Hasta La Creative!

In an attempt to boost holiday sales, GSD&M enlisted the services of one Weird Al Yankovic on behalf of the struggling Radio Shack.

The resurgent Yankovic, of course, just had the first number one album of his career with his fourteenth full-length, Mandatory Fun. Radioshack CMO Jennifer Warren cited Yankovic’s resurgent popularity and “cross generational appeal” in explaining the decision to enlist the King of Parody, telling MediaPost, “He’s had a resurgence, including a No. 1 album, and an appearance on the Grammies, as well as a recent tour of the talk shows.”

And, indeed, Yankovic has appeal from everyone from those introduced to the parodist in the eighties, to those of us who bought Bad Hair Day on compact dist in elementary school, to the kids just being introduced to him today through the music videos he released to promote the new album. But does GSD&M make it work?

Kind of. Yankovic’s quirky, nerdy charm is certainly on display in the ad, and Radio Shack could benefit from the association, but the spot stops short of fulfilling its comedic potential. When a customer asks if Radio Shack carries HeliQuads, Shack employee Yankovic bursts into song about how it is the perfect place for holidays toys for, boys, girls, and your cousin Bob who is 43 and lives at home. GSD&M worked from a script, collaborating with Yankovic from there, according to GSD&M President Marianne Malina. Given Yankovic’s distinct personality (which is what you got him for), it may have made more sense to just let him come up with his own ideas.

Interestingly, the ad will debut in cinemas, where viewers can use the Shazam app to download a longer version. The ad is part of GSD&M’s larger “Gift Smart” campaign as the agency continues to attempt to start conversations around the sinking Radio Shack brand. Recent efforts include the suggestive back-to-school campaign, which ruffled a few conservative feathers with its innuendo.

“Everything we’ve done together…is about getting buzz, and getting back into the conversation,” Warren told MediaPost. (more…)

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GSD&M has a new campaign for Pacifico, entitled “Yellow Caps,” set to roll out this summer.

“Yellow Caps” is a term “coined by bartenders and refers to Pacifico’s bright yellow bottle caps, which are easily identifiable in crowded beer coolers.” For GSD&M’s latest campaign they have utilized the iconic caps, with the underside used to engage consumers with printed GPS coordinates marking one of 21 incredible spots throughout Baja, mainland Mexico and on the Pacific coast of the U.S. Each cap also encourages consumers to visit the newly-designed DiscoverPacifico.com, where visitors can enter their GPS coordinates to “drop in to a unique locale and activity like spearfishing in Santa Maria Bay, surfing in Scorpion Bay or camping on Playa el Requesón.”

The initiative is designed as a tie-in to the agency’s new broadcast spots, which attempt to appeal to Pacifico drinkers’ sense of adventure. In “Spearfishing” (featured above), for example, a group of friends set out in a boat, drinking Pacifico and spearfishing. While you might question whether drinking and spearfishing are  the best combination, GSD&M make it appear fun. Nobody gets stabbed and the friends grill up the fish on the beach following their catch.

“Pacifico’s popularity has expanded significantly in the last five years; it is now available in all 50 states,” said Jim Sabia, chief marketing officer for Constellation Brands Beer Division, Pacifico’s exclusive U.S. importer. “This new campaign gives every Pacifico drinker the opportunity to  experience the Baja lifestyle that shapes the brand’s boundless spirit.” Credits after the jump. continued…

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