Not that we haven't seen completely off-the-wall viral marketing ads before (including one from LG, in fact), but this one just takes the proverbial cake. In a perfectly staged LGenius presentation, we're informed about a few astounding up and coming TV advancements. The first one intelligently replaces all swear words with baby laughter or eerie silence, while the "Happy Time" feature automatically detects when a program is too sad for one's health and adds random images of cute puppies and kittens. Finally, the "Family Time" feature turns any sensual scene into one with cartoon characters, making even the steamiest bedroom romance seem perfectly acceptable for innocent eyes. Seriously, this one has to be seen to be believed -- mash that play button and have a gander.

[Thanks, Kellen]

Verizon Communications has just been slapped with a lawsuit from New Jersey's Attorney General, who alleges that the company engaged in "deceptive and misleading" sales, billing and customer service practices related to its FiOS services. Mind you, this is far from the first time we've heard outrage over poor FiOS service, but Verizon New Jersey president Dennis Bone asserts that the majority of the issues raised by the attorney general are "related primarily to the start-up of the FiOS business nearly two years ago in New Jersey and have been largely addressed." Of course, just because things are sailing smoothly now doesn't mean that justice shouldn't be served, but we will concur that we've heard far less grumbling of late compared to years ago. Who knew offering up free TVs to get folks to sign up would lead to this much turmoil?

It's sort of odd to hear about this now, but for whatever reason, it seems that some studios are looking to bundle traditional DVDs with Blu-ray Discs in order to broaden appeal and gently ease people into consuming BDs. As you very well know, this tactic was heavily used during the HD DVD era, but it's definitely not as prominent with Blu-ray... yet, anyway. Reportedly, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment along with Lionsgate and MGM Home Entertainment are all prepping rather large releases in the Blu-ray / DVD 2-disc form, with Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment -- who is credited with pioneering the practice last fall -- hoping to release about seven of the bundles throughout 2009. Fox is even taking things a step further by tossing in Digital Copy on top of a BD and a DVD with Marley & Me. Mary Daily, the studio's executive VP of marketing for North America, noted that it's simply looking to become "flexible to adapt to the changing [habits]" of the consumer. Honestly, we love the idea of tossing a DVD in at little to no extra cost; there's hardly a better way to convince people to try Blu-ray Discs than to include one with the purchase of their DVD, if you will.

[Image courtesy of Porhomme]

In a bit of a creative leap, loudspeaker manufacturer Klipsch is launching a marketing campaign that ties in with the (probably soon-to-be delayed) DTV transition. We're on board with the catchphrase "A high-def picture demands high-def sound," but let's be clear -- the DTV transition isn't going to bring 24/7 high-def video to all your OTA channels, and it certainly isn't going to mean high-def sound will be filling the airwaves, either. Like we said, though, it's hard to deny the fact that most people aren't aware of how atrocious most TVs sound, or how spending a little money on some new speakers can really increase their enjoyment of their systems. Klipsch is hoping its HD Theater 300, 500 and 1000 systems are an ear- and wallet-opening experience for them. So, are you willing to forgive a bit of a marketing stretch for a good cause, or do you lump this right in with cable companies using the DTV transition to scare customers into digital tiers?

Yeah, today's big game is but hours away, but if you're itching to put those newfangled 3D goggles to use beforehand, you're in luck. Reindeer has hosted up tonight's 3D SoBe ad on YouTube in high-def, and folks with those glasses -- which can supposedly still be picked up at hard-to-miss kiosks in grocery outlets and retail stores if any stock remains -- can tap the read link to have a look right now. Obviously we wouldn't do so if you're not much on spoilers, but we're betting your curiosity is going to get the best of you. Once you've watched, chime in below with your thoughts on the quality. Fair? Great? Just plain gimmicky?

We've always respected those who practiced what they preached, and we've got to give it to VIZIO here -- it's definitely standing by its word of switching marketing gears from discount to high-quality. The company famous for delivering HDTVs at rock bottom prices has just announced that it will air a commercial in this year's Super Bowl, and at around $3 million per slot, you know it'll be worth watching. Of course, you probably shouldn't expect scantily clad females or overdone explosions, as the company's co-founder and VP of sales and marketing Laynie Newsome has stated that the spot is one that's "simple and speaks directly to its customers." Low-key and Super Bowl? Those don't mix, do they?

Sony was smelling a world record when it constructed this beast, and sure enough, that's exactly what it set. The BRAVIA-drome was originally constructed to showcase its 240Hz Motionflow technology, and it has ended up being a continual source of interest even after the commercial shoot. This week, a Guinness World Records adjudicator affirmed that the structure was indeed the "World's Largest Zoetrope." We're not exactly sure that this proves / disproves the awesomeness / lameness of its 240Hz tech, but congrats anyway, Sony.

At least initially, Panasonic's Living in HD program seemed like a one-off promotion to hook a few crews up with some pretty sweet swag. Now, it has morphed into a running R&D experiment of sorts, with some 44 families having participated in order to give the outfit feedback on how its HD-related gear works / doesn't work in real life. In fact, applications are still being accepted for the next wave of winners, and in case you're interested, the company is also launching a new online community in conjunction with the initiative. The site contains a number of videos to get beginners started in their HD life, and there's also a forum for families to discuss such important matters as mounting / not mounting, surround system versus soundbar, etc. Sure, it may never top the mighty AVSForum in terms of breadth and depth, but it's probably not going to overwhelm and intimidate the newbies, either.

Well, would you let your brain simmer on this a bit. American Idol, the famed singing competition that airs live numerous times per week when it's in full swing, was found to be the most timeshifted program in the USA in 2008. Granted, it's also the most watched show in the nation, but we digress. The significance here is that this tidbit, which was dug up by The Nielsen Company, goes to show that live competitions and so-called "topical" programming aren't as immune to DVRs as networks would love to believe. The data found that "an extra four million viewers watched Fox's American Idol in the seven days following the initial episodes." To us, the only true DVR-resistant programming is live sports -- the genuineness of the event just seems to fade when you're not watching in real time, but we can't say we've ever felt the same when watching Simon & Co. a few days after the fact.

For years now, companies have sought to produce the most engaging advertisement on the eve of the Super Bowl here in America. In just a few months, however, they'll be vying for something else -- your clicks. Canadian sportscaster Le Réseau des Sports has confirmed that both SD and HD broadcasts of Super Bowl XLIII will feature commercials that are "enabled with interactive functionality permitting viewers to opt-in and hyperlink directly from the RDS network to long-form video content." Additionally, viewers will be able to bookmark that content for future viewing. Details of how the links and on-demand material will work are still fuzzy, but it's apt to function a lot like the TV-to-Internet ad platform that's already out courtesy of Backchannelmedia. The bar just got raised a few rungs higher, and we're pretty stoked to see what happens next.

Despite the mass media crying their hearts out about how dreadful sales would be on Black Friday, things actually turned out pretty good. 'Course, we suspect that had just a wee bit to do with how deep the discounts were on big ticket items, and a new report from iSuppli suggests that the premium brands peeled back the furthest. Yeah, Sony was talking tough about keeping its prices high, but it was still one of the six top-tier brands that slashed LCD prices 23% on average for the Black Friday weekend. Lower-cost manufacturers like Vizio and Westinghouse dropped their prices only 19%, though analysts are expecting the decline in prices to remain steady or fall even more as the end of 2008 draws near. If you've been holding off, there's never a time like the present...

[Image courtesy of SanDiegoHomeBlog]

As the race to infinityHz continues, Sony is busting out the advertising checkbook to showcase its utterly mesmerizing 240Hz Motionflow technology. The BRAVIA-drome installation, which is modeled after a 19th century zoetrope, measures 10-meters across, spins at over 40kph and is the centerpiece in a new commercial designed to display soccer action in the sleekest, smoothest, silkiest way imaginable (or so it says). Have a quick glimpse at the filming of the spot just after the break.

[Via Geek]

What's up with Australia and its promotions? Last year, the big deal was Toshiba giving away free HD DVD players with an LCD HDTV purchase and Sony tossing in a PS3 with select 1080p BRAVIAs. This year, we've got Panasonic throwing in a Wii with an HDTV and Toshiba handing out netbooks. You heard right -- for Aussies who plunk down for an XV500 series HDTV at 37-, 42- or 46-inches between now and January 15, 2009, they'll also receive an 8.9-inch NB100 (AU$799) netbook free of charge. Of course, that's "while supplies last," so we'd get on this pronto if you're even mildly interested. As for we Americans? We're taking home free movies with pricey Blu-ray decks. Awesome.

[Via SmartHouse]

Talk about a marketing catastrophe. Apparently no one told Pioneer's promotional firm what Black Friday is (hint: it's a day for unprecedented price cuts to get consumers to camp out in the cold for a deeply discounted blender), as it has inexplicably decided to re-coin the holiday "KURO Friday." Why do such a thing? To quote Pioneer, it's to "celebrate the creative visionaries" who helped bring KURO to life. In other words, KURO Friday is not being established to announce sweet, sweet price drops on all KURO wares. Two thumbs way down, Pioneer.

We've heard for years that the DVR was killing marketers' ability to inform and persuade, but a recent survey from IBM points out that advertisers would do alright if they'd simply keep with the times. The research revealed that more and more individuals are turning to their PCs and mobiles for content ingestion, and out of the 2,800 individuals surveyed around the globe, over 70% said they preferred "advertising-supported models as opposed to consumer-paid models." In fact, the majority of respondents admitted to preferring ads shown before of after a clip versus the "interruption" method currently used in TV broadcasts. Researchers also found that some 60% would be willing to provide personal information in exchange for valuable content, with "high quality music / videos, discounts to favorite stores and air travel / hotel points" being among the most desirable. More figures for number lovers are just down there in the read link.