Hasta La Creative!

Arnold launched a new campaign for New Balance, positioning the brand as more than just footwear as it expands into different realms of athletic apparel.

A new 60-second online spot entitled “The Storm” opens on a woman running on rough, rocky terrain. She stops to catch her breath and notices a storm approaching on the horizon. Soon, the storm overtakes her, as athletes come running out of the dark clouds. Among the athletes are 17 New Balance sponsored pros, including Miguel Cabrera, Robinson Cano, Jenny Simpson, Milos Raonic, Aaron Ramsey and Emma Coburn. As the storm passes the voiceover chimes in with the line, “There are those who stop and those who push on. So go, be something more,” and the woman continues on her run. It’s a bit of a goofy premise, to put it mildly, and the nonsensical “Always in Beta” tagline doesn’t exactly help. What the spot does have, obviously, is plenty of star power, which is something of a change in approach for the brand. That makes sense given their desire to foster a new, broader image as a company. “The Storm” made its debut online yesterday, and will be supported by social media and print components.

“As a brand we are always pushing and always innovating,” Hilary Keates, director of global marketing and brand management at New Balance, told Adweek. “We represent that through [our work with] some amazing athletes and we want to help consumers push and meet their goals.”

“New Balance wanted to do a reset on where they stand as a brand,” added Pete Johnson, executive creative director, managing partner at Arnold’s Boston office. “They’ve always been a brand that shunned partnerships and endorsements, but now that they are growing at the rate at which they are growing they’ve looked [at how to] be a real player in the space and the category.”

Credits:

Executive Creative Directors/Managing Partners: Pete Johnson, Wade Devers
SVP Creative Director/Copywriter: Greg Almeida
SVP Creative Director/Art Director: Travis Robertson
Executive Producer: William Near
Assistant Producer: Patrick Carney

Marketing and Strategy:
Managing Director: Paul Nelson
SVP Account Director: Todd Sperry
Sr. Marketing Manager: Will Gurney
EVP Head of Planning: Milla Stolte
SVP Brand Planning Director: Andrew Butler
Brand Planner: Mike Patrick

New Balance:
Hilary Keates, Director of Global Marketing and Brand Strategy
Chris Ladd, EVP, Director of Consumer Engagement and Demand Creation

TV Production:
Production Company: RESET
Production Company Executive Producer: Dave Morrison, Jeff McDougall
Production Supervisor: Moira Hurley
Producer: Annabel Ridley
Director:  Johnny Hardstaff

Editorial:
Editorial Company: Cosmo Street
Post Production Producer: Anne Lai
Editor: Paul Hardcastle
Versioning Editor: Mark Potter

VFX:
VFX Company: MPC NY
Managing Director: Justin Brukman
Executive Producer: Camila De Biaggi
Senior Producer: Armand Weeresinghe
VFX Supervisor 2D: Rob Walker
VFX Supervisor 3D: Vicky Osborn
Grade: MPC
Colorist: George K

Music:
Sound Mixing: Rex Recker (Audio Engine)
Music Company: Pivot Audio
Music Composer(s): Guy Amitai, Jan Kos

Arnold Worldwide is launching a new multimedia campaign for Jack Daniel’s entitled “The Few and Far Between,” which celebrates, “the quirky stories told by the proprietors, bouncers, barflys and patrons who frequent…fine establishments and questionable joints.” Or, in other words, drinking stories. The brand avoids accusations of promoting excess with the disclaimer, “You can’t tell a story you don’t remember. Please drink responsibly.”

In addition to short videos, the website hosting the campaign also features “tales of whiskey, revelry and mischief” in the form of written stories, audio and mixed media. You can take a look at a teaser video above, and head to the campaign site for the full experience. The launch features thirty bar stories gathered from around the country, but the brand plans to release even more later this year as part of this massive digital campaign and has also partnered with Vice Media for a user-generated photo contest. (more…)

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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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Arnold continues its ongoing Public Awareness Campaign for Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. today with the release of “Can You Tell the Difference?”

The 30-second TV spot presents several people with what they think is a professional financial planner, but is actually DJ/Pirates of the Caribbean actor Azmyth Kaminski, who shed 14 years of dreadlocks to appear in the ad. Kaminski asks individuals seeking financial advice if they would trust him as their financial advisor. When they reply that they would, he reveals his true identity. The stunt was designed to highlight the importance of selecting a financial advisor with CFP certification. “Anyone can hold him or herself out to the public as a financial advisor or planner,” says CFP Board CEO Kevin Keller, CAE.  “We urge consumers to seek someone who has demonstrated competency and ethics by achieving CFP certification, the highest standard for the financial planning profession.”

This latest phase of Arnold’s ongoing campaign includes print and banner ads in addition to the television spot, as well as sponsorship messages on National Public Radio and a retooled CFP Board website. Stick around for credits after the jump. continued…

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And now, in more staffing news, we have received word from sources in the know that Arnold Worldwide and a couple of creative staffers have parted ways, mainly John Kearse and Rob Kottkamp, who we’ve been told are joining up with Mullen within the next couple of weeks. During his eight-year stint at Arnold, Kottkamp moved up the ranks from art director to senior AD to his most recent role as SVP/creative director, working on, among other things, under Pete Johnson on Carnival. Johnson remains executive creative director on said account. As for Kearse, the creative has spent nearly a decade at Arnold, helping lead creative on truth and Santander among other accounts. No word yet on SVP/creative director Mike Howard, but we’re hearing a change to freelance status at Arnold is in the works.

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Unfortunately, we were at the airport yesterday morning awaiting the flight back home (sans laptop, still trying to stay off grid) when multiple tips poured in about Pete Favat leaving Arnold. Where to, we didn’t know at the time, but alas, the news broke as we were somewhere above the Midwest that the 14-year Arnold vet did indeed leave the Havas-owned agency to assume the CCO post at Deutsch L.A. Wading through the Favat-related tips this morning, we came across one which is basically Arnold global CEO Robert LePlae‘s memo to staff regarding the move and the appointment of Wade Devers and Pete Johnson as lead creative partners of Boston ops. It’s nothing shocking or anything you haven’t really read in the other trades, but if you want something verbatim from the inside, read on after the jump.

“All,

I am reaching out to let you know that after many years with Arnold, Pete Favat will be leaving the agency.

With a long held ambition to live on the west coast and new opportunities for his family, Pete has accepted a position in Los Angeles.  This is a desire that Pete has harbored for many years, and one he now has an opportunity to fulfill.

There is a plan prepared plan for this evolution.  Earlier this year we elevated Wade Devers to Executive Creative Director in Boston.  Wade is a brilliant craftsman, long-time leader at Arnold, and responsible for much of the best work that comes out of the agency.

Pete Johnson will partner with Wade as Executive Creative Directors.  He joined Arnold last year as one of the leading digital creative and content talents in the country.  It was a coupe for Arnold to get him, he’s delivered on all of our expectations, and we have a high degree of confidence in his talent, and ability to lead.

Wade and Pete Johnson bring a rich combination of conceptual ability, digital creative expertise, craftsmanship and design to the roles.  The increasing demands of creative leaders in recent years require this broad collective skill set, and we’re fortunate to have it readily in place.

I share this news with mixed emotions because of our genuine fondness for Pete Favat, and the many contributions he’s made. At the same time, there’s a talent evolution going on in our business, and we’re feeling quite good about the ability of our creative choices to drive this new direction for Arnold Boston.

Please join me in wishing Pete Favat the best in his new life, congratulating Wade and Pete Johnson in their new roles, and the great energy and success that can come with new leadership.

RLP”

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From Arnold comes the latest TV spot for Progressive, “Rate Suckers,” helmed by director Ruben Fleischer (of  pretty great Zombieland and pretty terrible Gangster Squad fame). Depicting bad drivers as the soul-sucking, rate-hiking leeches they are, the ad also introduces Progressive’s new “Snapshot” technology.

“Snapshot,” a little device that sticks underneath your dashboard, ostensibly counts how many times a driver slams on the brakes, calculates the time of day and how many miles a car has driven. Then it rewards good drivers with Pez or something, but as the spot doesn’t say what the hell it is, none of this really matters now does it?

Noticeably absent from this spot is Flo, Progressive’s chipper apron-ed spokesperson. I know that we, the car insurance-purchasing consumers, were always supposed to really like Flo because everyone in Progressive’s ads sure did. However, the Flo-lessness of this spot reminds me that I kind of hate Flo, and I hope to never see her ever again. Credits after the jump.

continued…

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