The biting of the medal has become a tradition at the Olympic games that symbolizes victory. DDB Chicago draws the connection between this iconic symbol and the biting of McNuggets and other McDonald’s products “sometimes used to celebrate life’s smaller victories” for the juggernaut Olympic sponsor.
The spot “takes viewers on a ride through Olympic history [which] cleverly juxtaposes medal-biting images with shots of fans across the world biting into McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets.” The first 45 seconds or so of the 60 second spot are given to a well-produced homage to Olympic history. When athletes start biting their medals, the text “The greatest victories are celebrated with a bite” appears on screen, followed by shots of people digging into their McNuggets. It’s well executed, even if the idea of likening winning a gold medal to biting into a meal made of molded leftover chicken parts is quite the stretch. Credits after the jump. continued…
For the follow-up to the popular “Look Inside. Jack Andraka” video which garnered over 2 million views on YouTube, VB&P decided to tell the inspiring story of Erik Weihenmayer.
Erik is a mountain climber who has climbed the seven tallest summits on earth, one of only 118 people in history to accomplish this feat. That would be impressive enough, but Weihenmayer is the only person to do so while blind. Weihenmayer was born with retinoschisis and was fully blind by the age of 13. Three years later, at a recreational program for the visually impaired, he was introduced to rock climbing, and it changed his life forever. “I wanted my life to be an adventure, I didn’t want to be shoved to the sidelines and forgotten and just sit in a dark room listening to life go by,” Weihenmayer said. “Rock climbing for me was sort of a symbol that I could get to the summit of whatever I wanted to do, but I had to do it differently.”
In 2001, Weihenmayer became the first blind man to reach the top of Mount Everest, and by 2008 he’d accomplished the amazing feat of scaling the seven tallest peaks in the world. “In an ironic way, that thing like blindness or that barrier you face, if you attack it the right way, it can become a catalyst to moving yourself to a new place that you may not have gone to in any other way,” Erik said.
Erik’s story can be viewed online, in the above film directed by Christopher Hewitt of Knucklehead. Intel has also launched a social media program, where if Erik’s video is shared 2,900 times they will donate $30,000 to No Barriers USA, an organization offering “transformative experiences that allow people to embrace a ‘no barriers mindset’ and discover the potential that lies within themselves and the world.” After viewing Erik’s “Look Inside” video above, you can head here for the full story. Stick around for credits and “Look Inside. Jack Andraka” after the jump.
What happens when two NBA athletes confront each other in an ad campaign dubbed “Approved” for Foot Locker? This. Now, BBDO NY continues its successful, appealing streak with the sports apparel retail chain by bringing in New Orleans Pelicans’ unibrowed star Anthony Davis to join forces with James Harden, the bearded star of the Houston Rockets. You might remember Harden from his previous roles in Foot Locker ads including one where he exposed his singing talents. In the first Harden-less spot, Davis cruelly crashes a youngster’s hoop dreams while meeting with Harden in the second one below. It keeps continue to be appealing so let us try to get a laugh, out of this, the horrible post-ice storm day. The first one above is for Kids Foot Locker while the one below is for regular Foot Locker.
The new site features a unique and unusual visual design that lends itself well to the brand’s “To the life less ordinary” tagline. On the site “a singular access point icon has replaced the fixed navigation, the logo surfaces only when necessary, and product-specific sections like “Drinks” are more about cocktail inspiration than a recipe archive.” The site invites viewers to scroll down the page for a cinematic experience, ending with a 1:06 video (featured above) that correlates with the rest of the site. That all of it is rather strange (in a very Nordic kind of way) and doesn’t make a ton of sense, again, completely fits the “life less ordinary” attitude the brand is promoting. Intended reaction (I’m guessing): “I have no idea what’s going on, but it kind of makes me want some vodka.” Check out the site for yourself, and stick around for credits after the jump. continued…
Reason Partners has crafted a new campaign for Credit Canada, entitled “Get Out From Under,” that utilizes underwater imagery to illustrate what it feels like to face critical debt.
With household debt in Canada having reached an all time high last year, the campaign is well timed. “More and more people need help staying afloat financially, and we’re letting them know we can be the lifesavers,” said Credit Canada CEO Laurie Campbell. “We’re getting the message out that our not-for-profit credit counseling, financial counseling, and financial literacy programs promote manageable ways to deal with debt, no matter how stormy the seas.”
The simple and direct 30 second television spot, directed by Steve Gordon, portrays a (fully-clothed) woman floundering under water, accompanied by Credit Canada’s message appearing on screen: “Without making a profit or false promises, we’ve helped over 2 million people since 1966.” As the text “We’ll help you get out from under” appears, a hand reaches down to pull the woman up, representing Credit Canada lifting its clients out of debt. The imagery and message from the television spot are echoed in the transit ads, print ads, and collateral components that make up the rest of the “Get Out From Under” campaign. Stick around for credits after the jump. continued…
In other pizza-related campaign news, what is a professional baby? How does one go about becoming a professional baby? At what point does an amateur baby turn professional? These and other questions come to mind after watching mcgarrybowen’s “Baby Waterskiing” spot from their #GoForGreatness campaign.
The YouTube inspired spot, which Whitehouse Post editors Tim Warmanen and Carlos Lowenstein sliced together for Pizza Hut’s YouTube-inspired “Go For Greatness” Super Bowl campaign (which also features the spot “Grandma Drummer”) shows several seconds of a baby named Ryder waterskiing before flashing the warning “Do not attempt. Professional baby.” At this point it becomes hard to pay attention to the rest of the ad, which promotes Pizza Hut’s new hand-tossed pizza, because how you can you not dwell on the “professional baby” disclaimer? The 30 second ad ends by inviting viewers to “Upload your greatness” to Pizza Hut’s YouTube page. Especially if you have a professional baby in the house. Stick around for “Grandma Drummer” and credits after the jump. continued…
No official word as of yet, but sources tell us that Hill Holliday has made some cuts today. A source familiar with the IPG-owned agency tells us that cuts, which we hear affects less than the 10 percent of agency staff that’s been reported, but it is primarily due to the loss of most of the Liberty Mutual account which happened in December. If you recall, HH had been working with the financial institution since 2005 but lost the biz to Havas Worldwide and Optimedia on the creative and media side, respectively, last year. The review actually began in summer of 2013 if you recall. We’re awaiting a full message from Hill Holliday and will update when we receive.
Mekanism concluded their “Get Hyped For Halftime” campaign last night with “Pepsi: Sound Check NYC,” the lead-in to the Bruno Mars Super Bowl halftime performance which acted as a much-needed respite from the ridiculously one-sided game.
The 30-second halftime intro “sound checks” New York City, with giant hands strumming the Brooklyn Bridge like a guitar, playing the Guggenheim like drums, mixing levels on a NYC subway train board and scratching Columbus Circle like it’s a turntable. Other landmarks include the Empire State Building and surrounding skyline, and the East Side Pepsi sign. The spot ends at Met Life Stadium (as you know, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey) with Pepsi’s “Live For Now” tagline. It’s a simple, yet clever little introduction to the halftime show, even if the game itself didn’t take place in New York City. Because, let’s face it, no one wants to see East Rutherford’s top landmarks.
We’ve received word that along with another major client, San Francisco-based Evolution Bureau has nabbed the ad duties for Peet’s Coffee & Tea, which was previously handled by Goodby Silverstein & Partners. From what we’ve been told, EVB, which handles digital work for clients but most recently handled broadcast along with Victors & Spoils among other agencies on JCPenney work, will handle all duties for the Peet’s account. We will be able to confirm the other account by next Monday.
Following the release of W+K Amsterdam’s “The Odyssey” last week, Heineken has released a tongue-in-cheek response to the comment section skeptics who questioned the spot’s authenticity.
The 2:10, presented as “the genuine response of our official PR representative Dymfke van Der Gaal,” replies directly to YouTube commenters who publicly questioned the authenticity of the individual talents in “The Odyssey.” As evidence, Heineken presents the casting calls for the guys in the ad, which are predictably goofy. In addition the PR response video, Heineken has also uploaded the casting calls for each of the talents featured in “The Odyssey.” The PR response fits well with the lighthearted tone of the campaign, and reinforces its core message. As Sandrine Huijgen, Global Communications Director at Heineken puts it, “When we saw the comments about The Odyssey TVC, we wanted to show that there are no boundaries between real and fake, proving that real men have unique skills, and everyone is legendary at something.” Stick around for the original “The Odyssey” spot and credits following the jump. continued…
Since few would argue that the commercials were more interesting than the game last night, chances are you saw RPA’s “Hugfest” spot, featuring Bruce Willis and SNL-alum/Portlandia star Fred Armisen.
The simple, straightforward spot features Willis urging viewers to hug those around them that they care about — “the people that matter to you, matter to us” — as a way of emphasizing Honda’s commitment to safety. Armisen then appears and hugs Willis for the duration of the 60 second spot.
“Our simple, yet engaging, big-game spot is intended to highlight not only Honda’s deep concern for the safety of our customers, but the actual industry-leading crash test results that back up our commitment,” explained Mike Accavitti, senior vice president of auto operations at American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
The campaign extends beyond the big game spot, with a large social media component utilizing the hashtag #hugfest. During the Super Bowl, Honda posted “real-time video reactions from Willis about events such as penalties, fumbles and referee calls on the brand’s @Honda Twitter feed.” Immediately after the spot aired, Honda encouraged viewers to send virtual hugs (actually Willis hugging the camera) to loved ones who they couldn’t be near during the big game. Today, Honda is collecting hugs via Twitter by asking people “to send a picture or Vine of their hug with the hash tag #hugfest.” Bruce Willis will then respond with a “meme appraisal of the hug.” Additionally, Honda will have a homepage takeovers at MSN and ESPN, where a 30-second spot “How to Hug” video featuring Willis and Armisen will greet visitors to the sites. You can view “How to Hug,” along with credits after the jump. continued…
Ten years after Janet Jackson‘s “Nipplegate” fiasco (and 55 years after “The Day Music Died,” which reminds of simpler times when people were better at naming things), the Super Bowl has become one of the least controversial broadcast TV events. This year’s spots were, in two words, pretty dull. This morning, water cooler talk centered around what was perhaps Peyton Manning‘s worst performance in his storied career, with a few words spent on an adorable puppy befriending horses for Budweiser. Even GoDaddy, America’s idiot PG-rated smut peddlers, were commended by critics for this year creating a spot that was more about a harmless joke than it was about visiting their website to see if Danica Patrick really got naked. Booooorriiiinnnnnggg.
Now, imagine a world in which the above apparently “banned” commercial from Carl’s Jr. ran last night. Would that world be much different from the one that we currently reside in? Well, no, not really. But, at least some group of oversensitive moms in some rural town would have protested this commercial. I mean, do their five-year-olds really need to know that the world is a scary place where scantily dressed cowgirls suck on massive sausages for minutes on end without taking a bite? What about when that mayo or butter or whatever drops slowly onto her left breast? One might say it’s suggestive of semen, dripping slowly off of a large penis getting sucked off at a ranch. Yes, one might.
As for the origin of this spot, we’ve reached out to 72andSunny who tell us the spot was definitely not from them. Also, last we heard, Carl’s Jr. doesn’t make a breakfast sandwich with a comically large sausage stuck in its center. So, we assume it’s some prankster doing it on spec somewhere because he or she was bored. But, in the meantime, we’ll just pretend that this actually ran during the Super Bowl, and that we had something…ANYTHING…more to talk about today.
(Updated): We have no a brief statement from CKE Restaurants’ brand’s Carl’s Jr. on the spot:
On behalf of CKE Restaurants, Inc., parent company to Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants, They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But, we had nothing to do with this spoof ad.’”
In a timely follow-up to last week’s humorous “Long Week” spot, W+K NY have released “Jersey,” the latest in their “This Is SportsCenter” campaign.
The 17 second “Jersey” features SportsCenter anchor Stuart Scott and Broncos mascot Miles. Miles, depressed enough after seeing the Broncos steamrolled in the Super Bowl, prepares for what is presumably his end of the bargain following a losing bet with Seahawks mascot Blitz, and Scott feels for him. For the Denver mascot, it’s going to be another long week. “Jersey” is a fun continuation of the mascot rivalry W+K explored with “Long Week,” although we’re guessing Broncos fans won’t be so amused. Stick around for a second look at “Long Week” after the jump. continued…
180 Amsterdam is a launching a new integrated campaign for ASICS, which continues to highlight the brand’s “Better Your Best” mantra.
The new campaign “will have an even stronger and more powerful focus on how ASICS products and technologies help athletes across the board continue to improve in their sport.” This is evident in the TV spot “Gotta Run” for ASICS: Gel. It features an obnoxiously always up athlete, running from sport to sport all day and saying “gotta run” when jetting from one place to the next, before coming home and collapsing into bed without a shower. His poor significant other removes the shoes (which must smell indescribably awful) from his feet, making the ad come full circle from the beginning, when the guy plops out of bed and right into his ASICS. It’s a bit over-the-top, but should appeal to ASICS’ athletically obsessed core audience.
180 Amsterdam’s campaign will run all year long and feature “a mix of TV and print advertisements, digital brand films, point of sale, event activation and online engagement to strengthen ASICS image as a True Sports Performance brand.” Look for the “Marathon Campaign,” “a print and film campaign that celebrates the special qualities, attributes and personality of one of the world’s most selective groups”; the “Advantage, You” tennis campaign, featuring Gael Monfils and Samantha Stosur; and the triathlon video featuring “Ironman World Champion Pete Jacobs and his wife Jaimi on location at their Noosa home” in the near future. And please, if you’re going to work out all day, remember to take a shower.
Arnold Worldwide’s new campaign for ADT, “In My Mind’s Eye,” launches today with the debut TV spot “Burglary.”
The new campaign marks something of a departure for ADT, whose advertising strategy has historically stressed”the value of monitored protection in emergency incidents such as theft, fire, or carbon monoxide.” “In My Mind’s Eye” and the debut spot “Burglary” instead focus on the peace of mind ADT provides its customers with their protection from everyday security concerns.
In the 30 second spot, a couple are out to dinner when the woman realizes she may or may not have remembered to lock the back door. This distracts the man, who imagines he sees a troop of burglars at the restaurant making off with their valuables. Prompted by his reverie, he locks the back door using the ADT service offered on his mobile device. “Burglary” effectively demonstrates both a key feature of ADT’s service, and the peace of mind that comes with it — answering the questions, “Why would I want this?” and “What can it do for me?” in a simple, direct way.
The shift in approach came from insights showing “that people experience worry, like a low consistent hum distracting the person when they’re away from their homes,” says David Register, EVP/group creative director, Arnold Worldwide. “”The spot demonstrates how ADT relieves that angst by putting their customer in control and back in the moment.” Expect more ADT ads in a similar vein from Arnold in the future. “Burglary” rolls out today, with “radio, direct, digital, and social media creative appearing online beginning mid-February.” Credits after the jump. continued…
Budweiser decided to get serious this year with their patriotic “A Hero’s Welcome” commercial from agency Anomaly.
The 60 second spot documents the homecoming of a single soldier, welcomed (with Budweiser as a sponsor) back from Afghanistan by the entire town of Winter Park, Florida. Winter Park’s celebration included “a full ticker tape parade, complete with marching bands, antique military vehicles, the VFW motorcycle club and an appearance by the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales.” The 24 year-old Lt. Chuck Nadd, who was just happy to be reunited with his girlfriend, Shannon Cantwell, seemed genuinely surprised and touched.
If all that’s not enough to get you emotional, there’s the 5 minute behind-the-scenes documentary which features members of the Winter Park VFW who helped make the homecoming happen. Several of the veterans talk about their own experiences returning home from war, which were decidedly less pleasant than the welcome Nadd received, and how it really means a lot to feel appreciated. They get pretty emotional, as it clearly means a lot to them to help a fellow serviceman receive the homecoming that would have meant so much to them. Stick around for the behind-the-scenes footage after the jump, if you’re not worried about a case of the onions at work. continued…
We’ve received word that Adam Kmiec, who’s spent nearly the last two years as director/global digital media and social media for Campbell Soup Co., is no longer with the company. No official word on where he’s headed to next but spies say that Kmiec has moved back to Chicago, where he last served as director/social media for Walgreens. During his career, Kmiec also worked on the agency side in production/account departments at Colle+McVoy, Draftfcb, Fallon and MARC USA
Secret Weapon Marketing and Horizon Media have a new spot for Jack in the Box set to run regionally during the Super Bowl.
The spot introduces the new Bacon Insider burger, a burger with bacon built into the patty, on top of the burger, and (in case that’s not enough bacon) bacon mayo. To introduce the new burger, the spot takes viewers to Jack’s fantastical farm, complete with a brioche barn, curly fry trees, and a creature called a bork — that would be the pig/cow hybrid. The cheesy spot, which feels the need to sing/narrate everything you see, ends with the creatures saying “Moink” (moo+oink, get it?).
Iwona Alter, VP of menu strategy & innovation for Jack in the Box, says in a statement, “What better way to honor America’s favorite pigskin tradition than by giving America a bacon burger unlike any they’ve ever tasted before? We didn’t just put bacon on the burger. We put bacon in the burger, on top of the burger, underneath the burger and mixed it in the special bacon mayo sauce!”
While America has the drunk munchies is clearly the right time to introduce your new bacon, bacon and more bacon burger, so the regional Super Bowl ad makes sense, even if it likely cost Jack in the Box a small fortune. And the ads’ cheesy antics and bork creature should appeal to kids, especially kids who really love bacon.
DDB has created a series of print and banner ads for Skittles celebrating the Seahawks in anticipation of the Super Bowl.
The straightforward ads claim that the “S” on Skittles (pictured in green in the ads) now stands for Seahawks. These ads continue the brand’s celebration of the Seattle Seahawks and their star Marshawn Lynch. Last night, Skittles began a charitable auction to benefit Lynch’s the Fam 1st Family Foundation. The auction’s three lots include “24 packs of Skittles Seattle Mix (one of them signed by Marshawn Lynch) and one unique Skittles covered item, such as a football, a helmet or a megaphone.” The bidding began at $100, with one of the lots’ current high bid at $5,700. DDB’s print campaign will run “tomorrow in the Seattle Times, and on Saturday in the Tacoma Tribune and The Olympian, and they will take over Skittles’ entire existing digital media buy starting today.”
In a campaign that launches tomorrow KFC Russia and agency Perfect Fools are offering KFC customers the chance to star in their own television commercial.
Perfect Fools created MovieMatic, a machine designed “to direct, shoot, edit and post the footage to YouTube.” KFC customers can use the MoveiMatic to insert themselves into a KFC ad that will be uploaded to YouTube. Once their video is uploaded, “a receipt is printed with the URL and a reminder to watch their creation, share and invite friends to vote.” A “panel of experts” (your guess as to what that means is as good as ours) will then select the best of the bunch to air on Russian television. Technology utilized in the MovieMatic includes: “professional photography lights, two Canon 5D Mark III cameras, computers with bespoke software, storage drives, wifi router and phidgets for the control buttons, plus smaller light emitting gadgets and microphones.”
Piotr Rozanski, marketing director for YUM! Brands Russia said, “KFC is the first brand in Russia to star a customer in a TV campaign. The aim is to captivate, inspire customers, generate lots of brilliant videos showing off their acting and dancing skills, then get them involved in a popularity contest to make them a hero across Russia.”
The MovieMatic will be in Moscow for the next week, and then make a two week tour of St. Petersburg starting on February 19th. Contestants have five days following the creation of their video to generate as many votes as possible. The television commercial featuring the winning contestant will air on March 31st. You can view results here. Credits after the jump. continued…
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