What better way to promote your "Stress Protect" deodorant than by making innocent people think they're wanted fugitives? This Nivea ad - or should we say event/stunt - was filmed at an airport in Germany where unsuspecting people were placed at the center of a police manhunt.

The individuals had their picture discretely taken and thanks to some quick editing, the photo appeared on the front of a newspaper as well as on a phony TV broadcast detailing that they were wanted by the police. To further heighten the suspense - and stress - a description of the "felon" was read over the airport PA system.

Finally, it was revealed that this was all a clever gag promoting Nivea's "Stress Protect" deodorant, a product designed to keep you cool and fresh even in the most stressful of situations. Nivea claims all of the men and women you see in the video above weren't in on the ruse, making this a brilliant piece of non-traditional marketing. 

(H/T Ad Week)

Outdoor advertising is usually pretty basic. Simple message, simple photo. Boring. In the case of this advertisement for an indoor skatepark in Copenhagen, the creators broke the usual boundaries by using the elements to convey their message. 

When viewed normally, the sign is nearly impossible to read due to the fact the message is both upside down and mirrored. However, when viewed in a puddle, the message about the Copenhagen indoor skatepark - where you can skate even if it rains - becomes clear. The billboard is also portable, allowing it to be placed after any storm and at any location where there's a sizable puddle. 

Creative and effective. Our favorite type of ad. 

They don't make video game commercials like they used to. In the case of this Sonic 2 commercial for the Sega Genesis, they really don't make them like they used to. 

Using the style of an infomercial, we learn that Sonic 2 can do just about everything. Have a bald spot? No problem, here's Sonic 2. It slices, dices and conveniently fits into a tackle box. Thank goodness for that! Pets love it too! Oh, and you can also play Sonic 2, but that's besides the point. 

This commercial does a pretty good job summing up the advertising children saw in the '90s. It didn't always make sense - OK, it rarely made sense - but it was creative, funny and most importantly of all, memorable. 

It's just too bad that wiener dog sweater is sold separately. 

The Chicago Cubs have announced their new slogan and marketing messages for 2013. The Cubs will use "Committed" for the season and will have marketing campaigns built around this idea and slogans such as "Not if. When" and "Nothing worth having ever comes easy."

Committed? If Chicago Cubs fans ever wondered if they were insane for rooting for a team that hasn't won a title in over 100 years, the Cubs went ahead and confirmed the notion with their new slogan. Apparently, we're not the only ones that think the choice was a bit misguided. 

I was flipping around the dial the other night and I landed on MLB Network, curious to see what was going on in the World Baseball Classic. I was met with the start of the DICK'S commercial above. Over the course of the next minute, I pressed info on the ol' guide, wondering if I had accidentally clicked on a baseball movie by mistake. 

The DICK'S commercial above is captivating. It sucks you in. The production values are exactly what you'd expect from a production with a much larger budget. DICK'S proves that your commercial doesn't need to feel like a commercial. DICK'S does a tremendous job of capturing the atmosphere and suspense of a big moment in baseball, a feat that's pretty hard to pull off in such a limited time. 

Take note, advertising world. Your commercial doesn't always have to feel like a commercial to be effective. In fact, your commercial probably shouldn't feel like a commercial. Use this outstanding DICK'S ad as an example.

NASCAR's Sprint Cup race on April 13th will have a new sponsor that's sure to cause plenty of controversy. The Texas 500 will now be named the NRA 500 after the National Rifle Association signed a one-year deal to sponsor the race. 

This marks the second time the NRA will sponsor a NASCAR event, the other being a Nationwide Series race they sponsored at the Atlanta Motor Speedway back in September. 

Electronic Arts (EA) is releasing their latest version of Sim City, the game where you build and manage (you guessed it) cities. Who did they choose as their spokesman? Adam DeVine, or you might know him better as Adam DeMamp, from the hit show Workaholics on Comedy Central. 

So how does Adam choose to run his city? Exactly like you'd expect Adam to run his city. The ad is pretty hilarious as it is, but when you're in on the joke that is Adam, then it takes on a whole other level of awesome. Also, it appears pants aren't required to serve as Mayor. Good to know.

Did you watch Saturday Night Live yesterday, March 3rd? No? Me neither. In all honesty, I have no idea who was on the show or whether or not it was worth watching in the first place. What I do know is that the world is buzzing over a mysterious Daft Punk commercial which aired during SNL. 

The extremely brief 15-second commercial shows a Daft Punk logo set to what most people believe is new music from the electronic music duo. 

This is advertising done right. Simple and subtle, yet noticeable enough to overshadow the program it appears in and get the world talking. Well played. 

(H/T Pitchfork)