Commentary

Out to Launch

TNN gets a new name. HSBC wants to give you a free ride. The Coast Guard launches a branding and advertising campaign. Those are just a few of the campaigns launched this week. Read on for more details.

TNN, The National Network, is adding some bite to the channel by renaming it Spike TV, a reflection of the network as the first network for men. The name change will take place on June 16, and the network's new logo was unveiled at the MTV Networks upfront presentation on May 6. Spike TV's brand creative group and Trollbäck & Company created the new logo. To support the rebranding, the company will launch a multi-million dollar awareness campaign that includes radio, TV, outdoor and print advertising. Ads will appear in both trade and consumer publications and TV ads will appear throughout local and cable shows.

The Sound of Music has been refurbished for a new generation. DDB Seattle debuted a TV spot for JanSport, which highlights the company's Euphonic Pack, the first of their Live Wire line, which are backpacks with built in earphones and volume control targeting college-aged music lovers. The spot, entitled "Doe" portrays a boy chasing girl scenario, with an updated version of "Do-Re-Mi." A boy wearing a Live Wire pack pursues "Doe." As he puts his earphones on, the updated "Sound of Music" tune begins. As each verse plays, the pair encounters situations corresponding to the lyrics. For example, for the verse "sew, a needle pulling thread," the boy passes by a tailor shop. The spot ends with the boy being led back to "Doe", who is found doing - what else? - "sipping tea with jam and bread" at a cafe. The :30 and :45 spots will run through August on MTV and MTV2 and the backpack will be sold in music stores. Banner ads are being designed to run on MTV.com and MTV2.com.

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El Pollo Loco has unveiled a new Spanish language ad to reintroduce Hispanic consumers to El Pollo Loco. The TV ads play on the company motto: "The fresh Latin flavor of our flame-grilled chicken brings out the Loco in you." The three new television spots match choreographed movements to the ways people respond to El Pollo Loco's flame-grilled chicken, and include the tagline "Una Loca Pasion" ("A Crazy Passion"). The campaign will feature 15 and 30 second television spots created by IDEAS. The ads launched on May 2 and will run throughout the year on Univision and Telemundo affiliates, as well as other Spanish language stations in select Western region markets including: Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and San Antonio.

Another campaign targeting Latino consumers comes from Comcast Cable. The campaign consists of six TV spots and eight radio spots, which will run through 2003 and beyond. The new campaign will launch Comcast's Hispanic programming packages including CableLatino and support the Comcast brand. Castells & Asociados created the ads. Comcast's CableLatino packages offer Spanish-language and English-language video and audio channels such as CNN en Español, Discovery en Español, Fox Sports en Español and MTV en Español to Latino consumers. The campaign's creative strategy focuses on describing what Latino consumers' viewing experiences have been lacking. Ads will run in 9 of the top 10 Hispanic markets nationwide, including Boston, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Miami and San Francisco.

Hailing a cab in New York just became more interesting. HSBC, a.k.a. The World's Local Bank, began a campaign beginning today until Dec. 31, where HSBC customers that present their HSBC card, checkbook or bank statement receive a free Manhattan taxi ride in the HSBC branded Checker cab driven by New York's most knowledgeable cabbie. Eight finalists competed for the Most Knowledgeable Cabbie Prize, which was a full-time contract to drive the HSBC BankCab. Cabbies answered questions in categories such as "I'm from Out of Town and NY Eats." To support this campaign, designed by Renegade Marketing Group, an HSBC street team dressed as cabbies will hand out roughly 80,000 guides shaped as checkbooks to commuters. In-Bank Promotions for the campaign will include window posters, handouts and BankCab pins worn by tellers.

No AOL here. Time Warner Cable launched a campaign this week called "Live in the Moment," which demonstrates how consumers no longer need to choose between living life to the fullest and watching their favorite television program. The campaign, developed by SS+K, demonstrates how digital products and services empower customers - giving them control over the television viewing experience, and also highlights Time Warner Cable's latest digital products and services. The campaign consists of TV and radio spots, direct mail and outdoor advertisements. The four TV ads will run through the second quarter on local broadcast networks in Time Warner Cable's 32 markets, along with heavy cross-channel promotion via AOL Time Warner cable and broadcast properties. In one ad, called "Roses," a person is shown who doesn't have a second to appreciate life. Until he uses TWC features. The man chooses to watch "Six Feet Under" at the time he wants. He then pauses the action on the TV, allowing him to breathe deeply, smell a single rose, exhale, relax and then continue watching his show.

The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a new branding and advertising campaign developed by Cossette Post. The campaign, "Shield of Freedom," showcases the Coast Guard's varied roles in protecting and defending the nation's homeland. The campaign is broadcast, print, outdoor and direct mail at both national and local levels. Television, print and radio spots will began airing in April, and the TV spot is a series of dramatic vignettes representing the different roles the Coast Guard undertakes on a day-to-day basis. The first person says, "I am the port in the storm," while he rescues fishermen caught in a storm. Next, a woman says, "I am the line in the sand," while she helps contain an oil spill. A night helicopter rescuer proclaims, "I am the rescuer in the dark," as he saves a woman at sea. Finally, the commercial shows a wide shot of a Coast Guard armada as a spokesperson declares: "We are the defender of the homeland. We are the shield of freedom. We are the U.S. Coast Guard."

This week's website launches include:

Yahoo! and its music destination, LAUNCH, have teamed up with Kimberly-Clark Corporation, makers of Kotex brand, to introduce Krush, a section dedicated to the best in pop music on LAUNCH. Kimberly-Clark's online destination for teen girls, Girlspace.com, is the official sponsor of Krush. Girlspace, created by the Kotex brand, gives teens a fun and interactive way to stay connected to teen-related information. This sponsorship gives Girlspace branding rights of the Krush section along with heavy media rotation within LAUNCH, including artist pages, search pages and photo galleries, through early 2004. LAUNCH also built a custom Internet Radio Player, branded for Girlspace which links directly from both Girlspace.com and the Krush section. The site was designed by both Yahoo! and Kimberly-Clark.

Miles Media Group (MMG) has launched the official travel planning website for the Tampa Bay area. The site includes lifestyle content, easy-to-use navigation, a trip planner, a calendar of events and sample itineraries. MMG will also maintain the site on an ongoing basis to ensure up-to-date information, listings, content, etc. The site also includes destination information, such as accommodations, attractions, dining, shopping and events.

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