• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, February 3, 2004

Is Priceline.com replacing William Shatner? More Super Bowl Ads. Welcome to highlights of ad campaigns launched this week.

Staples debuted its first-ever Super Bowl commercial, which uses "tough guy" character-actor Joe Viterelli to highlight the company's brand promise to make buying office products easy. The 30-second spot, entitled "It Was Easy," launched during the third quarter of the game. The commercial depicts the title character, Randy, in the role of an office supply manager who uses his position to take advantage of his co-workers. In order to get file folders, ink cartridges, and paperclips from Randy, the office workers must abide by a policy of "baked goods as currency." After discovering Staples as an easier method to obtain office supplies, one co-worker turns the tables on Randy with a little help from Viterelli. The ad was created by Martin/Williams Advertising of Minneapolis.

Visa also launched a Super Bowl ad, highlighting its sponsorship of the upcoming Olympic Games. Entitled "Snowball," the ad features two Olympic hopefuls and representatives of its Gold Medal Athletes program -- Kerri Walsh and Misty May from the U.S. women's beach volleyball team. The women are shown preparing for the upcoming summer games. However, the athletes are so eager to hit the beach in Athens, they are braving the frigid winter elements in typical beach volleyball attire... bathing suits. BRRRR. BBDO New York created the ad, which is the latest in Visa's long-running "Visa. It's Everywhere You Want To Be" series.

A football-related ad shown during the Super Bowl? Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and head coach Bill Parcells joined a dozen NFL stars to sing "Tomorrow," from the Broadway musical "Annie," in a 60-second spot for NFL Network. The commercial features NFL stars around the league disappointed that they are not in Super Bowl XXXVIII. They take consolation that on Feb. 2 all teams will be undefeated and preparing for a new season with dreams of winning Super Bowl XXXIX. The theme is tied together by the song "Tomorrow" and communicates that football season never ends on NFL Network. Players in the ad include Michael Strahan, Warren Sapp, Zach Thomas, LaVar Arrington, and Torry Holt. Triple Double New York created the campaign.

McDonald's launched its newest commercial, "Dryer Sheet," just prior to the start of the Super Bowl. The spot is part of McDonald's "i'm lovin' it" campaign, which launched last September. The 30-second spot features a husband watching a game on TV while eating a McDonald's cheeseburger. His wife asks him to help with the laundry, and let's just say that the cheeseburger wrapper also acted as a sheet of fabric softener. DDB Chicago created the campaign.

And last but not least, the traditional "Got Milk" ad debuted the day after the big game. New England Patriots' Ty Law is in this year's ad, saying that the nine essential nutrients in milk helped the Monday morning after the Super Bowl taste even better. Law's milk mustache ad debuted in USA Today, ESPN Magazine and Sports Illustrated. Lowe Worldwide New York created the ad.

Priceline.com can't replace William Shatner, can they? In its latest ad, Shatner is reunited with Leonard Nimoy in a nationwide TV campaign touting priceline.com's new, more powerful airline ticketing service. The new service is a one-stop solution for booking a trip. Users can select flights, times, and airlines from a selection of low fares. Or, they can name their own price in an effort to save even more money. The campaign debuted on Jan. 19, and was created by Gotham New York.

Online dating service eHarmony is sticking with what works for its 2004 media blitz. The company's trademark TV ads will continue to feature actual couples who are either married or engaged, and met using eHarmony.com. The campaign consists of TV, radio, and print components (no online?). The ads were created by Donat/Wald.

In website launches this week:

Conill Advertising, an agency specializing in Hispanic marketing, has launched its website. The site allows potential clients to navigate through the hemispheres of a human brain in order to access the agency's unique portfolio. The left side of the brain, the logical and analytical side, outlines the company's Scope of Services (Ideas at Work), Key Contacts (Pick our Brain), History & Philosophy (Inside our Brain), and Job Opportunities (Be a Brain Cell). The intuitive and creative right side of the brain features the company's TV, Radio, Print, Interactive and Promotional Ideas, as well as Awards, Ideas Beyond Advertising and even "Killed Ideas." Conill, in conjunction with Amauta Technology, developed the site.

Bridges Media Group (BMG), a media communications company based in Chicago, has relaunched its website. The site was designed with the latest technologies giving the pages a simple, clean look to showcase the company and its work. The foundation of the BMG approach is direct contact with clients as well as creative counterparts. This method provides the opportunity to observe new design trends in the industry and allows exploration of new ideas with existing clients.