The dog days of summer are upon us.  It’s hot. It’s a slow time in sports (although, go Dodgers). “The industry” is slow. It’s vacation time. But creativity never takes a break. In fact, vacations are usually very inspiring.  So before you take off, check out these links from around the “creative world,” courtesy of boutique recruiting/staffing agency, Eleventh Hour:

• THR: Fate of James Bond hangs in the balance
• Inception continues to dominate the box office.
• AdAge: How Much Old Spice Body Wash Has the Old Spice Guy Sold?
• AdAge: The Real Scoop on Ad Age in the ‘Mad Men’ Era
• ADWEEK’s Ad of the Day: Corona’s “Moonlight”
• Derek Jeter named baseball’s most marketable player in survey
• Jamba Juice has released their new cheeseburger smoothie… Not really.
• Mashable: The Internet Loves Walmart Moonwalker [Randomly Viral]

Have a good remainder of the summer, people!

The Lakers face the Suns in Phoenix tonight for Game 4 after a tough Game 3 loss, Lindsay Lohan has been ordered to wear an alcohol monitoring device, and the California budget talks could be decided by arm-wrestling…

That’s what’s going on in Los Angeles, home of boutique recruiting/staffing agency Eleventh Hour, but here’s what’s going on around the “creative world”:

• Shrek won the weekend box office. (But, apparently, that’s not saying much.)
• 24 finished it’s run last night, apparently on the low side of the ratings. (But, apparently, that’s saying much.)
• Could the weak Euro affect international box office returns this summer?
• AdAge: Was ‘Lost’ Final an Event?
• AdAge: Why Market Size Won’t Matter for LeBron James’ Endorsements
• THR has an Emmy round table with some of your favorite TV stars. They discuss checking online comments about their shows here.
• Target cleverly incorporates elements of Lost into their advertising for the Lost series finale here.
• The NBA has rolled out their Finals mash-up. And I finally had my notion that DJ Steve Porter is behind these commercials confirmed.
• AdFreak: Gas pill mellows your nasty, farty bathwater
• New Facebook privacy controls arrive tomorrow. Are you ready? I’m sure you are. Not that you are looking forward to them, but I’m sure you are ready. Facebook makes functional changes seemingly weekly.

Brian Laesch is an independent blogger for the Marina del Rey-based boutique recruiting/staffing agency Eleventh Hour.

The Lakers try to recover against the Thunder at home tonight (series tied 2-2), Jason Alexander unfortunately hit a 14 year old biker this morning, and former LAPD Chief Daryl F. Gates’ funeral took place today at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

That’s what’s going on in the home city of Eleventh Hour, Los Angeles, but here’s what’s going on in the “creative world.”

• Variety Online has implemented a pay wall and their traffic has suffered…including me. I was about to link to their Domestic Box Office chart to show that How to Train Your Dragon. Unfortunately, I have used up my five free views and couldn’t view the site. Looks like I’ll go…anywhere else to view this information.
• Are you ready for a third installment of “The Ring,” in 3D? I’m not…but I have a feeling younger general audiences will be.
• AdFreak: Nike CEO defends Tiger Woods commercial
• Santa Clara County is trying to ban toys from McDonald’s Happy Meals so kids don’t want them and won’t get as fat. I think we should also outlaw little kids from having pets, to cut down on the potential spread of rabies if said pet gets loose and becomes infected. Also, I think county fairs should remove all rides so that kids won’t be tempted to attend them with friends and eat the fattening food there. And don’t get me started on kids being allowed to have fun in general. I can go on all day about how this debt older generations are putting on them will actually be their fault, because they didn’t get a job at age 4 and work hard enough to dig themselves out of “their” hole.
• CNN Money: Did Apple call the cops on Gizmodo?
• Mashable: 10 Dos and Don’ts for Brands on Twitter
• Celebrities want you to see The Cove. I already want to see it. This PSA doesn’t help me, but it’s a good reminder.
• In closing, for no particular reason, I just want to tell you both good luck. We’re all counting on you.

Brian Laesch compiled this list of links for Marina del Rey-based recruiting/staffing firm Eleventh Hour.

The Lakers are off to a good start, Villaraigosa’s State of the City address is going on as I write this, and President Obama is in town to raise some funds.

That’s what’s going on in LA, but here’s what’s going on in the “creative world”…

• Curb Your Enthusiasm is returning for an eighth season.
• They are making a Stretch Armstrong movie… I don’t think a link is really necessary.
• Deadline: Wall Street Approves Second Box Office Casino With Futures Betting Programs
• Cirque du Soleil is creating a Michael Jackson show.
• AdvertisingAge: The World’s Best Banner Ads (And Why They Worked)
• Jack Kevorkian and Al Pacino are tight.
• Cox will make your stuff grow to the correct size.
• To gear up for the World Cup, a new Coca-Cola ad displays the various forms of celebrations seen after scoring a goal. Personally, I kind of feel left out…but the NBA playoffs are on so I’ll probably get over it quickly.
• Would you drive a wooden bike in the name of being green? What about in the name of being wood? You should consider going wood. Come on. NBC is doing it. The NBA is having “Wood Week” next year.
• Mashable: AT&T Unveils Buzz.com

Brian Laesch compiled these links for boutique recruiting/staffing firm Eleventh Hour, located in beautiful Marina del Rey, California.

Did you guys hear that Tiger Woods returned to the Masters this weekend? (Just kidding.)

Here are the top links from the “creative world.” Brought to you by boutique recruiting/staffing firm Eleventh Hour, located in beautiful Marina del Rey, California.

• Conan O’Brien is making his return to television this fall…on TBS. Very…Surprising.
• In actuality, Clash of the Titans beat Date Night at the box office this weekend. Actually speaking, that’s what actually happened. Clash of the Titans actually brought in $26.7 million while Date Night actually brought in an actual $25.2 million. That’s what happened, once the actuals came in.
• Microsoft is launching the “Kin Phone,” and reminding you that not all of those people in your social network are real friends.
• ADWEEK: The Industry Reacts to Nike and Tiger (Everybody? Represented in one article? Cool!)
• Gatorade expands the definition of “sport” (and hopefully it’s market).
• Get paid to sleep in a sleeping bag. (Note: Eleventh Hour is not looking to fill this position.)
• Tina Fey hooks up with a giant brownie.
• Tech Crunch: Google’s Top Innovators On The Cloud, Net Neutrality, And More
• Mashable: 15-Year-Old Foursquare User First to Check in at the North Pole

Brian Laesch compiled this list for Los Angeles-based boutique staffing/recruiting firm Eleventh Hour.

You’ve heard the old adage: “you should read Eleventh Hour’s weekly blog post entitled, ‘Around the Creative World’.”

Here are the links:

• How to Train Your Dragon easily won the weekend Box Office with $43,732,319.
• Regency Theaters has purchased the historical Westwood Village’s Bruin and Village theaters. Both theaters were built in the 30s–a time before Perez Hilton, but not the concept of gossip as entertainment.
• Ready for “The Hangover 2″? The cast is finally in place. They are all cashing in this time.
• Tom Cruise gets ready to cash in on this whole crazy “act” he put on a few years ago. Who knew it was all part of his Method, and on big set-up for Knight and Day.
• “I’m a shrimp blogger…” What?
• Stop the sag. “We are better than this.” (Lil Wayne, I think he’s talking to you.)
• You’ll need about $900,000 to advertise during the last episode of “Lost.” I’m thinking about advertising my Facebook page.
• TechCrunch: An iPad App 2,000 Years In The Making: Air Harp
• Speaking of iPads, Seton Hall will supply one, and a 13″ MacBook to all full-time students arriving on campus next fall. Gimmicky…but a good kind of gimmicky.

Brian Laesch has compiled this list of links for Eleventh Hour.

Welcome to another edition of the world-renowned “Around the Creative World.” Presented by Eleventh Hour, the boutique recruiting and staffing agency based in Marina del Rey, California. Written by Brian Laesch.

I’m sure you are all over the Kansas game by now. I’m not, but let’s begin…

• Alice in Wonderland dominated the weekend Box Office again.
• James Cameron wants to debate Glenn Beck. (Pay-Per-View?)
• Nuru International is holding “Be Hope to Her” events all across the country next month (including one at the SoCal City Center) to raise awareness and funds to help build water wells in Kuria, Kenya.
• The 13 most annoying ad characters of all-time
• AdAge: Google’s Newest Search Ad Format, Loved and Hated by Brands
• Lamar Kardashian catching Kobe in endorsement deals?
• American Airlines does not like the expression “win-win.”
• Lady Gaga became the first artist to reach one billion video views online. I guess you could say, the fans are following her until she loves them. Pa-pa. Pa-pa-razzi. (Yes, that was lame.)

Brian Laesch signs his name to this blog, regardless of the horrible Lady Gaga joke at the end.

Not sure how we are halfway through March. Time always flies, but in this case, it seems especially fast. It must be the excitement of spring…or the aftereffects of two very long weekends.

Here are your links for March’s hump day. I think SXSW is going on, or something. I haven’t been cool enough to go, so I have no frame of reference, but I’ll act as if I do.

• SXSW kicked off this weekend. It is so awesome. It’s, like, the coolest festival that any generation in the history of the world has ever put together. (See?)
• Alice in Wonderland won the Box Office this weekend, taking home a cool (because Johnny Depp is in the movie) $62 mill. The quote from one of my Facebook friends? “Johnny Depp is a b****!” Uh, OK then… Although, I’m assuming she isn’t a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic, so I wouldn’t put too much stock into her “review.”
• The Hollywood Reporter: Jay Roach to receive “Director of the Decade” award at ShoWest 2010.
• Sacha Baron Coen, Ben Kingsley and Martin Scorsese are going to work together.
• Sony Pictures chairman/CEO Michael Lynton wants movie theater concessions stands to health it up. I agree, it’s a noble effort, but…good luck with that.
• In case you haven’t heard, March Madness is here. Sobe is letting you face off in a “Sobe Lifewater Zero Inhibitions Bracket Challenge” against a celebrity. The prize? You get to meet said celebrity. I’m playing against Kendra. Although, I’m not really sure what I would gain from meeting her since she’s married.
• Advertising Age’s “Ad of the Day” is the new Muscle Milk spot entitled “Katie.” I saw this ad about 10 times over the weekend, while watching NCAA basketball conference tournaments. And, personally, I completely agree with this ad being the ad of any day.
• James Cameron is bringing Titanic back to the big screens in 3D. Seems like a joke, right? It’s not.
• BrandFreak: Burger King’s WhopperFace puts your face on a burger wrapper
• Word to the wise: Don’t leave a Bruins hockey game, unless you want to be dead, apparently.

Brian Laesch is an independent blogger for boutique recruiting/staffing agency Eleventh Hour.

Welcome to the post-Oscars edition of “Around the Creative World.” I thought Steve Martin would make some sort of joke regarding our massively popular, Los Angeles-based blog…but I guess not. That hurts. Not as much as a locker hurts…but still, it’s a Bigelow…I mean, a big blow, to our psyche.

OK, we are over it.

• The Steve Martin/Alec Baldwin-hosted 82nd Oscars attracted 41 million viewers–the most since 2005.
• The Hurt Locker, a film that grossed $20 million, beat out Avatar, a film that grossed the entire U.S. GDP (seemingly), for Best Picture. But did blog buzz predict its win?
• I did not attend any Oscar parties. (I know. It is big news.)
• The Iron Man 2 trailer is out.
• ‘Shutter Island’ is still on top of the box office, taking in $22.2 million this weekend. Now that’s what I call a “shutterout.” Hey-oh!
• Six companies have been invited to place a second-round bid for MGM. Now that’s what I call a roaring competition. (Get it…? OK. I’ll stop.)
• AdAge: Why ‘Modern Family’ Still Drives Toyota
• Apple’s iPad is introduced here by a bunch of laid-back professional hand/lap models. (Do they have an award show for faceless acting?)
• AdFreak: Frito-Lay learns to have fun in small spaces
• Remember the 80s? Remember 8-bit video games? Ever wonder what NYC would look like on Atari? There’ s a map for that.

Brian Laesch said he was done using punchlines related to the Verizon vs. AT&T feud… He was wrong.

Today is March 1st, 2010. Here are links from around the “creative world.” Links from entertainment, advertising, marketing, tech, social media, and more, will follow. Basically, if the story can be considered creative, and is from this world, it’s fair game. (But that doesn’t mean we have low standards. Just FYI.)

• Shutter Island is still at the top of the box office. Their lead didn’t crumble away like that fake lady Leonardo DiCaprio is embracing in the trailer. Hey-oh! Get it? <—Journalist
• Speaking of movies, the countdown to the Oscars is at 6 days. I should probably be unbiased here…but I’m rooting for The Hurt Locker.
• The Olympics are over, but I still recommend going back and checking out Stephen Colbert’s “Vancouverage 2010.”
• Tropicana provided a fake sun and a carton of orange juice to every household in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. I cried for three hours after watching this commercial. And by that, I mean, I did not cry at all, but at least agree that this is a cool way to launch a campaign.
• AdAge: Leno’s Triumphant Return to Late Night May No Longer Matter
• Do you fear not flying Virgina Atlantic upper class?
• TechCrunch: If You Build It, He Will Come: Movieclips Now Available Internationally, Releases API
• AdFreak: Geico’s ad campaign has an evil British twin
• I know times are tough for Toyota, and they should be, but, I have to admit, I really enjoyed this “Swagger Wagon” commercial.

Brian Laesch compiled these links for boutique recruiting/staffing agency Eleventh Hour.