A Thoughtful Father's Day Present for Any Dad Who Loves Denny's
Denny’s loving dads are in for a treat this Father’s Day – fans can send daddy dearest a coupon for a FREE ice cream float using the “Father’s Day Card Maker” on the Denny’s Facebook page.
Source: BrandFreak 6/14/10

The White House for Sale By Owner
Looking for a single family home in Washington, D.C.? Check out this ad on Owners.com. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, this one-of-a-kind property includes a limo fleet, helicopter landing pad and “intense public interest.” The fake listing generated a NBC feature story and online buzz for the Web site.
Source: Advertising Lab 6/14/10

Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price
Kettle brand potato chips wants America to know that it is okay to crunch during lunch. By visiting the Crunch Proud Web site, fans can join the Loud Food Club (complete with a PDF welcome kit), check out the Natural Crunch Challenge to see how loud Kettle chips really are and download a $1-off coupon. Visitors who sign up for the coupon will also be entered to win a year’s supply of chips.
Source: AdRants 6/16/10

In The Olden Days, People Wrote with Their Hands
A new web application from Pilot Handwriting allows users to create fonts based on their handwriting using a pen and a webcam. Once created, fonts can be used to “write” letters that are e-mailed to contacts and Facebook friends.
Source: Brandflakes for Breakfast 6/17/10

Forget the VJ: MTV Is Looking for a Twitter Jockey
MTV has launched a search for its first-ever Twitter Jockey – or TJ – who will act as a social media-savvy personality to bridge the gap between MTV Management and the online world. The network already has 18 applicants, but is looking for two more hopefuls to compete in online and live TV challenges for the six-figure dream job. Interested parties can enter via the MTV Facebook page.
Source: Associated Press 6/14/10

Fans Crammed Into Bud House at World Cup
Budweiser, the official beer of the 2010 World Cup, has launched an online reality show coinciding with the month-long soccer tournament. “Bud House” features 32 mega fans from 32 countries living under one roof. Housemates only stay in the house until their country is eliminated. The last man/woman standing will present Budweiser’s “Man of the Match” award to their winning team’s most valuable player.
Source: AdFreak 6/8/10

Pepsi Will Drop Its Label if Argentina Wins World Cup
Pepsi has announced that it will sell label-less bottles for one week in Argentina if the Argentinean National team wins the World Cup. This pledge follows the footsteps of Diego Maradona, coach of the team, who has pledged to run naked through Buenos Aires if his team is victorious.
Source: Advertising Age 6/16/10

Zach Anner: Is This Internet Celebrity a Future Oprah?
As mentioned in last week’s HotSheet, Oprah is looking to give one lucky personality their own television show. One of the most popular entrants is Zach Anner – a Austin-native with cerebral palsy – whose humorous video submission, Zach is Oprah 2 (a show to inspire people who never thought they could travel) has earned the votes of more than 2.7 million people, including recording-artist John Mayer. After the overwhelming response to his video, Anner posted a follow-up message on YouTube, thanking the Internet for its support.
Source: TIME Magazine Online 6/14/10

Marketing Venture from Bateman and Arnett Takes Off With Orbit
With the popularity of YouTube.com, CollegeHumor.com and other entertainment Web sites, using brand names in digital shorts may be a good way to generate buzz. Comedians Will Arnett and Jason Bateman announced DumbDumb, a “sponsor-driven advertising and production company” that will release digital shorts on behalf of paid sponsors. Check out DumbDumb’s latest spot for Orbit gum, The Prom Date.
Source: The New York Times 6/11/10