When the Marlin crew found out our quarterly meeting was going to be at the Springfield Nature Center, we were pretty excited. The chance to venture out of our offices and see this thing called daylight? Yes, please.

When the big day arrived, after a couple of minutes of disorientation (that sunlight stuff is bright), we made our way to the beautiful Nature Center and learned all about what was going on with all the different facets of the Marlin Network. It was, as always, a blast to see everyone and all of the great work they’re doing.

Of course, it just wouldn’t be a Marlin meeting without a little surprise. And what’s more surprising than a auditorium full of snakes?!

Okay, we may be exaggerating when we say “an auditorium full” (it was more like one or two) and the exclamation point was totally uncalled for, but come on—there were snakes! And in answer to the question we know is on the tip of your tongue, we’re not sure why it had to be snakes.

It was actually a lot of fun though. We learned a lot, got a delicious sack lunch—provided by Food IQ—and at the end, everyone got to pet the snake.

You heard us.

There are only a few products that should use a crazy person as a spokesman. Straight jackets, padded rooms and maybe government loans.

That’s why we’re a little worried about the new GotVMail viral campaign going on right now. It features the one and (please God) only Gary Busey doing what he does best. Being really, really crazy.

The first time we watched this video we enjoyed it thoroughly. Internet+Crazy=Automatic Win in our book. But shortly afterward we realized they were actually trying to sell something. After each hilarious/frightening rant by Busey the GotVMail logo appears. Attempting to convince us to buy into this new entrepreneur’s phone system. Crazy people don’t make us want to buy phone systems. They make us want to buy a stun gun.

We think the ads should go a little more like this:

Busey does his spiel. Then, instead of GotVMail a logo for Mace® Pepper Spray appears. Maybe throw in the tagline “Because Gary Busey could be anywhere.”

Mace®, we expect a cut.

Say the words “save water” to somebody in Missouri right now, and they’re likely to (a) laugh cynically, (b) look pityingly at you as though knowing you’d recently been struck, quite hard, in the head, or (c) skip straight to punching you in the face, which would then lead right back to (b).

Missouri’s record rainfall has flooded basements, breached levees, inundated entire towns and promoted a summer chock full of mold and mosquitoes (the Summer of Ugh?). One recent report we heard was that the water table around Springfield had risen seventy feet. That’s two-thirds of a giant man!

But things are considerably different (say, drier) out Colorado way. Water conservation is, of course, a massive issue for the Western States, and over the years Denver ad shop extraordinaire Sukle has done some stellar work for Denver Water. Their latest effort (via the Denver Egotist) is no exception. We love the simplicity of the idea, the ingenious mix of media and message, and the fact that now our tomatoes can feel the thrill of running the rapids before they hit the shopping bag.

So the question is, if advertising can help save water where it’s really needed, can advertising get rid of water where it’s not? Some sort of pipeline to the West made entirely out of snappy headlines and big ideas?

Update:  Even more great water-saving stuff from Sukle.

Maybe it’s because we’re big Coen brother fans. Maybe it’s because we’ve always wanted to know how to perform this particular victory dance. Either way, we love the poster for the 7th Annual Lebowski Fest.

By the way, did anyone know there was a Lebowski Fest? Don’t get us wrong, we love the idea. We’re just hoping there isn’t a Fargo Fest going on somewhere.

Too much blood and not nearly enough fest.

And just so no one jumps in their Dude mobile headed toward Louisville dreaming of White Russians that never go empty and rugs that could tie any room together, this year’s Lebowski Fest is already over. Sorry, but it looks like nobody will be festing with the Jesus until next year.

There’s an interesting dust-up online over one man’s quest to get his way in a D.C. coffee shop. In a rage-filled nutshell (which does contain a lot…and I mean A LOT…of swearing):

•  Man wants iced espresso but doesn’t get it and so vents his spleen both in the shop and eventually into the blogosphere.

•  Coffee shop owner responds in kind with salty talk we’ve never seen in an official company letter. We are, to be honest, kind of impressed with that.

•  Links on the original blog post to Jack Nicholson and Lily Tomlin freakouts (the former, scripted; the latter, not so much) offer even more angertainment.

Nourish the Thought recently posted an interesting piece about the lowly potato. And we only say “lowly” because, come on, they grow underground. And they’re covered in dirt.

And we’re better than them.

But apparently, with the cost of several staple crops heading skyward, the FDA and the UN are both pushing 2008 as the Year of the Potato. Potatoes can be grown on less land than many other food crops. They require less water and grow more quickly. And they provide key nutrients like complex carbohydrates, fiber, amino acids, vitamin C and a good deal of potassium. (We’re saying all this like we know what we’re talking about…surprisingly not true. Maybe it’s best if you visit the above links and read it from the smart people.)

Many thanks to Playskool for Mr. Potato Head, which made the above picture possible (is it a little disconcerting that they intentionally misspell the word “school”? It is, isn‘t it?)

As our creative director Matt Rose said, El Camino del Rey loosely translates as “Trail of Soiled Shorts.” Best viewed full-screen and on incredibly solid ground.

It’s not the destination, those wise souls say; it’s the journey. But in the case of Travelocity’s Australian offshoot Zuji, it’s not even the journey. The really important thing is that which leads you to said journey. In short, it’s the beans. The incredibly cheap beans.

Zuji has taken a fantastic approach to building their brand in the land where beer does flow and men chunder. Forget the siren song of exotic destinations. Forget ease of use or convenience or travel guarantees. Zuji and their agencies The Hallway/Happy Soldiers figured out that what people could really use is a little help saving up to get away. Which, come to think of it, is kind of the same strategy Teri Garr came up with in “Mr. Mom” for the tuna fish client. And if it’s good enough for Teri, it’s good enough for us.

The basic idea is this. Zuji actually made a line of canned beans and offered them for sale at just ten cents a can. On the label (and in supporting advertising) you got the story that Zuji is helping you save cash to fund your holiday. More details here, if you’re interested. Or there’s the supporting video Zuji put out that says it all quite nicely, including their plan to offer up other cheap basics like toothpaste and toilet paper. It’s all wrapped up with a simple, smart line: Helping holidays happen.

Nicely done.

You know, we’re all a little excited about the new Batman flick. But let’s take a minute, step back and breathe. In. And out. And in. And…there.

Yes, this ad is horribly self-aware of how stupid and pointless the tie-in is. But that doesn’t keep it from being stupid and pointless. Gotham City = extra pepperoni? You’re not even trying. Why not just say, “Hey dummies, it’s round…just like the Batmobile tires! Buy it!”

Domino’s has enjoyed a nice revival recently with its “You Got 30 Minutes” campaign, with Crispin Porter + Bogusky somehow managing to get the brand over its litigiphobia to reclaim the only thing Domino’s ever had going for it. Which just makes an ad fail like this all the more painful.

Thanks to Kung Fu Rodeo.

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For The Love of God, No More Guy Cleavage

(Photo: American Apparel)

Head on over to Radar Online to read all about the threat to America that is The Men’s Deep V T-Shirt, paradoxically most prominently offered by American Apparel. Thanks to fashion-forward, coastal dwelling tools, the men’s t-shirt has devolved from one of nature’s most benificent and unadulterated garments — the broccoli of menswear, if you will — to a hair-baring, pec-peeking sign of the apocalypse. It’s truly awful, this thing. But it is fun to read other people hating it just as much as we do.

Incidentally, the male sternum quote is from Kempt, and it made us laugh. A lot.

And if you think the Deep V is bad, consider this abomination, also courtesy of American Apparel:

(Photo: American Apparel, i.e., Make the Bad Man Stop, Mommy)

What’s next? Male tube tops? Ooo! Tool Tops! We said it first!

UPDATE:  Brian Collins has graciously peered into fashion’s future to give us this privileged, photoshopped glimpse at the inevitable Tool Top.