Out to Launch
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Milk is all you need when PMS turns you into a witch. Cheese makes Canadians happy. Dogs love Honda Elements. Let's launch!
  • Milk is all you need when PMS turns you into a witch. Cheese makes Canadians happy. Dogs love Honda Elements. Let's launch!

    "My better is better than your better," begins the 60-second TV spot for Nike SPARQ training. A press conference morphs into a training exercise featuring athletes such as Sue Bird, Landon Donovan and Steve Nash illustrating their agility, speed, power and quick reaction times. Young athletes in training are also shown on the basketball court, soccer field or baseball field. Watch the ad here. The athletes of all ages engage in some trash talk in the 30-second version, with my favorite line being "my speed is already watching the next commercial." See the ad here. The campaign launched Match 12 on "American Idol" and will run throughout the month on major networks and throughout "March Madness." Click here and here to view print and outdoor work. Wieden+Kennedy Portland created the campaign and handled the media buy.

    Look through Pella windows, and what you see is potential. The windows and doors manufacturer launched a TV and print campaign March 10 debuting a new tag line, "Creating a better view." The TV spot shows a home in the midst of being remodeled. A Pella window, about to be installed, moves toward the house, showing the viewers what the home will look like once completed. See the ad here, running on HGTV, DIY and TLC. Print ads, breaking in April issues of Better Homes & Gardens, Midwest Living, This Old House, Country Living and Southern Living, picture weathered houses with an updated look through the eyes of Pella windows and doors. See the ads here and here. BrandBuzz New York created the campaign and Mediaedge:cia New York handled the media buy.

    Personally, I preferred last year's campaign where the Dairy Farmers of Canada positioned cheese as an aphrodisiac. This year's campaign showcases a tone-deaf family singing about their love of cheese in dinnertime meals. "All You Need is Cheese: The Musical," turns classic hits such as "Respect" and "Easy Like Sunday Morning" into "C-H-E-E-S-E" and "Cheesy." Children want something in "Just a little bit," and the parents have what they need: cheese. "Serve it to me, serve it to me, serve it to me, serve it to me," sing the kids. Watch the ad here. "Cheesy" is an improvement, but not by much. See it here. I dig the print ads, especially the two-page spread where cheese makes a tomato feel good all over. Click here, here and here to see creative. TAXI Montreal created the campaign and M2 Universal handled the media buy.

    So all women are witches when it's that time of the month, eh? Is it safe to say that women didn't work on this project? You don't need subtitles to get the gist of this ad from the California Milk Processor Board. A 60-second Spanish-language spot called "Bruja" (witch) launched this month and begins with a mean witch scaring children. Then she starts to drink milk, becomes hot, grows a conscience, and transforms into an overall likeable person. Because drinking milk can reduce the symptoms of PMS. That's some fairy tale. See the ad here. Grupo Gallegos created the campaign and PHD handled the media buy. 

    Celestial Seasonings launched a print and outdoor campaign late last year that positioned its tea as a tasty, no-calorie alternative to tasty, addictive, high-in-fat drinks commonly found at Starbucks. I have a hard time buying this comparison. If I want something tasty and sweet, I doubt I'd reach for a cup of tea. Creative did make me laugh, though. Ads targeting a young crowd portrayed lattes and smoothies as easy ways to fill out one's pants. "Chin, double chin and triple chin" are the three size choices for a latte, seen here. "Non-fat, low-fat and fat" describes a drinkable sundae, while "pants, sweat pants, stretch pants and mumu" illustrates a high-caloric beverage drizzled with sauce and whipped cream. A second component of the campaign targets adults 45 and older in issues of Health, Natural Health, Prevention, Real Simple, More, Food & Wine, Eating Well and The New Yorker. See the ads here, here and here. TDA Advertising & Design created the campaign and handled the media buy.

    Betty Crocker launched an Easter-themed campaign on March 10, promoting its cookie icing. Mom and son have a jolly time decorating cookies while the cynical daughter hesitantly tastes the finished product. She likes it, she really likes it. See the ad here, running on ABC Family, Food Network, HGTV, Lifetime. The Sawtooth Group created the campaign and handled the media buying. In addition, the agency dusted off its year-old TV spot for PAAS, where a young boy teaches his baby sister how to color eggs. Precious.

    Adacel, a vaccination for pertussis, better known as whooping cough, launched a print campaign urging mothers to get vaccinated so they don't infect their infants with the potentially fatal disease. Cute babies make up the majority of the ad, along with large letters stating, "Hey mom, what's your problem? Get vaccinated," and "Mom, spread the word, not whopping cough." See the ads here, here and here. Deutsch New York created the campaign and Optimedia handled the media buy.

    Last year, DogCars.com named the Honda Element its "DogCar of the Year." Thus the inspiration for "Pointer." The animated spot depicts the ideal combination of dog and Honda Element. Sixty-four possible seat configurations and waterproof seat fabric help the sell. Watch the ad here, running on the National Geographic Channel, ESPN2 and MTV. RPA created the campaign and handled the media buy.