Hasta La Creative!

Evolve is a gun safety advocacy organization that won attention last year for a McCann-made PSA starring a couple of moms whose kids confuse certain…tools for toy weapons.

Its latest campaign was created by Erwin Penland, whose CCO Con Williamson worked on an earlier Evolve PSA asking gun owners not to be dumbasses while at Saatchi & Saatchi New York.

In the “American Man” spot, Lucas–star of a bunch of movies we’ve never seen–addresses “our country’s dumbest problem,” which has nothing to do with Donald Trump. It’s more about the fact that some people just don’t store their firearms properly–a fact that may or may not turn an otherwise peaceful walk down Main Street into an unintentional target practice session.

Because this is a campaign ostensibly aimed at the general public, Lucas goes to great lengths to remind viewers that he loves America, despite what you may have heard about those actorly types:

In the release, the Evolve organization restates its support for a National Gun Safety Day and encourages viewers to sign a petition in order to “create a groundswell of activity around the issue” and compel (responsible) gun owners to make sure their weapons are stored safely via a three-step maxim: “Clear it. Check it. Lock it.”

The accidents that serve as fodder for this campaign are definitely real: just last week an incident at a wedding in New York’s Waldorf hotel left five injured and allowed The New York Post to take great pleasure in shaming a horrified bride.

At the same time, we don’t know that Evolve’s attempts to speak to “both sides” of the larger gun control debate will work. For example, the firearm news site Ammoland headlined the campaign today with this line:

“Josh Lucas & Evolve Assume You’re a Trigger Happy Dumbass in New Gun Safety Video”

Lots of work left to do, then.

Red Lion Canada–which recently redesigned its home page in an effort to render your 2008 HP desktop even more completely useless–flirts with nudity in its latest campaign for Maytag, a sponsor of the upcoming Toronto Pan Am Games.

As the Globe and Mail noted last Friday, most ads tied to the Games have focused on the nobility of sport and the rare chance for Canada to present its best face to the rest of the world.

Red Lion, however, went the other way, focusing on the sweaty, nearly-nude bodies of some of the athletes involved. These professionals just need to get clean with the help of a “hunky new Maytag man”:

Red Lion Creative Director Matthew Litzinger, who left Cossette last summer, explained the strategy behind the campaign, telling Globe and Mail that Maytag wants to spend its ad dollars differently during the Games.

What does that mean? Targeting.

“Obviously, mass communication channels are still used and in fact relied upon, but they are no longer the primary driver of a media spend.”

So far, the ad and its #performancecounts tag have not attracted too much attention, but that could change when the games launch next month. Or not.

Since essentially “retiring” his LCD Soundsystem project in 2011, DJ/producer James Murphy, who’s also the co-founder of DFA Records, has indulged in a variety of somewhat offbeat efforts related in some way to music. Now that he’s collaborated with IBM to create music out of tennis match data during last year’s U.S. Open and opened the DJ-driven wine bar Four Horsemen in Brooklyn earlier this month, Murphy is going underground.

The artist has teamed up with Heineken and Wieden+Kennedy New York to launch the #SubwaySymphony, which marks the next chapter in the beer giant’s ongoing “Cities” campaign. Murphy’s ultimate goal with this effort is to make NYC commuters happier by replacing the harsh beeps that normally emanate from turnstiles within New York City’s subway system with synth tones customized for specific stations.

Here’s the video:

Regarding this ambitious project, Murphy himself says,

“New York City is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind place, and the people who are willing to do what it takes to live here – deal with the crowds and the commotion and the noise – deserve a little sonic gift like this. I want to turn the cacophony of the subway into unique pieces of music. It might seem like a small thing, but that’s exactly the point. This is such an easy way to make this great place I call home even greater.”

While Murphy is trying to rally support for the campaign via social and the Subway Symphony hub, it appears New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority is ready to put the kibosh on the project before it even gets off the ground. Still, we appreciate Murphy’s hopeless idealism and give him an A for effort, even if the MTA never budges from its hardline stance. You can check out the campaign site for more info and upcoming episodes to follow the prologue clip you see above.

The campaign does, unfortunately, arrive at a somewhat awkward time as the client officially ended its relationship with W+K yesterday.

W+K New York

Executive Creative Directors: David Kolbusz, Jaime Robinson
Creative Directors: Erik Norin
Copywriter: Al Merry, Garrick Sheldon
Art Director: Jaclyn Crowley
Head of Content Production: Nick Setounski
Producer: Dominic Tunon, Alexey Novikov
Strategist: Tom Gibby, Jessica Abercrombie
Account Team: Patrick Cahill, Price Manford, Kyle Glackin
Business Affairs: Sara Jagielski, Justine Lowe
Lead Experience Designer: Kate Bauer
Creative Tech Lead: Craig Blagg
Sr. Creative Technologist: Mauricio Ruiz
Executive Interactive Producer: Jonathan Percy
Associate Interactive Producer: Mutaurwa Mapondera
Director of Technology: Charles Duncan
Engineering: Lead Cameron Brown
QA Lead: Sean Jones
Art Buying: Deb Rosen, Pietro Clemente

PRODUCTION- Documentary

Production Company: Pulse
Director: ThirtyTwo
Executive Producer/COO: Shirley O’Connor
Executive Producer: Hillary Rogers, Kira Carstensen
Line Producer: Shirley O’Connor
Director of Photography: Aaron Phillips
Production – Prologue

Production Company Knucklehead
Director Siri Bunford
Executive Producer/COO Tim Katz
Executive Producer Cathleen Kisich
Line Producer Ian BlainDirector of Photography Manel Ruiz

Editorial

Editorial Company: Final Cut
Editor Michael Wadsworth
Post Producer Mackenzie Alexander
Post Executive Producer Lauren Bleiweiss
Editorial Assistant Andrew Castiglioni
Telecine

Telecine Company: Significant Others
Colorist: Terressa Tate

Mix

Mix Company Color Collective
Mixer: Alex Bickel

Music

Song: “Home”
Artist: LCD Soundsystem
Production Company – Website
Production Company: North Kingdom

Video Production + Editorial – WEBSITE
Development Partner Company: Brehm Lab

Production – Audio Ad
Mix Company: Sonic Union
Mixer: Brian Goodheart

W+K New York launched a new U.K. extension of its “Whatever’s Comfortable” campaign for Southern Comfort, following up last year’s “Young Gun” and “Shark.”

The spot features three guys really enjoying getting a hideous orange spray-tan. After catching viewers attention with the sheer “WTF” factor the group of pale fellows receiving a spray-tan in slow-motion (set to the tune of “All Gold Everything” by Soulja Boy), the spot ends with the message “Tan Your Lemonade,” inviting viewers to try the Southern Comfort, lemonade and lime cocktail the boys are sipping on at the end of the ad. It’s a strange approach for sure, but then that’s exactly what everyone’s come to expect from this campaign. “Spray Tan” launched today, promoted on social media, and will continue to run online and in cinemas in the U.K. throughout the summer.

“Following the popularity of our previous ads, we’ve leveraged that momentum into a new chapter, one that not only heroes our Whatever’s Comfortable attitude but also the drink itself,” Gwen Ridsdale, U.K. marketing manager for Southern Comfort, said in a statement. “Southern Comfort lemonade and fresh lime- the brand’s recommended serve is integral to the story in a unique way, which adds a whole new dimension to the campaign by encouraging consumers to ‘tan your lemonade’ this summer.”

Credits:

Client: Southern Comfort

Spot: “Spray Tan”
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, New York
Executive Creative Directors: Jaime Robinson & David Kolbusz
Creative Directors: Jimm Lasser, Caleb Jensen, Mike Giepert
Copywriters: Laddie Peterson & Rajeev Basu
Head of Content Production: Nick Setounski
Producer: Cheryl Warbrook
Strategist: Tom Gibby
Account Team: Toby Hussey, Katie Hoak, Kerry O’Connell
Business Affairs: Sara Jagielski, Justine Lowe

Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Andreas Nilsson
Executive Producer/COO: Shawn Lacy
Executive Producer: Colleen O’Donnell
Line Producer: Mirka Taylor / Jay Veal
Director of Photography: Sebastian Wintero Hansen

Editorial Company: Arcade NYC
Editor: Geoff Hounsell
Post Producer: Cecilia Melton
Post Executive Producer: Sila Soyer
Editorial Assistant: Sam Barden

VFX Company: The Mill
VFX Lead Flame: N/A
VFX Supervisors: N/A
VFX Compositors: Tomas Wall, Rob Meade
VFX CG Artists: Andrew Bartholomew
Producer: Colin Moneymaker

Telecine Company: CO3
Colorist: Tim Masick

Mix Company: Heard City
Mixer: Phillip Loeb
Sound Designer: N/A
Producer: Natasha Alden & Sasha Awn

Song: All Gold Everything
Artist: Soulja Boy

Deutsch LA took an unusual approach to Father’s day for Angel Soft, celebrating single mothers with the spot, “Happy Father’s Day, Mom.”

In the online ad, several children of single mothers talk about how much their moms did for them growing up, essentially acting as two parents. Thankfully, there’s no gimmicky surprise; the moms aren’t watching via remote video or listening in from the next room, it’s just people expressing their deep appreciation for their single mothers. While unorthodox in subject matter (for a Father’s Day ad) the approach is very straightforward, balancing tearful moments with humorous ones in celebration of the single moms.

The approach does run the risk of alienating dads, however, who may feel like their turn in the spotlight has been stolen (and who already tend to get the short end of the stick compared to moms on Mother’s Day). Additionally, as Adweek points out, the implication that single mothers must be both “strong” and “soft” reinforces tired gender stereotypes about the roles of mothers and fathers, however well-intentioned. In addition to the online spot, the brand also launched a social initiative calling on viewers to post their own stories about their mothers with the hashtag #HappyFathersDayMom.

Credits:

Client: Angel Soft
Chief Marketing Officer: Douwe Bergsma
Senior Vice President & General Manager, Bath Tissue: Vivek Joshi
Senior Marketing Director, Brand Center: Shari Neumann
Senior Brand Director: Joe Stempien
Senior Brand Manager: Todd Wingfield
Brand Manager: Melissa Blunte

Agency: Deutsch L.A.

Creative Credits:
Chief Creative Officer, North America: Pete Favat
Executive Creative Director:: Karen Costello
Executive Creative Director: Juan Oubina
Associate Creative Director: Melissa Langston-Wood
Associate Creative Director:: Jorge Ortega:
Director of Integrated Production: Vic Palumbo
Executive Integrated Producer: Rachel Seitel
Integrated Producer: Win Bates
Associate Integrated Producer: Justin Polk
Music Director: Dave Rocco

Account Management Credits:
Group Account Director:: Erik Petersen
Group Account Director:: Montse Barrena
Account Director:: Megan Prince:
Account Director:: Lauren Pollare
Account Executive:: Melanie Faessler
Assistant Account Executive : Bianca Brittain

Account Planning:
Chief Strategic Officer: Colin Drummond
Executive Planning Director:: Jeffrey Blish
Group Planning Director:: Thas Naseemuddeen
Account Planner:: Eva Cantor
Digital Strategist : Janet Shih

Business Affairs/Traffic:
Director of Integrated Business Affairs:: Abilino Guillermo:
Senior Business Affairs Manager:: Terry Miglin:
Director or Broadcast Traffic:: Carie Bonillo
Broadcast Traffic Coordinator:: Anna Brito

Executives:
CEO, North America:: Mike Sheldon
President, Los Angeles: Kim Getty

Production Company: Steelhead
Director: Eric Kaufman
Executive Producer: Ted Markovic
Producer: Matt Johnson
Line Producer: Melissa Verdugo

Editorial Company: Steelhead
Editor: Morgan Griswold
Executive Producer: Ted Markovic
Producer: Simone Gurren

Post Facility: Company 3
Executive Producer: Rhubie Jovanov
Senior Colorist: Stefan Sonnenfeld

Post/VFX: Steelhead
Executive Producer: Ted Markovic
Broadcast Motion Design Director: Jason Porter

Music by: Elias Arts
Track Title: Father’s Day
ECD: Vincenzo LoRusso
CD: Michael Goldstein
EP: Vicki Ordeshook
Head of Production: Katie Overcash

Audio Post Company: Steelhead
Executive Producer: Ted Markovic
Mixer: Chase Butters

Last year, coconut water maker Vita Coco decided that print ads starring Rihanna and her beachfront lifestyle weren’t quite enough to promote its key product. The brand is growing even faster than its super-hot category and currently owns 60 percent of the coconut-based market despite PepsiCo’s investment in competitors Zico and O.N.E.

Earlier this year, the company also ensured its status as a classic agency world stock character: the unreliable client. Amid plans to expand internationally, Vita Coco signed Saatchi & Saatchi as its creative AOR in September 2014. At the time, Coco’s communications director hyped this move as “the first time we’ve worked with a truly global agency,” but the relationship didn’t work out; when Saatchi’s six-month contract expired, the company announced that it would not adhere to the AOR model, choosing instead to work with multiple “agency partners” depending on its needs.

Right after that announcement, Vita Coco signed Droga5 Europe to work on “creating a UK and European campaign for the brand.”

The agency’s debut work for the client also marks the latter’s first-ever TV campaign–and while the Droga Europe win focused on UK and Europe-based campaigns, the new ad will premiere tonight on prime-time American TV.

As with so much of Droga5’s work, this ad promotes the client’s product by mocking current trends in marketing. The agency’s ire focuses on campaigns positioning various beverages as dietary/weight loss aids and effectively argues that Vita Coco doesn’t need to make such claims because its product is so simple: water from a coconut. How unhealthy could that be?

In reaching this point, Droga pokes fun at crash diets and food marketing buzzwords of the day (“super foods,” anyone?) while implying that consumers can avoid the whole mess of false claims entirely by simply sticking with RiRi’s favorite non-alcoholic beverage.

Jane Prior, EVP of global brand strategy and development, writes:

“We are excited to unveil our first ever US TV commercial. As a category leader, Vita Coco is committed to elevating the coconut water category and we’re looking forward to reaching millions of new consumers with this campaign.”

The ad will air around the world; no word on follow-ups at the moment.

Client: Vita Coco
Campaign: Stupidly Simple
Title: Get More Healthy
Launch Date: 15th June 2015
Agency: Droga5 Europe

Executive Creative Director: Nik Studzinski
Copywriter: Tom Corcoran
Art Director: Tom Bender
Producer: Rachel Amess
Head of Brand Strategy: Toto Ellis
Brand Strategist: Iona Ratcliffe
Managing Director: Nick Simons
Account Management: Yuki Yamakado

Client Vita Coco
EVP Global Brand Strategy and Development: Jane Prior
Production Company: Blink Ink
Director: Chris Bristow
Producer: Matt Marsh
Editorial: Blink Ink
Editor c/o Blink Ink
Animator c/o Blink Ink
Post Production: Blink Ink (animation/compositing)

VSA Partners Chicago launched a new campaign for Kleenex showing people helping others in emotional distress.

The campaign is based around an insight from a survey which found that half of respondents missed an opportunity to express their concern for someone, Eric Higgs, general manger-Kleenex brand, explained to AdAge. “Here’s a brand designed to provide care and uplift.”

A 30-second spot shows a group of young boys exiting a bus. One of them stays behind to console a girl who is crying. “People think boys are loud and immature and don’t care about feelings, but they’re wrong,” he tells her, and hands her a Kleenex. Although little context is provided, it appears the girl was bullied on the bus (an easily relatable situation), but whatever the reason the boy’s gesture seems to improve her mood as she exits the bus. The campaign message is summed up in the tagline, “Someone needs one.” A Spanish-language spot from LatinWorks Austin presents a similar situation, with a man providing comfort for a woman crying on a train.

The campaign also includes a partnership with Facebook’s Creative Shop & Studio and real-time marketing shop Vimby, as well as digital billboards, online ads and in-store marketing. Although the agency sat out this campaign, JWT continues to work with Kleenex.

Leo Burnett launched the animated spot “Safe In My Hands” as part of its “Out Holding Hands” campaign for Pride Month, which encourages the LGBT community to hold hands publicly.

The spot focuses on hands from the beginning, as a young man feels alienated by his one giant hand — which comes across as a sort of strange illustration of the alienation that young people with LGBT can face. He tries to hide the hand while out in public, until he meets someone who shares the same feature. As the two proudly hold hands, the animation fades into live action footage of a couple walking while holding hands, followed by the message “being visible should never leave you feeling vulnerable” and the tagline “Everyone deserves to be in good hands.” The ad is supported by digital and social elements, including one allowing visitors to virtually hold hands, while visitors to the campaign website can upload a picture of their outstretched hand to become part of a continuously growing hand-holding chain. “Out Holding Hands” also includes print and OOH elements, as well as the brand’s participation in Pride Month events in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New Jersey and Minneapolis.

“This is an important time for the LGBT community and Allstate wants to be part of creating a future where everyone can feel safe to show love and affection in public without judgment,” Allstate vice president of marketing Georgina Flores told The Drum. “We want to showcase our dedication in a way that elicits empowerment and action.”

W+K London launched a new anthem ad for vodka brand Finlandia, featuring advice from some “less ordinary” sources.

The “1,00o years” of the title refers to the combined age of the offbeat individuals offering up nuggets of wisdom. These include a drag wrestler advising, “Be nobody’s bitch but your own,” 93-year-old fashion icon Iris Apfel claiming “Too old is a lousy excuse” and kinetic sculptor Theo Jansen saying “Get your ideas out of your head.” The only one of these that is readily applicable to the brand is a mixologist who quips, “Life is too short for bad drinks.” There’s plenty of interesting individuals and wisdom over the course of the ad, but the overall approach feels like a pretty ordinary anthem ad (to say nothing of the ridiculousness of connecting the quotes to a vodka brand). And at over two minutes long, one piece of wisdom that could have benefited the ad is Shakespeare’s “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

Credits:

Client: Finlandia
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy London
Creative directors: Scott Dungate, Graeme Douglas
Copywriter: Paddy Treacy
Art director: Mark Shanley
Executive creative directors: Tony Davidson, Iain Tait
Executive producer: Danielle Stewart
Group account director: Paulo Salomao
Account director: Matt Owen
Account manager: Sophie Lake
Head of planning: Beth Bentley
Planning director: Martin Beverley
TV producer: Michelle Brough
Production company: Knucklehead
Director: Siri Bunford
Executive producer: Matthew Brown
Director of photography: Ben Smithard
Editorial companies: Lucky Cat, Whitehouse Post
Editors: Xavier Perkins, Lucky Cat; Adam Marshall, Whitehouse Post
Post producer: Anandi Peiris
VFX company: MPC
VFX supervisor: Bill McNamara
Flame artist: Bill McNamara
VFX producer: Anandi Peiris
Grade: MPC
Colorist: Matthieu Toullet
Titles/graphics: Ryan Teixeira
Music/sound company: Factory
Sound designers: Anthony Moore, Phil Bollard
Song: Undeniable, Richie Sosa
Interactive producer: Dom Felton
Director of relations: Marta Bobic
PR manager: Charlotte Corbett

Circus Grey Peru launched a broadcast spot for the 175th anniversary of El Comercio, Peru’s number one newspaper, which, like the paper itself, attempts to separate fact from fiction.

The ad makes novel use of the SAP button, which allows viewers to switch to a second audio track, usually a Spanish language track for a show normally broadcast in English. For the campaign, Circus Grey Peru instead uses the two tracks to separate a (fictional) politician’s official statements from the hidden truth. While on the main audio track, he claims to be resigning due to personal reasons, the SAP track reveals the real reason to be political corruption. It’s a clever device, explicitly tied to the benefits El Comercio provides to its readers. If only we had the feature for the upcoming U.S. presidential election.