Out to Launch

• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, August 17, 2011

The agency that brought us "the man your man could smell like," created a blacksmith with a hearty appetite for liquid gold and moms in need of a fast dinner option. Wieden+Kennedy Portland launched four TV spots for Velveeta Cheesy Skillets, a tasty dinner choice for busy moms. A woman, microwaving the family dinner, gets an unexpected surprise in "Kitchen." A well-mannered, good-looking blacksmith, similar to Old Spice Man, urges the woman to use her stove rather than the microwave. He stands closely behind the woman, helping her stir the pasta and meat until it's time to add liquid gold (Velveeta). Watch it here. The blacksmith destroys a speaker from a "Drive Thru" window, leaving another mom no choice but to "smite until there can be no more smiting." It not only sounds awkward, it looks awkward. See it here. The blacksmith loves "Two Things" in life: making skillets and filling them with liquid gold. Watch it here. In the final spot, "Liquid Gold," our blacksmith screams liquid gold the way a soccer announcer declares a goal: "Gooooooooold." See it here.

IKEA launched a TV campaign in Australia called "Have a Go." The spot begins with a group of combative adults, holding IKEA furniture pieces as weapons. It reminds me of a combat scene from "Braveheart." I was waiting for Mel Gibson to appear, shouting, "They may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!" It didn't happen. What does take place is men and women letting out primal screams and running through the countryside with lamps, chairs, whisks and pillow in hand. One man falls in a puddle, yet manages to keep his pillow out of harm's way. The legion makes its way into suburbia and inside their homes, where old furniture is destroyed and replaced with IKEA products. "Fight boring," closes the ad, seen here. The Monkeys created the spot, directed by Hamish Rothwell.

World Wildlife Fund launched a TV ad where human and animals alike view the world side-by-side. Not surprisingly, there are many similarities. A mother kisses her young child next to an image of an orangutan kissing her baby. A home fire and a forest fire cause equal devastation for both the male homeowner and capuchin monkey who lives in the forest. "We are all connected," concludes the ad, seen here. Ogilvy created the ad, directed by Samuel Abrahams of Smuggler, and edited by Chris McKay of Cut + Run.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium launched an adorable TV campaign using the theme, "Share the love." A school of jellyfish glides through the water, and two break from the group to form a heart shape. See it here. A group of sardines gives a greater effect, with the whole lot morphing into a heart. Watch it here. "Take the plunge" closes both ads, created by Engine Company-1, who also handled the media buy.

 

Foot Locker, and its employees, are passionate about sneakers. Students give an oral presentation about a famous historian that starts out factually and quickly veers into eccentric. Sure, Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity, but it was his love of sneakers that stands out to the student. Since the teacher is a Foot Locker striper, the student receives high praise. See it here. Not only were the Wright Brothers the first Americans to fly an airplane, they were also the first to rock fly sneakers at formal events. Watch it here. SapientNitro created the campaign, produced by Biscuit Filmworks.

In preparation for the NFL season, Under Armour launched "Strobe," a TV spot starring newbie NFL quarterback Cam Newton and old pro (he's 34) Tom Brady. Both athletes are on-field, practicing for their teams. Each is about to throw a football when copy comes onscreen: "Tom meet Cam. Cam meet Tom." It should be an interesting season. See the ad here, created by twofifteenmccann. There's also a video on the brand's Facebook page showing Brady and Newton meeting for the first time.

Adidas launched a TV spot for its Originals line of sneakers and street wear. The ad features rappers Snoop Dogg, Big Sean and Mike G and Domo Genesis, pop singer Sky Ferreira, basketball player Dwight Howard, and fashion icon Jeremy Scott. Essentially, the ad pays tribute to those who wear Adidas. Everyone was pretty much named: the in-crowd, the outsiders, icons and oddities, prophets and prodigies and East Coast or West Side. See the ad here, created by Kamp Grizzly.

Cottonelle wants users to "Respect the Roll" by covering up extra rolls with a toilet roll cover. Is this really necessary, from a green standpoint? Would a person really be offended to see a naked roll of tp in the place where it belongs? Viewers get a look inside the town "Where the Sun Don't Shine," and yes, it's dark there. In "Naked," a visiting neighbor has no problem mooching off a man's food supply, but is steamed at the naked toilet paper roll in the bathroom. It's naked and deserves respect. Watch it here. For a limited time, consumers get a free toilet roll cover when showing proof of purchase of a Cottonelle 12 pack. TRIS3CT created the campaign.

Random iPhone App of the week: The Illinois Office of Tourism launched the "Enjoy Illinois" iPhone app, a pocket tour guide featuring 10,000 points of interest throughout the state, including attractions, dining, accommodations and events. Users can find attractions nearby when using the "near me" navigation tool. A customized itinerary can be created and shared online via social network sites or email. The app, created by JWT Chicago and SIM Partners, is available for free in the App Store.