New Ad Campaigns for the week

From Amy at Mediapost:

by Amy Corr

Did you get your free Starbucks yesterday? Did it taste illegal? Let's launch!

Universal Studios Hollywood launched a cool set of posters promoting its annual Halloween Horror Nights. This year, for the first time, Freddy Krueger was let loose to chase guests throughout the back lot. In small type, the top headline reads: "Live the nightmare. This Halloween, Freddie Krueger is loose in the park." Embroidered pillows placed neatly on beds reveals sayings not often found on cutesy pillows. "Mother is half of what you'll scream when he's chasing you," reads one pillow, but my personal favorite is "Friends are good to have. Especially those who run slow." See the posters here, here and here, created by David&Goliath.

Whoa. Hot-tub retailer Willow Creek Hearth & Leisure placed the emphasis on leisure in a newspaper and point-of-sale campaign running in western North Carolina. Targeting male boomers, the ads have a '70s swinger-lifestyle vibe that basically say: this is no playground for the children. "Spice up your marriage with someone else's marriage," "Because you can only fit one woman in a Porsche" and "Lowers sperm count to the average male range" reads copy, seen here, here and here. Make sure a healthy level of bromine and chlorine is used at ALL times. Brunner created the ads and media buying was handled in-house.

I had no idea a Digital Trivial Pursuit even existed. Luckily, Christmas is just around the corner.... Trivial Pursuit Digital Choice allows gamers to customize their game from more than 100 downloadable categories, from comic books and college football to NASA and NASCAR. Watch the ad here. A second ad promotes Trivial Pursuit's 25^th Anniversary Edition, asking tough questions like the name of the famous arch in Paris and Paris Hilton's Chihuahua. Really, T.P.? I don't know what's worse: the fact that I know the name of her dog or that she's actually a question in T.P. See the ad here. Uproar created the campaign and Crew Cuts edited.

Animal Planet launched five on-network promotional spots featuring Maggie Gallant, host of Animal Planet's "Pet Trends." Each 30-second spot offers tips for pet owners and can be sponsored by advertisers. Three's company in the first ad, seen here. Husband and wife keep their cat off the bed, helping hubby's allergies and couple's love life. A woman named Paris (another reference!) and her dog Nicky battle their bulge by exercising regularly. See the ad here. Remaining ads tackle how to effectively travel with your pets and how owning a pet can improve one's health. See the ads here, here and here, created by Wee Beastie.

So Starbucks launched this 60-second ad during "Saturday Night Live" last weekend offering a free coffee to anyone who came in on Election Day and said they voted. The ad is fairly plain and challenges people to get out and vote, using simple phrases such as "What if we all cared enough to vote?" and "What if we cared as much on Nov. 5 as we care on Nov. 4?" Did I mention that it's apparently illegal to offer a reward of sorts to those who vote? I still went to Starbucks yesterday afternoon and by then all you had to do was order a tall coffee (and not mention the voting thing) and it was yours for free. But my barista still grilled me and asked, "And you voted, right?" Like he needed to ask... BBDO created the ad.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are psyching fans up for the current hockey season with 30- and 60-second spots that follow a diverse group of fans as they passionately tell the story of their most memorable Maple Leaf's goal. Using the tag line, "Spirit is everything," ads launched last month and will run through November. I never imagined that Canadians needed to be pumped up for hockey season. I thought hockey passion ran through their bloodstream. See the ads here and here. TAXI 2 Toronto created the campaign and GAGGI Media handled the media buy.

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts launched a global ad campaign that's heavy on beautiful scenery and a soothing voiceover telling viewers "...the word welcome is more than a greeting. That the things you can't count, count for everything. That life is in the details..." The v.o. positions Hyatt as an establishment that treats the details of its consumers' lives as all that matters. "You're more than welcome," concludes the ad, seen here. BBDO New York created the campaign.

Orbit gum makes teeth so strong that chewers can rip though leather, wiring and golf clubs. Impressive. The 30-second TV spot follows a woman who's clearly been scorned by her husband. She tears through his clothes, golf club, entertainment center wiring and car tires. The spot was initially pulled, but I've been seeing it lately on cable networks. Happy it's back in rotation. Watch the ad here, created by Energy BBDO Chicago.

XLR8R magazine, a pub that covers music, culture, style, and technology, launched an ad prior to the election encouraging voter turnout. "Vote. It's never been more important," reads the ad, which illustrates two options: heaven or hell. See the ad here, created by David&Goliath.

Amy Corr is managing editor, online newsletters for MediaPost. She can be reached at amyc@mediapost.com.

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