Hasta La Creative!

BarrettSF enlisted the aid of Steve Nash to promote TopLine Game Lab’s DailyMVP fantasy game, which differentiates itself from other fantasy sports leagues by offering short-format games that last from a day to a week.

In the ad, Nash dons spectacles and a wig, appearing as an everyday librarian who can feel like an MVP thanks to the fantasy app. “I love being a librarian,” Nash says at the start of the spot, “but some days can be a little quiet.” He goes on to demonstrate the app and how it adds some excitement to his daily routine (while getting shushed). The spot ends with the tagline, “Have an MVP day,” emphasizing the short format. It was released to coincide with the start of the NBA season. A future spot starring Tom Brady will roll out near the end of the NFL season, when many players in traditional fantasy leagues have already been eliminated. (more…)

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Translation recently debuted a new spot for Sprite documenting LeBron James return to his home town of Akron, Ohio.

Entitled “LeBron James’ First Home Game” the spot follows James as a driver takes him through Akron and to Patterson Park, where Sprite has restored two basketball courts. This footage is interpersed with Akron residents discussing how epic James’ first home game for the Cavaliers will be. James arrives at Patterson Park where a throng of excited fans follows him as he sits and watches a pick up game. “They say home is where your heart is. Well my heart is here, it’s always been,” James says. “This is my first game,” he adds, before telling the guys on the court, “I’ve got next.” (Good luck with that, guys.)

It’s an emotional approach, if somewhat muted from coming on the heels of R/GA’s ad for Beats carrying much the same message. Still, aside from the awful Imagine Dragons song used to soundtrack the spot, it’s well put-together and those not already feeling overly-saturated by ads starring James (he also appears in this recent Kia spot) should find it enjoyable enough, especially Cavs fans. A 30-second version of the spot will run during the Cavs first home game later this month, and Sprite has also issued “commemorative 12-ounce cans featuring James’ likeness that are available in Ohio stores,” according to Creativity.

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In early September, the Los Angeles Clippers named Santa-Monica based RPA as its lead creative agency following a review launched in August. Now, at the start of the NBA season RPA has debuted a new campaign for the team entitled “Be Relentless.”

“Be Relentless” alludes to the off-the-court troubles faced by the Clippers in the form of Donald Sterling‘s racist comments which led to the sale of the team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. RPA’s new campaign casts the new season in a positive light, as the beginning of a new era for the team, which reached the conference semifinals last year. The campaign centers around a broadcast spot, created in collaboration with Panay Films and released in both 30 and 60-second versions, also called “Be Relentless.” Filmed in majestic black and white, the ad begins by asking, “You think you know who we are?” before announcing, “This is a new game, a new era.” The spot goes on, “We have walked through fire and come out on the other side,” alluding quite obviously to the Sterling controversy while putting a positive spin on the new season as a new beginning for the team.

The 60-second version of the ad debuted nationally last night, during both opening night double headers and will air nationally again during the Clippers’ home opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder tomorrow night. Both 30 and 60-second versions of the spot will also air locally in the Los Angeles market during prime-time shows, live sports programming, as well as in Los Angeles and Orange County movie theaters. The campaign is supported by print elements in the LA Times and ESPN Magazine and out-of-home media in the L.A. skyline and along major freeways.

“Our goal is to make the Clippers the most loved sports entertainment brand—period,” said RPA SVP and Group Account Director Kirt Danner.

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Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners is launching “Planet of Triumphs” — a new online community for Planet Fitness members to celebrate their accomplishements — with a digital and social campaign.

“Planet of Triumphs” was created with the insight that Planet Fitness’ “Judgement Free Zone” allows its members to accomplish feats both great and small that they might not have been able to do in a setting where they had to worry about how they would be perceived by others. Built on the “belief that every achievement deserves to be celebrated,” the community encourages members to share their stories and accomplishments while both giving and receiving encouragement from other Planet Fitness members. Members can submit their stories via photos and videos using a selection of templates and enter to win win weekly prizes and a chance to be named “Triumph of the Week.” Those who submit before December 16th could also be given a walk-on spot in a 2015 Planet Fitness commercial.

RTO+P introduces the program in the video above, in which Planet Fitness members share their stories. Their accomplishments range from getting on a treadmill for the first time to undergoing such a transformation that people no longer recognize you. The video celebrates these accomplishments while introducing “Planet of Triumphs” and emphasizing Planet Fitness’ all-inclusive mentality. The program is also being promoted through paid digital and social media. (more…)

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F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi has launched a new campaign promoting Skol’s new Beats Senses beer.

At the center of the campaign is a broadcast spot crafted as an homage to Skol’s blue bottle. The ad shows a bizarre, surreal party, shot entirely underwater. (There is a shark on a leash. Repeat: There is a shark on leash.) To accomplish the unique look of the spot, F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi and PBA Cinema/Produtora Associados used “strategically located divers for each actor to provide them with oxygen – invisible to the eye in the finished film.” The results are pretty unique, and well worth a look. The spot debuted, in both 30 and 60-second versions, on cable and broadcast on October 23rd and the campaign also features digital initiatives. (more…)

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CDW and Ogilvy & Mather teamed up to bring back Charles Barkley for the latest iteration of the brand’s “People Who Get IT” campaign, which Barkley has appeared in since 2012.

The new “Smart Growth 2.0?campaign, which focuses on partnerships with Microsoft, ADC and Lenovo, debuts tonight with 30-second broadcast spots during Monday Night Football. Once again featuring the fictional Gordon & Taylor company, the spots show Barkley and company dealing with new growth as they attempt to keep up with innovation. CDW, of course, is presented as the solution. The best of the spots features a different take on the “mobile work station.” The campaign is supported by online and social elements, as well as “internal engagement programs, sales enablement, customer events, CDW.com promotions and public relations support.”

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GSD&M is launching its fall campaign for Southwest Airlines with a new spot, entitled “Wedding,” which debuts this Sunday during NFL programming.

The ad touts Southwest Airlines as the perfect partner for wedding season. While it may seem like odd timing (with wedding season just ending), invitations for weddings during the season are likely making their way out now, and people like the woman in the ad may be wondering how they’re going to make it to several different weddings without going broke. The spot takes a humorous approach, showing the woman partying it up, dancing at several different weddings, before finally resting (very) easy on a Southwest flight. “Everyone deserves 73 dollar fares,” says a voiceover, “because wedding season can get expensive.”

The broadcast spot, as well as a few which roll out later in the month, will run through December. There’s also a print campaign, shot by photographer Martin Schoeller, which features product-focused messages promoting “Bags Fly Free” and free in-flight TV courtesy of DISH. (more…)

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CP+B has just launched the first ever marketing campaign for home automation company WeMo, taking aim at viewer’s sweet sides with a 60-second broadcast spot.

The spot, entitled “The Big Anniversary Rig” tells the story of a couple separated on their first wedding anniversary. To celebrate, the husband sets up an “anniversary rig” using WeMo’s automation, surprising the wife when she gets home with a series of romantic gestures accomplished using WeMo. Depending on your tolerance for sweetness, the spot may or may not be overly saccharine, but it’s a clever way to show WeMo in an emotional context. “The Big Anniversary Rig” debuted online today, prompting viewers to watch three separate “How Dan Did It” videos. It will make its broadcast debut on network television next month. (more…)

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Agency Cutwater teamed up with production company Cap Gun Collective for a series of comedic shorts promoting Intel’s Chromebook.

Set in a coffee shop, the shorts are based around the premise of computer problems happening in the real world. Unfortunately, the scenarios presented seem a little bit dated. In “Monotaskers,” for example, a woman at a coffee shop won’t let a man do more than one thing at a time, taking his book while he sips his coffee. “Frozen Coffee” presents a glitchy barista, which is funny in a way, but also seems removed from the current technological climate (as is the case with “Monotaskers”). Since, at the end of these spots, Intel’s Chromebook is presented as the solution, it’s as if Intel’s competition is presented as computers from the previous decade, rather than modern competitors. That doesn’t do a whole lot to represent the Chromebook in a good light, and leaves viewers with little reason to pick it up over its real-world competition. (more…)

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Cheel has released a new campaign for Samsung’s new Galaxy Alpha smartphone, featuring top model Doutzen Kroes.

The campaign is centered around a 30-second broadcast spot capitalizing on Kroes’ popularity. In the spot, Kroes is shown out clubbing with friends (according to the PR release, these are her actual friends, in real life!). Kroes finds reason to use her phone in various ways, as text such as “metal design” and “supersnelle autofocus” appear onscreen. Ultimately, it a very forgettable approach, as it seems Cheel is really banking on Kroes’ star power to carry the spot.

“The campaign perfectly illustrates the feeling that the Galaxy Alpha personifies: connected and stylish at the same time, while you enjoy the fun things in life,” said Gerben van Walt Meijer, Samsung mobile marketing manager. (more…)

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