• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, November 29, 2006

Rocky Mountain vodka? New York pizza in Colorado? Believe it. Let's launch!

Versus, the network formerly known as OLN, has launched three in-house TV ads promoting its NHL coverage. I'm sure the 15 people that watch hockey are home rejoicing. Each ad pairs a David with a Goliath with unknown consequences--an overweight bulldog vs. a vicious pit bull, a car vs. a speeding train and a mouse vs. a mousetrap. Once the action heats up--the pit bull gets loose, the car is about to collide with the train and the mousetrap is dangerously close to exterminating the mouse--the ads flash to the noise and competition of a hockey game. Click here, here, and here to watch the three ads. TAXI created the campaign.

21st Century Insurance launched a series of four ads with users experiencing some extreme scenarios, under the umbrella, "Drivers Just Like You." "Mir" shows a woman's car totaled by the falling space station. We then see the same woman, working for 21^st Century Insurance and reasoning why the company should offer consumers complimentary new-car replacement. Watch the ad here. "Delivery" shows expectant parents in the delivery room leaving with more than they imagined. Click here to watch it. A man wishes he had roadside assistance with his insurance plan in "Breakdown." Watch it here. Just because they're family, doesn't mean they're responsible enough to borrow your car. One sister found out the hard way in "Loaner." Watch the ad here.Sedgwick Rd. created the work, its first and last for the company, which recently parted ways with the agency. Dentsu America handled the media buying.

High expectations for a local campaign. Anthony's Pizza & Pasta, a Denver-based franchise, launched a unique outdoor campaign promoting its New York-style pizza. The company takes the New York theme seriously, targeting transplanted East Coasters with a play on the iconic I heart NY theme, replacing the heart with a slice of pizza. Another ad shows a subway map and a special line to Colorado. An authentic New York-style cab was driven around the city, featuring the copy, "It was a hell of a fare to get here." Lastly, "transplant" bumper stickers were mailed to 500 Denver residents who moved from the tri-state area. Thank you, Colorado DMV. Click here, here, here and here to view the work. Cultivator Advertising & Design created the campaign, with media buying handled in-house.

Vodka 14, made from organic grains and Rocky Mountain water, has launched its first-ever print campaign and uses a series of Colorado mountains to promote the brand. Using the tagline, "The height of vodka," ads are launching in December issues of various gourmet and spirit magazines. The Maroon Bells in Aspen, the West Molas Pass in Silverton and the San Juans, near Telluride, are all featured. Click here, here and here to see the work. The BrainStorm Group created the campaign and media buying was handled in-house.

Range Rover launched a TV spot last month touting its 2007 model in a serene manner. The ad is the third from Land Rover's "Designed for the Extraordinary" campaign, which debuted in February. The ad begins with a man creating a design in the sand that looks unimpressive from the ground until he and his wife drive to an elevated standpoint to appreciate his work. Watch the ad here. There's even a microsite with behind-the-scenes material from the making of the campaign which used three pieces of sand art. The Irvine, Calif. office of Young & Rubicam Brands created the campaign and Mediedge:cia handled the media buying.

The Advertising Council has launched a campaign with the help of the Motion Picture Association of America, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, the National Association of Broadcasters and the Consumer Electronics Association that encourages parents to keep an attentive eye on what their children are watching on TV. "Media Management" consists of two TV spots and a Web site for parents to receive advice on how to manage their kids' TV consumption. One ad shows a father blocking a drug-addicted character from his children's lives; another shows a mom humorously interacting with a Mob boss. The ads end with the copy: "You're the boss of what your kids watch. Make the rules. Know the ratings. Use parental controls." Watch the ads here.McCann Erickson New York created the campaign and Ripple Effects Interactive developed the Web site.

Orbitz has launched O-fling-o, a game coinciding with a sun and ski sale. The objective is to choose a character and throw either your beach umbrella or luggage farther than your online opponent. Winning players can enter a contest for a chance to win free travel expenses to your choice of skiing or beach destinations. 15 letters created the game.