TheSpunker - by Ben Popken. Published by Gattaca, Inc.

Forbes is n00b

Forbes stirred up a shitstorm (blogunami?) with their article, "Attack of the Blogs." More insidious is the sidebar, "Fighting Back." (user and pass: forbesdontbug). The article advocates various tactics for dealing with people saying non-pr sponsored things about your company in a public forum, from paying them under the table, feeding muckrack to their blogenemies, to suing the ISP and the blogger himself. Unsurprisingly, this article provoked a virulent blogosphere response. BoingBoing's Xeni Jardin says, "Why they omitted "gouge their eyes out with forks," "clamp electrodes to testicles," or "ship them to Gitmo by the crateload," I don't know. C'mon, take the gloves off, you pussies!" More at Blogebrity. I don't see why everyone's getting down, though. Think of the reams and reams of posts we'll be able to make about the ineffectual and inevitably comic attempts by businesses to restrict the conversation. Oh yes, and there will be blood. And we will blog about the blood. Spotted at Adpulp.

Direct TV Yawn Ad is Anything But

Quite enjoy this ad for Direct TV. Entitled "Tired", it offers a hilarious sendup of typical television. Imagine all the usually hyperventilating, ecstatic, amphetamine driven shows, except everyone's really tired. Funny stuff. Agency: BBDO.

What's Wrong with HIV?

Let's play a game. How many things are wrong with this poster? Here's my guesses: 1) What's with the amalgam of styles - preppy/hiphop and they don't know how to wear either... pink shirt looks like he just got off work at Applebee's and is trying on a doo-rag for his Halloween costume... 2) They’re at a go-kart-track, I can just see that bright idea coming up in a focus group conversation. Unfortunately, there's no go-karts around Nevins street (except maybe some that "fell off the back of the truck" and are sitting in a garage...) 3) Something very wrong about the 3 guys and the 1 girl... The story I envision is they’re joking about they used to all ride her bareback back in the day, oldschool style, but it's all chill now cause they got Reyataz. 4) Apparently, HIV makes you fat. 5) This ad wears its demographic intentions on its sleeve 6) This is a bad ad.

Eboy i am what i am

Reebox "i am what i am" featuring pixel artist par excellence, eboy. Full size, 300 dpi here (43mb).

Tiger vs. Alligator

Look! a nice big tabloid version of the very popular Tiger vs. Alligator Le Tigre ad. Much better than the wild post wheatpaste, no? If you're freaky into this ad, here is a full size, hi-rez version (43mb).

ANIMAL 6 Party Last Nite

ANIMAL had their 6th issue release party last night. Rar! I mean, meep meep. I glommed into the back of some VIP group and got exclusive access to the back VIP room. The main difference was that its free drink lines were shorter but the drinks were smaller. Hipstery, artsyesque, urban-lifestyle influenced people gathered in small clumps. Established underground hiphop hits blared, repeatedly peaking the sound system. Now Corporation owner Owen Plotkin strolled around with a quietly pleased look on his face. Gawker's Jessica Coen went unseen, despite her prominent placement on the invitation flyer. Overall there floated a palatable air that not only did something needed to happen, it wasn't going to.  "What are you supposed to do at a party like this?" asked my out-of-town (and therefore, more objective) friend. On the subway platform a lad whose fake id didn't get him in asked about the party, wanting to know if it was cool, asking "Were there a lot of emerging artists there?" Yes, there were! They flooded the room, making cardboard sculptures and graffing the ceiling and vid art on their glasses, emerging out of the floor, the walls, the coat rack, like ether from the free Bacardi...there were just so many emerging artists! A classic New York Cinderella story.

UPDATE: "i was too!" protests Jessica Coen via email. That must've happened sometime after I got bored and left?

UPDATE2: Bucky Turco, ANIMAL head honcho, writes, "That is one of the funniest recaps of one of our events. Well done. And for the record, although I did witness firsthand Choire Sicha going to get Jessica Coen out front, I did not officially see her in the venue, laf." Evidently mockery is the sincerest form of flattery. Furthermore, beyond a series of convenient coincidences and hearsay, we still have no actual proof of Jessica's appearance.

H&M Replaces Kate Moss

Mariacarla Boscono will replace Kate Moss as the face of H&M. Perfecto. Here's an extensive collection of the Italian 22 year old's previous work, including this notable ukulele pic. Via apt via Agenda, Inc via The Evening Standard.

Ad Age Has a Small Blog

AdAge has an entry into the blog field, the scintillatingly titled "Small Agency Diary." The blog, written by Bart Cleavland, CD at McKee Wallwork Cleavland, purports to provide insight into the inner workings of the daily life of his agency and a safe haven for small agency conversation. Right now it seems to mainly provide advertising space (above the fold, at that) for Bart's agency but it's only their second post. In 5 days.

UPDATE: Did I hit a nerve? Since I wrote this and sent a trackback to their blog, Mr. Bart's been posting one longform post a day. Coinkydink, most likely, but a small part of my brain is pleased with itself.

Rock n' Roll Powerpoint

Raise your next client presentation from PowerPoint coma! Watch this keynote talk at OSCON '05 by Dick Hardt, sxip CEO. Individual words have slides. The speed is brisk, engaging and amusing. You will be blown away that PowerPoint could be used this effectively. That the discussion is about the collide between identity verification systems, "Web 2.0" and open-source development will come secondary. Thanks to Chris for the link.

Subservient Chicken Actor Revealed?

The photograph lends one to believe this could be the Subservient Chicken actor in repose. Or in reaction. "You want me to enact what now? Couldn't we just cover that with the finger wagging no-no shot?" Even if it's not the guy, interesting to see the campaign's effectiveness at penetrating the cultural imagination. From photographer Phillip Toledano, via Adverlab.

UPDATE: Jim Hanas, former editor of Adcritic, says that actually it's "just someone Crispin Porter + Bogusky suited up for a photo shoot for Fast Company."