Groupama Insurance via Grey Budapest show handheld shot near misses - these ads were initially web only but then proved so popular that airtime was bought on national TV.

Sideswiping a lime-green classic! Ouch! From TM Advertising, Dallas

JWT London

We have found the end of the rainbow! It's TBWA Vancouver that had the great idea to post a Super 7 jackpot billboard right underneath it. ;)

Mortgages are tricky - it's even hard to spell. From M&C Saatchi Melbourne

Translation: SulAmerica prevents you from doing the same with the resources of your company
Via MPM Advertising, Brazil demonstrates by tearing money in a double-page spread.

Oh my, it looks as if we'll soon need to start a decent tag for DM work as we're getting more and more creative examples. Like this one for 401k Squared which had a live fish inside! Created by LeeReedy they explain:

401(k) Squared, a small company that specializes full-time in 401k plan development, asked LeeReedy to get a big bang out of their modest direct mail budget. On the whole, the marketing done by companies in the financial services industry is safe, corporate and forgettable. We went in the opposite direction — developing a direct mail piece that featured a live fish inside a box adorned with messaging. The concept? "If someone's not watching over your 401(k), it won't thrive either."

Check out the pretty pictures of this DM piece inside, folks.

Oh bless, we've been fans of Julian Beever since at least 2004 (see 3D street chalk art used for ads.) and now he gets to show off his mad skills of anamorphic illusions for Central Beheer in a Rotterdam mall. Accidents can happen anywhere, you know. I love that Julian sneaked a self-portrait into this as well, that's him with his trademark baseball cap hanging on for dear life..

This spot from Try Reklamebyrå, Oslo tells us all that we're lucky to be alive.

JWT London tells two sides of the story.

Ad agency: Leagas Delaney London

ad agency: Junior, Brisbane

King James Cape Town sent out a crew to give away these free flyers that doubled as ties to students who might need a tie when applying for a job at Allan Grey.

Alistair King (Executive Creative Director)
Devin Kennedy (Creative Director)
Christiaan Conradie (Art Director)
Bianca Brandi (Copywriter)

Black Iris says "Long form spots are always a welcome challenge for us," said composer Cam DiNunzio. Martin started out with a :60 spot which gave the Black Iris team some room to stretch their legs a bit more than usual. "It gave us the space to explore larger themes within the time frame, and the direction from the agency called for multiple levels and breaks with a final surge, which mirrors closely our songwriting endeavors outside spot work." The reference track was much more minimal than what the client ended up going with, but the increased layers were no issue for the team. "You know, a lot of us grew up worshipping bands like Fugazi, and we've always been fans of Godspeed and Mogwai, so the concepts of tension and release through added textures are totally familiar. We definitely relish any chance to get back to banging on the guitars."

DDB Amsterdam creates scary aliens with the help of Stylewar and Stink.

Allan Gray has had the same investment philosophy for over 34 years, never waivering or changing they way they invest. This "long term thinking" message is what King James, Cape Town, was asked to communicate in this print campaign.

Note - while most people know Mozart or Joan of Arc, not everyone in Europe (or the US for that matter) are familiar with Nkosi. Nkosi Johnson was a South African child victim of HIV/AIDS who died at the age of twelve. He was the keynote speaker at the 13th International AIDS Conference and ended his speech with the words:

"Care for us and accept us - we are all human beings. We are normal. We have hands. We have feet. We can walk, we can talk, we have needs just like everyone else - don't be afraid of us - we are all the same!"

Marketforce Perth got Australian Idol finalist, Chris Murphy, to sing praises to Dad and promote Lotto & Scratch'n'Win gift packs as the ideal Father’s Day present. Dads are the best!

Agency: Marketforce, Perth

Andrew Tinning (Creative Director)
Guy Hamilton Howlett (Creative)
Rob James (Creative)
Nicole Beer (Agency Producer)
Director : Brad Habib, Andrew Wright and Ewan Jansen
Production Company: Soundbyte and Sonic Workshop

Neogama/BBH, São Paulo, Brazil use the common tradition of family names to show that life goes on for your children when you die.

Created to have at the ready to air if he won medal #8. He did and it did. See also previous Phelps ad VISA - Congratulations Phelps - (2008) :30 (USA)

Agency: TBWA\Chiat\Day