Out to Launch
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
What's in your ear? It's time to talk. Women are athletes, too. Let's launch!
  • What's in your ear? It's time to talk. Women are athletes, too. Let's launch!

    Online dating site Lavalife launched a TV campaign that asks single Canadian women what they're looking for in a man. The site is divided into three categories -- Dating, Relationships and Intimate Encounters -- for users to find their match easier. The 30-second spot features a group of men from each dating category and what they're offering. Why do all the men in the intimate encounter category have accents? Click here and here to watch the 30-second and 15-second spots. The campaign is running nationally in Canada from August to Septemberand November to December. Be sure to check out some commercial outtakes involving one actor having problems saying "orgasm." Zig created the campaign and MindShare handled the media buy.

    Fathead, creator of life-size wall decals of famous athletes, sports team logos and movie icons, launched a TV campaign introducing viewers to the fictional Fathead photographer Doug Witmer. Two TV ads support the upcoming NFL season and will run on ESPN, NFL Network and NBC. "Lens" follows Witmer and his ginormous camera as he waits for the perfect shot of Reggie Bush. Watch the ad here. "Cooler" showcases Shaun Alexander of the Seattle Seahawks and Witmer's cat-like reflexes in capturing the perfect shot. A second brand push consisting of print, TV and interactive components will launch during the holiday season and promote the full range of Fathead products. Wieden+Kennedy New York handled all aspects of campaign.

    Nike's latest TV campaign, "Continuing the Conversation," features talented women athletes having to justify themselves as athletes and overcome the bias of being considered inferior to male athletes. Mia Hamm, Gabrielle Reese, Picabo Street and Diana Taurasi, among others, step up to a larger-than-life megaphone to state their case. "It's not a girl thing, it's not a boy thing. It's a skills thing," concludes the ad. Watch it here. There's also a great outdoor ad coinciding with the U.S. Open featuring Serena Williams donning a shirt that says "athlete." "Are you looking at my titles," reads the copy. See it here.Wieden+Kennedy Portland handled all aspects of the campaign.

    The Grain Foods Foundation is launching a print campaign in the October issues of Better Homes & Gardens, Family Circle, Fitness, American Baby and Parents on how crucial bread can be to a person's diet. Atkins fans, look away now. Ads are also running in Kroger's supermarkets, and celebrity chef Robin Miller serves as the national spokesperson. The "Get Going with Grains" ads use a red twist tie in each ad as a reminder to eat bread. A timer in the shape of a chef wears a red twist tie as a scarf alongside copy that reads, "Bread. It's essential for winning a personal chef." Another red tie underlines key words in the copy. See it here. Other ads use the red twist tie as the top of a shoelace, signifying bread's importance in finishing a big race, and as a reminder on a finger for its role in cognitive function. Click here and here to see the ads. Mullen created the campaign and mediaHUB handled the media buy.

    Chopin plays in the background and gibberish reigns in the foreground of a TV spot for Albertson's. An elderly husband and wife speak nonsense to one another throughout the day until they sit down for dinner, and the husband compliments his wife's new haircut. Watch it here. Another ad, "Breakroom," shows the office moocher stealing someone's lunch. He doesn't get far, for he chose the wrong lunch to steal. Click here to watch.Dailey & Associates created the campaign and handled the media buy.

    The Partnership for a Drug Free-America launched a yearlong print, TV and online campaign this month pushing parents to talk to their kids about the pitfalls of using drugs and alcohol. Time To Talk launched in the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly and Sports Illustrated. Creative is simple, using a nametag with "Dad" written in. Another ad describes the feelings parent get when confronting their kids about drugs. Moody, sweaty palms, loss of appetite? Who are we talking about again? Click here and here to see the ads that drive parents to TimeToTalk.org. The TV spot highlights the two choices parents have when it comes to their kids and drugs: say something or do nothing. Watch the ad here.Wunderman created the pro bono campaign.

    The highs and lows of video gamers transcend language in a TV spot for Mountain Dew's citrus cherry flavored drink, Game Fuel. The ad supports the release of X-Box's videogame Halo3 and positions the limited-time flavor as a drink to give "cranked up" gamers an edge on their competitors. Gamers across the world are shown animatedly yelling at their televisions while the winning gamer calmly sips his Game Fuel. Click here to watch the ad.BBDO New York created the campaign and OMD handled the media buy.

    I know this man's pain. I've been there. Murine launched a TV spot last week for its new Earigate product. You spray this puppy in your ear to remove earwax build up. I don't know if I'd want to do that on my own, but it would save a trip to the doctor. The ad shows the lengths a man goes to relieve the pressure in his ear. Watch the ad here.Duval GuillaumeNew York created the campaign and Horizon Media New York handled the media buy.