The business (card) of speaker systems

Business cards are an indispensable tool in introducing your business. Some business cards are so creative in hammering their business's purpose home that they become more than just a card. A high end, Stockholm-based hi-fi store that specialises in customised sound systems has done just that. The result? The first business card of its kind – a speaker system for your smartphone.

Fancy a spot of trivia?

Trivial Pursuit – it's a classic. In 2004 it was calculated that the famous 1980's board game had sold nearly 88 million copies in 26 countries and 17 languages. A trademark component of the game are the pie-slice shaped pieces that players collect, each of which are rewarded for correct answers given. This new, visual campaign uses these pieces to explain the concept of the game in a fun way… have a look.

Emergency flowers for love at first sight

While Valentine's Day advertising is often a bit heavy-handed with the cheese, we thought this creative idea was rather adorable. Imagine seeing this while strolling around Paris, the city of love – an emergency flower box, just in case you experience love at first sight. Thanks to the Flower Council of Holland, these quaint emergency boxes made Valentine's Day just that little bit sweeter for passers-by.

Nando receives a roasting over topical headline

When an article is making headlines left, right and center, it's not uncommon for the story to be hijacked for advertising's sake. Sometimes, though, there is line you just can't cross… and Nando's just crossed it. The recent release of Schapelle Corby from prison is a highly controversial topic which fast-food chain Nando's used in their latest Twitter and Facebook posts. They call on Corby to try their Peri Peri chicken, much to the disgust of social media users.

Machine recycles newspaper as festive wrapping paper

A gift just isn't complete without some kind of wrapping paper. As you can imagine, a gift-giving occasion such as Chinese New Year requires a lot the stuff. And by a lot, I mean 1,600 trees and 170,000 litres of petrol worth to meet Hong Kong's wrapping paper demands alone. To raise awareness of this issue, the Instant Newspaper Recycler was introduced at Sun Hung Kai's East Point City. Pop newspaper in, get wrapping people out… voila! Not only does the free-to-use machine bring a topical problem to light, it also encourages recycling. Check it out.

Restaurant covers babysitter bill while you dine

For busy parents, planning a night out sans kids can be a logistical nightmare, not to mention a little costly in the child-minding department. A restaurant chain in the States, Olive Garden, has an offer that is sure to entice. Their message – "come to our restaurant for dinner, and we'll pick up the babysitting tab". How? By teaming up with a network of children's fitness centers called My Gym.

Interactive ad… in a magazine

A new year brings new beginnings, but this new way of utilizing print advertising is pretty out there. 'Wired' magazine put something a bit special on shelves with their January issue. The first print advertisement of its kind for the Motorola Moto X surprised readers by allowing them to 'customize' the device's colour options. That's right – readers can view the different product colours by pressing the swatches at the bottom of the print ad.

The 2020 kitchen – countertops that cook food, find recipes, send text messages

The best features of the 2014 International CES (consumer electronics show) give us a glimpse into what our homes, transportation and lifestyles may look like in the future. As a technologically-centered population, tech advancements not only revolve around our lifestyle needs, but they also change and shape the way we live. The Whirlpool Interactive Cooktop is one of the concepts that caused a stir at this year's show. I mean, what cooktop would be complete without Facebook capabilities, playing music through Spotify, and being able to find and display recipes from Pinterest?

Be wary of all driving mistakes – not just your own.

The summer holidays are a hazardous time on the open roads of New Zealand. It's often during this period that we are bombarded with gruesome advertising campaigns. You know the ones – ads that make it all too clear that the faster you go, the bigger the mess. However, many of us deny this truth, or simply believe it won't happen to us… we reckon we're all pretty good drivers, and that even when we speed, we're still in control. The New Zealand Transport Agency has cottoned on to this notion and changed it's messaging accordingly. This season their advertising asks drivers to slow down because of the mistakes that other drivers make. The ensuing campaign really hammers home the dangers of speeding and how someone else's simple mistake can cost lives.

Ice Truck Proves Battery's Reliability

Claiming that a car battery is able to start a car in temperatures as low as -40°C is one thing. Proving that it works by creating (and running) a car made almost entirely out of -40°C ice is another. This winter advertising campaign for Canadian Tire's chill-resistant battery hits the nail on the head in displaying the key property of the product while grabbing attention. "It's really difficult to make a car battery interesting," said chief officer of Canadian Tire's retail unit. "And it's even more difficult to explain to people why new battery technology is important to them." Well buddy, a picture paints a thousand words, and you've done just that.

Burger King culls disloyal Facebook fans... using McDonald's burgers

Want to find out who your true Facebook fans are? Well, here's one way to do it. Burger King Norway recently ran a seemingly backwards campaign entitled the 'Whopper Sellout'. They offered people the opportunity to be a true Burger King fan on Facebook, or 'sellout' and receive a McDonald's burger. Those who favoured the competitor freebies were subsequently banned from the Burger King Facebook page... for all eternity.