Hasta La Creative!

360i tapped L.A. celebrity chefs Roy Choi, Michael Voltaggio and Nguyen Tran (of Starry Kitchen) for a new campaign for Oreos.

Created in collaboration with production company Decon and directed by Claire Cottrell, the series features “Oreo hacks,” with the chefs repurposing the sandwich cookies in inventive, delicious ways. Choi, who you may remember was recently featured in a Google Glass spot, crumbles Oreos into a chicken tender crust that seems like a delicious late night snack. Voltaggio, meanwhile, transforms the cookies into dessert tortillas, accompanied by a shandy created with Lemon Oreo creme. Chan comes up with an “impulse hack” based on other items found in a convenience store, combining Oreos with pound cake, cherry soda and salted peanuts to make a kind of bread pudding. Before introducing their recipes, each chef waxes nostalgic on eating Oreos growing up and shares their different methods of consumption (Voltaggio is an Oreo puller, while Choi is more of a traditionalist). It’s a fun campaign, and should help shed a different light on the brand — especially since the videos point viewers to Oreo’s Tumblr, where they can get the recipes for the Oreo hacks. Stick around for Voltaggio and Tran’s Oreo hacks and full credits after the jump. continued…

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Universal McCann teamed up with Sony Picures, and DNA directors Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man, 500 Days of Summer) and Rich Lee to create “Amazing Delivery,” a new Spider-Man themed spot for USPS designed as a tie-in promoting the May 2nd release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

The 30-second spot features Spider-Man slinging himself through New York City to deliver a package for a distressed Hollywood director. “Amazing Delivery” follows Spider-Man’s path through the city leading to the package’s delivery to Stan Lee at the premiere of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. The cinematic spot’s charming ending really ties everything together, and it’s evident that everyone involved was excited to work with Spider-Man’s creator, a fact corroborated by director Rich Lee, who said, “Everyone wanted Stan Lee to sign their prepro books and get a photo with Spider-Man…it was actually really sweet and fun to see everyone get so excited around those two. You could see the childlike glints in everyone’s eyes. It was awesome.”

Webb and Lee, who have collaborated in the past, based the spot on the idea that, like Spider-Man, USPS is “speedy, efficient, and there when you need it the most,” drawing on this link to expand upon the creative brief and bring the spot to life. “One of the interesting things about both Spidey and the USPS is that they are both iconic, public servants,” said Rich Lee. “They’re for the people, helping them in their own way. So there is a nice synergy there.”

Stay tuned for credits after the jump. continued…

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W+K Portland have launched an campaign for Old Spice’s new line of electric shavers and trimmers (price range: $50-80), and have enlisted the help of a familiar face to help launch the new products.

Current Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Terry Crews, who helped introduce Old Spice Shave Gel last year with the spot “Baby”, returns to help market Old Spice’s foray into the shavers and trimmers world. The 45-second digital effort, “Get Shaved in the Face,” is reminiscent of Crews’ iconic work for the brand from years past, with a predictable amount of screaming and general mishigas. In the spot, Crews is in the process of shaving when a mini-crews realizes that he is a hair. As you might expect, things get pretty crazy by the conclusion of the spot, which you can watch for yourself above.

While the strategy might not have the shock value it did years ago, it makes a lot of sense to call on the iconic Crews for the introduction of a new product line. Among the products being introduced are: Old Spice Hair Clipper (“Like a lawn mower for your hair with 8 adjustable settings.”), Old Spice Beard and Head Trimmer, and Old Spice Shaver (“Like 3 smooth barbers for your face, this shaver features a triple-action cutting system with twin foils that shave off stubble and an integrated cutter that shortens longer hairs…”). Stay tuned for credits and a “Baby” refresher after the jump. continued…

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Banksy is leading the way on a new campaign called “#WithSyria,” re-working his iconic “Girl with a Red Balloon” image for a campaign timed to coincide with the third anniversary of the brutal conflict on March 15th.

“Banksy’s image and its red balloon inspires the central theme for all communications and activity across all communications across film, social, online, live and PR” aspects of the campaign, “based on a strategy developed by Sunshine, Freuds, Global Cause Consultancy and Chappell Productions and creatively led by Sunshine.” At the center of the campaign is “#WithSyria,” an animation narrated by actor Idris Elba (who you may know as “Stringer” Bell from The Wire) and featuring exclusive music from Elbow, the Britrock vets who donated their song “The Blanket of Night” for the soundtrack. The animation, created and written by Sunshine, directed and produced by RSA Films, can be seen on the #WithSyria site here. The film, which we believe is worth a view, will be shown across the globe everywhere from an inflatable cinema in Za’atari Refugee camp in Jordan to the big screen in Times Square.”

The huge effort includes “a  coalition  of  115  humanitarian  and  human rights  groups  from  24  countries” calling for action to ensure Syrians (especially civilians in areas under siege) receive the aid they desperately need, and also “for the voices of ordinary Syrians to be heard and heeded in reconvened peace talks” so that this can be the last anniversary of bloodshed in Syria.\

As Justin Forsyth, CEO  of Save the Children explains, “For  three  years  Syria’s children  have  endured  unacceptable  suffering…Doctors  that  we  work  with  on  the  ground  have told us children are having limbs amputated because basic antibiotics  for less  serious  wounds  are  not  available  and  newborn  babies  are  dying  in incubators  due  to  frequent  power  cuts. Full  humanitarian  access  would help injured and sick children receive the medical care that they need.”

To show that they are “#WithSyria,” thousands of people will attend candlelight vigils held in over 40 countries, starting tonight, with many recreating Banksy’s image by releasing red balloons as a show of solidarity. A Banksy light projection will also factor into many of the vigils, and the Lincoln Memorial, Eiffel Tower, and Nelson’s Column will be lit up in a message of hope, supported by Chappell Productions. A social media campaign includes international celebrities uploading pictures of themselves with red balloons accompanied by the hashtag #WithSyria.

This campaign comes on the heels of Don’t Panic’s viral PSA for Save the Children UK’s initiative supporting child victims in Syria, which, as you may remember, we covered last week. We’ve included it after the jump as a refresher. For more on the #WithSyria campaign and how you can show your support, head on over to withsyria.com. continued…

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Yes, as mentioned, the Climate Reality Project created a video of Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety, who won in giant slalom in Sochi by the way, talking to a snowflake.

Following the uncharacteristically warm Winter Olympic Games, Ligety decided to team up with CRP on their “I Am Pro Snow” campaign. The spot was created in-house, using b-roll footage from “I Am Pro Snow” partner Warren Miller‘s new film, Ticket to Ride. Climate Reality Project’s creative team combed through the footage for moments when Ligety was speaking with the boom operator, and created a fictional conversation with an animated snowflake. The results are damn near unwatchable, culminating in a painful rap from the snowflake. It’s a shame really, because this is a good cause and more people need to be educated about the realities of climate change, which in this case, was intended to explain why it was hurting snow sports. Well, not quite. If you feel like torturing yourself for 90 seconds or so, you can watch the video above. Stick around for credits after the jump. continued…

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W+K’s trademark nonsensical humor is on full display in their latest, the new spot “Made by Kobe” promoting Kobe Bryant‘s Kobe 9 Collection for Nike, which launched on March 6th.

The spot imagines what it would be like if Kobe Bryant designed a piano: “It will turn piano boys into piano men. It will make Lionel Richie‘s tears cry tears.” Lionel Richie actually appears in the spot, tear slowly rolling down his cheek while he plays the piano, adding to the humorous tone. After talking up the hypothetical Kobe Piano, which looks pretty badass, the narrator introduces the “Made by Kobe*” Kobe 9 Collection. Although the product reveal comes 50 seconds into the 75 second spot, the sidelined Lakers star can be seen wearing his new line throughout the commercial.

The spot is exactly what we’ve come to expect from W+K, calling to mind some of their well-known past hits, like their famous work for Old Spice. The formula may be starting to show signs of age, but W+K still has a big leg up on the countless competitors attempting to imitate this kind of work. “Made by Kobe” will run until March 27th. Now if they’d only release that piano for real. Stick around for credits after the jump.

*Kobe is the name of a 12-year-old Chinese boy who works around the clock to handcraft the Kobe 9 Collection for 2 cents an hour. continued…

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Th1ng director/animator Sylvain Chomet received a personal request from The Simpsons creator Matt Groening to animate the iconic “couch gag” that concludes the opening credits of the show, now entering its 26th season. Obviously, you don’t turn down a personal request from Matt Groenig, so the three-time Oscar nominee Chomet offered up a distinctly French take on the gag, which was just revealed online today.

Chomet joins an illustrious list of individuals invited by Groening to animate the sequence, including Bill Plympton, Banksy, and Guillermo Del Toro. Indeed, in recent years the couch gag has all too often overshadowed the rest of the episode. Executive producer Dominic Buttimore (Bart Simpson would have a field day with that one), a longtime collaborator, “worked closely with Chomet to create and storyboard the concept for the animation sequence, which was immediately met with ‘laughter and appreciation’ by Groening and Simpsons’ longtime show-runner/producer Al Jean. Jean went as far as to call the experience a “dream come true.”

The new couch gag (featured above) is one of the show’s best, thanks to some great jokes and Chomet’s inimitable animation style. It will air during the episode “Diggs” this Sunday, March 9th. Stick around after the jump for credits and couch gags from Plympton and Banksy. continued…

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Arnold Worldwide is behind a new 2.3 million dollar campaign for Jack Daniel’s new “Sinatra Select,” a new product rolling out in select markets in anticipation of a June release nationally. Sinatra Select is a stronger make of whiskey (90 proof to Jack Daniel’s normal 80 proof) with “more oak and spice notes.” It will be rolled out in some of Ol’ Blue Eyes’ favorite haunts: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, and Las Vegas.

At the center of the campaign is the 30-second spot, “Frank The Man,” celebrating Frank Sinatra and his favorite drink. The spot ends with Sinatra’s “That’s the nectar of the gods, baby,” quote. Jack Daniel’s in an enviable position as the preferred drink of such a historical celebrity; the new product, and Arnold’s campaign, seem like a no-brainer. As you may remember, Sinatra got a shout out in Jack Daniel’s “Legend” spot from last year, so it was only a matter of time until he got the spotlight. The media buy for “Frank The Man” includes “ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live and NBC’s The Tonight Show as well as cable outlets including ESPN, FX, Discovery and Comedy Central so this should reach a wide array of eyeballs as the product rolls out in its select markets.

As you might expect, the premium whiskey is a bit more glamorous than Jack Daniel’s standard offering, and the price tag ($150) is indicative of that. Sinatra Select also comes with packaging that “includes a commemorative gift box and a booklet detailing Mr. Sinatra’s history with Jack,” so folks will be paying for more than just the whiskey itself. The timing behind this campaign and product rollout is deliberate, coming in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of Ol’ Blue Eyes’ birth on Dec. 15, 1915. Credits after the jump. continued…

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Vanilla Ice appears as a grocery store worker stocking shelves and rocking out to his own “Ninja Rap” in a new spot from CP+B promoting Kraft’s ubiquitous macaroni and cheese-like food product, now with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shaped pasta.

The spot plays on the nostalgic humor surrounding Vanilla Ice when a mom starts singing and dancing along with him. Her son is not pleased by this turn of events, and he angrily puts the box of Kraft Mac+Cheese in the cart and walks away as Ice–aka Rob Van Winkle–utters his trademark “Word to your mother” line. CP+B will run with several #WordToYourMother memes over the course of the new campaign, and also plans to reward the brand’s “most fervent Facebook & Twitter fans with Golden Autographs –limited edition boxes of Kraft TMNT Mac & Cheese that were props featured in the commercial and signed by Vanilla Ice himself.” Because Vanilla Ice autographs are still something people want, apparently.

The new campaign is a fun continuation of Kraft’s “You Know You Love It” and a fond reminder of TMNT days gone by for those of us who grew up with the turtles. Now, before Michael Bay ruins the franchise, let’s all take a moment to remember this wonderfully terrible moment in cinematic history:

If you still haven’t had enough of Vanilla Ice (You’ve had over 20 years to have enough of Vanilla Ice, what’s wrong with you?) stick around for a behind the scenes video, along with credits, after the jump. continued…

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Doner created a new global campaign called “Mirage” for FIAT, in promotion of their new Fiat 500L, the first four door vehicle from the automaker (which we guess is now officially Fiat Chrysler Automobiles). “Mirage” enlists the help of Diddy and Pharrell‘s hit “Happy,” which you may recall as the song from the world’s first 24-hour music video, and the soundtrack to Despicable Me 2.

“Mirage” is (as you might have guessed) set in the desert. Two lost travelers searching for rescue see Diddy drive by in a Fiat, but dismiss the sighting as a mirage. When they then stumble on Diddy‘s REVOLT soiree, they again dismiss the vision as a mirage, with one of the travelers pointing to the new Fiat 500L and saying, “The Fiat over there has four doors. Fiat only makes small cars, it’s not real.” The line draws attention to the misconception that Fiat only builds small cars as a way of introducing the new Fiat 500L, further cemented by the tagline, “Unbelievably Big” (which is sure to elicit snickers and/or “That’s what she said” jokes from certain corners of the ad community). In the spot, Diddy once again proves himself a much more talented comedic actor than rapper (for further evidence, see Made or Get Him to the Greek), delivering the spot’s punchline (which I won’t reveal here) with great timing.

Doner’s global campaign will roll out this Thursday, with the TV spot running both nationally and internationally, and will also include online components. Stick around for credits after the jump. continued…

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