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If you were a geek, or a budding geek, back in the 80s, then you knew about Max Headroom. He not only hawked C-c-c-coke in commercials, but in 1987, for one short year, he had his own dystopian television show that felt like a cyberpunk rendition of Brazil.

Channel 4 in the UK has brought Maximum Headroom back, sort of. He’s a rambling geriatric, being wheeled around in an old television set by a large, British caregiver. Max continuously babbles in stuttered samples as he is bathed, taken on slow-moving tours, and wheeled to the beach to stare at the sea.

The premise: Max Headroom was ready for all things digital 20 years ago, and now Channel 4 is going the same route. The ad is a bit jarring and abrasive, but then again, wasn’t Max Headroom always that way?

Popularity: 16% [?]

It’s a short film featuring a young girl being bombarded with hundreds of images of female perfection, drawing attention to the need for a wider definition of beauty in society.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Popularity: 6% [?]

Check out the video here.

Popularity: 7% [?]

I’m always on the looking for talented people who make ad guys appear to know what they’re doing (I need all the help I can get). Bite Animation are one of those crews. They’re a small motion graphics & design studio in Johannesburg who’ve done some impressive work for some very picky creatives. They’ve just relaunched their website so go visit them.  If you’re a fan of heavily layered illustration you’ll enjoy the experience.

Bite Animation 

Popularity: 13% [?]

Play MTV Switch “Faces”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CViMSIGHh8s]

This is a classic example of ideas stepping on ideas. Which is to say these two ads almost come from the same cutting room. I appreciate that the takeout is different, one is about the hungry mouths of power outlets and the other is about the big mouth of the Audi A4. I also understand that the creative teams were oblivious to one another (MTV Switch 2007, Audi A4 2005). And the MTV ad is for an environment saving “charity” and Audi is an environment destroying car. Despite all these dissimilarities, they are ridiculously similar (and I’m sure similar to a hundred other references).

So, the important question is: Which soundtrack do you prefer?

ps. The Audi A4 ad is mine by the way.

Popularity: 9% [?]

[splashcast TKMR7890SO]
This may take a minute to load. But once it does, you can watch all 30 SuperBowl commercials all in one place, thanks to the miracle of SplashCast.

Popularity: 4% [?]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkof-BxoLM0]

Neill Blomkamp is a remarkable film maker. He specialises in making the near future into his latest film project. He also loves robots. And after the Honda fiasco below I thought a little faith restoration was in order. Check out his other work on YouTube (remember that Citroen C4 dancing car? Here’s the warm-up.). He’s apparently the director for the Halo film as well.

Popularity: 10% [?]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMQmzbrteL0]

Watch the commercial, then go online and Stop Pong! (brought to you by Fuel Industries).

Popularity: 4% [?]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spCknVcaSHg]

Popularity: 3% [?]