Out to Launch
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Let's get ready for football. There's a strapping new Colonel Sanders. Let's launch!
  • You never know who or what type of vehicle you'll get when you order an Uber ride. With the relaunch of Hershey's TAKE5 candy bar, the brand decided to partner with the car service provider and give residents of three cities an interesting vehicle to ride in. Residents of Nashville, Denver and Seattle were given the option online to select TAKE5 Uber Remix and a promo code to enter.

    Riders couldn't choose their vehicle, but they knew it would be a memorable experience.

    More than 2,000 requests were submitted and 388 TAKE5 UberRemix Rides were given. Those lucky to score a ride were picked up in vehicles like a Rat Rod, Motorcycle with sidecar, Low rider, Corvette Z06 Stingray, Lamborghini Gallardo, McLaren MP4-12C, Batman Style Monster truck, Dump Truck, Motorcylce with Sidecar and Presidential Limo with TAKE5 flags. Barkley created the campaign.

  • SS+K teamed up with messaging bot platform Dexter to create the BFF Trump, a Facebook Messenger bot that dispenses all of the hurtful, negative and racist comments the presidential candidate has said. The bot was created in an effort to reach Millennial voters. Since the demographic gets the majority of their news from Facebook, yet the network's algorithms can skew what news Millennials see, BFF Trump was born. BFF Trump works on either Facebook's desktop or mobile messenger platform, and guides users through a series of conversations about Trump's views on women, immigration and Mexicans, to name a few. The bot uses hundred of Trump quotes and counting.

    For example, BFF Trump might relay a quote on Trump's stance on global warming. Users can click on three options: "Really," "More on eco issues" and "What else you got," to continue the conversation with Trump.

  • Summer is almost over -- and not only do the kids go back to school, NFL players report to training camp. The brand launched a 2:30 video where fans, coaches, players, broadcasters and groundskeepers lip sync the Motley Crue tune, "Home Sweet Home." Look for Antonio Brown, Michael Strahan, Rich Eisen, Charles Woodson, Eric Decker, Von Miller, Howie Long and Jerry Jones, to name a few. The video ends with the line "Families always come home, sweet home," followed by the NFL's tagline: "Football is Family." Grey New York created the campaign.

  • The latest incarnation of KFC's Colonel Sanders is the sassiest and sexiest to date. Shall we call him Colonel Ziggler? KFC teamed up with WWE and created an ad/live action segment that ran during Sunday night's SummerSlam. Jim Gaffigan, George Hamilton and Darryl Hammond previously played the Colonel. When the WWE gets involved, the Colonel is played by wrestler Dolph Ziggler.

    The video begins with ad for a second-rate, fast-food chicken franchise with an annoying chicken mascot, playyed by WWE wrestler, The Miz. As the chicken convinces a family of four to eat Puppers Cluckers chicken for dinner, a fit Colonel Sanders, interrupts.

    The Colonel goes backstage, inside the ad, beats up the chicken and brings him into the ring to further settle the score. Colonel Sanders ditches his typical white blazer for a form-fitting tank and bow-tie. The newest item on KFC's menu will be the Puppers Cluckers chicken, once the Colonel gets through with him. And in real-life, the KFC Chicken Little sandwich.

  • Nike created "Unlimited Together," a 2:30 black-and-white video supporting the USA men's and women's basketball teams. The video is part of Nike's "Unlimited Campaign," which pays tribute to all athletes who push their limits regularly. An original track from Chicago-born artist Chance the Rapper called "We the People" is featured prominently throughout the film. Larger-than-life-images of the two teams are projected onto the sides of buildings as Chance the Rapper speaks of fandom, American dreams and supporting the home teams, regardless of the final outcome.

    Look for DeMarcus Cousins, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, DeAndre Jordan, Klay Thompson, DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Elena Delle Donne, Maya Moore, Tamika Catchings, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Seimone Augustus, Angel McCoughtry, Breanna Stewart Tina Charles, Sylvia Fowles and Lindsay Whalen. Wieden+Kennedy New York created the campaign.

  • If you're a romantic who loves DIY projects, then you'll love Lowe's "House Love" video, running on social media. The 3-minute videobegins with a teenage boy watching his new neighbors move in. It's pretty boring — until he sees a cute teenage daughter in tow. Love at first sight.

    His house and her house start "flirting" with one another: the blinds open up and appear to wink, the sprinkler turns on, the weather vane moves out of control, while the young boy times it so he'll walk his neighbor to school. Love blooms, the kids get married, have a child and settle into the home the boy grew up in.

    As time goes by, the girl's childhood house sits on the market and begins to fall apart. The young family takes it upon themselves to spruce up the outside of the home and yard, and new owners move in with a child about the same age as their son. BBDO New York created the campaign.

  • AXE wants millennial men to play with their hair and find a style that projects their personality. "Not Just a Pretty Hairstyle" is a 60-second spot set to the James Blunt tune "You're Beautiful." Different lyrics highlight the normal, everyday things that make each guy awesome in their personal life. One man can fry an egg without breaking a yolk, another can find Orion's Belt in the sky. Not curing cancer, but these small talents are useful to these guys, who are more than just a pretty face. Ponce created the campaign.

  • Mollie's Fund, an organization that educates young people about melanoma prevention and skin cancer detection, launched a heartbreaking ad campaign called "Mr. Sun." The 60-second ad begins with a young woman on her deathbed. As the childhood song "Mr. Sun" plays in the background, we see this young woman's life story told backwards, from her losing her hair, shaving her head and noticing a suspicious mole on her arm. The spot ends with a younger version of the woman sunbathing and loving every minute. Just five sunburns can increase a child's risk of melanoma by 80%. Area 23, an FCB Health Network Company, created the campaign.

  • Random iPhone App of the week:Vogue revamped its free iPhone app, bringing fashion lovers news — not just in fashion but weddings, food, travel and entertainment. Each morning, the app selects and recommends eight stories tailored to each user's tastes. They can set up notifications to get alerts when stories are published pertaining to their interests. Fans can also save stories to read offline and share articles and videos on social media. Oven Bits designed and developed of the app.