Out to Launch
Wednesday, October 1, 2003
Kellogg promotes Nutri-Grain Granola Bars and Bites with "mock" marathons. Subway says "It's OK" to treat yourself once in a while. Caesars Palace has made some changes. Welcome to highlights of ad campaigns launched this week.
  • Kellogg promotes Nutri-Grain Granola Bars and Bites with "mock" marathons. Subway says "It's OK" to treat yourself once in a while. Caesars Palace has made some changes. Welcome to highlights of ad campaigns launched this week.

    Kellogg Company launched its Kellogg Nutri-Grain Granola Bars and Bites this month with an integrated marketing campaign. Fifteen- and 30-second TV spots, entitled "Morning Marathon," were designed by Leo Burnett USA, and launched Sept. 29. The ads follow a crowd of hurried commuters, portraying their morning ritual as a marathon. But the campaign doesn't stop there. To generate further awareness in eight key U.S. markets, Kellogg is taking the "Morning Marathon" message to the streets of Boston, Denver, Minneapolis, Washington D.C., Portland, Milwaukee, Chicago and Atlanta. How, you might ask? By staging "mock marathons" Oct. 8, during the morning commute in high-traffic downtown locations, of course! Developed by Relay Sports and Event Marketing, a division of Starcom MediaVest Group, actors portraying commuters, clad in business attire and Nutri-Grain race "bibs," will take part in each race.

    Subway recently debuted "Husband," the first in a series of new commercials in its "It's OK" campaign, during the Emmy Awards. "It's OK" stresses that when consumers eat Subway more regularly, they can indulge once in a while too. "Husband," features a husband questioning his wife about eating ice cream. She responds, "It's OK, I had Subway." When she discovers him washing the car in the driveway in a cheerleader uniform, he uses the same response to justify his behavior. A voiceover reads, "Subway: Good so you don't always have to be." Three other executions will debut this fall. Fallon Worldwide in Minneapolis created the ads. In addition to the "It's OK" campaign, Jared Fogle returns in a campaign entitled "Ask Jared." Featured as an expert on a variety of topics because of his weight-loss success story, Jared is seen answering questions from everyday people about topics ranging from gift giving etiquette to judicial rulings. The ads will air on national, cable and syndicated television. Ads will also run during the World Series, NFL Football coverage and Nascar's Subway 500.

    In one shot, a handsome man balances a cigar in his hand as he contemplates his winnings at the blackjack table. Nearby, a beautiful blonde looks on admiringly. Small type identifies the winner as "Julius I, 2:15 a.m. 2003 A.D." The headline reads: "Invest where you get the most interest." In a second photograph, three attractive women in the midst of a serious girls' night out surround a roulette wheel, armed with cocktails and cigarettes. Their identities are noted in small text: "The Muses, 11:15 p.m. 2003 A.D." The headline reads: "What Rat Pack?" These are images featured in an ad campaign for Caesars Palace, in Las Vegas. The tag line of the ads is 'Live Famously' and they were designed by R&R Partners of Las Vegas. The casino recently debuted the 4,100-seat Colosseum, where Celine Dion performs. In addition to the Colosseum, Caesars Palace recently launched "Bradley Ogden," the first restaurant opened outside California by its namesake celebrity chef. The ads ran in September issues of LA Confidential, Angeleno, Gotham, Hamptons and Chicago Social, as well as travel industry and meeting publications. The campaign will expand to include direct marketing, Internet and outdoor advertising, and, in late 2004, television.

    Timex launched a global advertising campaign, but it left something behind. Its old tagline: "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking." Now using the tagline "Life is Ticking," print, online and cinema ads debuted in September. The campaign, created by kirshenbaum bond & partners, New York, uses wry visual humor and subtle product hints, paired with minimal copy. For example, one ad shows two pairs of legs peeking out from underneath tangled blankets in a dark bedroom. A Timex watch sits underneath the photo. The copy reads "Indiglo Night Light," - along with Timex and "Life is Ticking." "Life is Ticking" ads appear in September issues of magazines such as Marie Claire, FHM, Details, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, In Style, Jane, Lucky, Stuff, Men's Health, ESPN, Climbing, Transworld Snowboarding and Powder. Online ads will run on runnersworld.com, backpacker.com, scubadiving.com and bicycling.com, to name a few.

    Computer Associates launched a multimillion-dollar global ad campaign emphasizing its leadership in the management software sector. The first phase of the campaign broke on Sept. 4 with an eight-page insert in The Wall Street Journal. The second phase launched in international markets on Sept. 15. The campaign uses photographs and text to relay why management software is a "must have" in today's cost-conscious environment. Outdoor, print, radio and online ads are also used in the campaign. The ads will appear in more than 35 publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Barron's, Investor's Business Daily, The Washington Post, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, The Economist, Wired, CIO, InformationWeek, Computerworld and eWEEK. The campaign was created by Young & Rubicam.

    Who uses payphones anymore? According to Verizon, not enough people. The company recently concluded an ad campaign for its reduced-rate collect and credit card access number, in an effort to stimulate payphone usage. For nearly a year, Verizon has had its own number to dial for collect, credit card and third-party-billed calls, 1-800-USE THE VZ. The service competes with 1-800- COLLECT and 1-800-CALL-ATT. A series of light-hearted radio and outdoor ads, created by Burrell Communications, features things young people do that are acceptable (living on nothing but pizza, potato chips, cola and caffeine, and using 1-800-USE-THE VZ) or unacceptable (using a competitor's service to make collect calls).

    The Advertising Council and Give Kids The World have partnered to distribute PSAs designed to help children with life-threatening illnesses realize their dream of visiting Central Florida's theme park attractions. Families receive accommodations at the non-profit's 51-acre Village, local transportation, attraction tickets and meals at no cost to them. The TV, radio and print PSAs were created pro bono by Grey Worldwide. The PSAs show the benefits the Village provides to the children and their families by featuring these children enjoying their time at the Village.

    In website launches this week:

    Entertainment website Zap2it.com recently upgraded its website. The new front page provides an at-a-glance preview of the hottest news, along with the latest facts and figures that are shaping TV and movies. Added features throughout the site include: Lists of top searched movies and trailers; lists of top rated TV shows, top grossing movies and best selling DVDs; a summary of daily or weekly top box office performers; an expanded video area with access to 100 video trailers from top films; and a primetime TV listings grid. Continued changes will be made to the site with a second phase of the redesign expected to launch in first quarter 2004.

    Automotive Avenues has redesigned its website. Automotive Avenues provides credit union members with an alternative to purchasing their vehicles through the traditional franchise dealership. The site was designed by Redbeard Communications. Consumers can research and compare the cost of vehicle makes and models on the website. The site also allows consumers to search Automotive Avenue's pre-owned inventory, research various financing options and make an appointment with AAI's parts and services center.