Is this simply an overreaction or an indictment on the ultra-conservative population of the USA?

From smh.com.au:

The US Dunkin’ Donuts chain has pulled an online advertisement featuring celebrity chef Rachael Ray after critics argued that a scarf she wore in the ad offers symbolic support for terrorism.

Dunkin’ Donuts said today it pulled the ad over the weekend because of what it calls a “misperception” about the scarf that detracted from its original intent to promote its iced coffee.

Critics, including conservative commentator Michelle Malkin, complained that the scarf appeared to be traditional garb worn by Arab men. The ad’s critics say such scarves have come to symbolise Muslim extremism and terrorism.

It’s quite funny, as I remember bringing back a kramah from Cambodia and wearing at as a fashion item for a while before I saw the keffiyeh in start to pick up in use. I think I may have seen it in use in a magazine somewhere at some stage. Why the discussion of the kramah? Because many thought it was a keffiyeh - and as you can see from the picture (left), there are some similarities. Yes, it’s an adornment (er.. scarf!) that can be worn around the head or neck. Yes, this is black and white. The red and white versions of the kramah also became synonymous with the Khmer Rouge. More recently, some friends came back from Berlin, sporting his and hers versions (black and red), and then the fashion item jumped the shark, appearing in low end fashion advertisments for companies like Roger David.

So, what do you think? Is it akin to wearing the Castro cap? Wearing camoflague fatigues that are similar in patternings to dictatorial nations? Or is it a storm in a teacup? It is a scarf after all.

Lastly, when it comes to Dunkin’ Donuts, you shouldn’t be eating that crap anyway! Go and eat a non-extremist carrot!

Redux to be posted in the next week. You can get the minimalistic Twitter version here.

After watching The Gruen Transfer on the ABC tonight, I hit the website and a thread asked “what ads do you think epitomise the best of the advertising art form?” Now, I’m an online guy, so it seems a little wrong for me to focus purely on TV, but I’m going to, because I do love the format. It’s powerful, it’s on a big screen dominating your living room visually and the audio can still be heard whilst you’re in the bathroom, because it’s been increased by 20dB by the broadcaster.

So, here’s part one of my favourite TVCs. I’m going to focus on one thing that I do love - meat, and Australian produce of course.

Falling in Lamb

Clever. The use of the cinema trailer format is indeed clever, and the first time I’ve seen this, for this type of ad. How do you engage and make meat interesting? Make it in a love story of course. Genius!

Dinner with Tom Cruise

Naomi Watts turns down dinner with Tom. What’s funny to think is that when this was shot, Naomi probably would dream of dinner with Tom and certainly wouldn’t turn it down. Today, she’s probably had several dining experiences with Tom, and could conceivably turn down dinner with Tom to have it with Mum. It’s memorable and says two things to me - spending time with the family is a good thing, and if you’re going to do it, sit down to some quality Australian produce, lamb and of course, a couple of bottles of Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon, or some Coopers Sparkling. Oh, I meant to say South Australian produce.

Serve Lamb on Australia Day

A cracker. I remember when I saw this I laughed. And did I laugh and I asked my friends, especially ones into AFL, “Have you seen the new lamb ad with Sam Kekovich?”. We Australians like to poke fun at ourselves, and this is what this ad does. Reminds us that eating tofu and alfalfa together is a pretty flat combination and wearing your pants showing your boxers is “Un-Australian”. Three years in the running now, we’ll be expecting number four to be released in the week preceeding Australia Day. And again, when was the last time an ad made you laugh?

Next up on my favourite TVCs - beer.

More mixtape action from Vince Watson. Hot.

1. 69 - Microlovr (Planet E)
2. Fix - Diligent (Ignitor)
3. Carl Craig - Twilight (Planet E)
4. Rhythim is Rhythim - Kaotic Harmony (Transmat)
5. The Martian - Skypainter (Red Planet)
6. Speedy J - Rise (Plus Eight)
7. The Martian - Stardancer (Red Planet)
8. Aril Brikha - Groove La Chord (Transmat)
9. Carl Craig - Science Fiction (Blanco Y Negro)
10. Robert Hood - Grey Area (M-Plant)
11. Galaxy2Galaxy - Journey of the Dragons (Underground Resistance)
12. Dark Comedy - War of the Worlds (Transmat)
13. The Martian - Journey to the Martian Polar Ice Cap (Red Planet)
14. Blake Baxter - Altitude (ESP)
15. Clark - Dial (Planet E)
16. Robert Hood - Make A Wish (Peacefrog)
17. Robert Hood - Interior Suspect (Peacefrog)

I will be part of a panel discussion on Corporate Blogging tomorrow at Online Banking Review’s - Enterprise @ Web 2.0 for Financial Services conference.

Other topics include:

• The business benefits of Enterprise 2.0
• Building a collaborative culture inside a conservative corporation
• Enterprise investment in Web 2.0 technologies
• How to make your Enterprise 2.0 project a success
• Peer-to-peer lending: friend or foe?
• Enabling effective video communications

More details at Online Banking Review.

Ricky V and Richie at Mutek 06 - Photo: Miguel Legault

An eclectic mash-up this fortnight.

Bjørn Torske – Expresso
The Slits – Spend, Spend, Spend
Sigur Rós – 180 Sekúndur Fyrir Sólarupprás (Recycled by Curver)
Newworldaquarium – Curse Of The Bloody Puppets (Original Mix)
Eddie ‘Flashin’ Fowlkes – 420 High
Ricardo Villalobos – 4 Wheel Drive
Pinch – Airlock
Sparklehorse – Getting It Wrong
The Black Dog – 43s777
Ricardo Villalobos – Andruic & Japan

Albums on high rotation:
Ricardo Villalobos - Fabric 36
Astronomy Class - Exit Strategy
Charles Webster Born On The 24th Of July
Sigur Rós - Von Brigði
Matthew Dear – Asa Breed
The Slits – Cut
Paavoharju – Yhä hämärää
Dr. Octagon – Dr. Octagonecologyst
Cut Copy – Bright Like Neon Love
154 – Strike

Download this excellent old-school Detroit techno classics mix by Vince Watson.

Tracklisting:

1. Rings of Saturn (vocals) - UR (Underground Resistance)
2. Reel by Real - Sirkut (Interface)
3. Kenny Larkin - Metropolis (Plus Eight)
4. Rhythm is Rhythm - The Beginning (Transmat)
5. Rhythm is Rhythm - A Relic (Buzz)
6. Pod - Vanguard (Buzz)
7. Pod - Myopsis (Buzz)
8. Psyche - Evolution (Fragile)
9. Bango - Mystical Adventure (Fragile)
10. Rhythm is Rhythm - It Is What It Is (Transmat)
11. Reese - Funky Funk Funk (Fragile)
12. VFT - Locations (Plus Eight)
13. Casey Tucker - Untitled promo (White label)
14. Psyche - From Beyond (Fragile)
15. Pod - Clavia’s North - (Art of Dance)
16. Cosmic Messenger - I Find Myself (Eclipse)
17. Rhythm is Rhythm - Drama (Transmat)
18. The Martian - Sex In Zero Gravity (Red Planet)
19. Cosmic Messenger - Untitled (Promo)
20. World2World - Cosmic Traveller (Underground Resistance)
21. Humana - Millsart (Axis)
22. Carl Craig - At Les - (Planet E)
23. Tres Demented - Demented Drums (Planet E)

This is what happens when you drop out of school early kids! Here’s MC Steve from Sheffield, and his audition for X-Factor.

“I’d love to have the hip-hop lifestyle. The biatches, pimped-up rides, bling, cars, hotels, free booze…” he says with a level of cockyness that surpasses P. Diddy and John Steffensen, but doesn’t have the talent to back it up. Respect? I think not.

View larger map or view in Google Earth

Four countries in just under four weeks. Less than five weeks to go.

One of my favourite musicians, Daniel Bell, one of the forefeathers of minimal techno and composer of some of my favourite cuts under the DBX monicker including “Losing Control”, “Phreak” and “Electric Shock” and the wonderful Elevate guise on Harmonie Park is
featured in Resident Advisor this week.

“Music has been a part of my life for 20 years,” he says. “I think as it’s maturing, it’s become even more inspirational, because there’s space for everything new. In previous years, there was always one sound that was really dominant. It was really hard to find space. But in the last couple years, it’s really opened up, and there’s lots of space for all the different approaches to this music. To me, it’s definitely as important as ever. Absolutely.”

Related items:
Check out the full article at Resident Advisor
Listen to the Bunker Podcast
“Electric Shock” on The New Dance Show
My Flickr photo set from his BEEF gig - October 15, 2005