Hope you all enjoyed your Labor Day!  Three day weekends are always a great way to start a four-day work week.  Here are some links from around the “creative world.”

“The American” won the weekend box office. “Machete” came in second.

AdvertisingAge: What Big Brand Are Spending on Google

Ever sat back and wondering, “Hmm…I wonder what are the top 10 viral ads of all time?”  Now you know.

AdAge: Israeli Teens Swipe Wristbands to Update Facebook Status

Joaquin Phoenix skipped his own world premiere of “I’m Still Here” at the Venice Beach Film Festival today.

CNNTech: Kanye West and how Twitter’s changed how we communicate

For old time’s sake: ImmaLetYouFinish.com

BrandFreak: ‘Machete’ spoofs imagine other films based on racial stereotypes

AdFreak: Fake girl plays in traffic to scare bad drivers

In case you are looking, here are 100+ upcoming social media and tech events

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!

Here are some great links brought to you by Marina del Rey-based boutique recruiting/staffing agency Eleventh Hour. You heard about that one movie called Inception?

• THR: ‘Inception’ steals weekend with $60.4 mil
• Following a strike, the “Jersey Shore” cast is close to reaching a deal. (I know. Big news.)
• Big Brother led yesterday’s TV ratings with a 2.3 rating and an 8 share.
• AdFreak: Dude rides mower across America for Sears
• Crash test dummies Vince and Larry join exhibit at The National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian
• BRANDWEEK: Online Video Consumption Rises
• Village People are “deeply dismayed” over the YMCA changing it’s name to “The Y.”  Seriously.
• Nike’s new “Engine” spot proves that the voices in your head can be a positive. (With an emphasis on “can.”)

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

California lawmakers are considering putting flashing ads on license plates, doctors are urging the Coliseum not to hold another rave, and the Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles beat the San Francisco Giants last night.

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

• Toy Story 3 won the weekend box office for the second consecutive weekend (by the way, THR dubs this second consecutive weekend a “sophomore session,” just in case you need an unnecessary way of saying it).
• The Hollywood Reporter: B.O. trading venture won’t launch despite OK
• You’ve probably heard that Steve Carell is leaving The Office. This completely sucks, but, he has not changed his mind.
• AdAge: Why TV Advertisers Are Spending More for Less This Season
• Branded entertainment is set to increase, according to ADWEEK. I guess it’s better than advertisements on license plates.
• FIFA actually feels bad about some of the horrible mistakes made by referees during the 2010 World Cup. They are going to consider using video technology. (Technology: 1 – Stubbornness: 0)
• Mashable: iMovie Hacked to Work on iPhone 3GS
• The Rundown (USA): iBad: Admit you’re wrong with iPology
• CrunchGear: Barnes & Noble financials: e-book store blowing up like what
• And, in closing, yes, it was a tough loss for the U.S. weekend. But, let’s, at least, remember the good times.

Brian Laesch is an independent blogger posting on behalf of Marina del Rey-based boutique recruiting/staffing agency Eleventh Hour.

Happy Quatro de Mayo. What’s going on in LA—home of recruiting/staffing agency Eleventh Hour? Well, tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, a tranquilized 200-pound black bear got stuck in a tree in Oxnard, and Twilight: Eclipse will premiere at the L.A. Film Festival this summer. That’s what’s going in Los Angeles—home to recruiting/staffing agency Eleventh Hour—but here’s what’s going on around the “creative world.” (Did that last line make you think to yourself, “this writer is Cronkite-esque?” No? OK.)

• A Nightmare on Elm Street won the weekend domestic box office with $32.9 million. You could say (wait for it) that audiences didn’t sleep on it. (Hey-oh.)
• Jimmy Fallon has been named host of the Emmy’s, airing on NBC in August. Um, that’s like, so. Haha. That’s like so. Haha. Yeah. Have you seen the new iPad? Hit it, Roots! OK, that’s our show!
• Risky Business: Spielberg mounting ‘War Horse’ for DreamWorks
• William Morris Endeavor forgetting where a certain percentage of them came from?
• Swagger Wagon brings it hard.
• Anheuser-Busch has outbid MillerCoors to be the official beer of the NFL. Of course, what this really means is that the end of the “press conference” commercials is, sadly, imminent.
• BrandFreak: Painter looks at American fast food in the Middle East landscape
• Have you heard the new Gatorade jingle? Yes, it’s a jingle, and not an old song pulled from obscurity. Kind of hard to believe. And you can even download it for free.
• Mashable: Gmail Gets Its Name Back in the UK
• CNNTech: Can anyone compete with Apple’s iPad?

Brian Laesch is an independent blogger working in association with boutique recruiting/staffing agency Eleventh Hour.

If you are the entrepreneurial- or creative-type, you love Richard Branson. Heck, you probably love him regardless of who you are–especially if you’ve ever flown Virgin Air. But one thing is for sure: Richard Branson is never light on inspiration. It seems like everything he does is cool. Case in point? The new “flying submarine” named “Necker Nymph” he recently released (photo courtesy of CNN):

Awesome? I guess that’s up for debate, but I’d say so. Excessive? Absolutely. Branson? Vintage.

This is the kind of thing you expect Richard Branson to do, but who will be able to afford it? In this economy, not many:

For those wealthy enough to indulge, the experience aboard the submarine, which is nimble enough to perform “dolphin-like flips,” will be like “flying underwater,” said Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition division.

But even for those with deep enough pockets, it doesn’t come cheap: $25,000 for a week’s charter and another $88,000 for the sub’s superyacht launch vessel, “Necker Belle.”

The $631,000 flying sub, the first of its kind, uses fighter jet technology and was designed by Hawkes Ocean Technologies. It is transparent enough to allow divers a 360-degree view of marine life and Virgin is marketing it as a way to view dolphins and whales close up.

Still, even if you are struggling and looking for a job, this has to inspire you. And if not, buck up, kiddo, and look up Eleventh Hour (in the Los Angeles area). There will be brighter days. Branson has mild dyslexia and was a poor student. Sure, he came from a prominent British family. But it’s not where you start. It’s where you finish.

Brian Laesch is an independent blogger who has worked with Eleventh Hour and can more than vouch for their services and friendly staff.

Happy Post-Valentine’s Day, readers of this blog. Hope everyone out there had a great date night/singles’ night out on the town. I know I didn’t. (Hey-oh!)

Anyway, here are some great links from the worlds of entertainment, marketing, advertising, technology and more.

• Speaking of Valentine’s Day, Warner Bros.’ “Valentine’s Day” won this weekend’s box office title. Awww….. That’s so, so, so, so, sweet. Looks like Warner Bros. found a good way to fill in the gap usually left in the moviegoing experience during the month leading up to the Academy Awards. Look for “Valentine’s Day” sequels for the next twenty years.
• Which Winter Olympic athlete will become this year’s marketing icon? I have no idea, but Advertising Age offers up a few candidates.
• The new Lost opening title sequences were leaked. (Hint: This is not real. It’s The Hollywood Reporter being…funny…I guess?)
• AdAge: My Life as H.J. Heinz: Confessions of a Real-Life Twitter Squatter
• General Mills is releasing limited-edition vintage cereal boxes for five cereals, including Lucky Charms.
• Rapper Drake had somewhat of a mainstream coming out party this NBA All-Star weekend, including this Sprite commercial in which it was revealed that he is, in fact, a musical robot.
• Creativity-Online: Nike: Human Chain
• Adweek: Beefing Up Banner Ads
• The TED vs. Sarah Silverman feud, as described by TechCrunch. I’d say, “get your popcorn ready,” but it won’t keep you entertained long enough to need a snack.

Brian Laesch is an independent blogger who compiled these links for the boutique recruitment agency Eleventh Hour.

Happy Super Bowl Week. Can’t wait for football to resume after a weekend off… What’s that? They played the Pro Bowl yesterday? Seriously? Oh…

Anyway, get your popcorn ready…and your burgers, hot dogs, beef brisket, Doritos, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Beer, and anything else you consume on Super Bowl Sunday. The match-up between the Colts and Saints should be a good one.

Here are this week’s links:

• Here is Adweek’s official Super Bowl ad coverage.
• Ever wonder how the “Punch Bug” or “Slug Bug” game started? Volkswagen answers.
• A really bad Charles Barkley Taco Bell campaign launched…
• Here is Ad Age’s Super Bowl coverage.
• BrandFreak: Naming experts split on whether ‘iPad’ is a terrible name or not
• Beyonce took home a record-breaking six Grammy’s last night. (Or so I’m told.)
• By the way, Avatar won the box office, again, for a seventh-consecutive session. No big deal.
• NBC has renewed “Parks and Recreation” for a third season. I, for one, am glad. This show is extremely underrated and has only improved since it’s first season.
• Netflix has added about 300 indie films for on-demand streaming.
• And, in case you haven’t heard, “Jersey Shore” is returning for a second season with it’s original cast members. Our country is going down the tubes, because of the tube, but it’s never been so much fun.

Brian Laesch compiled these links for Eleventh Hour’s “beyond the world of recruiting” blog.

Marvels Entertainment is spreading its wings with the success of Spider-man and Iron Man and has agreed to team up with Harley-Davidson, Orange County Choppers and Feld Motor Sports’ Monster Jam for its newest marketing adventure.

Marvel’s mission is to connect with new demographics who may have knowledge of the numerous super heroes characters by pairing them with other familiar products.  With the economic issues still prevalent, many companies are searching for similar unique partnerships to widen their target audiences.

Harley-Davidson maybe reaching the farthest for a new audience by unveiling clothing and accessories for toddlers and infants.  Incorporating both their cycles and Marvel’s art and logos, the hope is to have the youth grow up with two brands being one.

Paul Teutul Sr., founder of Orange County Choppers could be cast as a hard-nosed Marvel  characters in the future but for now will settle for designing custom Marvel motorcycles.  The OCC followers are just another new group who could buy into Marvel now that the agreement has been made.

Spider-Man and the upcoming Iron Man 2 sequel will be the key players for Feld Motor Sports’ Monster Jam broadening the Marvel marketing movement beginning January 2010.  Because the Monster Jam is an event rather than a product, the long term success maybe up in the air.  In the short term, the exposure of Spider-Man and Iron Man monster trucks should get those fans from the Monster Jam and into the theaters.

Eleventh Hour and 11thr Production Services are big fans of Marvel Entertainment and will be keeping an eye on the benefits of their cross demographic marketing strategy.

Matt Suttner hopes Harley-Davidson and Marvel expand their line of clothing and develop adult footie pajamas that have an Incredible Hulk body likeness.

Welcome to the last day of August. This is Around the Creative World for your Monday, August 31st, 2009. I’m your host, Brian Laesch. I will now pause for station identification:

You’re listening to the Eleventh Hour: the world beyond recruiting blog. Number one in Marina Del Rey since 2008.

OK, we’re back…

• Disney has acquired Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion.
• Noww u cain support edumacation threw Sonic’s nu “Limeades for Learning” program. Itz 2 leight 4 me. Help this future.
• Speaking of education (seriously this time), according to AdAge: Wikipedia Goes Offline to Help Rural Students in Peru
• Fox and Twitter hopes you are ready for “tweet-peats” (encore presentations of shows with cast and crew members simultaneously “tweeting” about the show). Sell now, Twitter. I’m just sayin’…
• New random television spot from Old Spice and W+K Portland: Scents for Gents
• Captain Morgan: Converting heavy uncontrolled substance users to rum consumers?
• Could the LA fires cause a partial TV/radio blackout? According to Variety, the LA fires threaten broadcast transmission towers on Mt. Wilson.
• Final Destination 36…I mean, The Final Destination, topped the weekend box office.
• Did I mention that 11thr is on Twitter?
• Stan Schroeder of Mashable: The Internet About to Turn 40, Last Seen With a Blonde in a Red Corvette
• TechCrunch: Facebook still isn’t as good as the company it just bought (FriendFeed).

Brian Laesch is a blogger for Eleventh Hour and Social Media Manager for The Rundown.