New Ad Campaigns

Amy's weekly update:

The Melting Pot stirs things up. A bank that encourages wearing a ski mask. Potato-chip fireworks. Let's launch!

This campaign makes me want to end all my sentences with "yargh." Wellcraft Marine Corp. launched a print campaign this month targeting seasoned boaters who are accustomed to life on the water. Boats run anywhere from 20k to 400k, but you won't see any in the ads. Instead, there are close-up pictures of recently caught fish, alongside fun copy such as: "You've never been seasick. Bet you've been land sick a few times though," and "You wouldn't be caught dead with a fruit in your beer. Unless, of course, you were dying of scurvy." See the ads here, here, here and here. The Republik created the campaign and media buying was handled in-house. Apparently, Starbucks only makes decaf coffee in the afternoons by request. I learned this tidbit from a print ad placed in USA Today last week by rival Dunkin' Donuts. The ad, which ran only once, takes a stab at the behemoth by reminding coffee drinkers, "customers can enjoy America's favorite coffee regular or decaf, whenever they want it... We don't work around our schedule, we work around yours." Ouch. See the ad here. Hill Holliday Boston created the ad and handled the media buy. Valentine's Day is this weekend, and if you're still looking for love, look no further than Red Tettemer's iMate. It's hysterical. Go online, browse the selection of eligible Red Tettemer singles, and send them an email. The bios are short and sweet, telling prospective dates everything they need to know. "I'll make your face blush and your toilet flush," says the profile of a handyman. A woman dressed in leotards and leg warmers tells suitors that "Olivia Newton John ain't got nothin' on me." I emailed "Patrick Dancer" this morning, to see if I'd get a response. Nothing yet... I love the Melting Pot. It's fondue, fun, expensive (not fun), but worth it, on occasion. Whenever I hear someone say "search and rescue," I can't help but laugh. All you Melting Pot frequenters know what I'm talking about! The company launched a new tagline, "Stir Things Up," along with new brand strategy that positions the restaurant as a place not just for special occasions, but a way to make average occasions special. Unless the prices go down, that's going to be an uphill battle. Creative consists of a fondue pot and copy, some of it geared towards Valentine's Day. "'When exactly did you tell the baby sitter we'd be home?"' "'February 15,"' reads one ad, seen here. Another ad, seen here, references the 80s movie "9 ½ Weeks." Remaining creative can be found here, here and here. There's also a Facebook application called "Perfect Pairings," that lets users play Cupid amongst their friends. Drag two friends to a virtual fondue pot, and the couple is sent questions to test their compatibility. Participants will receive a coupon for their next visit to The Melting Pot. Push created the campaign and Octane handled the media buy. Who knew that three ingredients could be so explosive? Lay's potato chips launched a TV spot where "just potatoes, all natural oil and a dash of salt," create fireworks for townspeople. A large group of residents assemble at a farm, each bringing a fold-up chair and plastic bowls. Before you know it, potatoes are exploding from the ground, making for quite the daytime extravaganza. Spectators are then treated to a shower of potato chips, explaining why everyone came equipped with empty bowls. See the ad here, created by Juniper Park and directed by Mike Long of Epoch Films. This is a great ad that was created after the Super Bowl, in four days. Simple yet effective. The spot for Fallon Community Health Plan recalls the pain inflicted on characters in this year's Super Bowl ads. The company found "14 commercials with 31 people who may need to see a doctor." The ad then concludes with an effortless statement: "We just hope they all have good health coverage." See the ad here, which ran during Sunday's Pro Bowl on NBC. Mechanica created the ad and Allen & Gerritsen handled the media buy. Here's a bank that will not blink an eye if you do your banking in a ski mask. In fact, they welcome it. FirstBank launched ads across mountain resorts in Colorado on snowboard racks and ski lift lines that read, "Bank in your ski mask without getting arrested." Before anyone tries this experiment at their local FirstBank, be sure to read the remaining copy that states, "Mobile Banking. Bank Anywhere." See the ad here. TDA Advertising & Design created the campaign and handled the media buy. MTV Networks International launched a series of PSAs last year, under the initiative MTV Switch, educating teens about global warming and reducing carbon footprints. "Green Song" stars an animated character singing a tongue-in-cheek tune about the loosely defined concept of "being green." "You don't have to be green to be green," concludes the ad, seen here. Two additional spots focus on what people might be missing in the real world while they are busy playing on their computers or playing video games. One teenager surfing the Net misses a shirtless man riding a stallion in her backyard. Where does this real life take place? Watch the ad here. "Mud" is more realistic. A gamer on his sofa neglects to see a car outside that's stuck in mud while three bikini-clad women try and free the vehicle. See it here. 180 Amsterdam created the pro-bono campaign.

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