Solve and Cascadian Farm Help Save the Bees

In an extended example of what we might call “cause marketing,” Minneapolis agency Solve and production company H?L?/director Kyle Ruddick document client Cascadian Farm’s efforts to quite literally save the bees with a bit of melodic help from one Jónsi.

The National Geographic-style footage in the “short film” is impressive, and the campaign earned an extensive New York Times writeup via Andrew Adam Newman over the weekend.

It’s true that the “enlist the public” aspect of this work amounts to pushing viewers to plant more wildflowers for bees to pollinate, but sometimes the simplest approaches are the most effective.

The Times piece also offers a nuanced consideration of what might seem like conflicts of interest facing an organic brand now owned by General Mills.

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Lesson Never Learned: Jack Link’s Once Again Sullies Up to Sasquatch

It’s been almost a year since we last covered Jack Link’s and their Sasquatch antihero, but everyone’s favorite ugly creature is back to sell some beef jerky and beat up anyone who messes with him (it). Minneapolis-based agency Carmichael Lynch has produced three new spots for the campaign, all of which were once again directed by Rocky Morton.

In the above commercial – “All Dolled Up” – three fools try to get their kicks by putting makeup on Sasquatch. He responds by flipping their car and possibly killing them, because, well,  Sasquatch doesn’t wear lipstick. The ads tap into the creature’s vaguely redneck brand appeal with foggy rural settings and the fact that the product is beef jerky. If I learned anything here, it’s to avoid Jack Link’s beef jerky, because eating it will lead to serious personal injury and an upset Sasquatch. Two more clips and the credits after the jump.

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