Out to Launch

• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, January 18, 2012

Sofia Vergara is back as Lola in “Dance,” the latest ad for Diet Pepsi. In her first spot for the brand, Vergara cleared a crowded beach with a ruse that David Beckham was nearby, so she could step to the front of the beverage line. This time around, she’s at a hot Miami nightclub with one thing on her mind: Diet Pepsi. Vergara dances her way past a series of distinctive suitors as the song “Whatever Lola Wants” plays in the background. Quick song trivia: Rod Stewart’s daughter, Ruby, sings the updated version. With her goal in reach, Vergara says: “I’ve been looking for you all night.” She’s talking to the drink, much to the disappointment of the handsome waiter. See it here. TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles created the ad, directed by McG.

Skittles sand Starburst aren’t the only candy brands with outrageous creative concepts. Add Jolly Ranchers to the list. Olivier Agostini wrote and directed this ad, part of a crowd-sourcing campaign for the brand, based on the project brief that new Jolly Rancher candy was crunchy and chewy. Turtles are also crunchy and chewy, but can’t possibly taste better than a Jolly Rancher. A man stares at a turtle, wanting to eat it. The turtle talks back, trying to convince the man to eat Jolly Ranchers instead. The man doesn’t listen, and the turtle whips out its secret weapon: laser-beam eyes. The laser knocks down a picture and breaks a glass of milk, ending with the turtle hovering off like a UFO. Watch it here.

If I’m going to pay someone a high compliment by making up a catchphrase using the name of a breakfast sandwich, I’d choose the McGriddle. This sandwich has bacon, scrambled eggs and cheese between maple-flavored pancakes. Sadly, the Egg McMuffin is the breakfast sandwich of McDonald’s eye in a TV spot that begins with a woman calling her boyfriend the Egg McMuffin of boyfriends, after he tells her he loves her. OK, first she’s eating McDonald’s oatmeal and second, she doesn’t say she loves him back, so being called an Egg McMuffin of something should technically be uncomplimentary. Am I right? Score one for the McGriddle. The ad continues by showcasing the Egg McMuffin of cars, beach days and a science project made by a father and daughter. See it here. Since the ad debuted, the catchphrase has been tweeted 11,000 times on Twitter and mentioned 1,200 times on Facebook. I’m up for the challenge. Arnold Worldwide created the campaign.

DDB launched a series of videos that show a different side to McDonald’s: its suppliers. One man, a lettuce supplier based in California, talks about carrying on the farming tradition that started with his grandfather. Nowadays, lettuce can be harvested, triple-rinsed and shipped to McDonald’s in days rather than weeks. Watch it here.

Fashion clothier and accessories shop The Corner  launched a two-minute video called “Knot Yourself,” promoting designer Alexander Olch and his gift sets of ties. The video, shot in black and white, serves as a tutorial for tying the “4-In-Hand” knot. French model Aurélie Claudel plays the role of Olch. She dons a moustache, but not pants, and mouths the directions for the 4-In-Hand knot, spoken by Olch. Following the six-step process, Claudel drinks espresso -- while the voiceover continues to talk -- and saunters off, still pantsless. Watch the video here, directed by Matt Lenski of  Supply&Demand.

I’m sure that Rock Paper Scissors is considered a sport… somewhere. Possibly Canada. To launch its new nightly lottery game called Rock Paper Scissors, OLG created an amusing TV spot where gym members take part in Rock Paper Scissors Champ Camp. After working on grueling physical challenges, the team stands in front of a mirror to practice their psych-out faces. See the ad here, created by Due North Communications and directed by Wayne Craig of Holiday Films.

Rachel Dratch does a great crazy face, so she plays a woman obsessed with Zaxby’s Chicken Finger Sandwich Meal extremely well. Dratch complains that her friends call her obsessed with the sandwich and she can’t understand why. To her, it’s completely normal to have chicken finger sandwich pictures around her house and wear a vial of Zax Sauce around her neck, rubbing it between her hands like Gollum from “Lord of the Rings.” See the ad here, created by St. John & Partners.

Paper Mate launched a global marketing campaign for its InkJoy pen, dubbing it “The World’s Most Stolen Pen.” That’s a lot of pressure on InkJoy. The ad depicts what happens in 99.99% of all office settings: a co-worker visits a colleague, leaves a note for the person and then makes off with their pen. The twist in the ad, however, is that the colleague sets traps for pen thieves, because the pens are that good. Watch the ad here, created by Energy BBDO and the Zocalo Group.

Random iPad App of the week: Volkswagen created a free iPad app to promote the 2012 Golf R. The “Golf R Drivers Forever” app tells VW enthusiasts everything they need to know about the Golf R. The app features a mini-documentary about the world of Volkswagen including footage of the Autostadt and accounts from members of the Volkswagen of America Product Marketing team and Volkswagen R GmbH team. There’s also a narrative on the evolution of the Golf, from its days as the Rabbit in the 1970s all the way to the present 2012 Golf R model. AKQA created the app, available in the App Store.