towers. These ads are pleasurable, playful, and trigger instant thoughts of the corrugated genius, Chris Gilmour.

Yet another ad is out there, and this one thinks outside the box. Literally. In that it envisions what happens after the IKEA furniture has been taken out of the box (and assembled). Obviously. Every NYC apartment or place called “home” is different from their own neighbors, and the ads reflect that appropriately. So, if the yellow-brown box-n-bus ads haven’t drawn you to IKEA perhaps a showcase of a classy, fun, and alternative interior design changes will. These ads vary and showcase different rooms clad in a variety of different styles with copy that reasons with you. Many ads still throw in the yellow-and-brown color scheme to tie the campaign together. Similar to the unfolded box ad, this ad takes on the 1st person approach—and chooses to start it’s conversation about money.

Every so often on a weekend, you could catch a truck sporting a see-through cargo bay on a truck parade streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan advertising for IKEA. It hurts to think this way, but the inner dimensions of a standard U-Haul truck became the equivalent of most peoples bedrooms, living rooms and kitchens as the see-through cargo bay was a mobile showroom, prompting onlookers to consider redecorating. The stunt was effective and mesmerizing though the association to IKEA wasn’t so obvious since the instinct is to see what’s inside before you loose sight of the truck. There’s a lot of home decorating stores in the city that cater to the 40-60k income bracket (Bed Bath & Beyond, Pearl River, the Container Store, CB2, even Home Depot and more) but most have become par for the course and seen as hum-drum, visited primarily out of convenience. New York City is a metropolitan, fashionable and fast moving city that tires of routine and the same-old same-old. If only there was a new, accessible, fashionable, affordable and refreshing retailer in which to rejuvenate dwellings city-wide. . . .

On A Personal Note: When IKEA broke ground in Red Hook it caused quite a stir. New York City rejoiced as many of Red Hooks citizens groaned and endured increased traffic and aggressive gentrification. Despite having an abysmal time wading through their cluster-fuck of a store and became even more repelled at the slower-than-Pangaea pace of the checkout line (which, in fact, I dropped my items and walked out empty handed and very annoyed), it is not Ad Hawk’s place to judge the ramifications of IKEA’s new nesting grounds. Nevertheless, I am a New Yorker, and a proud Brooklynite, and I do shed a tear for the removal of my favorite Red Hook staple thanks to IKEA. Lo, erased and long gone is the dilapidated waterfront warehouse that I had dreamed of housing my secret laboratory after I go mad from a city that “just doesn’t understand me.” No shady dwelling in which to hide out in and craft the perfect revenge or unseen doomsday device to unleash upon a city that has turned its back on me. This loss is the most tragic of all; sadly no affordable piece of fashionable furniture can replace my dream lair.

The Dark Knights viral marketing efforts, orchestrated through sites like WhySoSerious.com and CitizensForBatman.org have and have not reached the NYC masses. It doesn’t just depend if you’re a fan or not, many people who aren’t fans have unintentionally stumbled upon The Dark Knights viral marketing just by going about their daily lives. Meetings in Herald Square for a 2-day long scavenger hunt gifting a Joker-defiled movie trailer of actual cellulite. A rally in Union Square supporting Harvey Dent to be elected Gotham City’s District Attorney (“I Believe in Harvey Dent” shirts and pins are EVERYWHERE). Domino’s Pizza posing as “Gotham City Pizza” delivering crazy goodies to Manhattan and some of its boroughs. Recently in the financial district, kids ran amok finding notes and walkie talkies to decipher locations in which to prompt a bat signal (right, seen from the Brooklyn Bridge). Publicity stunts, definitely, but damn fun as well.

Keeping in step with Ad Hawks print ad focus, The Dark Knights viral marketing gifted many posters and ads to promote the movie. This publicity was aimed towards the fans more than the general public, which is a great place to start considering the movies existing—and massive—fan base. Brilliant. Fans will obviously froth for a movie longer and in return will share and spread the buzz. These ads weren’t omnipresent and instead served more as a “Coming Soon” ad in which to promote the filmand primarily draw attention to The Dark Knights viral marketing. (Though, it would’ve been great to see some of these ads posted across the city & would love to hear if anyone’s seen them) Luckily for the whysoserious-ly unaware, there are 2 alternate ad campaigns in which to drive excitement for The Dark Knight. Both are extremely intense and serve as seemingly valid indicators as to what the movie will contain. One stark ad (below) features the 3 key characters eclipsing half their visage with instruments that define their public identities: By displaying each character obscuring their identities behind their motivations, this ad intelligently alludes to the movies themes of duality and cause-and-effect. This specific print ad doesn’t bother with flashiness and is for the most part very straight-forward. So much that the public is likely to dismiss the concept of a hidden theme behind a convenient character introduction. When analyzing this ad—even if you’ve forgotten that this movie is helmed by a talented and capable cast and crew—it’s apparent that you are dealing with an intelligent movie and not a misleading summer popcorn fluff-flick.

And then you’ve got the primary ad campaign. Each ad littered with flying debris, sparks, utter chaos, drastically angled buildings, and each ad unifying themselves with a hue of blue and grey that looks like a storm’s a-brewin. These ads don’t give away as much plot information that most superhero movie posters would. There aren’t any bold statements that predictably sum up the reoccurring theme (often moral) within the movie. Great advertisement comes with great responsibility. “Welcome to a world without rules” is as in-depth as it gets and only on one poster (below), but this doesn’t give away anything we don’t know or couldn’t predict. Its just a statement to ensure viewers that all hell has broken loose in Gotham City and all the exciting chaos is waiting for you as of July 18th.

The ferocity contained within these ads are blunt, if not obvious, but it succeeds in triggering anticipation and excitement. A worms eye view of Batman, fists clenched, as the contours of the bat insignia burns a cataclysmic hole into a building. (above ad, which has been interpreted by some as pro-terrorism) The Joker standing, shoulders arched and psychotic, in the middle of the street as rubble flies every which way. Batman crashing out of a high rise window in a crazy first-person-bat-bike. There can be no doubt whatsoever that these posters are extremely successful with their obvious severity and the ability to accelerate the fanaticism surrounding The Dark Knights release. As exciting as this is, this isn’t just a taste of things to come, not even an appetizer, these ads are merely just the invitation.

The ads are designed with care, tight and professional. Everyone knows that print ads are retouched and heavily produced and that these ads for The Dark Knight are no different except that these ads do it with skill, finesse even. There is creative genius behind every one of these ads which supercharge the viewer for this movie. It’s heavy handed in that there’s obviously a lot going on, but it’s not an unintelligible mess, poorly laid out, or jarring to look at. Little flairs like the casual color choice used to highlight the attractive cast but doesn’t compete with the main focus. The ads featuring the Joker demand the most attention and are almost hypnotic as they confront the viewer with a fiery, seething stare. In some Joker ads, all the opaque “Ha Ha’s” layered on top of a diagonal composition help to dizzy the image and give it a vertigo-like motion, as if spiraling. Onlookers can’t help but to be directly linked to the buzz surrounding Ledgers performance since his Joker draws viewers in with the menacing leer of an absolute psychopath. These ads also help to sell the Joker as a plausible character and more than ever distances this franchise away from the Burton-Batman past. These ads are methodical, far from sloppy, and superbly designed and executed. There can be no doubt that these ads are a successful hit as well as a primary influence to drive hordes of New Yorkers to see theatres for The Dark Knight all summer long.

Roll On The Floor Clawing My Brains Out.

As you can tell, this ad rubs me the wrong way. Only because I see this ad as promoting an asinine competition that rewards the stupid and the lazy.

But . . . outside of it’s intentional attempt to permanently massacre the English language for decades to come like no other brand of slang before it, it’s a adequately successful ad. Granted I haven’t seen it displayed anywhere outside the Lower East Side as if this rogue ad went renegade and abandoned its post from the nearest LG retailer. (Trust, dear dedicated reader, that AdHawk has its eyes open across the city, and am sure that other locations of this ad have eluded me) Also, the ad indicates that the tournament revolves around only LG Qwerty phones. Phones whose popularity wanes compared to the teen fave Sidekick, the hand-me-down Razr, and the Gotham favored iPhone. Still, there’s likely to be lots of freebies on top of the cash prize at the tournament which may be an incentive to attend even if your texting skills aren’t as masterful as a 14 year olds.

As you can also tell, it’s obvious that the ad doesn’t showcase an invigorating color scheme, superior photoshop and design skills, or even an inventive spin on the texting theme. In fact, I’m stunned there’s no LOL-esque text-banter in the ad at all. Despite the ad having no impactful staying power whatsoever, for what it is and who its catered to, the ad has as much intelligence, finesse, and impact as it needs. Which, to alert and conscious observers, is not much at all.

Needless to say that the competition won’t have recaps on ESPN, and nor will it live to be revered as the next best Wimbledon match. It’s only LG’s celebration and contribution to the slow death of the English Language that AdHawk decides to showcase this ad.

(Click here for additional Adhawk Entries on text-themed ads)

So I start laughing to myself while walking to work, encouraging people to shoot me weird looks. And all the while I’m guffawing like an idiot over an ad that deserves far more attention and respect than my shallow cognitive behavior will allow.

In some way, right at me, this ACTagainstViolence.org ad is reminding me not to be an asshole. But more directly, it’s a valiant ad that asks new York drivers to mind their anger levels (while driving) in fear of educating kids that casual aggression is okay to project on strangers. Which, if you’ve ever been stuck in a line in an NYC Post Office or any Duane Reade, you know how fast anger and impatience can seize you.

A message which I totally respect and don’t deny that this city could use more patience and civility. Also, from what i hear, it’s said that children are our future or something like that, so here’s an attempt to put the best foot forward, right? So, no, this poster doesn’t have anything to do about babies with comb-overs and instead is just a good-hearted ad trying to make a difference. Hopefully it gets to people. Although I haven’t heard any fewer cars horns, or fewer “HEY! C’mon, Asshole!!” type interactions around that corner despite having the ad up. Regardless, I’m glad to have researched this ad despite having laughed at it. But still . . . Anton Chigurh running a hair salon! for babies?!

I know, I know, this post would have been more relevant a couple weeks ago to match the timing of the premiere of Showtime’s ‘Weeds’ and ‘Secret Diary of a Call Girl’ but I finally got around to pinpoint why these ads are so damn good, and yes, it goes beyond mere sexy girls and pretty colors.

Sure, we can all tell the color choice is right on the mark for these ads. Green for weed and pink for pussy, yes, yes, but the specific colors chosen are gorgeous. Of all the variants of “green” and “pink” that could be used, the color selection is masterful and perfect for these ‘Weeds/Call Girl’ ads. Playful but sophisticated, these vulnerable colors reflect their shows which involve the humanity behind callous expectations of sex and drugs. And not unless ‘Sweet n Low’ pulls out the Pink Panther ads again, these ads solely own these brilliant colors and will continue to stand out and be recognized. Which from a marketing standpoint, perhaps obviously, is a strong one-up on the competition.

The on-target color choice was easy, but what definetly makes this ad a complete success is the reinvention/resurface of the true, classic Pin Up Girl. Done in a way that honors the quintessential Grable and the illustrative contributions of Vargas. It goes beyond the simplistic conclusion that sex sells, mind you. It’s common knowledge that Pin Up Girls pitched the highest tents during the first World War. Then, over the years, the path these Pin Up’s paved veered as the worlds sexuality opened wider than the models legs did. Lets standardize-test this evolution: The ’57 Chevy is to the ’08 Toyota Scion TC as the classic Pin Up Girl is to today’s Suicide Girl.

. . . They just don’t make ‘em like they used to. Up until recently. And therein lies the success of this ad more than the colors. The Amy Winehouse’s and the Suicide Girls of the world—with that ink & metal shit all over their faces and bodies—have distorted the allure of the clean, classic pin up style where a little went a long way; before ‘over the top’ became ‘just a little.’ So much that seeing an ad done up in honest style of a 1930s Pin Up Girl registers as new, unique, and more importantly for advertising, attention worthy. It’s interesting to see how fashions and styles can come around full circle to revive their own, original charm. Not to mention how refreshing it is to see feminine beauty and sexuality personified in advertising that isn’t an airbrushed, rail-thin model or a dark-eyed chick with tatts. Finding that niche and executing it so perfectly is why this ad is so damn good. And because the bonafide Pin Up Girl has been on Amber-Alert for so long, we expect an ad going for this style to look more like this. . . .

Hancock starring Will Smith comes out in about a week and its poster is posted a plenty across NYC. And randomly, an alternate poster can be found advertising the same movie. The alternate ad isn’t as splashed across town as the mainstream one, and instead prefers to be wheatbacked onto construction sites compared to its sealed-in-plastic sister poster. But neither its scarcity or its location is what makes this alternate Hancock ad curious. Its the possible indication that this movie doesn’t know exactly how to market itself.

Is Hancock a comedic superhero romp or a deeper, darker story? Could it be both? Warranting these questions are 2 different posters advertising the same movie, both with a different feel and style than the other. One poster seen all over the city and in theaters (left) features Smith brooding, tight-lipped against the city. The other poster (below) is loose and hipper. It features a leisurely pose and is treated in a slightly rough-sketch form of illustration like ‘A Scanner Darkly’ meets ‘Aeon Flux.’ One ad says “hey, this looks intense” while the other ad says “hey, this looks like it could be fun—whatever it is.”

Despite the differences of the 2 print ads, the question of “what is Hancock (about)?” apparently goes beyond the ad campaign itself and reflects what is being said across the web regarding the last-minute restructuring and editing of the movie in efforts to meet a preferred rating and to focus the story itself. (Read more on at Firstshowing.net, a great movie sites for movie fans) This late in the game to be tweaking the movie, its no wonder 2 opposite ads are working to gain mutual attention in a catch-all marketing attempt. But this is a summer movie whose marketing, ads, tv spots and actor interviews have already begun reaching the public. Even co-star Jason Bateman was on, of all places, Countdown with Keith Olbermann last night to plug Hancock and to inadvertently indicate that there’s not much happening on a Tuesday in June. And when it comes down to it, Will Smith has never had problems selling a movie and already has a track record of dominating the 4th of July box office. Anyways, it’ll be interesting to see if this movie will suffer in the slightest due to Hancocks undecided and convoluted marketing.

. . . My guess is probably not.

If connecting a AA battery bandolier to a crappy cassette player with rear car speakers around your head was indicative of Rocket Science, we could finally begin to envision how advanced the ‘Sanford & Son Space Program’ would be. Junkyard pipedreams made public aside, for quite some time now, morons with deep pockets and shallow insight have been found in advertisings Mission Control with their finger on the button. . .and perhaps this is why Jet Blues “Happy Jetting” ads take as much flight as The Challenger.

Like a finger-less blind child crafting a soap box racer without the help of their parents, the designers of these ads construct a clumsy death-trap of a campaign. Featuring bottom-of-the-barrel, dollar-bin stock photos, these ads immediately register as dull and fail to captivate even the dimwitted consumer. On top of Jet Blues jaw-dropping selection of uninteresting images is a blocky-blue, font-driven design element to push lame slogans like: “Flying is for pigeons” or “Jetting thinks you serve a snack” or “Jetting means business.” Basically, The one-two punch of poor images and horrendous tag lines create no connection to the public viewer whatsoever.

There’s much more to mention as to why these “Happy Jetting” ads are the ineffectual eye sores that they are. Though more than 3 paragraphs of explanation is already giving these ads more attention than they deserve. The images, the copy, the art direction, you name it. Every ad represents a talentless hack job, devoid of humor, design, inspiration, and worse yet, a connection with anyone viewing their ads. Sure, these are most likely rush jobs to shout the Jet Blue name louder before the summer vacation wave, but c’mon, JB, we know you have money & you’re telling us you can’t go a-jetting to find a decent marketing group?

Needless to say, this ad had me a bit confused at first. And so, after another viewing I finally digested it and passed a more solid analysis. Obviously after reading about ‘asking a doctor for an HIV medication with a low risk of diarrhea’.

Oops/Huh. How about that. I didn’t know about this. So, am I being informed properly? Is this a PSA or an ad for Bristol Meyers Squibb? Am I to believe most people who treat their HIV have the runs? Is Diarrhea the biggest problem someone with HIV can face? Does Bristol Meyers Squibb have a more appealing medication than other leading pharmaceuticians*? Will my eye be open to other peoples bathroom reading material when I’m at a party?

This is an element of advertisement I love: Not being the target audience, how does the ad affect me/does it affect me at all? Personally, I’m not sure just yet, but I do side with the ad and strive for the day where no one has to live on a toilet.

Then again. . .as long as there’s a Lower East Side, that day seems pretty far off.

*p.s. I’m coining and claiming “pharmaceuticians®©™” as my original own

At it’s most primal, notes of the Predator movie poster hit me, but I ain’t got time to bleed nostalgia. More so, this poster showcases a great use of designs 3 favorite colors refreshingly mixed with a loud, brilliant blue. The black and white seem to balance with equal amounts, but tying it all together is owed to the 4 “layers” of red throughout the ad.

THE BEST piece of concept & design work on this ad is how the NYC skyline is transformed into an EQ volume display ontop of a seismic/sonic vibration. I can’t help but think the skyline has taken this shape before, but this is the first time I’ve seen it, and think it’s damn genius. Plus, it helps to push the concept of the movie. The NYC skyline is a familiar silhouette that’s become increasingly hard image to reimagine. The EQ/seismic skyline is a perfectly placed puzzle piece that the designer of this ad should be commended for making it work so effortlessly.

Having the skyline/EQ interaction executed so intelligently, the rest of the design falls into place perfectly and is effective even at the quickest glimpse. The blue sky being torn into by a jagged skyline. The skyline of the city being torn into by the street. All these interlocking elements of disruption are digging into Robbins “OBEY” style head, causing visible irritation. From top to bottom, within seconds, the gist of the the movie’s premise is articulated through good design. And there’s your ad. A simply strong color scheme with a bigger concept to boot. Cheers, that’s a good ad right there.

Though. . .the trailer isn’t all that compelling and neither is the name for Robbins’ vigilante character, but that’s not the focus on Ad Hawk. Still, if you live in the city, hate an abrupt disruption, or thought that Cobra Vehicle Security actually meant a holographic snake slinking inside a car to scare off crooks, the concept is familiar enough to accumulate interest. Check it out at Seven Arts’ website.

Convinced for weeks on end that this ad was for some gutterpunk piss-whiskey featuring Kutcher’s washed up kin, I ignored it on the basis that its design is as visually appalling as the tattoos featured on the ads male model. (Plus, I’ve already got my 3 favorite whiskeys with no room or budget for risky trials)

The primary problem with Dirty English’s ads is that the product is lost amidst the 19+ shades of brown, and doesn’t redeem or offer any attractive consistency in any of the 3 ads laid out for the public to see. Once your eyes adjust and you’re finally able to decode this first-year design project as an actual print ad campaign, you’ve already embarassed yourself by stopping in the street to admit to the public you’ve wasted your time to discover Juicy Coutures recent Toilette scent.

Overall, there’s just way too much brown and ugly on this ad to warrant the idea that this cologne possesses an appealing scent. Next, throw in a bag of bones sporting some of our generations most regrettable tattoos while looking as though he’s fucked up enough to drink the cologne, and you’ve got the makings for a terrible ad. Oh, yes, and compound that with the already overused, illegible stylings of a ransom note to relay the copy. The worst part is that people earned money to produce this ad. But then again, when the majority of metropolitan girls from ages 12-28 are likely to advertise the bending word “Juicy” across their asses at least once a week for all to see, I suppose you can afford to loose a little in marketing by trying to wrangle in the dirty-clean hipster with cash.