Team One Launches Annual ‘December to Remember’ Push for Lexus

Team One has launched the annual “December to Remember” holiday sales event for Lexus with a new integrated campaign built around three broadcast spots.

In each of the 30-second spots parents present a different explanation for how exactly Santa manages to deliver a luxury sedan. The parents in “Christmas Train” explain how an iconic holiday train made its way to their driveway, where elves helped unload it right to the driveway — complete with Lexus’ signature red bow. In “Magic Box,” the car magically self-assembles from a small box Santa places in the driveway, while in “Teleporter” it is beamed in directly from the North Pole.

The broadcast spots begin airing today on network and cable television, with “Christmas Train” also being translated for Hispanic and Asian-American markets. Additionally, the campaign is supported by print and OOH executions, as well as a digital partnership with The Weather Channel which will “provide targeted December Sales Event ads in real time based on local weather conditions.”

“The holidays are a time of year when people indulge their imaginations and share stories filled with magic and wonder,” said Brian Smith, Lexus vice president of marketing. “This year’s holiday campaign celebrates the tradition of storytelling and reminds us that children aren’t the only ones who get to have fun this time of year.” (more…)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Vitro Launches Rebranding Effort for Wild Turkey

Ah sweet bourbon, brownest of the brown liquors.

MDC-owned, San Diego-based Vitro, responsible for the interesting Asics campaigns we’ve covered over the past couple of years, is rolling out a rebranding effort for Wild Turkey with a new campaign entitled “Never Tamed,” complete with a new website for the booze brand.

Aimed “squarely into the hearts and minds of the Millennial consumer” the parties involved claim this campaign is the largest in Wild Turkey history. The “#Nevertamed” tagline and hashtag refer to the bouron’s adherence to quality and refusal to compromise for financial or other practical reasons. In the first spot, they highlight the company’s use of a deeper char, more rye, and a longer aging process in their bourbon. “It’s worth it,” the spot proclaims, “because some people know that the choices you make are just a product of what you’re made of.” This is the kind of ridiculous quote you hear in just about every liquor ad, but the focus on Wild Turkey’s adherence to quality works. Next time Vitro might want to mention Wild Turkey’s refusal to turn to genetically modified grains at a time when many others in the industry have resorted to GMOs. This sixty second spot is backed by extensive digital and social media efforts, with print advertising forthcoming.

The “Nevertamed” campaign also features long-form profiles of “five uncompromising individuals who clearly exhibit the same Wild Turkey #Nevertamed spirit.” These include Michael Sharp, who surfs in the arctic waters of Alaska; Chris Davenport, who hiked up and skied all of Colorado’s 54 tallest mountain peaks in a year; female horse jockey Rosie Napravnik; premier glass blower Caleb Siemon; and Hollywood stunt man Tim Rigby. These five stories can be viewed after the 60 second spot in the playlist above.

The rebranding effort to move away from an association with a “rough and tumble, redneck set” and appeal to their target demographic of males aged 25-35 (Hey, that’s me: send me some free bourbon) should be well-served by the campaign, despite the first spot’s flaws. Wild Turkey would do well to play up its association with Hunter S. Thompson, a fan of the brand who’s beloved by Millenials everywhere. Credits after the jump. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.