Fellas, Bill Kurtis Wants You to Go on a Mancation to Illinois With Him

Legendary anchorman Bill Kurtis is a man’s man. Just ask Ron Burgundy … or the Illinois Office of Tourism.

A new campaign from JWT Chicago features Kurtis, a veteran Chicago journalist best known today for hosting cable crime shows like Investigative Reports, Cold Case Files and American Justice. This time we see a new side of Kurtis, pitching his home state as an ideal destination for “mancations”—getaways that focus on stock car driving, gambling and—wait, wait… don’t tell me—golf.

These trips are cast as reciprocation for womanly leisure activities like book clubs, because, the argument goes, if a guy suffers in the name of love through a sentimental novel, he should be rewarded.

Kurtis oozes charisma, and the message is certainly more down to earth than the zany miniature replica of Abraham Lincoln the state has been using to appeal to potential visitors. The world didn’t really need another advertising portmanteau, but the real risk for the brand is that Kurtis’s outsized personality eclipses a concept that, at its core, doesn’t add much new to the resurgent trend of testosterone-drenched advertising

Then again, if a person in a bear suit playing a bugle comes standard with vacations to Illinois, sign me up.

CREDITS:

Advertising Agency: JWT, Chicago
Executive Creative Director: Dan Bruce
Creative Director/AD: Terra Hambly
Copywriter: Mike Beamer
Group Managing Director: Erin Clark
Account Director: Sarah Brick
Account Executive: Kyle Piazza

Production and Postproduction:
Director: Dan Bruce
Production Company: One
Executive Producer: Lisa Masseur
Senior Producer: Sarah Slevin
Line Producer: Alison Ginsburg
Director of Photography: Kyle Bainter
Editorial: Optimus
Producer: Tracy Spera
Editor: Craig Lewandowski
Assistant Editor: Ben Winter
Audio/Sound Design: Marina Bacci
Logo Animation: Tyler Nelson
Explosion animation: BlinkFarm



‘MiniAbe’ Explores More of Illinois, and Couldn’t Be More Whoa-ed

If you were a miniature version of Abraham Lincoln, you'd be super excited about modern Illinois, according to the state's tourism campaign, which has brought back MiniAbe for another round of quirky sightseeing.

It sort of makes sense, if you're arrogant enough to compare yourself to one of history's (and the state's) great figures but also humble enough to think of yourself as merely a downsized plastic replica.

MiniAbe channels Joey Lawrence in the new spot, from JWT Chicago, as he utters "Whoa" wherever he goes. The approach also makes the footage of tourist locations a little more rewarding than your average vanity shots. It's hard not to wonder though, if MiniAbe isn't a distant relative of whoever's driving London's little yellow street-cleaning submarine.

The "Be More Whoa-ed" campaign launched Monday in 16 U.S. markets and will reach the U.K., Germany, Canada and national cable later this spring and summer. A second spot in the spring campaign will break in early May.

Credits below.

CREDITS
Client: Illinois Office of Tourism
Deputy Director: Jen Hoelzle
Assistant Deputy Director: Jan Kemmerling
Marketing Manager: Lisa Link

Agency: JWT, Chicago
Executive Creative Director: Dan Bruce
Creative Director, Copywriter: Gary Korrub
Creative Director, Art Director: Terra Hambly
Executive Producer: Alec Pinkston
Agency Producer: Carolyn James
Group Management Director: Erin Clark
Senior Account Director: Brendan Riley

Director: Seth Henrickson
Production Company: Odd Machine
Editor: Steve Morrison
Director of Photography: Seth Henrickson
Sound Design: Eric Cauwels, Chicago Recording
Media: Maxus