Heidi Anne Heiner's Blog, page 79

Fairy Tales in Advertising: Steimatzky Book Stores: Little Red Riding Hood

Steimatzky Book Stores: Little Red Riding HoodYour book your cast.
Here's an ad campaign from Israel. Interesting that with four images, only one is of women, and they are from a fairy tale. What other iconic literary heroines could be offered? Hmmm....

But I am always more fascinated by how Don Quixote is referenced more in European countries with no problem but most Americans would be lost with the visual reference, probably thinking "Gladiators!" instead.

Campaign info from Ads of the World:

Advertising agency: ACW Grey, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Executive Creative Director: Tal Riven
Creative Director: Idan Regev
Copywriter: Lior Shvartz
Art director: Gabi Kikozashvili
Photographer: Yaron Itzhakov
Executive Client manager: Elad Hermel
Account Manager: Nataly Rabinovich
Production Manager: Meital Tzoref
Special Projects Producers: Galit Siman-Tov

Steimatzky Book Stores: Don Quixote

Steimatzky Book Stores: Dracula

Steimatzky Book Stores: Sherlock Holmes

SurLaLune Shop Debut: Property of Prince Charming

The hubby made me some new t-shirt designs for my birthday. Which was in May. It's not entirely my fault it has taken this long to get them online and available. There were technical glitches that frustrated me with CafePress in the spring so I gave up for a while. But now it's October and every October the best selling design in the SurLaLune store is the Prince Charming t-shirt I designed eight years ago. I imagine it's one of those "Here's my costume, you're lucky I'm wearing this, and it's funny so I'm charming--says so, right here on my shirt," things for Halloween. I was reminded of this when I saw that the first and only sale of the month was, no surprise, a Prince Charming t-shirt!



So now we have Property of Prince Charming, too--perhaps a bit trite but the hubby says you will like it--and it is now available for ordering. I plan to debut his other designs next week, but wanted to get a head start today.

And folks, I don't make a lot of money off these--I really do it more for fun compared to time vs. financial return--but every little bit helps defray my costs of running SurLaLune. The $ amount these days is actually so low that I have considered taking down the SurLaLune Shop altogether. I did that with Zazzle last year after some repeatedly bad customer service experiences with them. But to date, the products I have received from CafePress have been good and the customer service has been fine despite technical glitches I have on the creation side at times. So it's still here. And I will be adding more designs this month. Because I have some and should share them so perhaps John will make us more, yes?

New Release: Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition on Blu-ray and DVD

Next Tuesday, Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition (2-Disc Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD) will be released. The price for the Blu-ray combo pack just dropped to $19.99 this morning on Amazon which means other retailers will be selling it at a similar price. The Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition (1-Disc DVD) is currently priced only a dollar less.


Of course, this release is timed to precede the release of Maleficent (2-Disc Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD) by a month to help promote that release. After all, Sleeping Beauty has had a few previous releases--all out of print however--so you only really need it if your old copy is scratched and needs replacing. Because if you really love this movie, you already own it by now, probably in the Platinum edition release from six years ago. Despite all of Disney's Vault shenanigans. Then again, if you have a niece like mine, six years is plenty of time for a disc to be rendered practically unviewable after handling by little hands despite all best efforts. Sleeping Beauty is one of my favorites of the Disney films so I am always happy to see it available for another generation of viewers.

Fairy Tales in Advertising: Oreos Wonderfilled: Three Little Pigs (2 Versions)

Last Sunday night John and I were watching something while working on computers--probably HGTV--and this commercial came on. I happened to look up and see a wolf and pigs on the screen although the lyrics didn't say anything in this version.

After some research, I learned it's been out for a year. And this is my first time seeing it. The song--very catchy--wasn't in my memory banks so I don't think I've ever heard it either. I'm such a fail for marketing, I guess.

Anyway, after some research, I discovered there is a longer version with fuller lyrics including a verse about the Three Little Pigs and with different graphics. So huh. Took me a year, but I learned about it to share here on the blog. It is cute! And fun!

The song is "Wonderfilled Anthem" from Owl City and the verse with the pigs is:

Wonder if I gave an Oreo to the Big Bad Wolf,
How would the story go?
Would he still go huff and puff
Or would he bring those pigs cool stuff
To decorate the deck he helped them build?
Would they not get killed?

According to the user that uploaded the long version down below:

With a light and illustrative look, the cookie is passed between the three little pigs, the big bad wolf, Dracula, and other folklore icons. We're pleased to introduce Oreo's "Wonderfilled" tagline to the world with this eclectic piece.

Advertising Agency: Royale, Seattle, USA
Advertising Agency: The Martin Agency, USA
Group Creative Director: Jorge Calleja
Chief Creative Officer: Joe Alexander
Creative Director: David Muhlenfeld, Magnus Hierta
Senior Art Director: Brig White
ACD/Designer: Chris Peel
Designer: Angie Elko, Sarah Berkheimer

New Book: The Mythology of Grimm: The Fairy Tale and Folklore Roots of the Popular TV Show

The Mythology of Grimm: The Fairy Tale and Folklore Roots of the Popular TV Show by Nathan Robert Brown is released this week.

As I have said before, one of the things I've enjoyed about NBC's Grimm has been the attention to folklore. And how refreshing that it hasn't been Disney versions of folklore either, but I digress. While I have not watching the series very closely--I do watch and keep up with it some--and there have been some interesting episodes and interpretations of fairy tales and they have pulled from some unexpected folklore at times, too. So this book might be an interesting exploration of the series and its folkloric inspirations. I haven't read it but for fans of the show, I am sure it is a must buy.




Book description:

NBC’s hit television series Grimm pits modern detective Nick Burkhardt of the Portland Police against a cast of terrifying villains—lifted directly from the pages of classic fairytales. In the world of the show, the classic stories are actually a document of real events, and Nick himself is descended from a long line of guardians, or Grimms, charged with defending humanity from the mythological creatures of the world.

From The Big Bad Wolf to Sleeping Beauty, The Mythology of Grimm explores the history and folkloric traditions that come into play during Nick’s incredible battles and investigations—tapping into elements of mythology that have captured our imaginations for centuries.

Fairy Tales in Video Games: Quest for Sleeping Beauty (PS2)

Quest for Sleeping Beauty (PS2) is a Playstation 2 game that was released only in Europe in 2006. It has never been released in North America. I stumbled across it when looking for something else recently and thought I would share. It received pretty lousy reviews for game play which makes me sad because it could have been a cool concept.

Here is a video demonstration of the game:



About the game:

Quest for Sleeping Beauty adds challenge and intrigue to the classic tale of the sleeping princess revived by a handsome prince. As Prince Charming, players must fend off multiple opponents in pursuit of the princess, and manoeuvre their way through labyrinths to reach their destination the tower in which Sleeping Beauty lies.

By default, Prince Charming is the central character, who must make his way to the Sleeping Princess. In two-player mode, a Woodland Sprite joins the prince on his crusade, providing defensive support. Players also have the option of swapping the traditional roles of Prince and Princess, so that the Princess can also crusade to save her Prince.

Accumulate points by collecting the coins in your path as you make your way through the various levels en route to Sleeping Beauty. Fend off your opponents with artful manoeuvring along with your arsenal of potions. Track down the keys you need to make your way from one level to the next and defeat the guards that protect them. As levels increase in difficulty, you'll move from the forest to the castle grounds, and make your way through the castle dungeon to infiltrate the castle and approach the tower where Sleeping Beauty awaits.

Amass your arsenal of potions as you make your way towards Sleeping Beauty you can collect them as you do coins, but they may be guarded by opponents, so you'll have to manoeuvre carefully. Your potions bolster your powers of self defence send attackers fleeing from fear, freeze them in their tracks, or pass by them undetected in a cloak of invisibility. Brave the spooky forest and haunted castle passageways Quest for Sleeping Beauty's convincingly eerie graphics add a chilling edge to an exciting journey.

Additional Amazon description:

The Sleeping Beauty legend dates from medieval times, and first appears in print as Sleeping Beauty in the Woods in the late 17th century. The version with which most modern audiences are familiar is based on a tale published in Germany by the Brothers Grimm in the early 1800s, popularised as a ballet in 1890 and later as a movie by Walt Disney.

Quest For Sleeping Beauty is not the developer's first foray into the fantastical. Spiral House's past projects include Ghost Master and Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare.

In order to ensure an entirely child-friendly game, with a PEGI rating of 3+, the developer has created a "combat system" based entirely on immobilizing, scaring or avoiding enemies, with no blood or violence.

New Book: The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma by Diane & Christyan Fox

The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma by Diane & Christyan Fox was released in late August but just entered my radar this past weekend during a bookstore visit with my niece. It's doesn't appear right off to be a Little Red Riding Hood story, but it is.

This is one of those picture books that works better for the older kids instead of the preschool set thanks to the humor. With lines about "bad fashion sense" and "kindness rays" and even "exploding eggs," reading this book to a preschooler will lead to just as many interrupting questions as the dog himself asks in the story.

So most kids under four years old won't appreciate the humor. The text also works well as a read aloud, but the illustrations don't accommodate a story time setting either, say in a kindergarten or 1st grade classroom. But honestly, it will be best appreciated by literate kids who can get some of the jokes on the pages by themselves, such as the Cat's checklist. So it's a read aloud with one or a few children who are a little older and will get the humor. That said, the humor is fun and it's a good book. I'll share a video and illustrations below. A good buy for libraries and an amusing fractured fairy tale interpretation of Little Red Riding Hood for classrooms. Parents with kids who like to ask a lot of questions will also enjoy it out of sympathy for the cat.



Book description:

A comical twist on "Little Red Riding Hood" told by Cat and Dog!

Cat starts reading "Little Red Riding Hood" and explains, "It's a story about a little girl who always wears a red cape with a hood."

Dog says, "COOL! I love stories about superheroes. What's her special power?"

Cat says, "She doesn't have any special powers. It's not that kind of a story."

And then the fun ensues!

The zany, fun back-and-forth of Dog and Cat celebrates the joy of reading -- and questioning. Young children will cheer Dog's persistent questions as well as Cat's dedication to keep telling the story.

New Book: The Witch: And Other Tales Re-Told by Jean Thompson

The Witch: And Other Tales Re-Told by Jean Thompson is released this week.

Book description:

Great fairy tales are not always stories designed for children. The lurking wolf in “Little Red Riding Hood,” the gingerbread house that lures Hansel and Gretel, the beauty asleep in her castle—these fables represent some of our deepest, most primeval fears and satisfy our longing for good to win out over evil (preferably in the most gruesome way possible). In this captivating new collection, critically acclaimed author Jean Thompson takes the classic fairy tale and brings it into the modern age with stories that capture the magic and horror in everyday life. The downtrodden prevail, appearances deceive, and humility and virtue triumph in The Witch, as lost children try to find their way home, adults cursed by past unspeakable acts are fated to experience their own horror in the present, and true love—or is it enchantment?—conquers all. The Witch and Other Tales Re-Told is a haunting and deeply entertaining collection, showcasing the inimitable Thompson at the height of her storytelling prowess.

Table of Contents--I don't know which fairy tales are represented in which story, but some are easier to guess than others:

The Witch

Inamorata

Candy

Faith

Three

The Curse

Your Secret's Safe with Me

Prince

Reviews:

“In this spooky, enthralling, and morally complex collection, National Book Award finalist Thompson…shows evil, wonder, and majesty…Thompson skillfully infuses our banal world of technology, reality TV, and pop psychology with genuine horror….as eerie as anything you’ll find in the Brothers Grimm.”
—Publishers Weekly

“[S]hrewdly unnerving and bewitching improvisations on fairy tales… clever, caring, funny, and wrenching… Thompson’s wizardly command is spellbinding, and her keen and unexpected revelations are, by turn and twist, grim and ebullient.”—Booklist (starred)

Fairy Tales in Advertising: TV2: Once Upon a Time

TV2: Fairy Tale Books
So Season 4 of Once Upon a Time (ABC/USA) starts up tomorrow. Who knew it would be such a hit when it started four years ago? I didn't. So for a quiet Saturday post, I thought I would share this special edition of Fairy Tales in Advertising post and show you how TV2 promoted the series in New Zealand for the start of Season 2.

Of course, here in the southern U.S. where I live and the kudzo grows, we get billboards that look rather like this sometimes quite naturally. :) But I love it!

Campaign info from Ads of the World:

Advertising Agency: Contagion, New Zealand
Executive Creative Director: Bridget Taylor
Art Director: Daniel Walton
Associate Creative Director / Copywriter: Verity Dookia
Designer: Phila Lagaluga
Account Manager: Emma Woods
Production: Bootleg
Published: April 2013

Fairy Tales in Advertising: Knorr Quick's Red Riding Hood

Knorr Quick: Little Red Riding HoodInstant solution.
Okay, I fell in love with this ad right away. My only disappointment is that the rest of the campaign didn't use fairy tales. Doesn't Cinderella need an instant Fairy Godmother? Which fairy tale would you want to see depicted in this campaign?

You can click on the images to see them larger. That is an instant Huntsman if you were wondering.

I've included the other two images below, again not fairy tales. The Superhero works for me--nice gender switch on that one, too--but the Popstar, not so much. Looks like he's going for an instant bodyguard.

Campaign info courtesy of Ads of the World:

Advertising Agency: Borghi/Lowe, São Paulo, Brazil
Creative Directors: Fernando Nobre, Fabio Brigido
Art Director: Stefano De Luccia
Copywriter: Tiago Moralles
Illustrator: Big Studios
Photographer: Denis Sitta
Executive Creative Directors: Jose Borghi, Fernando Nobre
Published: April 2014

Knorr Quick: Popstar

Knorr Quick: Superhero