Out to Launch

by Amy Corr, Feb 15, 2012, 4:33 PM

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Most people try to avoid driving in bad weather. And then there’s Mitsubishi. The brand went looking for inclement weather for its latest campaign, “Ride the Storm.” Mitsubishi teamed up with Weather Underground and traveled through six states in five days, driving through rain, sleet, snow and icy conditions to prove that its cars can handle bad weather elements with ease. For me, bad storms are when I catch up on TV watching, cheesy movies and eat junk food. I’ll stick with that. See the ad here, created by 180LA.

CoolSculpting launched a test TV campaign in Charlotte and Austin called “Let’s Get Naked.” If you’re like me and said to yourself “What’s CoolSculpting,” apparently it’s a non-surgical way to remove fat in places that diet and exercise can’t remedy. It achieves this using some cooling technology. Since I prefer warm to cold, I’ll continue doing burpees and hope for the best. The ad takes place at a crowded stadium, where countless spectators are watching a soccer game. A lone streaker, naked but for his tighty whities, takes the field, interrupting play. This prompts random spectators to peel off their clothes and rush the field. Even the referee joins in.  “Say goodbye to stubborn fat and hello to coolsculpting.com,” closes the ad, seen here, and created by Cutwater San Francisco.

PETA launched a tasteless Valentine’s Day PSA-style ad that shows a woman living with BWVAKTBOOM, or Boyfriend Went Vegan and Knocked the Bottom out of Me. PETA wants viewers to believe that men who eat a vegan diet “can suddenly bring it like a tantric porn star.” The video tells the story of Jessica, a woman whose vegan boyfriend rocks her world to the point of whiplash -- cue the neck brace, and pulled muscles. Those that visit BWVAKTBOOM.com can find tips on going vegan safely. Happy Valentine’s Day. See the video here, created by Matter, directed by Dave Laden of Hungry Man and edited by Arcade Edit.

Breckenridge Brewery of Colorado launched a pair of 30-second low-budget spots as part of its “Beervertising” campaign. The ads poke fun at Corona’s “Find your Beach” campaign and Dos Equis’ “Most Interesting Man in the World” spots. In one spot, spokesman Bob Harrington sits with his back to the camera, watching waves on a warm and sunny beach... on TV. He grabs a beer and changes the channel to football. “Find Your Couch” reads copy. See it here. In the next ad, seen here, Harrington is dubbed “the least interesting man in the world,” as bottles of 471 IPA get capped behind him. “I always drink beer. And when I do, I prefer good beer,” says Bob. Cultivator Advertising & Design created the campaign and media buying was handled in-house.

Telecom company Airtel launched a TV spot that bungees teens out of boring situations, like riding the bus, driving with their parents or watching their boyfriends play video games -- and places them on a rooftop where a DJ is bringing down the house. Each teen, still wrapped in a bungee cord, dances the night away, thanks to their Airtel connection. See the ad here, created by Ogilvy, Africa and directed by David Gaddie of the Colony.

 

I love campaigns that encourage people to go offline and read a book. Lamar Advertising created a digital advertising campaign for Milwaukee Public Library that does just that. Three ads take aim at Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, turning the company names and logos into a support for literacy. The campaign, running until Feb. 19 changes Facebook’s name to “putyourfaceinabook”; Twitter’s tagline to “140 character? Try millions” and YouTube’s name to “you could be reading.” See them here, here and here.

Target launched "Color Changes Everything" during last weekend’s Grammy Awards. Promoting the company’s colorful spring collections, a hot air balloon full of people lands in an unsuspecting town, destined to turn drab into lively and vivacious. The balloon reminds me of a clown car because colorfully dressed people keep popping out. The energetic crew flips, tumbles, jumps and runs through town, colorizing anything drab, whether it’s someone’s outfit or table setting. Once the mission is complete, the crew returns to the hot air balloon, ready to make over a new town. See it here, created by Wieden+Kennedy New York.

Domino's launched the Think Oven on Facebook, asking consumers to submit suggestions on what they’d like to see on the menu. The company also reached out to customers in a quest for new uniform ideas. Winners will be awarded $500. That’s a little low, no, especially if the changes are implemented in all Domino’s stores? Coinciding with the Facebook campaign is a TV spot for its newest product, Parmesan Bread Bites, which were created by Brian Edler, a Domino's store owner in Ohio. See the ad here, created by CP+B.

Random iPhone App of the week: TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles launched “We Are Music,” a mobile app for the GRAMMYs. Similar to the TV and online campaign, the mobile version features artists created out of the rhythm and emotion of their songs. The app allows music fans to follow suit by selecting their favorite songs and pictures that explode into particles and reconstruct themselves, all while moving to the music. Download the app for free in the App Store.

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