A couple of times over the last week I’ve spoken to people about the Taxi Driver Test: when you get a cab and the driver asks what you do and you tell him you work in advertising, we all know what happens next:

‘What have you done that I’ve seen?’

A bittersweet position to be in. After all, you can do a lot of excellent work for smaller clients, for digital campaigns not aimed at taxi drivers, for press ads that appeared only in Bristol yet win every award in the business, for massive pitch wins etc. But if you haven’t done the one your cabbie likes, you’re fucked. And what are the chances of pulling that one off? Pretty darn low, I’d say.

Now, that may be something to be ashamed of; after all, what we’d all like to do is a piece of work that crosses over into popular culture, but the vast majority of what the vast majority of us produce does not fall into that category.

And so we have the slightly awkward chat with the cabbie that ends with the uncomfortable silence and you trying to turn the intercom off as subtly as possible.

Anyway, here’s a nice bit of film that addresses exactly that issue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKROVI_S_Ik

(Thanks, J.)

Take your worship to the next level with…mime (thanks, L).

The Wire, Dickens style (thanks, J).

This looks like fun:

Fingers breakdancing (better than it sounds):

Just waiting to be stolen for an ad of some kind (thanks, K):

What does Aaron Sorkin read (thanks, T)?

Ten great poems read by ten great actors.

Bad playground idea (thanks, P):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_il1m8NJbDY

Threepio vs Withnail and I:

The coolest bike on earth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We3MxsWdqOc

Both my regular readers will recall my lack of enthusiasm for Stella’s recent work.

Well, here’s another load of old toss, this time with a goddamn Oscar winner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwGOpherbNc

(By the way, there’s another Stella non-corker doing the rounds that needs some attention, but it’s not yet on YouTube. A post for next week, I think.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubyvz9cbZFU

(Thanks, P.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM36TAo6i5o

(Thanks, P, for both the vid and the translation.)

Translation:
* internship at bmw? *
dialogue:
– What? internship at BMW?
– Yeah, why not?
– Nah… thats not what I need right now. I got enough stress going on at uni already. No time.
– Uhuhuuuu, pussy
– Thats how it is, stop taking the piss. And what should I do there? With all the arrogant suits?
– Why do you say arrogant?
– That’s how it is, just look at them. Apart form that, to get an intership at bmw you need connections – I dont have.
– Hahaha. Dude…

– Hey dude, think about how you talk. Your reasoning is pretty monotonous.
Dude, arrogance and hubris are a bad joke. Our cars are made using head and heart.
Inert and outmoded, dude, what a load of rubbish. It’s one of the best companies. Fact.
Have you ever looked into the possibilities BMW has on offer for you?
Sure, not everyone whos got what it takes will be let onboard,but if you dont apply, you’re checkmate already.
A career start without any effort? No. I say start it with an intership.
So leave your smart lecture rooms, go out into the world and realise your dreams.

Girl: Stand up!
Get active now! Take charge of the future. You know you can do it.

Girl: Stand up. Now or never.

Thats your chance, in addition to grey theory.
Girl: stand up
Don’t you see it makes sense? With an internship at BMW you are a winner.
Girl: Stand up. Now or never.
Take charge of the future
Girl: who says you can’t do it?

BMW is a company with a lot of heart
We are individual and not commerce.
We are innovative thinkers, got our own culture.
Our architecture also reflects that.
The internship doesnt have to be the end.
Write your final-year thesis here or start as a trainee.
You havent checked out bmw, so go and show them what you are capable of.

Girl: Stand up
Get active now! take charge of the future. You know you can do it.
Girl: Stand up! Now or never.
This is your chance. in addition to grey theory.
Girl: Stand up.

Don’t you see it makes sense? With an internship at bmw you are a winner.
Girl: Stand up! Now or never.
Take charge of the future
Girl: Who say you cant do it?
Stand up and apply now www.bmwgroup.jobs
dude singing about standing up
Insert:  *many thanks to marvin (apprentice at bmw group), mondher (intern at bmw group) and all other interns who decidingly supported this project*

I thought the whole point of winning WW2 was to stop stuff like this happening.

*Looks up Marshall Plan*

Bugger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJdn9jrQ_dA

I wasn’t that keen yesterday, then I watched it again and now I quite like it. But someone working in the office isn’t a fan, so let’s see what you, the great unwashed and seriously perverted, think of it…

Here’s John Cleese doing an ad for Tom Tom that I just don’t understand:

(Thanks, S.)

If he’s celebrating the concept of being free, even when he’s not, then what has that got to do with Tom Tom?

Is he celebrating the idea of how he might feel if he had a Tom Tom?

That’s strange.

Why not give him a Tom Tom and show him celebrating his improved life?

But then the song wouldn’t make sense, because it’s talking about wanting to break free.

They could change it to I’m Free by the Soup Dragons and Junior Reid.

Then it might make some sense.

It’d still be shit though.

The good people of Wiedens (originating with Oli Beale) have just come up with a truly innovative advertising/sales/marketing/product design campaign for the new Kaiser Chiefs album.

Basically, you design your own version of the album online then you can make £1 a copy selling it to other people.

Visit the site and make an album/some cash.

That’s what people really mean when they talk about using creativity to solve a client’s problem.

(To be fair, I should probably point out that all the above information and more can be found on Wiedens blog.)

People on Facebook who take The Onion seriously (thanks, J).

Awesome people hanging out together (thanks, J).

Anatomy of a mashup (thanks, J).

The four-chord songs – LIVE! (Thanks, P.)

Accidental Chinese hipsters.

You’ve got to love Japan:

100 greatest movie threats: