McCann Saves Snowmen for Zurich Insurance

McCann has crafted a new ad for Zurich Insurance looking ahead to spring, which may seem appealing to you, but is certainly less so for the snowmen depicted in the ad, entitled “Save the Snowmen.”

The spot opens on a series of snowmen, melting slowly, and the message, “The first day of spring, somewhere in the Alps.” A dejected child pushes, while another boy replaces one of his snowman’s button eyes. Then a climate-controlled Zurich truck rolls up, filled with other snowmen, and takes them higher into the mountains. From the truck, the snowmen ride a ski lift and trek still further up, pulled by cross country skiers. Eventually they find themselves high up on a mountain peak, safe from the spring thaw.

It all makes for a cute little story, hard as it may be to relate with a negative portrayal of spring as another harsh winter is approaching. But while it’s an entertaining little ad, it’s so far removed from being related to Zurich’s services that many won’t realize what the ad is even for. Unless, of course, they insure snowmen.  (more…)

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McCann Launches ‘Gator Golf’ for Zurich Insurance

Zurich Insurance is launching “Gator Golf,” an online video tutorial series, created by McCann Worldgroup, instructing golfers on how to deal with playing in close proximity to alligators.

The series was created to build buzz around the upcoming PGA Tour, Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where an alligator famously wandered onto the course during last year’s games. While not everyone finds alligators on the golf course a laughing matter, the series is tied to the larger “For Those Who Truly Love” brand platform, the idea being that those who truly love golf won’t let an alligator on the course stand in their way.  The “Gator Golf” series features “golfing and alligator expert” Jim Shanks offering up absurd solutions to gator-filled golf course problems. In the above video, for example, he recommends turning around and driving left-handed so that the gator behind you is “out of sight, out of mind,” while adding that if you’re attacked you should follow course etiquette and “die quietly.”

Gator Golf” is the social component of a larger integrated campaign including TV, print, online advertising and a microsite, and will appear on YouTube and on saud microsite in the lead up to the tournament, which takes place April 24 – 27.

Of course, when we read “Gator Golf,” we can’t help but think of this…

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