Tuesday, May 06, 2008

The Art of Selling Naked - 10 Brilliant Playboy Ads From Around the World

Playboy is a global brand that entertains men around the world with boobs and blondes. You may think that it does not take much advertising creativity to sell photos of naked women. You would be wrong. Here's 10 Great Playboy Ads that Show the Art of Selling Naked:

Take a look at these ads and see whether you think they are effective or exploitative? What about appropriate? Do you think any of these cross the line between being tantalizing and being pornographic?

Playboy Ad 1. Online - Global

This is a viral ad that was used on the internet to direct consumers to the Playboy website.All it does is show the image of a woman's hand on a computer mouse, right? Does the image grab you? Did you see the subliminal image in it instantly or did it take a while? Did you find it obvious or subtle?


Source: Trendhunter

Playboy Ad 2: Playboy Mirror Doormat - Unknown Country


This ad program placed mirrored doormats for Playboy, so that all eyes can see up a passing woman's skirt. Brilliant or beyond offensive?

Source: Haha.nu

Playboy Ad 3. Hairy and Happy - Brazil

This print ad from Brazil reads: "1975/2006. 31 years of Playboy in Brasil." The picture is worth 1,000 words. With the simple use of a few black squiggles on plain white paper, the ad conveys the passing of 30 years.

Source: OneDigitalLife

Playboy Ad 4. Lay Me Down - Argentina

In Argentina, towels resembling the cover of a Playboy Magazine were playfully completed when beautiful women lay on them.

Source: Ads of the World

Playboy Ad 5. Playboy Supports PETA - Brazil


This PETA ad shows Playboy's support of the cause not only by their logo but also by the models. Skin for skin.

Source: Ads of the World

Playboy Ad 6. Every Man's Dream - Portugal

To promote the Playboy Channel, this print ad reads: Every man's dream for only €7,20 a month
Playboy channel. Subscribe now. Using the obvious lust many men would feel for a stunning car, the ad playfully teases with the TV on the hot car. So, are they talking the hot car or the hot channel?

Source: Ads of the World

Playboy Ad 7. Wet White T-Shirts - Germany

Every man must pray for rain in Germany! This billboard is rather innocent when dry but shows a revealing image when it's raining and the T-shirt gets wet!

Billboard When DryBillboard When Dry

When Wet, It's Too Revealing for Us!When Wet, It's Too Revealing for Us!

Source: Cubeme

Playboy Ad 8. Playboy without Nudity? - Germany

This outdoor billboard is designed to be kid-friendly during the day with just the logo and the “PLAYBOY” trademark visible on a golden background. However, when lit up at night , a more revealing image is created together with the “PLAYB0Y” becoming “PLAY, BOY!”. Nice form of subliminal advertising?

Source: Trendhunter

Playboy Ad 9. Attention Grabber - Germany

This ad uses the bodies of partially nude hot girls to read: Who says men don't like reading?

Source: Trendhunter

Playboy Ad 10. Get Your Hands on Playboy dot com


I could not find out much information about this ad, but I thought it was simple yet playful so I thought it worthy of including here.

Source: Adverbox

Anti- Playboy Ad 11. Say No to Porn - UAE

This is a bonus post, above and beyond the 10 I promised, since this ad is not strictly an ad for Playboy, but one that uses the infamous Playboy logo to advocate against porn.

This clever ad is from UAE. Al-Bayan Newspaper used this as as a public service announcement encouraging citizens to uphold morality and maintain public decorum. The Playboy symbol, slightly modified, forms the word “NO” in Arabic.

Source: KickMedia

So, what do you think of these Playboy ads? Which is your favorite? Do you think the ad folks were creative in creating interest for Playboy product?

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A Fighter Jet Inspired Jet Trike

Not everyone can fly a jet fighter. But if you put your mind and wallet to it, you can come close. Which is exactly what Rich Hanner of Philadelphia, PA decided to do. The final result was a Jet-Trike modeled after an F-14 Tomcat that turns more than a few heads.

Project "Frisbee" took about 13 months to fully complete and has a list of neat little features. The canopy is lifted and lowered by a hydraulic mechanism and give the driver and single passenger a "birds-eye view" of traffic. Air-conditioning was a must have as well as a fully adjustable wing-span that maxes out at a full 15ft. Obviously the latter being for shows only.

The front end is originally from a Honda Motorcycle and the rear from an Acura Sedan. The powerplant was also borrowed from the Acura. The instrument cluster came from an actual jet along with some of the other interior parts.

When asked why he built "Project Frisbee," Hanner said he "make it just for the heck of it."

From : /index.html" target=_blank rel=nofollow>NBC10-Local News

Beauty Treatment From Japan Made of Bird Poo

Smooth as a baby's bottom - thanks to what comes out of a bird's bottomSmooth as a baby's bottom - thanks to what comes out of a bird's bottom
If you've ever wanted to get shi*t-faced without drinking a drop, then ladies, we've got what you need. It's called "Uguisu no Fun", and I would have to agree... how much fun could it be to plaster your face with bird excrement?

"Uguisu" is the famous Japanese nightingale whose distinctive call adds an exotic note to any forest walk or mountain hike. The noble nightingale was and is appreciated for another, less obvious reason. Somehow, and I can't even imagine how or why it first happened, nightingale poop became a beauty enhancer for women. No BS... well, at least not the kind that comes from bulls.

The straight poop on Geisha make-upThe straight poop on Geisha make-up
Uguisu no Fun's main effect - that being bleaching and exfoliating the skin - is a result of Guanine, a naturally occurring enzyme found in nightingale droppings. Kabuki actors and high-ranking geisha girls have always prized it as the best way to remove their heavy makeup while leaving their high-priced skin smooth and supple.



Word of the unusual yet effective face treatment has spread to other countries as well. "We have been trying the nightingale facial out and it has been an unbelievable success for treating tortured, dull and sun-damaged skin." So says Hari Salem, owner of Hari's in Knightsbridge, West London. "The droppings, which are applied as a mask with Japanese white clay, are completely safe and treated under UV light to remove bacteria." They are also (supposedly) "fragrance free"... thank goodness for small blessings!

Going to the source...Going to the source...
If you want to go to the source... no, not by following nightingales around, but by shopping in Japan, Uguisu no Fun is available at Japanese cosmetic stores though it's not cheep, er, cheap.

Odd though, if Japan really is concerned about the nation's dropping (sorry) birthrate, does it really need women slathering bird poop on their faces? Seems like hubby-san will be hard pressed to give his wife much more than a "peck" on the cheek... no matter how smooth it is. (product page @ ChidoriyaWorld)


Humorous Stop Signs are A "No Go"

Stop signs are a part of everyday life. You can't go more than a few blocks in any direction without seeing a handful. So it's no surprise that sometimes we begin to ignore them. Which is why residents of Oak Lawn, Illinois had no issue when some additional "stopping power" was put into place.

Such a thing came in the form of an additional sign under the stop sign that quoted some easily recognizable phrases associated with "Stop!". Some examples can be seen here:

Who can forget the 1965 single by the Supremes?Who can forget the 1965 single by the Supremes?John Wayne's Famous QuoteJohn Wayne's Famous Quote

A few others not pictured above include, "and smell the roses," "collaborate and listen," "means your not moving" and "Hammer Time!!"

Most of the town, including the Mayor, found them to be amusing and saw no issue in allowing them to stay. Sadly, the Illinios Department of Transportation didn't not share the same opinion. They claimed it was in violation of the Federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and needed to be removed ASAP. Since federal funding for projects could be paused, the town decided it was best to remove the $1,700 worth of amusement. Tragic.

Via : Associate Press


Experiences, Our Best Invention Resources

Today few of us live or work in a place that isn't influenced in some way or another by the pace of the global innovation, changes in worldwide events and the convenience of infinite information at our fingertips. Life bustles along at a faster pace each day allowing us to experience many new products, processes and innovations, oftentimes, more than we may need or want to know about. Where does an inventor who wants to innovate, create and improve products seek out their best potential? Must we re-tool our thinking and change often? Where do our ideas come from and where do we look for them?

Finding the answers to these questions is in itself a research or design project. As an inventor, I must continuously re-invent myself, use tools and experiences to define who I am and how I approach problem solving. The tools we use today allow us to work globally from our office or home, our experiences and knowledge define the world we live in and the problems we solve relate directly to our circle of life and its circumstances. When we discover a problem that needs a better solution, we must start the innovation process positively and objectively.

As often as it happens, I am surprisingly pleased when I promptly discover my innovation or invention already exists. This enables me to move forward onto another idea saving valuable time that could have been spent non-productively. I have a passion for designing new products and I enjoy the research and development process because there are always new things to discover and learn. I do make a habit of doing "keyword" searches using several search engines and comparison product shopping to determine what's out there and what path my innovation should take, if any, to secure a unique niche in the market.

It is apparent that many inventors utilize their experiences, lifestyles or careers to create new ideas; this is their curve of knowledge or experience. New experiences and events are opportunities to make positive changes or to simply reinforce your existing perspective based on previous experiences. Positive change or re-inventing yourself often is an asset to the creative process.

In the eighties, I worked for CBS Networks. CBS, the successful media giant, chose to pursue an interest in the Toy and Game Industries. Being in the TV entertainment business, CBS had acquired several magazine and publication companies to add to its media collection and it became apparent that toy and game products may have been the next form of entertainment for their mass market audience. Some of the companies it acquired were Ideal Toys, Child Guidance and Wonder Horse to name a few.

One of the innovative things we did as a new product development entity, which consisted of marketing, design, creative services and engineering, was to meet quarterly in the Manhattan headquarters to have new product " brainstorm" sessions. These sessions were held in a conference room with no windows, meals were brought in and we were expected to contribute as much as possible based on our experience. What I like best about these sessions were: they were held over a 3 days period, there were no "off limits" to new ideas and no one was permitted to say anything negative about another's idea and all potential product possibilities were explored. All were encouraged to use our circle of knowledge for positive feedback and determine ways to make the product more exciting and eventually a reality. As a result of these sessions, we initiated several exciting new product lines that were extremely innovative and we brought several technologies into the Toy Industry that never existed before.

This experience changed my way of thinking and has helped me to see positive qualities and benefits in the ideas and visions of others.

Since then, I have had numerous other opportunities to re-tool my thinking. More recently, I have had new opportunities and experiences that changed my thinking: I have been a consulting panelist for the Big Idea Group, a national invention search firm, I was selected as a guest for Koku , my all in one cutting board invention, to be on a 14 week series for PBS-TV (in the USA) for a show called Everyday Edison's, I have had products on QVC and I have been pleased to see numerous products I designed on store shelves worldwide. Other areas of my life that have contributed to my curve of knowledge have been: traveling with my wife, spending weekends on college campuses with my (2) older children, coaching middle school football, being a handyman, getting a new pet and volunteering on church building programs. All these experiences have contributed to changing my thinking and have giving me a new curve of knowledge for innovating new products.

Joe Casale
DesignGroup1.com
Guest Blogger
InventorSpot.com

* * * * *

Our guest blogger, Joe Casale, is an Industrial Designer with an eye for innovation whose experience has proven effective in developing and licensing new product concepts. You can reach him at DesignGroup1.com.

Got Allergies? Stick a Filter Up Your Nose

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been allergic to polluted air. Leave me breathing fumes for a few hours and I’ll be suffering from constant cough and cold for the whole month—no kidding. While my doctor keeps prescribing me medicine, Bio International Japan concentrates on physically blocking the allergens out. As some might know, it isn’t deemed as strange in Japan to go around wearing face masks if you want to, but thankfully, Bio International has a better alternative. As you might have guessed from the pictures, the device in question is meant to be stuck up one’s nostrils. Not quite as appealing when said out loud, but it actually makes for quite a discreet anti-allergen gadget.

Called the Nose Mask Pit , said U-shaped device is equipped with filters which are the ones responsible for its functionality. The filters, of course, come in various sizes, with the recommendation to get a size slightly larger than the girth of your nostrils for it to be a snug fit. Now, before anyone reacts that reusing the stuff is unsanitary, the device actually comes with a set of filters so you can change them when you need it. It’ definitely not as obvious as a face mask and it seems to be a sensible tool, but walking around with something stuck up my nose isn’t my thing, so I think I’ll stick to medicine, thank you very much. Anyone interested though can check it out for sale at the Bio International web site for approximately $14.

Source: DVICE


Three Unusual Inventions for Your Head

Many strange things in history have been invented to make a task easier or to just have some fun. Here are three such inventions - all unusual and designed for problems of the head.

Tipping-hat

Tipping-hatTipping-hat
It almost goes without saying that the late 19th century was a very different period in history than today. For instance, men wore hats much more often than they do now. It was courtesy for a man to tip his hat in greeting to a woman as they met. But what would happen if the man had his hands full and couldn't tip his hat? James Boyle asked himself that question and, concerned about perceived rudeness, invented the tipping-hat in 1896. This invention was a hat that could tip automatically, without the wearer needing to touch it in any way.

The secret to Boyle's tipping-hat was its arm and ball pendulum mechanism. The mechanism was wound up and fastened to a hat of choice, secured by curved springs. To operate this invention, the wearer needed merely to make a slight nod. Then, the mechanism would shift, tipping the hat. The mechanism would then shift back around and reverse the tipping motion. James Boyle's tipping-hat may well be history's most polite invention.

Toy hat


In 1966, video games were a few years from popularity, so parents at that time probably still believed their child's imagination was fully intact. This could explain the invention of the toy hat. This hat was strapped to the child's head and a long streamer attached to its top. The aim of this rudimentary toy was equally as simple. The child was to spin his or her head around, thereby causing the streamer to do the same.
Toy hatToy hat
The toy hat's inventor most likely intended for the child to be dazzled by the colourful streamer. Unfortunately, this invention's demise may have been due to the possibility of eye injury, dizziness or headaches - three things that toy inventors should stay away from!

Hair-cutting machineHair-cutting (or burning) machineHair-cutting (or burning) machine

The experience of having one's hair cut can be stressful for many. Whether it was to alleviate the stress of visiting the barber, or in the interest of saving people some money, John Boax invented this hair-cutting machine in 1951. This invention is a misnomer, because rather than cutting the hair, it shortened it with heat. Using an air exhaust system, the machine would suck the wearer's hair up through a series of holes. At this point, electric coils would burn the hair off at the desired length.

Boax wasn't without a marketing plan for his invention. He envisioned, "a set of masks of various sizes and shapes [to] be provided to suit different sizes and shapes of heads as well as to provide for different lengths of hair." However, despite all his best planning, Boax's invention did not see widespread popularity. Not only was it large and unwieldy, but it posed serious risks of burns and electric shocks!


Source and images:
Jim Murphy. Weird & Wacky Inventions. New York: Crown Publishers, 1978.


Clean Baby - Great Invention for Mother's Day

Have you ever seen a kid so dirty you wish you could just tie him up to a tree and spray him down? Or perhaps the kid in question is too young for such measures, so you think about grabbing the child by the shoulders (neck?) and repeatedly dipping him into a warm tub filled with soapy water. Unfortunately, the modern tub is too big to accommodate little tykes safely for either method.

Once again the United States Patent Office comes to the rescue of American families everywhere; this time with its patent for the Stand Up and Stand Still Baby Shower. The baby shower is a modified version of the tying your kid to a tree and hosing him down approach. You simply prop your child in the restrictive tub effectively rendering him powerless to do anything but stand up straight.

Automatic Baby Bottom CleanerAutomatic Baby Bottom Cleaner

Now that little Johnny is nice and still you turn the knob and a showerhead, strategically angled directly at your kid's butt, lets out a blast. And since you're not behaving like a contortionist trying to hold her kid still while she tries to bathe him, you can actually play with your kid without worrying about dropping, or worse yet, drowning him!

This Mother's Day why not treat yourself, or another mom, to the Stand Up and Stand Still Baby Shower? Not only is it a nice thing for mommy and baby, but also less stressful bath time now is sure to result in less psychoanalysis for Junior later! It's win win for everyone - except the therapists of course, but who cares about them?

Image Source:
blog.360.yahoo.com


The Uno Electric Cycle : Fun and EcoFriendly

Two wheels may be better than 4, but are 2 wheels side-by-side better than 2 in a row? The Uno, which ironically has 2 wheels, is not your normal electric cycle and if put into production, could change how we get around in the city.

This neat little cycle came from the mind of 18-year-old Canadian inventor Ben Gulak. He took some of the same principals used by the Segway Scooter and incorporated them into a much more appealing design. The Uno rides on a pair of wheels, placed side-by-side, that are still independent of each other which will make turning easier. As with the Segway, you transfer your weight in the direction you wish to move, and the farther you lean, the faster you will go. According to Mr. Gulak, the Uno currently has a top speed of 25mph.

The bike is fairly easy to ride, but "takes a bit of getting used to because you have to learn to trust it." By using some additional gyro's the task of staying in the upright position becomes easier. It has a running time of about 2 1/2 hours and works very well for people who have to travel through crowded areas to get to work.

Ben Gulak is currently seeking investors to help him get the Uno into production.

Source : Winding Road

Scientists Create Apple That Doesn’t Brown

Sometimes you may just want a few bites of an apple, but you feel compelled to stuff down the whole thing since otherwise you'd just have to throw it away.

Picture of an ordinary apple.Picture of an ordinary apple. Now, researchers have created an apple that can be saved without turning brown, which usually occurs due to oxidation reactions. The new apple supposedly takes on a pale pinkish color for several hours after being exposed to air, but doesn't turn brown until much later than normal.

Researchers from Australia bred the apple naturally from a combination of Golden Delicious and Lady Williams varieties.

The researchers plan to sell the apple under the name Enchanted. Since the apple is produced without genetic modification, it will likely be sold throughout the world. Kim Chance, Western Australia's state agriculture minister, suggested that the apple would be popular for lunch boxes and on serving platters.

via: PhysOrg.com