May 19

Periscope Showcases Gnome Town, Meat Raffle and More ‘#OnlyinMN’ Attractions for the Minnesota State Lottery

Posted in: Uncategorized

Periscope recently launched a new campaign for the Minnesota State Lottery emphasizing the unique quirks and charms of that state.

Entitled “#OnlyinMN,” the campaign promotes a state-themed scratch off with a look at some of the attractions which you can only find in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” One spot takes a look at Dawson, Minnesota’s “Gnome Town,” whose residents include Gerry, Areta and Mayor Al.

Other efforts focus on the 1029’s “Meat Raffle,” the Norwegian imports of Lefse ( a flatbread) and the phrase, “Uff da.” According to Wikipeida, it’s used to express “bafflement, surprise or dismay.” In Minnesota the phrase adorns such items as hats, mousepads and mugs.

The point is to tie the quirky charms of the distinctly Minnesotan to the “#OnlyinMN” scratch game, which likewise relies on the state’s unique charm.

Credits:
Advertising Agency: Periscope, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Production Company: Committee Films
Editorial: Periscope
Color: Nice Shoes
Audio: Babble-On
Music: In The Groove

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May 19

Dr. J Talks ‘The Stage’ in Translation Spot Hyping the NBA Playoffs

Posted in: Uncategorized

Last month, Translation launched a campaign promoting the NBA Playoffs with a spot featuring none other than NBA legend (and Kazaam star) Shaquille O’Neal.

To promote the start of the NBA Finals on June 1, the agency turned to a different legend: Julius Erving, perhaps better known as Dr. J.

Erving talks about how “all that elegance, all that style” (and Dr. J. would know a thing or two about style) doesn’t really matter on “the ultimate stage” if you fail to take home a ring, while putting on a shirt and tie. His take on the Finals is interspersed with footage of legends such as Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, as well as Dr. J himself, of course.

The spot concludes by tying Erving’s message that “When it’s all over, you either have a ring or you don’t” to the “This Is Why We Play” tagline Translation introduced for the start of the 2015 NBA season. Dr. J delivers the line while slipping on his own ring, which he won with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983.

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May 18

space150 Introduces the Baroness for Red Baron

Posted in: Uncategorized

Last year, Schwan’s Consumer Brands, Inc., the retail-grocery company and subsidiary of Schwan Food Company, selected space150 as agency of record for seven of its brands, including Red Baron, following review.

The agency subsequently launched a “Timeless” campaign celebrating the 40th anniversary of the frozen pizza brand.

Now space150 has ushered in a new era for the brand, replacing the Red Baron with a new Baroness character. The Baroness makes her debut in a 30-second  spot entitled “War Stories.” While the Baroness isn’t a veteran of any war, she trades her “War Stories” of the more difficult trials of motherhood with a fellow mom, while decked out in a bomber jacket complete with patches earned over years of mom accomplishments. The two try to one-up each other with such stories, from surviving a “standoff” with a four-year old over a certain vegetable, rescuing a prized toy from the garbage disposal and more before tying the message to the brand’s selling point as an easy dinner option for busy families.

“‘War Stories’ shows, with motherhood comes challenges and circumstances only moms really understand; and, it’s important for them to share these stories and experiences to support each other,” space150 chief creative officer Brock Davis explained in a statement. “Pizza is a secret weapon the whole family can agree on and has the power to bring peace, especially at meal time. The Baroness is the embodiment of support moms need during these moments of chaos at mealtime and beyond.”

“We listened to a lot of moms out there – friends, consumers, team members – who didn’t see themselves in a lot of the picture-perfect moms usually portrayed in TV and advertising. It’s important that as a brand we create a new marketing campaign that not only embraces the messiness and chaos of motherhood but also champions all moms and the decisions they have to make every day,” added Schwan’s Consumer Brands chief growth officer (and mom) April Anslinger.

“We’re excited to introduce the Baroness, a mom who understands parenting doesn’t always mean perfection. As the new voice of the brand, the Baroness will speak to busy moms as only another mom can, by finding humor in the often-hectic moments of motherhood, and by sharing patches to remind moms just how well they are doing, every day, even when they don’t realize it.”

In addition to the online spot, the agency is also launching a social media campaign around the Baroness character and her motherhood patches. The extension will include influencer partnerships with real moms sharing their own war stories and “personalized patches for moms who share their war stories in real time using #WingMama,” according to a release.

The campaign will also be supported by dedicated influencer, PR and shopper marketing initiatives.

 

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May 17

Anomaly Is Still Rocking Out to The White Stripes for Beats by Dre

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It has been a year since Anomaly won the Beats by Dre account and subsequently opened up a new Los Angeles office to service the client.

Today the agency unveiled its latest spot for the fashion headphones brand, following up its December “Be Heard” anthem with a very similar effort, directed by Doomsday Entertainment’s Alastair McKevitt. Like its predecessor, the 30-second spot is set to The White Stripes‘ “Seven Nation Army” and features a series of star athletes using the song to get pumped up for game time. This time around, though, the athletes in question are all NBA stars. There’s LeBron James, of course, and also James Harden, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant.

The simplicity of the spot means the focus is on the music, star athletes and sleek design of Beats’ wireless headphones, but it can’t help but feel a bit too much like the ad Anomaly released for the brand in December. While viewers might not mind the retread this time around, Anomaly will have to change things up ar least slightly next time to prevent the campaign from feeling too stale. The spot will run during the NBA Playoffs, naturally, which continues to be a top draw for advertisers.

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May 17

W+K and Duracell Continue to Place All Their Trust in Power

Posted in: Uncategorized

No one brand should have all that power.

But Duracell still does it in AOR Wieden + Kennedy’s latest for the battery company, which extends the “Trust is Power” campaign that launched back in January.

As in previous spots, these run on themes. The newest is “Camping” and the many things that can go wrong when one does not have a reliable source of power for that all-important flashlight.

We also missed the last spot in the series, which launched last month and played on the truism that hardcore gamers may not be the world’s most socially adept individuals.

Our favorite part of this last one is the fact that pretty much everybody in the YouTube comments asked who owns that SICK Infiniti G37 in the background.

“Camping” was directed by Biscuit Filmworks’ Andreas Nilsson, who also helmed “Epic Split” and the recent KFC spot starring Rob Lowe.

The campaign is also active on the social with the graphics that move.

 

CREDITS

Client: Duracell
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy New York
Spots: “Camping,” “Gaming”
Executive Creative Director Karl Lieberman
Creative Director Jaclyn Crowley
Creative Director Eric Helin
Copywriter Brock Kirby
Art Director Sezay Altinok
Head of Integrated Production Nick Setounski
Executive Producer Alison Hill
Associate Producer Alexey Novikov
Director of Brand Strategy Dan Hill
Strategy Director Sean Staley
Brand Strategist Cristina Pansolini
Social Strategist Liz Lightbody
Account Director Mike Welch
Management Supervisor Meghan Mullen
Account Supervisor Mike Mueller
Account Executive Jamie Robinson
Comms Planner Stuart Augustine
Business Affairs Michael Moronez
Project Manager Ava Rant
Traffic Managers Sonia Bisono, Andy Hume

FILM PRODUCTION
Production Company Biscuit.
Local Service Company Story
Director Andreas Nilsson
Managing Director Shawn Lacy
Executive Producer Holly Vega
Head of Production Rachel Glaub
Head of Production Mercedes Allen
Line Producer Jay Veal
Production Supervisor Jennifer Berry

EDITORIAL
Editorial Company Rock Paper Scissors
Editor Carlos Arias
Producer Ashley Bartell
Cutting Assistant Christopher Fetsch

VFX
VFX Company THE MILL
Executive Producer Melanie Wickham
Producer Clairellen Wallin
VFX Shoot Supervisor Westley Sarokin
2D Lead Artist Mikey Smith
2D Artists Sungeun Moon, Molly Intersimone, Chris Sonia
Coordinator Zachary Franciose
TELECINE
Telecine Company CO3
Colorist Tom Poole

MIX
Mix Company Sound Lounge
Mixer Justin Kooy

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May 17

Australians Condemn Ad Starring Disgraced Sprinter Ben ‘Puts the ‘Roid in Android’ Johnson

Posted in: Uncategorized

So, to open with an established fact: many ads do indeed suck.

Does this new Australian campaign for aptly named sports betting company Sportsbet suck? The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency and the country’s minister of health and culture seem to think so.

The work plays on a very basic joke: onetime Olympic gold medalist Ben Johnson is an infamous cheater. Now please waste your money betting on sports!
“Puts the ‘roid’ in Android,” get it?

Russian stereotypes are also particularly relevant at the moment. And remember, Russian authorities now fully admit to the 2014 Sochi doping conspiracy.
Turns out, though, that Australian regulators were more upset about this campaign than British people were about the McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish disaster.

An ASADA spokesman told the AP:

“This advert makes light of the use of performance enhancing drugs in sport and sends the completely wrong message that the use of drugs in sport is normal.”

Minister of health and sport Greg Hunt called it “utterly inappropriate,” but a client spokesperson said Sportsbet has received “overwhelmingly positive support” for this “tongue-in-cheek joke.”

The Australian equivalent of Paddy Power, which signed Sydney’s BMF as its creative agency a couple of years ago, has had multiple ads banned by relevant authorities in recent years.

It’s almost like the brand relies on controversy…

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May 17

The New Most Interesting Man ‘Addresses the Elephant in the Room’ in Havas New York’s Latest for Dos Equis

Posted in: Uncategorized

Last time we checked in with Havas New York’s new “Most Interesting Man in the World” — as played by Augustin Legrand — it was for a rather disappointing Cinco de Mayo effort featuring a chili pepper eating contest.

For the latest installment, “Wedding Crasher,” the character makes an entrance by crashing a spacecraft, perhaps a nod to Jonathan Goldsmith‘s sendoff. From there the copy adheres closely to the tone and spirit the original campaign became known for, with ridiculous boasts/jokes like “His passing remarks have been turned into screenplays” and “If there’s an elephant in the room, it’s because he brought one.”

As a result, the spot is the closest Havas New York’s new take on the character has come to the success of the classic campaign and the most convincing Legrand has been in the role so far. It’s easily a step up from the aforementioned Cinco de Mayo effort and Havas New York’s full introduction for the character last October. We would like to see Legrand’s co-starring character from that spot, played by Marina Artigas, be given a more substantial role in the campaign, however.

Credits:
Advertising Agency: Havas New York
Chief Creative Officer of North America: Jason Peterson
Chief Creative Officer of the Americas: Toygar Bazarkaya
Executive Creative Director: Jim Hord
Group Creative Director: Keith Scott
Group Creative Director: Paul Johnson
Creative Director: Paul Fix
Associate Creative Director: Matthew Hock
Associate Creative Director: David Fredette
—–
Chief Executive Officer: Laura Maness
Managing Director, Chief Performance Marketing Officer: Jon Dupuis
Group Account Director: Chris Budden
Account Director: Jamie Sundheim
Account Director: Michelle Garrard
Account Supervisor: Wendy Hu
Account Supervisor: Jenny Maughan
—–
Chief Strategy Officer: Dan Goldstein
Senior Strategist: Stacey Kawahata
—–
Director of Social Marketing: Larry Lac
Social Strategist: Rachel Korenstein
Social Coordinator: Katie Campo
—–
Head of Content, North America: Dave Evans
Head of Content, North America: Sylvain Tron
Executive Producer: Jill Meschino
Junior Producer: Lauren O’Driscoll
Junior Producer: Alex Zubak
Director of Broadcast Business Affairs: Cathy Pitegoff
Senior Broadcast Business Manager: Deborah Steeg
Senior Talent Specialist: Yvette Aponte
—
Production Company: Traktor
Director: Traktor
Director of Photography: Hoyte Van Hoytema
Executive Producer: Rani Melendez
Production Company: Rattling Stick
Executive Producer: Joe Biggins
Head of Production: Richard McIntosh
Controller: Christine Berentsen
Staff Coordinator: Hayley Wyett
Editorial Company: Final Cut
Editor: Rick Russell
Editor: JD Smyth
Executive Producer: Stephanie Apt
VFX: The Mill
Chief Creative Officer NY: Angus Kneale
Executive Producer: Verity Graham
VFX Shoot Supervisor: Tara Demarco
VFX Producer: Clairellen Wallin
2D Lead: Mikey Smith
3D Lead: Tom Bardwell
2D Artists: John McIntosh, Molly Intersimone
3D Artists: Incheol Jeong, Jimmy Gas, Alexandre Allain
Telecine: Company 3
Colorist: Tom Poole / Stefan Sonnenfeld
Producer: Clare Movshon
Music: Beacon Street Music
Composers: Beacon Street Studios
Executive Producer: Adrea Lavezzoli
Sound Design: Yessian
Sound Designer: Weston Fonger
Executive Producer: Marlene Bartos
Audio: Sound Lounge
Sound Engineer: Tom Jucarone

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May 16

VITRO and Toyo Tires Think You Should Treat Your Car Like a Supermodel. Or a Steak.

Posted in: Uncategorized

How is a car like a steak?

It costs way more than it’s worth and ends up requiring a whole lot of effort. And neither of them should EVER be covered in ketchup, for god’s sake.

Toyo Tires of Japan and its agency of record VITRO* played on that whole theme for the brand’s latest marketing campaign, which falls under the “Your Car Knows Better” heading.

What makes Toyo Tires so good? We aren’t quite sure. But metaphors are kind of cool.

Here’s another, slightly less appropriate one: your car is like a model.

Tires aren’t really about appearance unless you buy those shiny, spinning things that hopefully went out of style around 2003. But we’ll let VITRO CEO Tom Sullivan explain.

“Why do so many of us settle for less than we deserve? Maybe it’s just too easy to continue with the status quo. Toyo Tires is a committed brand, dedicated to exacting and uncompromising quality and standards. We should all be so committed, to live our lives with such resolve.”

So there you go. Cars are overpriced but soooo worth it.

CREDITS

Client: Toyo Tires
Agency: VITRO

 TOYO:
Amy Coleman, Senior Director, Marketing
Julie Sediq, Senior Manager, Marketing
Steven Shearer, Manager, Advertising & Promotions

VITRO:

John Vitro, CCO
Ryan Smith, Associate Creative Director
Doug Hyland, Associate Creative Director
Beth Mygind, Account Director
Cassondra Kuplast, Account Supervisor
Amy Krause, Producer

*You guys happy with your SEO now? We cool?

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May 16

LAX Visitors Get Warm Welcome in Mistress’ Latest for Discover Los Angeles

Posted in: Uncategorized

L.A. agency Mistress launched a campaign for Discover Los Angeles back in February and last month the tourism group rolled out an “#EveryoneIsWelcome” effort in collaboration with Mistress’ production arm, Bastard.

Now, agency has unveiled a new spot which celebrates the city’s diversity and inclusivity, documenting Discover Los Angeles’ May 6 “#EveryoneIsWelcome” event which saw the group welcoming visitors to LAX. Volunteers welcomed LAX visitors from around the world with signs spelling out “Welcome” in four different languages: Spanish, Chinese, English and Arabic. In Mistress’ spot documenting the event we meet some of the diversw participants who attended the event, adding meaning and context to the welcoming celebration.

It’s all part of an effort to combat declining tourism amidst perceptions of rising xenophobia and isolationism in America. The message is clear: despite what other groups in the country may think, Los Angeles and its residents are proud to be a melting pot of different cultures and extend a warm invitation to all who want to visit the city.

LAX is a fitting place to deliver the message, as the arrival point for visitors from around the world to the distinctly international city and given the airport’s role as a sight where protestors gathered in opposition to the president’s travel ban, before it was rejected by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Credits:
Client, Discover Los Angeles
Vice President, Marketing: John Boudouvas
Vice President, Global Communications: Jamie Foley
Group Creative Director: Jeremy Bacharach
Vice President, Digital Marketing: Bill Karz

Production Partner: m ss ng p eces
Director: Josh Nussbaum
Experience Director: Yehuda Duenyas
Executive Producer: Edward Grann
Producer: Matthew Ayriss

Creative Agency: Mistress
Partner, Creative: Damien Eley
Creative: Rachel Guest
Creative: Celine Faledam
Sr. Brand Manager: Maggie Cadigan
Director of Production: Dave Horowitz

Edit: Bastard Productions, Rob Henry

Music: “Love Like You,” & “Bloodshot Eyes,” by Soft Swells

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May 15

Johannes Leonardo Celebrates Interdependence for MassMutual

Posted in: Uncategorized

Johannes Leonardo launched a campaign for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), celebrating the virtues of interdependence.

In an anthem ad entitled “Two Ways,” the voiceover narrator explains that “We come into this world leading others, then we are told it’s braver to go it alone” over footage of a solitary young backpacker and a sparse piano and string score. As the spot continues, the voiceover posits that “the only path to fulfillment is through others.”

While some may see that as a nice sentiment, the spot seems to rely on pushing back against argument which may or may nor exist. Is anyone rely denying the benefits of working with and relying on other people? Still, the idea presents a connection to the services in question, in a category where that can be a challenge, and concludes the spot by attempting to tie the message directly to the brand with the tagline, “Live Mutual.”

The spot exists in both 60 and 30-second versions, with support from a series of digital efforts related to MassMutal’s financial service offerings, such as “College Savings Strategies,” “What is life insurance?” and “Making sense of your 401 (k),” as well as a series of OOH ads in line with the same message as “Two Ways.”

MM_OF_03_BOS_DT-BS3f

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May 15

JWT Atlanta’s New Spot for the U.S. Marine Corps is its First to Feature a Woman in Combat

Posted in: Uncategorized

JWT Atlanta launched a new spot in its “Battles Won” campaign for the U.S. Marine Corps notable for being its first to feature a female Marine in combat.

“Battle Up” spotlights Capt. Erin Demchko, a deputy commander at Camp Courtney in Okinawa, Japan who served a tour in Afghanistan. It tells the story of a young girl who find the courage to take a stand when she sees a classmate victimized by a bully and grows into a leader on the soccer field and, eventually, on the battlefield.

The spot made its debut on social media outlets last Friday and will make its broadcast debut later this month. “Battle Up” follows the arrival of Vann Graves as chief creative officer at JWT Atlanta in December and appears to be the first ad he has worked on for the client.

“We’ve been looking forward to sharing this spot for quite some time,” JWT Atlanta CEO Spence Kramer said in a statement. “This work is emblematic of both agency and client commitment to diversity and equality in everything we do.”

According to a press release, the spot is part of an effort to increase the number of women in the U.S. Marine Corps from around 8.3 to 10 percent.

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May 12

How Bernstein-Rein Retooled its Campaign Promoting a Local McDonald’s Promotion to Engage with Royals Fans on Social Media

Posted in: Uncategorized

Baseball can be unpredictable.

The timing surrounding Bernstein-Rein’s campaign promoting a local McDonald’s promotion offering a one dollar McDouble sandwich following games in which the Kansas City Royals turned a double play would appear to be less than ideal. While it’s not unusual for a team to a turn double during a loss, the spot in question showed a young fan not changing his shirt, or his preferred fast food stop with mom, because, “You don’t mess with a streak.”

The problem? It ran during a prolonged losing streak for the Royals, who dropped nine straight games.

Fans took notice as the spot ran consistently in local markets and a more than a few of them blamed Bobby, who in term blamed his mom. To be fair, she was the one who suggested wearing the shirt.

As fans continued to interact with the account, Bernstein-Rein ran with it, playing up Bobby’s role in the losing streak — and his need for a new Royals shirt and using it as a way to engage with Royals fans on social media. The agency’s handling of the social account seems to have panned out, with a large increase in the brand’s number of followers on Twitter and increased awareness of the promotion.

“The double play is a big moment during a game and we thought it would be fun to have McDonald’s do something to acknowledge it. The McDouble Sandwich was the obvious menu item to tie into this promotion,” Bernstein-Rein chief creative officer Lara Wycoff explained in a statement. “Our social team took it to another level as the social conversations around the promotion and the streak took off. We even took a still of Bobby from the commercial and retooled his t-shirt to read ‘finally,’ when the team finally won a game.”

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May 12

Heat Celebrates Mother’s Day for Shutterfly

Posted in: Uncategorized

Heat recently launched a Mother’s Day campaign for Internet-based image publishing service Shutterfly.

The effort centered around a 30-second spot showing some very emotional reactions to moms receiving gifts made with Shutterfly. There are screams of delight, tears and a “Wow” reaction to what appears to be a life-sized fabric print.

Those are probably not the same reactions you’d get from flowers and a card. The spot concludes with the line “Make this Mother’s Day,” emphasizing the benefits of giving your gift a personal touch with the service. Heat also unveiled its Father’s Day effort for the brand, ahead of the June 18 holiday, employing much the same strategy.

“Mother’s and Father’s Day are auto-pilot holidays. Every year parents get the? same things—flowers, a tie, brunch. But those things don’t do the relationship between parent and child justice,” Heat creative director Elaine Cox said in a statement. “We wanted to show that making a gift is much more powerful than buying one. So, we turned the camera around to capture? the moment when a parent opens a gift that was made just for them.”

The Mother’s Day effort, which comes out of the agency’s San Francisco headquarters, follows the first work out of the agency’s New York office last month with its campaign promoting the LG G6, for which the brand spent around $9.2 million on broadcast placement for the week of April 17.

Credits:
Agency: Heat / San Francisco
Executive Creative Director / CCO: Steve Stone
CEO: John Elder
Managing Director: Aaron Lang
Creative Directors: Elaine Cox & Jonathan Bryne
ACDs: Greg Coffin & James Duffy
Art Director: Jenna Moeller
Writer: Thomas Kropp
Senior Producer: Christine Gomez
Group Account Director: Matt Huntington
Account Supervisor: McKenzy Golding
Business Affairs: Darren Majewski

Production Company:  Heist
Executive Producer: Adam ZimmermanDirector:  Dan Addelson
Line Producer: Lauren Finerman

Post Production: Refinery
Senior Producer: Richard Quan
Producer: Alex Healy
Editor: Nicole Salmeri
Colorist: Ayumi Ashley

Recording Studios: M Squared Productions
Engineer: Phillip Lantz
Producer: Sarah Benedict

Music
Producer: APM
Producer: Marmoset
Producer: Jonny Shaheri

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May 11

51 Year Old Creative Director Reminds Us How Dumb Ageism Can Be

Posted in: Uncategorized

Ageism is here to stay in the ad business. We don’t have to tell you, because you told us last summer after a commentor on a certain other site brought the topic up.

It’s pretty basic, really: if you’re over 45 and you don’t have the words “chief” or “executive” in your title, big agencies consider you all but expendable. At the same time, the average age of a member of your network’s board of directors is probably, what, 65?

This equation doesn’t apply across all industries, though, and longtime copywriter Mark Moll (the guy behind “take your favorite non-ad person to work today” and “The Freelancer’s Opportunity-Based Day Rate Sliding Scale” drew some inspiration from that fact to create a project pointing out how ridiculous the whole idea is.

“Ideas Know No Age” reminds us that those who qualify to be AARP members can still come up with some cool stuff.

ageism 1

ageism 2

 

ageism 3

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You may see a pattern developing here.

“Ageism in advertising might not be on par with problems like lack of female leadership or inclusion of minorities, but there’s an underlying feeling in our industry that only young people have ideas,” he wrote. “Things like ‘Young Guns’ and ’30 under 30? lists don’t help.”

Well, how do we change this thinking? Maybe it’s by recognizing ideas that were done by people well past their youth. This might show once and for all that ideas don’t care if you’re 51, 21, or 81. And that a good idea is just a good idea.”

ageism 5

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ageism 7

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May 10

Anomaly New York, Captain Morgan Want You to ‘Live Like The Captain’

Posted in: Uncategorized

Anomaly New York launched a “Live Like The Captain” campaign for Diageo rum brand Captain Morgan with a 30-second  “Captain, Captain” spot featuring copy that is just about as simple as can be.

In fact, it’s basically just one word: captain. A man walks into a crowded bar in full captain gear and the only word anyone can seem to say is “captain,” as the title is used both as a greeting and to order drinks. When another man introduces himself as “Just Dave, actually” he is quickly corrected.

As The Drum points out, the spot (which reminds us of a certain scene in Being John Malkovich) features appearances by real-life Captain Morgans: cricket captain Eoin Morgan and Leicester City star Wes Morgan, as well as BT Sport pundit and retired former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand.

“This ad sees us re-defining what it means to be a captain,” Diageo category director Anita Robinson told the publication. “Captain Morgan knows that in today’s serious times, fun is essential. We know that humour connects with our target audience and we expect that our well-loved UK sports stars will ensure the campaign resonates with them and seeds the ‘Captain, Captain’ exchange in bar and beyond.”

The “Live Like The Captian” campaign launched in the U.K. yesterdat and also features digital support from VaynerMedia. It will continue to roll out globally throughout this year and 2018, with further support from OOH, social and experiential initiatives.

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May 10

GS&P and Xfinity Explore the Wonders of Hands-Free Technology in ‘Future of Awesome’ Extension

Posted in: Uncategorized

Hey Siri, why does everyone keep talking about voice activation technology?

Frankly, we’ve never used it. But it’s all over the place in products like Xfinity’s X1 voice remote, which allows those of us who still have cable (and even some of those boundary-breakers who don’t) to bypass all those damned buttons and just tell the TV what you really want.

This stuff isn’t just for dorks, and a new campaign by Goodby Silverstein & Partners for Xfinity demonstrates exactly why on a more personal or domestic level.

First, there’s a classic love triangle involving a man, a woman and a football team.

Not all Irish people have red hair. But parenthood in all its colorful varieties, right??

These spots were directed by Steve Miller of Radical Media, the same guy who helped lead a campaign you may have heard of called The Most Interesting Man in the World.

They’re also the latest in the “Future of Awesome” effort that started way back in 2012, and its newest iteration includes a couple of additional ads showcasing the Xfinity Voice Remote and Stream App.

BEARS!

And here’s a more standard spot.

“The voice remote is now in more than 14 million homes and people are talking into it about 325 million times each month,” according to the press release, so this is happening. We do not choose the red pill.

The new work involves all media including OOH, digital and social. But the most interesting thing we learned from Xfinity’s Twitter feed is that Will & Grace is coming back to NBC.

Wait, why??

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May 09

Lynchburg, Tennessee Lobbies for NBA Team in Arnold’s Latest for Jack Daniel’s

Posted in: Uncategorized

Last year, Arnold Worldwide launched an anthem ad for Jack Daniel’s, celebrating the brand’s 150th anniversary with a look at the town where it’s made: Lynchburg, Tennessee.

In its latest effort for the Brown-Forman whiskey brand, the people of Lynchburg have a rather unlikely request: an NBA team. While residents of the town of 572  know it’s “not the most exciting place in the world” they claim to have “no shortage of team spirit.” We’re not sure that’s enough to fill seats, though.

The people of the town also “know a thing or two about developing a franchise.” Guess you can’t argue with that one.

The 30-second spot features a cameo from former NBA star and current broadcaster Bill Walton and concludes by admitting Jack Daniel’s is the most exciting thing about the town…for now.

The campaign rolls out on broadcast nationally beginning tomorrow, as the NBA Playoffs continue to progress through the second round.

“In Lynchburg, TN, they have some NBA fans for sure. But we’re not kidding anyone. They’re whiskey makers, first and foremost,” Arnold Worldwide senior vice president, creative director Chris Valencius and vice president, creative director Gregg Nelson said in a statement. “And they have a history of doing things their own way. So when Jack and the NBA became partners, we decided to do the only rational thing: help them get their own NBA team. These are people who’ve never let the smallness of their community stop them from doing big things, so it just felt right.”

Credits:
Client: Brown-Forman/Jack Daniel’s

Agency: Arnold Worldwide
Managing Partner, Executive Creative Director: Wade Devers
SVP, Creative Director: Chris Valencius
VP, Creative Director: Gregg Nelson
Art Director: Jennifer Fisher
Art Director: Zac Carroll
Associate Broadcast Producer: Pat Carney
Assistant Broadcast Producer: Jake Williams
EVP, Director of Business Affairs: Anne Joynt
Managing Director: Paul Nelson
Senior Marketing Manager: Mallory Brannan
Project Manager: Cyan Dana

Vendors:
Production Company: Independent Media, Inc.
Production Company Executive Producer: Susanne Preissler
Director: Claire Scanlon
Director of Photography: Janusz Kaminski
Line Producer: Karen Rohrbacher

Bill Walton Shot:
Production Company: Cosmic Pictures (Salt Lake City, UT)
Production Company Executive Producer: Linda Hart
Director: Greg Kiefer
Line Producer: Peggy Stuber

Editorial Company: Lost Planet
Editorial Producer: Casey Cayko
Editor: Charlie Johnston
Assistant Editor: Tom Akey

Music Company: Singing Serpent
Music Composer: Jimmy Reeves
Music Executive Producer: Dennis Culp
Recording Studio: Sound Lounge
Recording Engineer: Tom Juccarone

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May 09

DDB Chicago’s ‘Umbilical’ Spot for Skittles is the Strangest Mother’s Day Ad You’ll See This Year

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DDB Chicago’s “Umbilical” spot for Skittles is not your typical ode to mom. In fact, we’re pretty confident in predicting it will be the strangest Mother’s Day spot you see this year.

The “Umbilical” of the title refers to the connection a young man and his mother still share. At the opening of the spot, the mother eats Skittles, while her son, sitting next to her, guesses the flavor. The reveal (which should be obvious by now) comes when the camera pans down.

In case that wasn’t cringey enough, the son remarks, “Oh mother, I love eating Skittles every time you eat Skittles,” and she expresses that the feeling is mutual. Gross.

DDB Chicago has certainly explored some distinctly strange territory for Skittles before, but not quite like this. While it’s hard to argue that “Umbilical” doesn’t stand apart from the pack of sentimental Mother’s Day spots with its gross-out humor, we have to wonder if making viewers lose their appetites is the best approach for a candy brand.

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May 08

Duncan Channon Thinks You Should Turn Off Your Phone, Enjoy a Kona Beer

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With summer a little over a month away, the freshly-rebranded San Francisco agency Duncan Channon launched a series of online spots for Craft Brew Alliance’s Kona Brewing Company, continuing the laid back vibe the agency introduced with its introductory “Dear Mainland” effort nearly three years ago.

Craft Brew Alliance, by the way, is a company comprising Redhook Ale Brewery, Widmer Brothers Brewery, Omission Beer and Square Mile Cider, that as of 2013 is 32.2 percent owned by A-B InBev and among the ten largest beer brewing companies in the country.

Like its predecessors. Duncan Channon’s latests ads for the brand revolve around a pair of Hawaiian “Bruddahs” who playfully poke fun at mainland culture, suggesting maybe we should lighten up a bit, enjoy the sunshine and drink a cold Kona. This time around, they tackle a certain augmented reality mobile game, viral cat videos and bad reality television in a trio of 15-second spots concluding with the “One life, right? Don’t blow it.” tagline.

The spots make their debut on Facebook and Instagram today and will run through September 3, joining a series of existing broadcast spots in the integrated campaign. Duncan Channon also worked on a series of “Dear Kona” videos which will run on the same platforms during the same time period and feature the Bruddahs responses to fictional questions about their “Favorite Kona,” “Fridays,” “Meetings” and a boss who labels every email as “Urgent.”

“The Kona brand is all about encouraging people to slow down, breathe and connect with what matters – family, friends, nature, experiences,” Duncan Channon executive creative director Anne Elisco-Lemme said in a statement. “In the new creative, the brothers’ tongue-in-cheek banter about pop culture content that keeps us chained to our screens reminds us that we sometimes need to put down the phone, turn off the TV or close that YouTube video to get out and enjoy life.”

“Kona’s Dear Mainland campaign has been successful because people love the light-hearted way our ‘Bruddahs’ deliver the relatable and much-needed reminder to step outside their daily routine and make time for what matters most to them,” added Kona Brewing Co. director of brand marketing Cindy Wang. “That’s why we’re excited to showcase their special brand of Hawaiian wisdom in new formats beyond traditional TV spots and create hyper-local ways to engage new audiences.”

“We know people are guilty of spending time online at the expense of other meaningful, relaxing or fun experiences, so it makes sense for us to reach our audience on social to deliver Kona’s good humored message about screen time,” she added.

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May 08

Zambezi Hypes Autotrader with Cars 3 Tie-in

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Zambezi collaborated with Autotrader and Disney-Pixar for a spot promoting both the online car shopping site and the June 16 release of Pixar’s Cars 3.

The 30-second cross-promotional effort centers around the concept that, like the characters in the movie, each car has a different personality and Autotrader lets you tailor your search for the right fit. If you’re looking for speed, there’s a search option for an 8-cylinder engine, for “tire-loving” cars there’s performance tires and a “tow package” for “the reliable one.”

While the cross-promotional strategy works on paper, some of the search terms and related vehicles come across as a little forced. We’re not sure what makes a vehicle with cruise control “the motivational one,” for example, and “alternative” seems a pretty broad category for the “green-thinking” VW van. That’s not an unusual criticism for a cross-promotional spot and the concluding, “Every car has a personality, find the one that fits yours,” line does at least tie things back to the brand fairly well.

“Every Car Has a Personality” will make its broadcast debut during TNT’s coverage of the NBA Playoffs. and will also run on channels including Bravo, HGTV and Univison Deportes. The campaign will also include digital and radio initiatives on channels including Hulu and ESPN Deportes Radio, a social media component adn Cars 3 imagery on Autotrader’s homepage and mobile app in the leadup to the movie’s June 16 release.

The effort comes on the heels of another ad personifying cars, Zambezi’s “Save The Cars” mock PSA in February.

“Collaborating with Disney-Pixar’s ‘Cars 3’ was a natural fit for Autotrader for more than the obvious reason of the spotlight our iconic brands share within the automotive space,” Autotrader vice president, marketing Jessica Stafford said in a statement. “Much like the Cars franchise, Autotrader shares a personal connection with people of all ages and at all life stages, and we feel this is reflected in the playful content we developed with the Disney and Pixar teams to further drive excitement for our brand and the upcoming premiere of ‘Cars 3.’”

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