Since my last travels to New York, a few things have changed. For one, I've started Shake Well Before Use since then, which will hopefully be undergoing a lot of maintenance this week as I attempt to move from Blogger to Movable Type, including a URL move (do you feel my pain?). So, if posting becomes spotty, just wait it out like a menstrual period.

Another is that I attended my first ad:tech conference in Chicago, and now am going to be amongst the many at the New York conference next week. As always, feel free to drop me a line if you're in the area.

Toys and "toys" are usually loved by people of all ages. The lines being so blurred nowadays, Tesco wanted to select Blur More from the Photoshop Filters. Unfortunately, Karen, a mother of two didn't get the sick design-geek-joke.

"Tesco has been forced to remove a pole-dancing kit from the toys and games section of its website after it was accused of "destroying children's innocence".

The Tesco Direct site advertises the kit with the words, "Unleash the sex kitten inside...simply extend the Peekaboo pole inside the tube, slip on the sexy tunes and away you go!

"Soon you'll be flaunting it to the world and earning a fortune in Peekaboo Dance Dollars"."

Competition for business runs high in New York. So, while many businesses flock to guerilla tactics or media buys, some are still desperate for unique attention on a not-so-unique budget.

At first this appeared to be some kind of artsy-street-vandalism-statement, but no. Equipped with a Kinko's and a pair of scissors, this Italian joint became an in-house ad agency in minutes.

"Looking at these pictures, one cannot help but wonder why more businesses don't advertise themselves like this, like, "The Biggest Laugh You'll Have West of Auschwitz!", because nothing says "happy" like "the tragic death of thousands of New Yorkers"."

While the use of graffiti in advertising usually backfires, this campaign aims at a less exploitive approach.

Unlike Iran, Avon commercializes cover ups. Avon's 2005 Defend Yourself! campaign for breast cancer prevention leverages outdoor media placements for unique designs. Credits out to Mark/BBDO.