Top 10 stories and distractions: Blackface and 'boobies'

Top stories

Here are the top 10 most-read items on CampaignAsia.com for 30 August through 5 September.

1. When global sensibilities trump local marketing: Thailand's Dunkin' Donuts ad

2. Media industry reacts cautiously to web restrictions in Vietnam

3. Nike wins agency leaders' favour; Reckitt Benckiser ranks lowest

4. Edelman launches research and analytics unit in Greater China

5. Shawn Hiltz exits Dow Jones to join Info-Nation as CEO

6. Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore hosts Digital Innovation Night

7. Marketers like to change things; sometimes they shouldn't

8. Singapore Airlines campaign moves emphasis away from 'Singapore Girl'

9. Millward Brown launches first automatic Chinese text-analysis tool for social-media research

10. Country branding: Malaysia's slogan not plagiarized, just too obvious

Top distractions

Here are a few things that diverted our attention during the week.

1. Facebook has rejected an ad that contained the text, "Some gorgeous shots here of some juvenile boobies." And the company is sticking to its guns even though the ad in question was for the Christmas Island Tourism Association and the boobies in question were birds.

A Facebook spokesperson told the Huffington Post that the social network understands that the ad was about birds, and understands that the advertiser was intentionally trying to be funny, but that the ads will not be posted because the advertiser "crossed the threshold we are comfortable with" regarding use of language. Facebook is no fun. 

2. This woman really wanted McNuggets. It's an ugly incident, but it Includes probably our favourite threat ever: "Don't make me assume my ultimate form!" Anyone know the allusion there?

3. A crazy amount of work went into creating a robotic band for this video by Zima and Hakuhodo.