New Ad Campaigns

Thursday, November 05, 2009

New Ad Campaigns

From Amy:

Hidden guacamole. Leftover chicken. Identity tracking. Let's launch!

VERSUS is launching a new series, "Sports Jobs with Junior Seau," Dec. 2. Like Discovery Channel's "Dirty Jobs," this show focuses on thankless behind-the-scenes sporting jobs ranging from UFC cornerman and MLB batboy to IndyCar pit crewmember and LPGA caddy -- all tackled by NFL linebacker Junior Seau. "I never had to close a 3-inch cut with one hand ... change 4 tires in under 10 seconds, and stop a 100 mph linedrive. Until now," says Seau in a 30-second TV spot, shown here. Print ads, running in Sports Illustrated, Maxim, Rolling Stone, Playboy, Sporting News, Men's Fitness and Men's Health, feature Seau donning his NFL jersey while completing tasks unrelated to football. See the ads here, here and here. Viewpoint Creative made the TV spot and Big Picture Group created the print ads.

You can't hide too many surprises in running medals. An NBA Championship trophy, on the other hand, is brimming with possibilities. "Your NBA Destination," ESPN's campaign promoting its NBA coverage, returns with Lamar Odom, a first-time championship winner, receiving a lesson on "Trophy" secrets from Magic Johnson and James Worthy. The trio is traveling on the ESPN bus, watching TV. Odom is snacking and coddling the trophy when Johnson opens the trophy top to reveal a heaping load of guacamole. This is my kind of trophy. Worthy goes even further, revealing a heated drawer of nacho cheese at the trophy's base. Watch the ad here, created by Wieden + Kennedy New York.

Ever wonder what leftover chicken looks like when it's shocked with a defibrillator? Me neither, but we find out in a TV ad for Bisquick. A wife runs to the refrigerator, grabs the leftover chicken and whisks it off to the ER in "Leftovers." Rather than cutting off clothing, a doctor cuts away plastic wrap covering the carcass. When chicken remnants meet defibrillator, the slimy chicken slips off a gurney and onto the floor, devastating its owners, who realize the five-second rule does not apply here and the chicken can't be saved. "Keep your leftovers alive," ends the ad, driving viewers to Bisquick.com for recipes. See the ad here, created by McCann Erickson and edited by Crew Cuts.

Apple launched "Switcher Cams," an online ad running though Nov. 20 on CNN, New York Times, Slate, Wired, YouTube, The Onion, NFL, ZDNet and Ars Technica, among others. Mac and PC watch a row of hidden cameras follow former PC users walking into an Apple store. Rather than upgrade to Windows 7, PC users are buying Macs instead. PC has tolerated enough, so he leaves Mac for the trenches, where he prevents a PC user from entering the Mac store. "One down, Mac. Thousands and thousands to go," he proclaims. Watch the ad here, created by TBWA/Media Arts Lab.

Identity Guard launched three TV spots that track users' identities once they've charged something. The first ad brings us to Nigeria, following a woman's purchase of sandals online. A boy rides through the city of Lagos, clutching this woman's credit card information. He arrives at his destination, with a lookout keeping watch on things. You're led to think the ad will end with the boy selling off this info, which isn't the case. He's simply filling the sandal order. See the ad here. "Boxers" is hysterical. A man orders golf clubs online, at home in his boxers. What's amusing is that the boxer-wearing man follows his identity to a server room, atop a woman's desk, along a conveyor belt and atop freight, carrying his purchase. Watch it here. A man hands his credit card to the cashier in the final ad, seen here, and she broadcasts his personal information throughout the store and beyond. Smith Gifford created the ads, edited by Crew Cuts.

A series of open car doors beckons drivers to hop in and take a spin. "An Open Door" promotes the Xbox game Forza Motorsport 3. The spot shows a series of luxury cars with the driver's side door opened. Cars are left in the road, found in a showroom and in a garage; an unseen driver gets into the last car, peeling down the road. The last car is videogame footage that allows average folks to drive an expensive sports car however they choose. "Where dreams are driven" ends the ad, seen here. The spot is running in the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Japan. T.A.G. created the ad and Universal McCann handled the media buy.

If real life isn't filled with enough pressure and anxiety, your gaming life can be. Hill Holliday created a launch video for Immerz, a pair of headphones that sit on your chest while you play video games, watch movies or listen to music. Low-frequency vibrations are sent into a player's chest cavity, allowing him to physically feel what his in-game character feels. A video game character speaks directly to the screen, telling the gamer, "what if you could feel what I feel. All this pressure and anxiety ... changes our relationship a bit, doesn't it?" The video ends with a gamer strapping on his headphones and immersing himself in the game. See the video here.

Hellmann's created a film to raise awareness for The Real Food Movement, which recommends that Canadians buy Canadian food to support local farmers and to import food only when necessary. Some numbers are staggering. For example, "for every apple we export, we import about five. For pears, it's one out and 700 in," says the voiceover. According to the film, Alberta imported more than $170 million in fresh vegetables in 2004 while exporting $400,000 worth. Yikes. Watch the film here, created by Ogilvy Toronto and produced by Sons and Daughters and Toronto & Crush.

Random iPhone App of the week: Discovery Communications launched the Discovery Channel App, which contains video clips from shows like "Mythbusters," "Dirty Jobs," "Time Warp," "Deadliest Catch" and "Cash Cab." The app also offers various quizzes, photo galleries, programming schedules and updates from Discovery News. Those interested in purchasing full show episodes can do so via links provided that connects users to the iTunes Store. The App, created by Rhythm NewMedia, can be downloaded for free from the App Store.