The Drink Cart: Summer Camp

The only newsletter guaranteed to throw its Martini across the room every time someone says "Just make it pop."

Dear marketing fans, tech lovers, AI evangelists and yachting hat enthusiasts.

This is not the summer movie of the year. Or a summery movie. But I’ve watched the new HBO film Mountainhead from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong. Now, what I like is hearing that they wrote in January, filmed it in March and it’s already out now. This is what a streaming film should be. Simple, and quick to launch (maybe not even quick enough). Which is to say, more like TV. The reviews are not great but it’s worth a cheeky little watch if you have this on your streaming options as there are some laughs.

The premise is that as global event start to unravel, the world’s richest man releases a package of AI features to his social platform which make deep fakes flow like water and so well that it harnesses real-world violence and issues into full on chaos, all while while he attends a mountaintop poker game with three other tech bros.

So when you read about real life tech leaders feeding social headlines like this, “Sam Altman has said AI would replace 95% of ad agency work, per BI.” Think of them like these four horsemen of the idiot apocalypse acting like fools as the world burns.

Drink Cart Approved™ agency discussion topics

What’s this? Yep. We’re moving these links up to the second slot of this newsletter. There’s good stuff in here and we don’t want to short change any of it. Clicky, clicky

• What do we think about KFC’s Finger Lickin’ Fork? Be honest. It’s no ET Finger.

• I would drive this stupid car for days this summer if I saw this incredible pre-social ad in 1977.

• This ad makes me want to eat like 12 of these Hostess Baseballs.

• Here’s a listing of things many people on the planet have never done. I scored a 0 for doing them all.

• Chef Boyardee was protein maxing in 1969 and serving Ravioli in a fancy glassware.

Ad History: Roller Waitress LA (1981)

This Martini & Rossi spot from 1981 (or mid 80s by some account) made by McCann-Erickson and starting Nicollette Sheridan is pretty iconic. They made a whole ad about a roller skating waitress just gliding around LA. Iconic.

There’s people working non-stop to make there feeds look and feel like this ad. And that tagline - The Right One. Let me get this straight it’s a hot day and you just want a big old cup of vermouth on ice? Bold. You could run this ad right now.

Hello Dolly Meals Frozen In hell

On the one hand it’s refreshing that Dolly Parton is doing frozen meals vs. all the other celebrity brands. On the other hand, what is the pitch to someone with a $500 million fortune to hock frozen meals when you are 79.

It was worth the click to the website just read one of the reviews: “Good flavor, ample gravy, generous portions, but what is this ‘meat’? It doesn't look, smell or taste like anything I've ever tried. Kinda tough and dark looking.”

Here’s the funny thing. Her brand is so strong you can also read this one, “I refuse to believe that Dolly actually had anything to do with this meal. She is wonderful, and good, and kind, and love every thing she does, but this frozen meal was hands-down the worst I've ever had. The meat was akin to ground cartilage, the coating like sawdust, and the green beans tough and undigestible. I do not recommend. But I stand by Dolly!”

Ad Walks: Bear Food

One thing I’ve started doing is capturing ads while out on my walks. I had to go by this one like three times. Once with my media buying wife who said, “Why would I want to eat the same food as bears.”

A great question. I keep thinking about how this ad was pitched, and why we’re even eating prepackaged salmon bowls in the first place, and why would a bear even know how to eat a salmon bowl? Like, oh, “it’s good enough for the bears honey, probably good for us.”

The rational given is that bears are the world’s biggest salmon lovers, and thus the perfect spokebears. But there is a big furry paw, and I’m walking past that and not thinking that deeply about the back story. Exit question: Are you in for bear approved meals?

100 Years of the Goodyear Blimp

I’m a big blimp guy. So earlier this week I was floored that the Goodyear Blimp was celebrating 100 years of being a thing. If you’re like me and this one of the blimp in Rome is just one of many iconic shots over the years. If you had the chance to add this to your marketing plan, would you?

Ancient Ads

Speaking of when in Rome. When I was in University, I wrote hard about the power of Globalization and the enduring power of McDonald’s. One professor drew an amazing cartoon looking mascot captioned “Globo” to mock me.

Knowing that McDonald’s only opened in Rome in 1986 and there is now 50 locations is kind of amazing. The enduring power of that globalization. Having a cold, ice cube filled Coke in ancient Rome would hit different. This new fake Roman mosaic OOH stunt is on display until June 7.

Ad History: Del Monte Bubble Gum Pudding (1991)

This is one of my new favourite headlines. Chew the right thing. That’s copywriting gold. I also can’t believe that they even made bubble gum pudding.

Last call: The Drink Cart Pro Water Hazard

This just might be the drink of the summer. Trust me, if my social feeds are to be believed, everyone is drinking these nasty blue refreshers. I think post-agency life being a drink cart bartender might be my calling.

Here’s my take on the recipe:

• 1 1/2 oz Vodka

• 1 oz Limoncello (don’t have add more vodka and lemon juice)

• 3 dashes of Lemon bitters

• 5 oz Blue Gatorade

• 1 oz fresh squeezed lemon

• Sprite Zero, to top it up

• Garnish it with a simple lemon wedge or if you have one a cocktail umbrella

Pairs well with ignoring your timesheets and pretending you’re on a client call in your calendar on a Friday.

Put this wildly used track from social media by the amazing Hot Chocolate on now and enjoy. I’ve pretty much heard this about 40 times this week as my algo is delivering me firemen day in the life videos non-stop.

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The Drink Cart is your weekly fuel for pop culture brains and ad junkies. A cocktail of ad insights and hot takes that feel like you’re hanging at your favourite dive bar after launching your latest campaign.