Commentary

Out to Launch

Suicidal chocolate bunnies. Everybody wants hair like Paulie Walnuts' -- and a moustache like Keith Hernandez'. Let's launch!

Baskin-Robbins launched its first TV campaign in two years this week to promote its Candy Bar Madness products, namely its Reese's Peanut Butter Cup shake and sundaes. Since I'm a major PB cup fan, I'd react the same way as the actors in the ads. But I wouldn't be acting. A young boy in trouble is being sent to his room in "Punish." Mom adds that the family won't be going to Baskin-Robbins now -- to which the husband replies, "Let's not go crazy here." Click here to see the ad. A young girl who got an F on her test cries to her grandfather in "Test." She tells him that she would have scored a trip to Baskin-Robbins had she scored an A.  Grandpa changes her grade and yells "See you in the car." Watch the ad here. The spots will air on network cable through May 20 and debut the company's new tagline "YAY!" Cliff Freeman and Partners created the ads, the agency's first work for the brand, and WfofR handled the media buy.

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Dunkin' Donuts launched two TV spots promoting its iced coffee. "They Know Me" follows the inner thoughts of a man who loves his made-to-order DD iced coffee. However, those thoughts can be heard and appreciated by others. Watch the ad here. DD knows "Tom" better than any of his co-workers. He's called everything from Les, Vince, Philippe, Steve-O and Floyd in this 30-second spot. Watch the ad here.Hill Holiday handled all aspects of the campaign.

If this were a national campaign with a TV component, would it garner the same attention as GM's "Robot" ad? Yes. But it's a regional grassroots campaign using milk chocolate bunnies. Gelazzi Italiano Cafés, a West-coast chain of Gelato cafés, launched a print, outdoor, in-store and guerilla campaign to promote its annual "Chocolism" event. Ads premiered Easter weekend and featured chocolate Easter bunnies ready to end it all thanks to Gelazzi's upscale chocolate treats. "Makes all other chocolate feel inadequate," read the ads, each with a different chocolate treat and form of suicide. One ad features a bunny in a bathtub with a teetering, plugged-in toaster nearby. There's also a bunny near a noose, a bunny on a stove about to be melted, a bunny on train tracks and an ad similarly to GM's "Robot," with a bunny atop a bridge. Click here, here, here, here and here to see the ads. The promotion will run through June 30 and also include chocolate bunnies picketing local restaurants, Web sites encouraging consumers to "Save the Bunny" from Gelazzi's creations, suicidal bunnies strategically placed throughout cities and "Chocolism Theatre," a traveling theatre group playing in public spaces and starring the chocolate bunny and a supporting cast. Looney Advertising handled creative and media buying on the campaign.

SportsNet New York launched a series of three ads to promote itself as the "TV home of the Mets." Do I love this campaign already or what? Each ad stars animated versions of Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez critiquing their real-life selves in the broadcast booth. "Keith's Moustache" features Hernandez admiring both his broadcast and aesthetic skills. The spots ends with his animated moustache on the ground. Watch the ad here. Ron Darling tries to convince his colleagues that pitching is more mental than physical in "Ron's Arm." The fact that he can make balloon animals, great shadow puppets, and juggle, has nothing to do with it. Click here to watch the ad. "Trio" is a tad frightening. When one needs to pee, they all need to go. Like women, or conjoined twins. Watch the ad here. The spots are running on network and cable channels through June. Ogilvy created the ads.

Venables, Bell & Partners created two TV ads promoting The Sopranos on DVD from HBO Home Video. "Hair" begins with a middle-aged man, complete with Paulie Walnuts hairdo, reading the paper. As his family joins him at the table, we find that his wife and two sons sport the same recognizable style. Watch the ad here. "Pole" begins with a husband and wife talking paint colors at breakfast. The hubby is always looking at something other than his wife, and that something turns out to be a stripper dancing around a pole in the kitchen. The spot closes with a shot of a gaudy "Badda Bing" sign on the roof. Click here to watch the ad.Phoenix Editorial & Designs handled the editing and PHD handled the media buy.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has an entertaining Web site to match the equally entertaining Broadway musical. Players choose one of the characters from the musical and let the pressure of spelling words you've never heard of take over. Actual audio from the musical is used -- "bee" sure to check out the creative definitions for each word. The Buddy Group created the site.

YES Essentials created a Web site that dares you to get their car mats dirty. SplatTheMat.com features the magical mats and a woman with a sense of humor who gets doused equally with whatever the mat endures: ketchup, blueberry pie, coffee with creamer, potting soil and an ice cream sundae. Once you dirty the mat, a cleaning crew arrives to clean the mat in real time. But getting it messy is the fun part. Users can send the site to friends and suggest a stain to douse the mat. EPInteractive created the site.

ESPN launched a30-second spot honoring Jackie Robinson and featuring LL Cool J as the narrator. "He was a soldier, a writer, an activist, a politician," begins the ad. "...He was a father, a husband and a friend. Being a Hall of Fame second baseman was the easy part." The ad will run on all ESPN networks through April 15, Jackie Robinson Day.Watch the ad here.Wieden + Kennedy New York created the ad.

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