Monday, October 25, 2010

That figures: looks like MSNBC ripped off, eh, borrowed a 2004 DNC video contest winner for its wicked cool new 'Lean Forward' branding campaign

MSNBC recently introduced a wicked cool new slogan and branding campaign called Lean Forward .

Now commenter G tips us off to a report that MSNBC (or its ad agency) likely ripped off borrowed a 2004 DNC video contest winner which concludes, oddly enough, with the watchword "Forward".

If you have been watching MSNBC lately, you have seen the new "LEAN FORWARD" ad campaign directed by Spike Lee... "We talked about all the attributes that make MSNBC what it is," MSNBC president Phil Griffin told TVNewser. "It is active, it is positive, it is about making tomorrow better than today, a discussion about politics and the actions and passions of our time"...

Turns out, the campaign's kick off ad "Declaration of Forward",  looks strikingly like the 2004 Democratic National Committee video contest winner...

..."Americas Party" created by Adam Klugman and Jefferson Smith and funded by the Democratic Party Of Oregon... Also seen here is the debut of the video at the 2004 National Democratic Convention...

...We will let you be the judge (especially the last several seconds of each), but MSNBC and the ad agency that created "Lean Forward" (Minneapolis ad agency mono) should explain how an objective news organization  uses a concept  suspiciously like that from a national political party video to brand itself...

To help distinguish MSNBC's ad campaign from the earlier DNC version, I've created a new poster to help reestablish the network's unique persona.

Joe Scarborough could not be reached for comment at press time.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

OUTstanding report.

Thanks.

LOVE The Dog, which I first thought was the Speaker of the US House.

No shock this was directed by the ugly (yet talented) Spike Lee - a spoiled American Leftist with a huge racist lean.

It was a riot for LEE and Democrats to associate Hillary and Obama Imagery with the progress of moving "forward".

Instead of an AD for News-Analysis-INFO, etc., this was a clear political campaign AD - timed just perfectly for the Elections. It is sneaky. Trying to manipulate with a modified 'hope and change' push.

I hope this is the biggest flop in US History. And I hope Spike is sued for pulling a Biden.

The_Bad said...

I liked the guy on the toilet "Lean Forward" poster better.

Anonymous said...

The health dept called and said you guys are overdue for your rabies shots....

gordo said...

Good Bashing but I'd have to say close but no cigar. Ripped off yes, but from whom? It's an old communist slogan!!! Pay attention folks look a little closer at who these people are. They are coming for you and your children!!!!NO JOKE the NWO is here and has been here in preparation for a very long time.