• by Staff Writers , November 4, 2011

Leading up to the 2011 Creative Media Awards, which will be held Dec. 14^th in New York City, MediaDailyNews is re-publishing the most creative media campaigns of 2010. Today we revisit the winner and finalists in the “Communications Channel Plan” category.

Stains Out. No Doubt for P&G/Tide Stain Release by Starcom USA

Starcom, USA
P&G/Tide Stain Release, "Stains Out. No Doubt"
Finalist Communications Channel Plan

When Procter & Gamble decided to launch a premium version of its Tide detergent brand at the height of an economic recession, it turned to media agency Starcom to develop a communications plan that would position Tide Stain Release as an indispensable line for a key consumer segment: moms who  would be willing to pay a little more to protect valuable children's clothing. Armed with that consumer insight, the Starcom team developed an integrated campaign around premium baby and toddler clothing marketer Gymboree that effectively turned its retail stores and sales staff into a communications channel for TSR. Every purchase made at Gymboree included a free sample and literature educating moms on how to keep their new purchases stain-free.  Starcom reinforced the integration by tapping into influential mommy bloggers.

A grounded blimp still gets air time for Goodyear/Fuel Max Tires by MPG

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MPG
Goodyear/Fuel Max Tires, "Grounded Blimp"
Finalist Communications Channel Plan

Some communications channel strategies are full of hot air. The one MPG developed to promote client Goodyear's Fuel Max Tires was, well, the opposite of that. When Goodyear's trademark blimp was grounded due to economic cutbacks, the media shop turned a negative into a positive and transformed the iconic airship into a virtual communications channel that generated real results. Working largely with stock archival footage, the mpg team developed branded content that inserted the Goodyear Blimp and its flight crew into an array of programming, including color commentary during major sporting events. Best of all, because the content was embedded and integrated into programming, the virtual blimp campaign was essentially "DVR-proof." To viewers, it appeared as if the Goodyear Blimp flight crew were bantering in a real blimp, hovering above the fields, stadiums or arenas they were covering - all for a fraction of the cost of the real McCoy.

Mootopia for California Milk Processor Board by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners
California Milk Processor Board, "Mootopia"
Finalist Communications Channel Plan

Just when you thought the team at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners had milked the California Milk Processor Board account for all it could, the agency figured out a way to make milk appealing to one of its most elusive, but most important markets: teens. How? By turning their sense of narcissism into a new communications channel. The channel, embodied in a magical utopian world known as Mootopia, where "hair grows like finely woven silk" and muscle-building "borders on miraculous," was brought to life via a series of experiential events and activities sure to appeal to the youth market, including an 18-day series of summer events held under milky-white cabanas, where Mootopian citizens (beautiful brand ambassadors) welcomed visitors, passing out milk-based smoothies. Artists created custom t-shirts featuring Mootopian imagery; giveaways connected to benefits - nail files - were passed out as souvenirs. Free manicures reinforced the benefit of strong nails, hair styling connected milk with shiny hair, and arm-wrestling stations aligned with muscle building. The agency extended and expanded the presence of Mootopia online, via visitmootopia.com, where a broader community of teens could immerse themselves in the legend of Mootopia, listen to the land's anthem and play games created around the benefits of milk. An exclusive partnership with DailyCandy brought tangible health/beauty offers to those who visited Mootopia via the website or Mootopia's Facebook page.