We are halfway through June–about two and half weeks from the fourth of July. What do you do? What do you do? Summer is here. It is going somewhere. You better seize the moment. (Or maybe this is just what I’m telling myself right now.) Either way, enjoy these links from around the creative world, check out Marina del Rey-based Eleventh Hour, and then go outside and do something.

• Karate Kid won a, quite frankly, really weak box office this weekend, grossing $55.7 million.
• Two different studios are trying to talk Peter Jackson into directing “The Hobbit” films. At this point, it seems that we can expect these films in 2020.
• Hollywood Reporter: Boxoffice futures market gets green light
• AdAge: Japan’s BeeTV Draws Big Buzz by Only Broadcasting to Mobile Phones
• ADWEEK’s Ad of the day: ESPN’s “Power of 10″
• BRANDWEEK: Exxon Blogs About BP Spill
• Best Buy has released a mobile app that works in conjunction with the new 3D film Despicable Me to translate the speech of the “minion” characters in the film. I don’t know what the minion characters are, but it sounds cool.
• Mello Yello is back with a retro logo. (I didn’t know it was still around either.)
• Bud Light has crammed 32 fans (one from each country competing in the World Cup) into a house and “eliminating” them from the house when their team is eliminated. Should be interesting. Hopefully they checked criminal records.
• Speaking of the World Cup: The Internet Loves/Hates the Vuvuzela [Randomly Viral]

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

Hope you all enjoyed your Memorial Day. Governor Schwarzenegger, Mayor Villaraigosa and actor Jon Voight led the celebration/observation of Memorial Day at West Los Angeles National Cemetery yesterday. That’s what was going on in Los Angeles, home of boutique recruiting/staffing firm Eleventh Hour. Here’s what’s going on around the “creative world”:

• R.I.P. Dennis Hopper
• Shrek topped a slow Memorial Day weekend box office (worst in 17 years).
• Guillermo del Toro has left The Hobbit. Who will take over as director?
• AdAge: Americans Downing Less Beer, Sparking Brawl Among Brewers
• Volkswagen weaves their arm-punching campaign into the opening of Jimmel Kimmel Live.
• Tom Cruise vs. Tom Cruise in an MTV promo. Remember when Tom Cruise was on the verge of crazy and it seemed like his career (or at least, reputation) was beyond repair? It seems that he’s recovered nicely.
• A baby takes over Rodeo Drive (or somewhere) in a jort-inspired diaper.
• TechCrunch: GeeksOnAPlane In Korea: 12 Demos From Local Startups
• And, some more Chris Klein auditions have leaked onto the Internet.

Brian Laesch is an independent blogger contributing to Eleventh Hour’s “the world beyond recruiting.”

The L.A. City Council has voted overwhelmingly to boycott the state of Arizona. Ironically, the Lakers take on the Phoenix Suns in LA on Monday. And, inmates play tennis at San Quentin.

That’s what’s going on in and around Los Angeles, home of entertainment staffing/recruiting firm Eleventh Hour, but here’s what’s going on around the “creative world.”

• Not surprisingly, Iron Man 2 dominated the box office this week. You could say it “cast the iron mold” that shaped this week’s returns. Or not.
• Betty White is blowing up at age 88. Take note, young, aspiring Hollywood types, but also have a plan for the other 87 years.
• TV Upfront 2010
• ADWEEK: Brands Suit Up for ‘Iron Man 2′
• AdFreak: Skol beer won’t turn you into a bloated idiot
• Have I mentioned that Eleventh Hour is located in Marina del Rey, California? There’s a beach nearby, usually sun, and a bunch of boats. It’s cool.
• AdFreak: VWs not intended for pathetic hipster sheep
• That theatrical Johnnie Walker walking monologue commercial is still creating buzz…and making me want to buy Johnnie Walker.

• Creativity’s spot of the day: BBC: World Cup
• Now you can get an Apple iPad made of gold for only $189,000! (If a “hipster” bought this would they be revoked of their “hipster” status?)
• Anyway, if you are in the market for a career in Los Angeles (or, potentially, elsewhere), check out boutique recruiting/staffing firm Eleventh Hour. Located in sunny, beachy, boaty, Marina del Rey, California. You’ll be glad you did.

Brian Laesch is an independent blogger writting for Eleventh Hour’s “the world beyond recruiting” blog.

Eleventh Hour is here to catch you up on some news catching our eye. In this blogisode, we will address Oprah ending her run, a six-pack t-shirt, Santa’s secret helpers and an underground movie titled “New Moon” looks to find an audience.  T-minus six days until turkey day, gobble gobble!

• After a 25 year run, Harpo Inc. has announced the Oprah show will conclude on September 9, 2011.  Word on the street is Oprah plans to remove her show from syndication and move her Harpo empire to her own Oprah Winfrey Network.
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• Are you looking for a $60 t-shirt that appears that you have a six-pack? “The RipTFusion t-shirt is a classic men’s undershirt injected with steroids. Immediately, you will look and feel better in all of his clothes with a heightened sense of confidence.”  That’s their tag line, results may vary.
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• The U.S. Postal Service is playing the role of the Grinch this Christmas season as they try and stop North Pole, Alaska from continuing their Santa letters program.  The North Pole volunteers are not going down without a fight.
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• Method soap takes a funny look at Scuzzy Bubbles as part of the Household Product Labeling Act.  Nothing worse than a bunch of bubbles heckling you in your most vulnerable state.
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• It looks like Summit Entertainment’s “New Moon” has a record breaking following thus far, becoming #1 for most advanced ticket sales.  It will be interesting to see if the vampire hype will eventually catch up with the biggest hits like Titanic, Dark Knight or Star Wars.
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• Move over Hollywood with your clubs, cocktails and long lines.  Los Angeles is now hopping on the beer bar bandwagon.
  
  

Matt Suttner is wondering if the RipTFusion’s demand will become as big as the Snuggie?

Eleventh Hour has learned MillerCoors has teamed up with ad agency TBC in Baltimore to deliver, “It’s American Time” commercial to its Vietnamese market.  Similarly Budweiser has a marketing team in Shanghai who have challenged consumers with an online contest to create their annual advertising spot for the 2010 Chinese New Year.  With both groups are attempting to expand their products it seems Bud-wei-ser may have the upper hand.

The Miller High Life ad looks very familiar to the ads of old, with young Americans singing, smiling and dancing their way to their favorite watering hole.  The nightlife festivities continue as more smiling and happy fun time leads into, “There’s no way to fake it, time to make a move.  It’s American Time.”  It is unclear if this campaign will feel as outdated to the Vietnamese market but from an American perspective, Miller should look toward Budweiser for some fresh pointers.  Below is the “It’s American Time” commercial.

Budweiser, however has maintain a high standard with the Chinese New Year campaign for the past 10 years.  This year’s Bud campaign is partnering with Tudou.com, China’s version of YouTube, and its consumers to pitch their concepts for the upcoming Chinese New Year in February 2010.  The lone request of ‘King of Beers’ is that the commercial MUST feature ants.  Who would have thought digital ants would connect cultures like Budweiser China’s 2009 Chinese New Year TV spot.

Vivian Yeh, Shanghai’s Anheuser Busch new media manager explains what the New Year’s campaign is looking to represent:

“The ideas should not only be humorous and impressive, but also reflect the international king of beers brand image of Budweiser. The ants will overcome all kinds of challenges by showing their intelligence, courage, teamwork, spirit and solidarity.”

Contestants are encouraged to submit their ideas to bud.tudou.com, with the help of Budweiser’s storyboard design engine.  Entries will be accepted until the end of August with five finalists and one grand prize winner being named September 1.  The winner will receive 100,000 RMB ($14,637) cash along with the chance to assist in the production of the ad.

Consumer-produced campaigns definitely creates excitement for the product but I would be interested to see how in the long run it affects the sales in contrast to an ad created by an agency.

Matt Suttner’s dream of creating the 2010 Budweiser Chinese New Year spot was cut short when the Tudou website was only in Chinese.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Bud Light plans on selling team-colored cans near college campuses this fall (e.g. the LSU purple-and-gold can taken from WSJ.com and posted at right, gratis).

This may just be the best beer marketing idea I’ve ever heard. I know if Bud Light is selling maroon & gold cans anywhere near the Arizona State campus, I’m buying. (Sorry UCLA & USC fans–except not really.) If this isn’t the best beer marketing idea, it’s definitely the best colleg

e football beer marketing idea, ever. However, some schools are not too happy and are calling for sales to be stopped. I guess I understand the argument, but I really think these schools need to lighten up. (Get it? Lighten up? Hey-oh!) According to WSJ.com:

At least 25 schools have formally asked Anheuser-Busch to drop the campaign near their campuses, Mr. Siegal says. In recent letters, the University of Michigan’s lawyers threatened legal action for alleged trademark infringement, demanding that Anheuser-Busch not sell the “maize and blue” cans in the “entire state.” The University of Colorado, Oklahoma State University, Texas A&M University and Boston College have also told the company to stop distribution near their campuses, citing trademark issues and concern about student alcohol use.

Some of these schools believe that the cans will somehow give the impression that the universities support drinking. Let’s be honest, whether or not these cans come out, there will be underage drinkers on college campuses. Colorful cans probably won’t have a significant impact on how much alcohol is purchased and consumed, only on which brand is purchased and consumed. I completely understand that underage drinking creates problems, and that alcohol-related deaths on college campuses are no joke. But colorful cans aren’t the problem, and I don’t see how stopping them changes anything. Plus, whose to say that these schools “own” these colors. It’s not like school logos are being placed on the cans.

Maybe these schools believe that since Bud Light is newly-owned by InBev, a Belgium company, it will take away business from stateside beer companies and hurt the United States economy, but I doubt it. And besides, it will help the city of St. Louis. I like the city of St. Louis. So let us of-age drinkers enjoy a good thing, responsibly.

Congratulations, InBev. I like it. Here’s my money.

Brian Laesch is a tenured blogger at BrianLaesch.com.