New Economist ads somewhat less than cracking.

(click ads, via) Unlike pretty much every other magazine or newspaper in the world, the British weekly has a reputation for simple, smart ads—though, in recent American executions, they've dumbed down the creative, like with this gym ad and this stupid mechanical bull installation in Dallas. Even their recent UK efforts have been uncharacteristically silly.
Here, via the UAE, They've kept the iconic two-color look, but lost the iconic razor wit. They're not terrible, but they're far from up to snuff. Ad agency: Ogilvy, Dubai.